| NXT TakeOver: Chicago II | |||
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 Promotional poster featuring various NXT wrestlers | |||
| Promotion | WWE | ||
| Brand | NXT | ||
| Date | June 16, 2018 | ||
| City | Rosemont,Illinois | ||
| Venue | Allstate Arena | ||
| Attendance | 11,000[1] | ||
| WWE event chronology | |||
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| NXT TakeOver chronology | |||
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| NXT TakeOver: Chicago chronology | |||
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NXT TakeOver: Chicago II was the 20thNXT TakeOver and the second and final TakeOver: Chicagoprofessional wrestlinglivestreamingevent produced byWWE. It was held exclusively for wrestlers from the promotion'sNXTbrand division. The event aired exclusively on theWWE Network and took place on June 16, 2018, at theAllstate Arena in theChicago suburb ofRosemont,Illinois as part of that year'sMoney in the Bank weekend.
Five matches were contested at the event. In the main event,Tommaso Ciampa defeatedJohnny Gargano in aChicago Street Fight. On the undercard,Aleister Black defeatedLars Sullivan to retain theNXT Championship andRicochet defeatedVelveteen Dream.
TakeOver was a series ofprofessional wrestlingevents that began in May 2014, asWWE's then-developmental leagueNXT held its secondWWE Network-exclusive event, billed asTakeOver.[2] In subsequent months, the "TakeOver" moniker became the brand used by WWE for all of its major NXT events. In 2017, NXT held an event titledNXT TakeOver: Chicago, which took place at theAllstate Arena in theChicago suburb ofRosemont, Illinois. On November 23, 2017, a second Chicago event, titled Chicago II, was scheduled to be held at the same venue on June 16, 2018, as a support show for that year'sMoney in the Bankpay-per-view. Chicago II was the 20th NXT TakeOver event.[3] Tickets went on sale on April 14.[4]
The card comprised five matches that resulted from scripted storylines. Results were predetermined by WWE's writers on the NXT brand, while storylines were produced on WWE's weekly television program,NXT.[5][6]
On the April 25 episode ofNXT,Adam Cole defeatedOney Lorcan to retain theNXT North American Championship after interference fromThe Undisputed Era. After the match, The Undisputed Era attacked Lorcan.Danny Burch came out to help Lorcan, but was stopped by Cole.[7] The following week, afterPete Dunne defeatedRoderick Strong by disqualification, Lorcan and Burch saved Dunne from The Undisputed Era.[8] On the May 16 episode ofNXT, Dunne, Lorcan and Burch defeated The Undisputed Era in asix-man tag team match.[9] The following week, a tag team match between The Undisputed Era and Lorcan and Burch for theNXT Tag Team Championship was scheduled for TakeOver: Chicago.[10]
On the May 30 episode ofNXT,Lars Sullivan was revealed asAleister Black's challenger for theNXT Championship. A match between the two for the title was scheduled for TakeOver: Chicago.[11]
AtTakeOver: New Orleans,Johnny Gargano defeatedTommaso Ciampa in an unsanctioned match.[12] On the April 25 episode ofNXT, Gargano was scheduled to face Aleister Black for the NXT Championship, but Ciampa attacked Gargano to prevent the match from happening.[7] On the May 16 episode, Gargano's wifeCandice LeRae slapped Ciampa.[9] The next week, Gargano called Ciampa out, which led to a brawl between the two in which Gargano was inadvertently knocked into his wife.[10] The next week, astreet fight between the two was scheduled for TakeOver: Chicago.[11]
At TakeOver: New Orleans,Ricochet andVelveteen Dream both unsuccessfully competed in aladder match to crown the first NXT North American Champion.[12] On the May 9 episode ofNXT, Velveteen Dream confronted Ricochet.[13] A match between the two was scheduled for the following week, but the match ended in a no contest when Lars Sullivan attacked both wrestlers.[9] On the May 23 episode ofNXT, Sullivan defeated both men in ahandicap match after Dream walked out on Ricochet.[10] On the May 30 episode ofNXT, a match between the two was scheduled for TakeOver: Chicago.[11]
On the May 30 episode ofNXT, afterShayna Baszler defeatedDakota Kai to retain theNXT Women's Championship, Baszler continued to attack Kai.Nikki Cross came out and made the save. Afterwards, Cross ran out with the title.[11] The following week, Cross and Baszler confronted each, leading to a match between the two for the title at TakeOver: Chicago.[14]
It was also announced that formerIndianapolis Coltspunter and currentBarstool Sports personalityPat McAfee would join the pre-show panel.[15]
