BODY WAS TOO LONG EDITION
NXT Champion Aleister Black vs. Lars Sullivan
>With one swift and remarkably powerful kick, Aleister Black flattened every Superstar to cross his path on the way to becoming NXT Champion at TakeOver: New Orleans. Black’s nascent title reign, however, will be in jeopardy at TakeOver: Chicago when he defends the crown against a mammoth who is unlike anyone else he has faced, Lars Sullivan.
>Sullivan made that exact, thunderous point when he ambushed the champion on the May 30 edition of NXT. As Black tried to fight off Sullivan, The Dutch Destroyer uncorked his great equalizer, the Black Mass spinning heel kick. Proving to be every bit as quick as he is powerful, Sullivan shockingly caught Black’s strike before dropping him with the Freak Accident.
>The stunning scene was a rare example of Black being unable to decimate a foe with his signature move, and it sowed doubt that The Dutch Destroyer will have any better success against Sullivan when they clash for the title in The Windy City. What's more, Sullivan wrecked Black again on the June 13 edition of NXT, trouncing the champion with three emphatic Freak Accidents during a harrowing confrontation.
>Has The Freak — who prides himself on being not only a physically intense juggernaut, but also a thinking-man’s competitor inside the ring — cracked the code of Black? Or will the equally dominant Dutch Destroyer find a way to drop the behemoth — with or without Black Mass — en route to retaining NXT’s top crown?
>Don’t miss this collision between two of the black-and-yellow brand’s most feared Superstars when it goes down at NXT TakeOver: Chicago, streaming live tonight on WWE Network at 8 ET/5 PT!
Johnny Gargano vs. Tommaso Ciampa (Chicago Street Fight)
>Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa’s battles have rarely been contained by the ring, but that won’t be a concern at NXT TakeOver: Chicago — the site of #DIY’s unforgettable implosion — when the two bitter rivals square off in a Chicago Street Fight.
>The former best friends have remained at each other’s throats since Johnny Wrestling defeated the psychotic Blackheart at NXT TakeOver: New Orleans in a classic, brutal Unsanctioned Match. Ciampa, who refused to accept the loss, savagely attacked Gargano weeks later, landing his nemesis in a medical facility and a neck brace.
>From there, the self-ordained “Tommy Sports-Entertainment” created more grief for Gargano and his friends and family, most notably Johnny’s wife, Candice LeRae. Ciampa taunted LeRae in the aftermath of his heinous attack, and she even got caught in the crossfire when Gargano returned from his career-threatening injury to confront Ciampa (against LeRae’s wishes) when Ciampa sent Johnny Wrestling flying off the ring apron and into his wife.
>LeRae doesn’t support the idea of Gargano competing in the Chicago Street Fight and continuing his war with Ciampa. When Gargano received the match contract, LeRae flatly told her husband that she is “done with this,” adding that the rivalry with Ciampa has turned Gargano into everything he despises.
>What ramifications will Johnny Wrestling’s decision have on his career and his personal life? What type of mayhem is in store when Gargano and Ciampa collide in a lawless Chicago Street Fight in the same city that Ciampa betrayed Gargano one year ago? Perhaps most important of all, will Gargano still bolieve it was all worth it when the dust settles in Chicago?
NXT Women’s Champion Shayna "Mean Bayleу" Baszler vs. Nikki " BEST IN THE GALAXY" Cross
>Very few Superstars are bold enough to step to NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler, let alone temporarily steal her title to boot.
>Enter The Queen of Spades’ challenger at NXT TakeOver: Chicago, Nikki Cross.
>Enraged when Baszler attacked Dakota Kai after retaining the NXT Women’s Title against The Captain of Team Kick on the May 30 edition of WWE NXT, Cross rushed to the ring, roughed Baszler up, briefly stole her title and then “defeated” her in an impromptu “match” where she appointed Kai as the referee. Of course, none of this was official, but Cross celebrated as though she had just defeated the NXT Women’s Champion, while Baszler was left fuming.
>Incensed, The Queen of Spades returned the following week to tell Cross that she could put her to sleep in a heartbeat and that the only place that Cross is considered better than Baszler is in Cross’ “whacked-out little mind.” Yet, when push came to shove, Cross’ unorthodox and relentless onslaught bested Baszler’s barrage, prompting her to get the edge in yet another exchange.
>Will Baszler counter Cross’ chaotic ways when they meet at NXT TakeOver: Chicago? Or will Cross prove to be The Queen of Spades’ toughest challenger to date by ending her dominant reign as champion?