Coming out of Saturday’s NXT Takeover: Chicago event, Bobby Roode is expected to move into a program with Drew McIntyre and the two will feud over the NXT Championship Title.
Another feud moving forward will see Heavy Machinery feuding with The Authors of Pain for the NXT Tag Team Championship Titles.
Triple H mentioned in the post-NXT Takeover: Chicago Q&A on Facebook live that Tommaso Ciampa is dealing with a significant injury. It was not made clear if he was talking about the previous ankle injury that he suffered at Thursday’s NXT Live Event or if it’s something new. We will keep you updated if we hear anything new regarding his situation.
After NXT Takeover: Chicago went off the air Saturday night, WWE filmed footage of Johnny Cargano being loaded into the ambulance after the beating he received at the hands of Tommaso Ciampa.
WWE has posted footage from the segment on YouTube and will most-likely be airing it on WWE programming.
WWE posted footage of Hideo Itami throwing a tantrum backstage after being defeated by Bobby Roode at Sunday’s NXT Takeover: Chicago event. Kassius Ohno tries to calm him down in the video, but it turns into an altercation between the two.
Here is footage from the incident:
As seen on the May 8th episode of RAW, Sash Banks pinned Alicia Fox, but the the former Divas Champion had a shoulder up outside the ref’s field of vision, which led to Fox getting another shot at The Boss this past Monday night. This time around, Fox won the match.
With Noam Dar at ringside, Fox managed to muscle out of a Bank Statement attempt and nailed Banks in the small of her back with a ruthless Scissor Kick to claim the victory.
For those wondering about Banks losing to Fox, the word going around is that Vince McMahon isn’t high on her like other people are. Therefore, he won’t protect her from losing matches.
While McMahon recognizes the reaction that Banks gets from the crowd and her overall appeal, he believes that she is injury prone because of how she operates in the ring.
It’s also believed that a long title reign is very unlikely for her anytime soon.
Banks became a three-time champion last year, but she didn’t have a successful title defense against Charlotte Flair. A lot of the reasoning behind that is McMahon doesn’t trust her to hold a title for long periods of time.
Banks has a history of back problems and that is a huge huge red flag for McMahon because he sees putting the RAW Women’s Championship on her as a big risk. She’s been hurt or injured quite often and will need to have back surgery eventually.
Welcome to NXT TakeOver: Chicago!
For the past several months, the general feeling has been that NXT had lost a little something with so many talents leaving and few stars being made in their wake. Last months NXT TakeOver: Orlando was a very good show but definitely a transitional one. Tonight in Chicago however, all the places have fallen in place and NXT is set to have its best show of the year.
NXT Champion, Bobby Roode, has reigned supreme since defeating Shinsuke Nakamura. There were a number of viable contender’s to Roode’s title, from Kassius Ohno and Roderick Strong, to Drew McIntyre and Eric Young. However it was the returning Hideo Itami who staked his claim as next-in-line. Itami has had a rough tenure in NXT thus far, having been injured for the majority of that time, but tonight looks set to be his crowning. Roode has been a great Champion so far but the time feels right for Hideo to finally assert himself as the man in NXT.
Asuka is still undefeated! The Empress has been undefeated since her debut in NXT, and this is an amazing fact that WWE doesn’t play-up enough. Asuka has had a personality change as of late and she’s so much fun to watch. Tonight’s match was originally a Fatal 4-Way with Ember Moon, Nikki Cross, and Ruby Riot, however Moon injured her arm and was forced out of the match. So we’re set for a Triple Threat match for the NXT Women’s Championship and Asuka’s streak is once again on the line. This should be a great match but I would like to see Asuka retain again. Nikki Cross and Ruby Riot are more focused on killing each other, than they are the title, so I think it would make sense for Asuka to retain and look towards a new challenge. Maybe Asuka will face Ember Moon again, or maybe, and more exciting if you ask me, she will be challenged by NXT’s newest signee: Io Shirai. This Japanese phenomenon has wrestled for Lucha Underground and she would make for an amazing opponent for Asuka; imagine Asuka’s face when a rising talent from Japan comes to challenge her as she did several years ago, the story writes itself.
