WWE ‘NXT Takeover: Chicago 2’ Start Time And Full Card Preview
Before the WWE universe witnesses Money in the Bank this Sunday, they can watch NXT Takeover: Chicago 2 the night before. The NXT Takeover events are known for often being more thrilling than the WWE pay-per-views that follow, and many pundits feel that Saturday’s event will be no different. As WWE reported, there will be five matches with three titles on the line. NXT Takeover: Chicago 2 airs live from the Allstate Arena on Saturday, June 16, at 8 p.m. EST, and the pre-show begins 30 minutes prior.
The five-bout NXT card is quite the contrast to WWE Money in the Bank that features 10 matches. MITB is expected to go four hours, not including the pre-show, where NXT special events hover around two-and-a-half hours. The shorter card allows wrestlers to perform longer, in-depth matches, and that’s one of the reasons many fans enjoy them more than WWE pay-per-views, where the matches on a stacked card can often feel rushed. With the five contests that are booked on NXT Takeover: Chicago 2, it looks like fans can look forward to some knock-down, drag-out matches.
The Ricochet and Velveteen Dream feud has been a well-told story. The pair have been in a game of one-upmanship ever since Ricochet arrived to the promotion, and they both claim that they deserve a title shot. Ricochet has thrilled fans for years with his supernatural-like in-ring skills, and Dream claims he can do anything that Ricochet can do — but better. The pair square off this Saturday in what is almost guaranteed to be a must-watch bout.
In a street fight, Johnny Gargano will once again take on Tommaso Ciampa on Saturday. This storyline is a classic that never seems to get old in professional wrestling; former best friends become bitter enemies. Their fights have never been dull, and much of the WWE universe feel that they stole the show last April at NXT Takeover: New Orleans, and the duo looks to do the same in Chicago.
The NXT tag team titles will be on the line when the champions, The Undisputed ERA, take on challengers Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch. Lorcan and Burch have been on fire, but Roderick Strong and Kyle O’Reilly are one of the best teams in the NXT. Danny and Oney are booked as the underdogs in this contest, and knowing the WWE, that may mean we could see an upset at Takeover.
NXT champion Aleister Black will defend against Lars Sullivan. Though Black has largely dominated the ring, the mammoth Sullivan recently dropped the champion with his patented finisher, the freak accident. In a rarity, “The Dutch Destroyer” will defend his title as an underdog.
In what could very well be the match of the night, and in a bout that many pundits and fans feel should be the main event, NXT women’s champion Shayna Baszler defends her title against Nikki Cross. A former UFC and Strikeforce fighter, with an MMA record of 15-11, Baszler is legitimately tough and is one of the most solid in-ring workers. “The Queen of Spades” has dominated the NXT women’s division since her arrival, and Nikki Cross is the first wrestler since Ember Moon that has been booked as an opponent that could beat the champ. The pair have unique styles in the ring that compliment one another, and regardless of the outcome, this one should steal the show at WWE NXT Takeover: Chicago 2.
