5 Reasons NXT TakeOver: Chicago Was WWE NXT’s Best Show Ever

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4. Roderick Strong’s “Arrival”

Roderick Strong has already been with WWE NXT for eight months, which feels like a blink of an eye. He hasn’t exactly lit up the brand since debuting at Full Sail, but over the past month, things have changed.

It all started with two promo packages on Strong, detailing his life outside the ring, almost like a mini Beyond the Ring. We learned about Strong and were able to care about his character for the first time, which hadn’t been the case since his arrival.

At NXT TakeOver: Chicago, this came into play for the first time, as we saw the Allstate Arena shower the former ROH star with cheers and positive chants, almost overwhelmingly. He received his biggest reaction since the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic, which was a welcoming sight and seemed to give us the most inspired version of Strong ever.

What only helped was the eventual defeat of SAnitY, becoming the first NXT star to do this. He worked a babyface comeback for most of the match, and found multiple ways to manage the villainous stable. It got him a great reaction and allowed for an ample amount of momentum toward a future NXT Championship opportunity.