How WWE Should Book Money In The Bank 2018

 

Hey everyone! Ever since Night Of Champions 2015, through multiple accounts, every month before major WWE pay-per-views, I’ve come on here and booked the cards to make them as exciting, intriguing, and best possible scenarios for the future. I do both NXT and main-roster pay-per-views, as well as the occasional big RAW or Smackdown weekly show. Without further ado, here is how WWE Should Book Money In The Bank 2018.

MY MONEY IN THE BANK POSTS FROM PREVIOUS YEARS:

·         2016: https://www.reddit.com/r/SquaredCircle/comments/4ov9pn/how_wwe_should_book_money_in_the_bank_2016/

·         2017:https://www.reddit.com/r/SquaredCircle/comments/6hxl9j/how_wwe_should_book_money_in_the_bank_2017_sdlive/

PRE-SHOW:

·         We get our usual panel of Renee Young, Booker T, Peter Rosenberg/Sam Roberts and David Otunga. As always the panel goes through the card and hypes up the matches and give their predictions. A Social Media Lounge segment with Elias is announced earlier in the day. Use #AskElias. We get a few backstage interviews and we’re show video packages. About 40 minutes in, we get to our kickoff match.

KICKOFF MATCH: The Bludgeon Brothers (Harper and Rowan) (c) vs. The Good Brothers (Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows) (Tag Team match for the WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championships)

·         The Bludgeons are out first followed by The Good Brotherskis. The match goes 11 minutes. It’s a highly competitive match and all four guys beat the hell out of eachother. Harper and Rowan get the win by Bludgeoning Gallows with their Double Crucifix Bomb finisher for the pin.

WINNERS by Pinfall and STILL WWE SmackDown Tag Team Champions: The Bludgeon Brothers

·         We get the Social Media Lounge segment with Elias, and the panel give their final predictions for the two MITB ladder matches. We get to the main show as we see ladders being set up around the ring for our first of the two to kick off the event.

MAIN SHOW:

·         Well, it’s that time of year again. Just to clarify for those it’s not yet clear to; this WWE pay-per-view is available ONLY on the award-winning WWE network. If you sign up today, the first month is FREE for new subscribers, which means you’ll get both NXT Takeover Chicago II and Money In The Bank for FRAAAAAAAAAAAAAY! The Money In The Bank contract ladder match has changed so many careers over the years, all you have to do is simply climb the ladder, unhook the briefcase and you’re virtually guaranteed a championship match at any time of your choosing, at event event, over the next YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARE! Now that the demon of Michael Cole has left my body, let’s get on with the show.

1ST MATCH: Ember Moon vs. Charlotte Flair vs. Alexa Bliss vs. Lana vs. Becky Lynch vs. Natalya vs. Naomi vs. Sasha Banks (Money In The Bank Ladder match for a Women’s Championship Contract)

·         The entrances go in the order of the wrestlers listed above. The match goes 22 minutes. This is gonna be absolutely insane, if that GREAT Fatal-Fourway on RAW was any indication. Here are a few spots in the match, as I always do:

·         Of course, Ember hits an Eclipse off a ladder to a bunch of women below her. Pray for her ass on this one.

·         Sasha Banks hits a Frogsplash off a ladder in the ring through Charlotte Flair through a ladder bridge between the apron and Spanish Announce table.

·         Twisted Bliss from Alexa, Corkscrew Moonsault from Charlotte, both off the tops of ladders into all the other women in the match.

·         Natalya, Alexa and Lana all hold up one horizontal ladder, targeting Naomi. They all run but Naomi uses her witty Ass-Based Offence and the three women all fall down with the ladder on top of them.

·         A ladder is propped up in the corner against the turnbuckle, and Charlotte runs and spears Becky Lynch and Sasha Banks into the ladder.

·         Natalya locks someone in a Sharpshooter on top of a ladder.

·         And last but not least, Lana sets up a laddder in the ring and all the women rush the ring then stop suddenly. Lana roars loudly and does a backflip, and all the other women in the match run away, intimidated by her wrestling abilities.

I mean what? Ignore that last one. The match actually ends when all 8 women do the spot where everyone is fighting on multiple ladders right under the briefcase. They all fall one by one to the mat, and the last one standing is Natalya. Nattie is on the top of the ladder and nobody is there. Natalya gets her hands on the case to boos and is about to unhook it when from out of view, Sasha Banks scurries up the ladder and GERMAN SUPLEXES NATALYA OFF THE MIDDLE RUNG. Sasha slugs up the ladder and unhooks the case for the win. I see almost everyone predicting Natalya to win, and cash in either on Ronda after winning the title or pull a Seth Rollins and make it a Triple Threat mid-match and screw Ronda out of it, but I think that’s exactly why WWE shouldn’t do it. There’s so much more marketable about Sasha Banks than Natalya, and think of the wonders that Sasha and Ronda could do together, maybe at Summerslam or sometime soon after. Sasha has consistently been THE BEST performer in the women’s divisions on both RAW and SD, gives everyone their best match, and DESERVES THIS WIN. She could be amazing with it when her official heel turn comes, and it’s just the best call. If for some reason WWE really has some greater plan and doesn’t want to go with Sasha, then Ember should be second in command for similar reasons. It’ll be a swerve since I don’t think many really would expect Sasha to win. And that’s the coolest thing, in past years of MITB, when someone completely out of left field yet still credible that barely anyone picked to win scales up the ladder and gets the giant pop when unhooking the case. That’ll be what happens with Sasha here.