Next up we have the NXT Tag Team Championship match between D.I.Y and The Author’s of Pain. These two teams have been doing battles for months and tonight is set to be an end-cap on their rivalry, as they square-off in the first-ever NXT tag team ladder match! As is customary for D.I.Y, this match is expected to be an off-the-charts affair that blows the roof off of the All-State Arena in Chicago. We had a scare over the past 24 hours as Tommaso Ciampa was injured at a live event, however he has been cleared to compete and will look to win back the NXT Tag Team Championships with his partner, Johnny Gargano!
Another match on tonight’s card see’s the United Kingdom Championship be defended, as Pete Dunne challenges Tyler Bate. This match comes hot-off the heels of the first episode of the WWE UK show, in which Dunne defeated Trent Seven to become number one contender, and Bate overcame Mark Andrews in an insane match. Dunne and Bate were the two finalists of the United Kingdom Tournament, which saw Bate crowned as the first-ever UK Champion, and tonight we get the rematch. This match has all the makings of an instant-classic.
Elsewhere on the card tonight, Roderick Strong takes-on Eric Young in a bid to destroy Sanity once and for all. Strong has had a renaissance since WWE aired the 2-part series looking at his difficult life. Can he do what Tye Dillinger never could, and finally take-out the head of the beast? I expect at least one more match to take place on tonight’s show, possible a women’s match, or Aleister Black.
NXT TakeOver: Chicago begins at 8 PM ET, with the half-hour pre-show beginning at 7:30 PM. Which match are you most excited for? Let us know in the comments, be sure to check out the awesome Ringside News app, and enjoy the show!
WWE aired footage during tonight’s NXT Takeover pre-show of Ember Moon talking about her injury and revealed that she will miss up to six months of in-ring action on NXT. She mentioned that she is thankful that the injury wasn’t more serious or even fatal.
Ember indicated that she would be going after the NXT Women’s Championship once she returns.
Join us for our live NXT Takeover discussion on RingsideTalk.net!
WWE taped the following tonight for next week’s episode of NXT that will air on the WWE Network:
* Patrick Clark debuted as “The Velveteen Dream” and defeated Robert Anthony.
* Drew McIntyre defeated Wesley Blake with a running kick.
* Aleister Black defeated Curt Hawkins.
As seen on tonight’s NXT Takeover: Chicago event, Pete Dunne defeated Tyler Bate to capture the WWE UK Championship Title. Dunne reacted to his championship victory with the following:
3 years ago I sat in the allstate arena watching RAW after flying myself out to the US. Tonight I won a @WWE title in the same building.
— Pete Dunne (@PeteDunneYxB) May 21, 2017
The show opens with a video package focusing on Braun Strowman trying to take out Roman Reigns after WWE Payback. Footage from last week in London is shown of Reigns confronting Strowman and going after his injured elbow.
The RAW opening hits. We go live inside the Prudential Center in New Jersey where a big display of pyro goes off. Michael Cole is the first to welcome us to the show.
RAW General Manager Kurt Angle opens the show and heads to the ring. Angle talks about Roman Reigns “settling the score” with Braun Strowman last week. He says Strowman suffered a shattered elbow, flew back to the United States and underwent surgery. Angle says Strowman may be out of action for up to six months. He notes that Strowman set his sights on the Universal Championship and asks who will now challenge Brock Lesnar for the championship. Angle gave it a lot of thought and it has to be earned, not given. He says at Extreme Rules for the first time ever, we will have a Fatal Five Way match and the winner will face Brock Lesnar for the Universal Championship. Angle has given thought to who those five will be. He reveals the five: Seth Rollins, Samoa Joe, Finn Balor, Bray Wyatt and Roman Reigns.
Angle promises Extreme Rules will be historical.
Here comes Roman Reigns to interrupt.
Angle stays in the ring as Reigns gets inside with a mic in hand. Very mixed reaction for Reigns in Newark tonight. Reigns says we don’t need a Fatal Five Way match because he is the No. 1 Contender. “This is my yard. I beat The Undertaker at WrestleMania. I put Strowman in that ambulance. And I’m the only guy around here that can beat Brock Lesnar for the Universal Championship.” Finn Balor interrupts and has something to say.
Balor brings up he was the first ever Universal Champion. “Oh and I never lost my title,” adds Balor. He says if Reigns wants a “piece of the beast”, the line starts behind him. Reigns tells Balor he has a lot of heart, but he doesn’t have the killer instinct to beat Brock. Balor brings up beating Reigns during his first night on RAW.