| Role: | Name: |
|---|---|
| English commentators | Vic Joseph |
| Nigel McGuinness | |
| Percy Watson | |
| Spanish commentators | Carlos Cabrera |
| Marcelo Rodríguez | |
| Ring announcer | Kayla Braxton |
| Referees | D.A. Brewer |
| Drake Wuertz | |
| Eddie Orengo | |
| Darryl Sharma | |
| Pre-show panel | Charly Caruso |
| Sam Roberts | |
| Pat McAfee |
The event opened with The Undisputed Era (Kyle O'Reilly and Roderick Strong) defending the NXT Tag Team Championship against Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch. O'Reilly and Strong performed"Total Elimination" on Lorcan to retain the titles.[16]
Next, Ricochet faced Velveteen Dream. Ricochet performed a630º senton on Dream to score the win.[16]
After that, Shayna Baszler defended the NXT Women's Championship against Nikki Cross. In the end, Baszler applied the"Kirifuda Clutch" on Cross. Cross passed out, thus Bazler retained the title by technical submission.[16]
In the penultimate match, Aleister Black defended the NXT Championship against Lars Sullivan. Sullivan performed apowerslam on the apron anddiving headbutt for a nearfall. Black performed a"Black Mass" for a nearfall. The match ended when Sullivan attempted a"Freak Accident", but Black countered and performed two "Black Masses" on Sullivan to retain the title, marking Sullivan's first pinfall loss in NXT.[16]
In the main event, Johnny Gargano faced Tommaso Ciampa. Before Gargano made his entrance for the match, Candice LeRae, Gargano's wife, handed Gargano a crutch to use as a weapon during the match. Gargano and Ciampa fought in the arena stands, where Gargano performed acrossbody on Ciampa off a stand. Ciampa threw Gargano, who was trapped in a chair, into the steel steps and threw a trash can at Gargano. Gargano struck Ciampa with a belt and performed asuperkick into a trash can, which Ciampa was trapped in. Ciampa performed"Project Ciampa" and arunning knee strike on Gargano for a near-fall. Ciampa performed another running knee strike using a trash can lid and an"Air Raid Crash" on Gargano onto the steel steps for a near-fall. Ciampa removed the ring canvas to expose the wooden floor boards. Gargano began to target Ciampa's leg, striking his leg with a chair. After Gargano collided with a trash can, which was wedged in the corner, Ciampa applied the"Garga-No-Escape", only for Gargano to escape. Ciampa struck Gargano with a crutch for a near-fall. Ciampa taunted Gargano on the stage, reminding him of Ciampa's attack on Gargano atNXT TakeOver: Chicago the previous year. Ciampa removed Gargano's wedding ring, spat on it and threw the ring. Gargano performed an "Air Raid Crash" on Ciampa off a production crate through two tables. As medical personnel attended Ciampa, Gargano, realizing what Ciampa did to his wedding ring, shoved a doctor into the referee and attacked Ciampa. Gargano applied the "Garga-No-Escape", with Ciampa submitting, however, officials forced Gargano to leave Ciampa, leading to Gargano attacking the officials. Gargano used handcuffs to bind Ciampa and performed superkicks on a kneeling Ciampa. Gargano again applied the "Garga-No-Escape", but more officials forced Gargano to leave Ciampa. Gargano exited the ring and attacked the officials. In the climax, Ciampa performed a DDT on Gargano onto the exposed floor board to win the match.[16]
Chicago II would be the last in the TakeOver: Chicago chronology, which was a subseries of TakeOvers that were held at the Allstate Arena.TakeOver: WarGames the following year would also be held at the Allstate Arena; however, it was part of theWarGames chronology.[17]
| No. | Results | Stipulations | Times[24][16] | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1N | Bianca Belair defeatedDakota Kai bypinfall | Singles match[18] | 6:05 | ||||
| 2N | War Raiders (Hanson andRowe) defeatedThe Mighty (Nick Miller andShane Thorne) bypinfall | Tag team match[18] | 4:28 | ||||
| 3 | The Undisputed Era (Kyle O'Reilly andRoderick Strong) (c) (withAdam Cole) defeatedDanny Burch andOney Lorcan bypinfall | Tag team match for theNXT Tag Team Championship[19] | 16:00 | ||||
| 4 | Ricochet defeatedVelveteen Dream bypinfall | Singles match[20] | 22:10 | ||||
| 5 | Shayna Baszler (c) defeatedNikki Cross bytechnical submission | Singles match for theNXT Women's Championship[21] | 9:25 | ||||
| 6 | Aleister Black (c) defeatedLars Sullivan bypinfall | Singles match for theNXT Championship[22] | 14:07 | ||||
| 7 | Tommaso Ciampa defeatedJohnny Gargano bypinfall | Chicago Street Fight[23] | 35:29 | ||||
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