WINNER and NEW Mrs. Money In The Bank: Sasha Banks

·         We get an ad for Gold Bond Ultimate and then we get a backstage interview with Carmella. Carmella gloats over her successes and promises to beat Asuka tonight. Simple promo.

2ND MATCH: Bobby Lashley vs. Sami Zayn (Singles match)

·         Just get this out of the way as quick as possible. Lashley is out first followed by Zayn, and the match goes a breeze of 6 minutes. Lashley needs. to. stop. smiling. now. It kills his character and a guy like him shouldn’t be presented as a complete goof. He has really failed so far, but that could all be solved if he just dominates Zayn in a short match. It won’t kill Sami as he’ll always have tons of fan support, and hopefully he can move on to something better after this feud. Lashley does big power moves to Zayn the whole match and gets the win with a huge Stalling Suplex.

WINNER by Pinfall: Bobby Lashley

·         We get an ad for what’s coming to the WWE Network.

3RD MATCH: Seth Rollins (c) vs. Elias (Singles match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship)

·         My body is ready for yet another SETH ROLLINS PAY-PER-VIEW INTERCONTINENTAL TITLE DEFENSE BANGER™ . Elias is out first and does a performance roasting Chicago legends, and is of course interrupted by BURRRRNNNN IT DOWWWWNNN. We get formal ring introductions and the match goes 15 minutes. The match ends when Rollins and Elias are exchanging strikes in the middle of the ring, and Rollins kicks Elias in the gut and tries for a Blackout but Elias turns it around and nails a Drift Away. Elias can’t believe it and he rolls out of the ring and goes and swipes the Intercontinental Title from the timekeeper’s area. He holds it up and rolls into the ring. The ref commands Elias to give him back the title and goes leans out of the ring to hand it back to the timekeeper. Elias capitalizes on this and slides a chair into the ring, pokes Rollins in the eyes, and hits a second Drift Away onto the chair. He discards of the evidence and the ref turns around to count the 3. Elias has won the IC title. I realize Seth has been on the run of his career and should be champ for centuries upon centuries, but this would be a great swerve, and Rollins would win back the title at Extreme Rules in a rematch in a SYMPHONY OF DESTRUCTION II MATCH. These kind of flip-flop title switches are the kind of unpredictability WWE likes to have, so why not test out Elias with a singles title for a month and then put the belt back on Seth who finally gets his comeuppance? By the way, I’ll have my full card for Extreme Rules at the end of this post.

WINNER by Pinfall and NEW WWE Intercontinental Champion: Elias

·         We get an ad for Tapout and then we get a wide-pan of the outside of the arena as we get the graphic for our next match.

4TH MATCH: Carmella (c) vs. Asuka (Singles match for the WWE SmackDown Live Women’s Championship)

·         Asuka is out first followed by Carmella. The match goes 10 minutes. Short and sweet, Carmella’s title reign hasn’t been much of a success. It’s consisted of running away from her opponents, lots of screaming and being pinned in Tag team matches. Asuka needs a breath of fresh air after Wrestlemania and she is the best woman in the Smackdown division, therefore she should hold the title. It’s long overdue, no way should Carmella beat Asuka clean OR with the assist of a returning James Ellsworth. The match ends when Carmella passes out in the Asuka Lock*. This would lead to Asuka/Charlotte II at Summerslam, which along with Extreme Rules I will ALSO have part of my card for at the end of this post, in a Loser Leaves SmackDown match, where Charlotte would lose and return to RAW to begin the roots of her feud with Ronda Rousey heading into WM35.

WINNER by Submission and NEW WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion: Asuka

·         We get an ad for the WWE Champions mobile game.

5TH MATCH: Jinder Mahal vs. Roman Reigns (Singles match)

·         Here it is. The match you’ve all been waiting for. Reigns is out first followed by Jinder and the match goes 12 minutes. In short, LOL at Jinder beating Roman Reigns on a PPV, clean or not clean, THE LARGE CANINE always goes over (except against Brock Lesnar), and on this night that prophecy is no different. Reigns gets the win after Jinder tries for a Khallas, but Reigns breaks free and jumps out of it, hits a Superman Punch followed by a Spear for the win.

WINNER by PINFALL: Roman Reigns

·         We get a backstage interview with new Mrs. Money In The Bank, SASHA Banks. The interviewer asks her how she feels, but Sasha gives no response. She simply smiles, clutches the case to her chest, nods her head and walks off. The cameras briefly catch her walking away and she walks right past Bayley sitting on a crate, taping her fists up inconspicuously.

