WWE NXT Takeover: Chicago 2017 Match Card and Predictions

NXT Takeover events have been must see WWE television for quite some time now, and that will be no different when it comes to this Saturday night’s NXT Takeover: Chicago.  It’s an event featuring four title matches. For those of you who are not aware, the WWE UK Championship will be defending at NXT Takeover: Chicago.  Just a quick spoiler alert: if you have not read the news online or seen the advertising, then you may not want to read the match card just yet, especially when it comes to the UK Championship match.

There will be a WWE UK Championship special event airing on the WWE Network this Friday night, and one of the matches could be the one that took place to determine who the number one contender for the UK Championship will be.  Also, I know the WWE is advertising that the UK Championship is on the line this Friday as well, which means the results of that match will be obvious once you see who is fighting for the title at NXT Takeover: Chicago.  So now you have been warned of potential spoilers let us dive on in to some predictions for NXT Takeover: Chicago.

 

NXT TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP LADDER MATCH

Authors Of Pain vs DIY

This match seemingly was put together as a result of a very thinned out NXT Tag Team division. Not to take anything away from either one of these teams because both are great, but it really shows how little NXT currently has for strong teams when they continue to give us the same match with new stipulations. While DIY may be red hot with the NXT audience, it would be a mistake to put the titles back around them at the moment. The Authors Of Pain have been booked strong and the division needs a strong team to stand tall with the titles and give them some more prestige again.

Ever since The Ascension had their run as champions come to an end, it has seemed as though most teams have been playing hot potato with the titles. I also feel like DIY have run their course as a tag team in NXT as well, so unless there are plans to separate the pair, I feel like it is time for them to be in a new program with another team for a while. In fact, a good look for DIY would be a feud with Sanity in particular.

This match is sure to be a solid performance from all who will be involved, but at the end of it all I feel strongly that not only do the Authors Of Pain need the win, but I also feel they will achieve the win as well.

Winner: Authors Of Pain

 

NXT WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP

Asuka vs Ruby Riot vs Nikki Cross

The NXT Women’s Championship has become one of the most prestigious titles in all of Professional Wrestling lately, and that is because Asuka has been one of the most believably dominant champions to come along in a very long time. Asuka not only works great in the ring with whomever she is scheduled against, but her character has had a nice development since her original introduction. Asuka in a sense is sort of a lone wolf, but one capable of holding her own against any and all challengers she is faced with. Even in a fatal four way match Asuka has proven she can come out on top.

This may be one of the toughest challenges Asuka has faced yet in her run as Champion.  Ruby Riot has come on to the scene with real purpose and managed to etch her name in to the talk of who should be competing for the NXT Women’s Championship. Then we have the other factor in the match, in the form of Nikki Cross. A very erratic character to say the least, Nikki has developed into this sadistic individual with a love for pain and violence. Nikki, while seeming like a character not concerned with Championships, becomes that what if factor in the match. Her unpredictability could be a telling tale in the reign of Asuka.

With that all said I do not feel like the time is now for someone to go over and claim the title.  I believe Ruby Riot and Nikki Cross will concern themselves so much with one another and their current feud that Asuka will be left to pick up the scraps and continue her domination of the NXT Women’s Division.

Winner: Asuka

 

WWE UK Championship

Tyler Bate vs Pete Dunne

Good Ol’ JR (Jim Ross) will be joining for commentary on this match. This is because JR is also doing commentary for the UK Championship special this Friday on the WWE Network. Pete Dunne has been one of the most talked about competitors to come out of the WWE UK Championship Tournament, someone who instantly made a name for himself that night.  While the right decision was made to make Tyler Bate the Champion that evening, we all knew it would only be a matter of time before the Bruiserweight came knocking at the door for another opportunity.

Tyler Bate has defended his title on several occasions since winning it, and has managed to carry it well. In doing this WWE has been able to get Tyler Bate over enough to have two extremely strong guys at the top of the roster for the UK Championship. This rematch will very possibly be the match of the night. We already know how good a match these guys can have in the finals of a two night tournament. Now we get to see what they can produce when they are 100% fresh and ready for action.

This time around I feel Tyler Bate will be in for the fight of his life, as the Bruiserweight Pete Dunne will stop at nothing to capture the gold. In the end, despite the best of efforts from Tyler Bate, I feel his time will finally be up and we will see the beginning of Pete Dunne’s run as WWE UK Champion.

Winner: Pete Dunne

 

WWE NXT Championship

Bobby Roode vs Hideo itami

The glorious main event of the evening will see Bobby Roode defending his NXT Championship against Hideo Itami. I know there is a lot of people out there who are wanting to see a new champion crowned in this match, but I feel they are going to be horribly disappointed when they see the outcome. Hideo Itami is great inside the ring, but I cannot help but feel his character needs a bit more drive to him before we can see him take the top prize in NXT.

The other issue with Hideo winning would be the hot potato game of the title being done all over again, and this title has done that way too much recently. In a short period of time, we saw the title go from Balor to Joe to Nakamura to Joe to Nakamura to Roode. That is an insane amount of title changes for the company’s top prize. Roode, who keep in mind defeated Shinsuke Nakamura twice, is only really just getting his feet wet as the champion right now, and he is one of the only heel characters at the top of the card as well.

The top of the card is full of face characters waiting for a shot at the title, and while NXT has never been opposed to a face vs face style match it still does not have the same kind of drive as a classic heel vs face match can deliver.  Bobby Roode is the perfect fit as the NXT Champion at the moment, and I feel his title reign needs to continue for a while. We still could see many great title defenses from the Glorious One. The match itself is going to be fantastic and well worth the watch, but in the end it will be a glorious finish.

Winner: Bobby Roode

Well, that covers what we know for the card so far at NXT Takeover: Chicago. There is still a chance one or two matches could be added to the card yet, but at the time of writing there has been no official announcements. So, who do you want to see win this Saturday? Who do you think will win?  Let me know in the comments who you will be cheering for come Saturday at NXT Takeover: Chicago.