We go live to a raucous All-State Arena for NXT TakeOver: Chicago. Tom Phillips, Percy Watson, and Nigel McGuinness welcome us to the show.
Eric Young, flanked by Killian Dane and Alexander Wolfe, makes his way to the ring. Roderick Strong’s music hits and the crowd erupt. Strong doesn’t appear and his music stops. Eric Young is looking for him but Strong jumps the barricade and attacks Wolfe and Dain, taking them out of the equation! The fans chant “Roddy”!
Well, that’s ONE way to make an entrance! @roderickstrong #RoddyVsTheWorld #NXTTakeOver pic.twitter.com/kcMG0PSdik
— WWE (@WWE) May 21, 2017
Eric Young Vs. Roderick Strong
The bell rings as Roddy storms the ring and he unleashes punches on Young. Strong hits a back body drop before knocking Young over the top rope with a clothesline. Roderick chops Eric in the chest at ringside before they head back inside.
Strong throws Young to the corner, then chops him in the chest. He does this again in two other corners before Eric attacks and lands a nice belly-to-back suplex. Young kicks Roddy when he’s down and follows-up with a swinging neckbreaker for a one count.
Young applies a submission but Strong quickly fights out and catches Young with a wicked clothesline. Strong hits some stiff forearms and elbows to Eric Young, forcing him to the corner. Young intentionally flips over the ropes and onto the apron but Strong immediately catches him with an enziguri. Strong looks to baseball slide Young but Wolfe pulls his leader out of the way and takes the kick. Strong ducks a clothesline from Dain on the outside but turns around and the big Irishman runs him over like a truck.
The imposing @KillianDain goes unnoticed by the referee as he TAKES DOWN @roderickstrong in unforgiving fashion! #NXTTakeOver pic.twitter.com/Pk3YYX1IhZ
— WWE (@WWE) May 21, 2017
The referee wasn’t looking as Roddy got killed. Young takes to the outside and drapes Roddy on the apron, where he attacks the back of his head. Young slows down the pace of the match and slams Strong into the turnbuckles. Young climbs onto the turnbuckle and gets Strong in a guillotine choke as the referee counts to five. Wolfe kicks a downed Roderick Strong in the head as the referee is distracted.
Eric Young continues to control the pace of the match with a chinlock on Strong. The fans will Roddy to his feet and he clobbers Young with several blows before getting floored with double forearms from the leader of Sanity. Young slaps Strong in the face before looking for the guillotine choke again. Strong falls to his knees and Young jumps off for a double axe handle but Strong catches him in mid-air with a dropkick.
Young runs at Roderick but he eats and elbow. Strong takes Young down with multiple clotheslines and a backbreaker, which gets the crowd on their feet. Strong hits a huge running knee in the corner, then a big slam for a two-count. Eric Young rolls to the outside.
Roderick gives chase but Young grabs him and hits the Wheelbarrow Neckbreaker on the floor and both men are down. The referee counts but it’s impossible to know where he’s at because the crowd chant 10 with every number – that’s one use of chanting that really sucks. Back inside the ring, Roderick chops Young, who responds with a right hand to the head, flooring Strong.
The signature move of @TheEricYoung clearly leaves @roderickstrong in UNIMAGINABLE amounts of pain… #NXTTakeOver pic.twitter.com/flj83PL5JT
— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) May 21, 2017
Young goes to the top rope but Strong climbs up with him. Roddy gets knocked back down and Eric Young hits a beautiful elbow drop for a near-fall. Young lifts Strong for another Wheelbarrow Neckbreaker but Strong manages to catch him with a small package for a near-fall. Killian Dain jumps up on the apron and Strong hits an enziguri to knock him off. Wolfe also climbs up but Strong throws Young into him, sending him flying also. Strong grabs Young for an Angle Slam but Young rakes the eyes.
Eric Young takes to the top rope but again Strong meets him there and looks for a superplex. They battle for control on the top rope until finally, Roddy climbs down and hits a huge leaping knee that sends Young flying to the outside – where he lands on Wolfe and Dain. Young comes back inside but Roddy hits him with another knee, then a suplex into a backbreaker – The Strong Breaker – for the win!
Winner: Roderick Strong
Strong celebrates after the match as Sanity look on angrily.
