PREDICTIONS: NXT Takeover Chicago

It doesn’t just steal the show. It is a show.

I suspect this will definitely be one of those weekends where Takeover completely outshines the PPV it’s paird with. While the two MitB matches and Styles/Nakamura have a strong chance of impressing, the rest of the card can’t hold a candle to four out of five matches on this card. PREDICTIONS!



Ricochet vs. Velveteen Dream

This is the toughest call on the card. Both guys could win this, both guys should win this, but only one can. I think Ricochet needs it slightly more. He hasn’t had a big match victory since his debut at the last Takeover. Dream’s shown he can stay over despite losses, and while that’s not a trait you can exploit for long, I think here, given how fucking amazing this match is going to be, they can do it. Ricochet wins. If he doesn’t, that means they’re both gonna keep feuding through Brooklyn.

The Undisputed Era vs. Birch and Lorcan (NXT Tag Team Championships)

As much as I love Danny Birch and Oney Lorcan, they’re not taking the belts off the Era this early. Plus they telegraphed Era retaining by having them stand tall on the pre-PPV NXT. Bonus prediction - the involvement of both Pete Dunne and Adam Cole.

Nikki Cross vs. Shayna Baszler (NXT Women’s Championship)

I haven’t hated a pick this much since that one time it was so obvious Randy Orton was gonna win I had to pick him. I desperately want Nikki Cross to win this, but I don’t think they’ll do it and I don’t think they’re ready to end the reign of Shayna Bully. Baszler retains. Possibly via shenanigans to set up a Brooklyn rematch.

Aleister Black vs. Lars Sullivan (NXT Title)

Look, WWE, we all knew Lars Sullivan was going to lose to Aleister Black this Saturday. You didn’t have to have Sullivan hit his finisher like five times on Black on NXT this week to drive the point home. I’ll go so far as to say Black wins clean, probably after three Black Masses.

Johnny Gargano vs. Tommasso Ciampa (Chicago Street Fight)

Here’s the deal. Their match at the last Takeover probably should have been the end of it. I’m not sure the two of them have a better hardcore match in them than that Unsanctioned Match. Apparently this was supposed to be a Last Man Standing match until they went with that for Styles and Nakamura. If they’re going to do this more than once, it makes the most sense to have Ciampa even things up, then have the blowoff match in Brooklyn. Ciampa wins.