NXT TakeOver: Chicago (2018)

NXT TakeOver: Chicago (2018)
NXT TakeOver: Chicago II was a professional wrestling show and WWE Network event that took place on June 16, 2018, at the Allstate Arena in the Chicago suburb of Rosemont, Illinois. The event was produced by WWE for the NXT brand that was streamed live on the WWE Network.

Five matches were contested at the event. In the main event, Tommaso Ciampa defeated Johnny Gargano in a Chicago Street Fight. On the undercard, Aleister Black defeated Lars Sullivan to retain the NXT Championship and Ricochet defeated Velveteen Dream.

Storylines
The card included matches that had results from scripted storylines and predetermined by WWE. Storylines were produced on the NXT television program. NXT TakeOver is a series of professional wrestling shows that began on May 29, 2014, as the WWE developmental league NXT held their second WWE Network exclusive live broadcast billed as NXT TakeOver. In subsequent months, the "TakeOver" moniker became the brand used by WWE for all of their NXT live specials. NXT TakeOver: Chicago will be the twenty-first overall show held under the NXT TakeOver banner, and the third to be held in 2018.

On the April 25 episode of NXT, Adam Cole defeated Oney Lorcan to retain the NXT North American Championship. After the match, The Undisputed Era attacked Lorcan. Danny Burch came out to help Lorcan, but was stopped by Cole. The following week, after Pete Dunne defeated Roderick Strong by disqualification, Lorcan and Burch saved Dunne from The Undisputed Era. On the May 16 episode of NXT, Dunne, Lorcan and Burch defeated The Undisputed Era in a six-man tag team match. The following week, a tag team match between The Undisputed Era and Lorcan and Burch for the NXT Tag Team Championship was scheduled for TakeOver: Chicago.

On the May 30 episode of NXT, Lars Sullivan was revealed as Aleister Black's challenger for the NXT Championship. A match between the two for the title was scheduled for TakeOver: Chicago.

At NXT TakeOver: New Orleans, Johnny Gargano defeated Tommaso Ciampa in an unsanctioned match. On the April 25 episode of NXT, Gargano was scheduled to face Aleister Black for the NXT Championship, but Ciampa attacked Gargano to prevent the match from happening. On the May 16 episode, Gargano's wife Candice LeRae slapped Ciampa. The next week Gargano called Ciampa out, which led to a brawl between the two in which Gargano was inadvertently knocked into his wife. The next week, a street fight between the two was scheduled for TakeOver: Chicago.

At NXT TakeOver: New Orleans, Ricochet and Velveteen Dream both unsuccessfully competed in a ladder match to crown the first NXT North American Champion. On the May 9 episode of NXT, Velveteen Dream confronted Ricochet. 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. On the May 23 episode of NXT, Sullivan defeated both men in a handicap match after Dream walked out on Ricochet. On the May 30 episode of NXT, A match between the two was scheduled for TakeOver: Chicago.

On the May 30 episode of NXT, after Shayna Baszler defeated Dakota Kai to retain the NXT Women's Championship, Baszler continued to attack Kai. Nikki Cross came out and made the save. Afterward, Cross ran out with the title. The following week, Cross and Baszler confronted each, leading to a match between the two for the title at TakeOver: Chicago.

It was also announced that former Indianapolis Colts punter and current Barstool Sports personality Pat McAfee will join the pre-show panel.

Preliminary matches
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 title.

Next, Richochet faced Velveteen Dream. Ricochet performed a 630º senton on Dream to score the win.

After that, Shayne Bazler defended the NXT Women's Championship against Nikki Cross. In the end, Bazler applied the Kirifuda Clutch on Cross. Cross passed out, thus Bazler retained the title by technical submission.

In the penultimate match, Aleister Black defended the NXT Championship against Lars Sullivan. 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.

Main event
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 a crossbody 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 a superkick into a trash can, which Ciampa was trapped in. Ciampa performed Project Ciampa and a running 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 at NXT 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 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 an elevated DDT on Gargano onto the exposed floor board to win the match.