WWE United Kingdom Championship
This is a great sign of things to come for WWE. The United Kingdom Championship will be defended at NXT Takeover: Chicago, when Pete Dunne looks to dethrone Tyler Bate. A tale that has developed over time, one a very likable face who is extremely gifted at the ripe age of 19. The other is a heel who knows he is a great heel, with his mannerisms and a face that only a mother can love. Dunne grabbed my interest the moment I watched him in the UK Tournament a few months ago. Now, he gets his shot against Tyler Bate.
I expect Pete Dunne to become the new United Kingdom Champion and WWE using him on NXT more often than not. This is going to be NXT’s version of the Intercontinental and United States Championship. It is fitting, given the hardcore fans (marks) watch NXT more than the casuals. This match could steal the show and has great potential to be a stepping stone for the future. Right now, there is more stock and interest in “The Bruiserweight” than any other talent from that excellent tournament.
Roderick Strong vs. Eric Young
This was the final match announced, only a few days before NXT Takeover Chicago. Not saying it is a bad thing, but I would have liked them to do more with this feud. Strong put on a hell of a match last week against Hideo Itami before being attacked by Sanity. This feud feels very similar to the feud with Tye Dillinger and Eric Young needs to do more.
Sanity needs to do more and become more important. They need to target championships in NXT and try to reign supreme. There is so much talent in NXT that is not being utilized to their fullest potential. If you can have Eric Young focus on Roderick, you can have Dain and Wolfe focus on potentially becoming tag team champions. That is something that The Wyatt Family did not do well. Let them work more than one storyline. This match is a coin flip for me, but I do think that Roderick Strong picks up the win here. They have put more time in his life and story outside of the ring that it makes little sense for him to lose on a big stage. If he does lose, it will be controversial. Controversy can continue this feud, but I would rather see a strong 15 minute match from both men and then move onto something better. This just has not clicked like it did with Dillinger.
