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

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1. The Shock and Surprise We’ve Missed

Two awesome matches, one of which is a front-runner for Match of the Year, and it still wasn’t the top thing seen at NXT TakeOver: Chicago. This came after the Championship Ladder Match, with one of the most shocking heel turns in recent memory.

As they walked down the stage, soaking up the crowd after defeat, Tommaso Ciampa threw Johnny Gargano into the TakeOver set, as everyone gasped. This led to the most personal attack and turn we’ve seen since Kevin Owens beat up Sami Zayn at TakeOver: R Evolution in December 2014. Those two had rivaled throughout Ring of Honor, though, and had their story told before. Ciampa and Gargano’s hasn’t happened before, which made it feel as fresh as it was stunning.

The shock and surprise of TakeOver endings used to be a recurring thing in 2014 and 2015, which were the golden days of NXT. This almost felt like a tribute to that, when the brand was hotter than ever. So could something like Ciampa turning on Gargano ignite that again? Possibly, because we’re in for the most personal feud we’ve seen in over two years.

Most importantly, Ciampa’s heel turn has everyone buzzing. You want to see what will happen next and be drawn to his next NXT appearance. Why did he do this? Was there a buildup? Are he and Gargano going to fight soon? Too many questions, all of which should lead to increased viewership for NXT.

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Was NXT TakeOver: Chicago the best NXT live special ever? Let us know below.