5 Botches, slip ups, and outrageous moments from NXT TakeOver: Chicago
NXT TakeOver events are typically solid from top to bottom and Chicago was no exception. In fact, on the eve of WWE Backlash, the feeder brand put on what might’ve been the best wrestling show of the year. It was really, really good.
From top to bottom, every match was at least decent while a couple were downright outstanding. The U.K. Championship Match crept awfully close to 5-Star range and many might just give it a perfect score. Also, the Tag Team Ladder Match showcased an incredibly physical display from #DIY and AOP. In one of the standout spots from that match and on the entire card, Johnny Gargano took a ladder shot directly to the face. It was nuts. I could go on and on about great moments from this show but that’s not what this article is about, is it?
Honestly, it was a hard task finding botches and outrageous moments from a show that was this good. That’s commendable because many promotions struggle with so much time on live television. Still, nobody is perfect and there were several moves and decisions for us to pick apart. Moments like a complete whiff of a kick from Hideo Itami as well as the audacity of booking two would-be title contenders completely out of contention are discussed with an accompanied GIF for visual reference.
Without any further delay, here are the botchiest and most outrageous moments from NXT TakeOver: Chicago.
#5 Rubycanrana
The NXT Women’s Championship Match was top notch, featuring a title defence by Asuka against Nikki Cross and Ruby Riot. It was a strong match on a card that featured a couple of match of the year contenders. However, there was one standout slip up.
Ruby Riot went for a hurricanrana against Asuka but didn’t quite get her legs into the right position. Ruby’s right leg can be seen above and away from Asuka’s head well before the NXT Champion starts rotating. The saving grace here for Riot is that much of this is on the blind side of the camera, so it probably went unnoticed to most.