NXT TakeOver: Chicago Results: Highlights, Analysis, and Grades
WWE.com
WWE United Kingdom Championship Match
Tyler Bate (c) vs. Pete Dunne
Result: Pete Dunne defeats Tyler Bate via pinfall to win the WWE UK Championship.
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
A big, first-time experience for Bate and Dunne, who were in front of by far the biggest WWE crowd they’ve competed in front of. The Chicago fans loved them, too, with dueling chants throughout the venue.
With that out of the way, let’s get into what became the Match of the Year in WWE. Yes, that’s for two WWE UK stars fans unfamiliar with British wrestling were only introduced to in January.
From the moment that match started, the fans were buzzing. There was already hype around Bate and Dunne before, but with each passing move, the reaction got even louder for these two in-ring technicians.
The action, like any WWE match, took a few minutes to develop. However, this felt like a couple of seconds, as the awe-inspiring moves were already being shown off on the mat and ringside. Bate showed off athleticism that he displayed before, but never like this. It made each move of his look eye-popping and made you get off your feet.
As for Dunne, he did just the same with his psychology of targeting Bate’s hand, leading to the Tyler Driver ’97 never being hit, despite a few attempts. That played into Dunne keeping things open for him hitting his finisher, eventually taking the WWE UK Championship.
Far more took place, however. The trading of moves and strikes, something that looked very good in Strong vs. Young, looked epic here. You couldn’t wait to see which move these two were going to pull out next, as they weren’t even “spots,” but just fantastic wrestling. It was a piece of art, something you will not see much, if at all, for the rest of 2017. Remember, we still have seven full months to go.
That’s why we’re giving this match five stars. WWE bouts rarely get this high of a grade, due to time restraints, limitations on moves and how shows are put together. However, all the time in the world was given to Dunne and Bate here, making the most of it and then some.
Good luck, everyone else. You’ll need it.