Samoa Joe interrupts. He says Reigns and Balor have it wrong. Joe says it is about two things: actions and results. He talks about choking out Seth Rollins. Joe suggests he will win the Fatal Five Way match and will go on to face Brock Lesnar.
The lights go out. When they come back on, Bray Wyatt is standing in the middle of the ring and has a mic in hand. Wyatt says the beast is approaching and they are all really scared. “You will cower. You will fall. And you will run,” says Wyatt.
Here comes Seth Rollins. He says Extreme Rules is still many weeks away and that New Jersey didn’t come here for talking. Rollins says he came here to fight Samoa Joe. Rollins and Joe start brawling at the end of the ramp. Wyatt attacks Balor. Reigns tosses Wyatt out. Rollins works the left knee of Joe against the ropes. Joe limps up the ramp. Wyatt with a shot on Rollins sending him out of the ring. Reigns with a Superman to Wyatt. Rollins with right hands to Wyatt. Balor with a double dropkick to both Wyatt and Rollins at ringside. Balor goes up to the top turnbuckle, Reigns misses a Superman and Balor with a Sling Blade takedown. Reigns rolls out of the ring. Balor hits the ropes and dives over the top rope taking out both Reigns and Rollins at ringside.
Jeff Hardy vs. Sheamus is next.
-Commercial Break-
Backstage, Finn Balor and Seth Rollins are arguing with Roman Reigns nearby. Kurt Angle breaks it up and books Rollins vs. Bray Wyatt and Reigns vs. Balor.
Jeff Hardy vs. Sheamus
Jeff goes after Sheamus immediately in the corner. Jeff avoids a Brogue Kick and gets a roll up for a quick two count. Jeff tosses Sheamus over the top rope and dropkicks him through the ropes. Sheamus catches Jeff trying to dive out and slams him against the barricade.
-Commercial Break-
Back live, Sheamus drops a big knee on Jeff off the corner. Some loud “DELETE” chants in New Jersey tonight. Sheamus catches Jeff with a quick scoop slam. Jeff with a quick kick away dropkick to Sheamus. Jeff with an atomic drop and jumping low blow combo. Sheamus catches Jeff with a big knee to the face for a close two count. Sheamus catches Jeff with double boots in the corner and pulls himself up to the top turnbuckle. Jeff catches Sheamus with a modified Twist of Fate/Stunner off the corner for another close two count. Cesaro jumps up on the ring apron to distract Jeff. Matt pulls him off. Sheamus catches Matt with a big boot. Jeff with a Twist of Fate to Sheamus. Jeff goes up top and connects with a nasty looking Swantom Bomb over Sheamus. Jeff gets the pinfall for the win.
Winner: Jeff Hardy
After the match, Matt and Jeff Hardy celebrate the win.
-Commercial Break-
Sasha Banks vs. Alicia Fox
Footage from last week’s match is shown. The replay shows Fox got her shoulder up as Banks got the pinfall on her. Banks with a shoulder block early on Fox. Banks catches Fox with a kick to the face. Fox fires back with a kick of her own from the corner. Fox with a northern lights suplex on Banks for a two count. Banks with repeated clothesline takedowns and a dropkick to Fox. Banks with a tilt-a-whirl head scissors to Fox. Fox with a roll up on Banks from the corner and Banks kicks out. Fox holds on to the ropes to avoid a backcracker. Fox tosses Banks out and Banks grabs her knee. Banks with a small package for another two count on Fox. Fox catches Banks with a big scissors kick to get the pinfall.
Winner: Alicia Fox
Kurt Angle announced on tonight’s episode of RAW that the the winner of a Fatal 5-Way match at the upcoming WWE Extreme Rules event will face Brock Lesnar for the Universal Title. Here is the updated card for the show:
#1 Contenders Match for the WWE Universal Title
Seth Rollins vs. Samoa Joe vs. Finn Balor vs. Bray Wyatt vs. Roman Reigns
RAW Tag Team Championship
Sheamus and Cesaro vs. The Hardy Boyz
WWE Extreme Rules takes place on June 4, 2017. As always, we will be providing live play-by-play coverage of the event.