6TH MATCH: Big Cass vs. Daniel Bryan (Singles match)

·         My oh my, has this feud been something else.Bryan is out first followed by Cass and the match goes 9 minutes. Cass and Bryan beat the hell out of each other in the short time they’re given and The match ends after Bryan becomes so obsessed with beating Cass and slaying the giant obstacle in his path like he did so many times before that he won’t break the Heel Hook for the count of 5, and gets himself DQ’ed. I don’t know. Neither guy can really lose right now, Big Cass because he’s in the middle of a major push and Bryan because he’d be about to enter a WWE Title program for Summerslam, which is heavily teased by the winner of the MITB ladder match later on in the main event. The two could have ONE more match if they really wanted on the next Smackdown where Cass wins just for Bragging Rights.

WINNER by Disqualification: Big Cass

·         We get an ad for WWEShop and then we go up to our kickoff panel for their thoughts on the show so far.

7TH MATCH: AJ Styles (c) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura (Last Man Standing match for the WWE Championship)

·         Nakamura is out first followed by Styles. The match goes 21 minutes. Nakamura should’ve won the championship at the GRR. He didn’t. Nakamura REALLY should’ve won the title at Backlash. He didn’t. If Nakamura doesn’t win the title here in his FOURTH TRY, I think it’s safe to say WWE don’t trust him on top and it’s never going to happen. Every one of their matches has been getting better than the last, and I think this one will be no different. Nakamura wins the title after chainsawing AJ’s balls off and he can’t stand up for the count of 10. Maybe not a chainsaw, but the point is his private area is hurt very badly by Mr. Nakamura, and he wins the title.

WINNER and NEW WWE Champion: Shinsuke Nakamura

8TH MATCH: Nia Jax (c) vs. Ronda Rousey (Singles match for the WWE RAW Women’s Championship)

·         Ronda is out first followed by Nia after a video package. The match goes 13 minutes. When this match was initially announced for the PPV, I was absolutely baffled. Why wouldn’t you just wait two more months and have this at Summerslam, your second biggest show of the year, and have Ronda Rousey win your Women’s Title? Imagine how much bigger it would be. Nia could’ve easily faced Natalya at this PPV, and led to that match in an easy retain. The match ends when Ronda has the Armbar locked in on Nia and it looks like she's about to tap but Natalya runs down and jumps on top of Ronda and breaks it up. The bell rings and Natalya beats down Ronda with punches and stomps, and if Ronda has been trained to take them yet, chair shots. This sets up a match between them in the future, Natalya was never really injured, she just used it as a way to get into Ronda's head to eventually screw her over. I know that there was also a DQ finish in Cass/Bryan, but they were in two completely different ways, and they are both needed to advance storylines. It will all be fine, marks.

WINNER by Disqualification: Ronda Rousey; however STILL WWE RAW Women’s Champion: Nia Jax

·         We get an ad for Summerslam tickets going on sale soon.

9TH MATCH: Big E (w/ Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods) vs. Bobby Roode vs. Braun Strowman vs. Finn Balor vs. Kevin Owens vs. The Miz vs Rusev vs. Samoa Joe (Money In The Bank Ladder match for a World Championship Contract)

·         Aiden English is out first and he raps about Rusev Day and then introduces the man himself. They get to the ring and English begins talking again about what it would mean if Rusev won Rusev In The Bank on Rusev Day, but they're interrupted by New Day's intro. New Day come out and reveal that BIG E will be the one participating in the match. Out next is Kevin Owens, followed by Samoa Joe, then Bobby Roode, then Finn Balor, then the Miz, and finally Braun Strowman. Miz refuses to get in the ring at first but then Braun's music hits and Miz scurries into the ring as everyone immediately gets a ladder. The match goes 24 minutes. Here are some spots in the match:

·         Braun powerslams everyone through ladder bridges

·         Finn Balor hits a Coup De Grace off a ladder to Braun

·         Braun is climbing a ladder and then from out of nowhere Joe comes in and hurries up the same side as him and locks him in the Coquina Clutch, trying to peel him off the ladder

·         Big E and Kevin Owens are brawling in the ring. Owens hits a Pop-Up Powerbomb on Big E and then sets up a ladder. Similar to the spot at TLC 2015, Owens traps Big E under the ladder and begins climbing to the case. Big E BENCH PRESSES OWENS and the ladder tips over, sending KO into the other 6 men in the match on the outside.

·         Miz is climbing up a ladder alone in the ring. Balor hops up on the apron, springs up on the top rope and runs up the other side of the ladder, and nails a 1916 OFF THE LADDER, sending both men crashing to the mat.

The match ends when Big E is climbing the ladder, no one else is in the ring. It looks like Big E is finally going to have his time, his long-overdue main event run, when all of a sudden THE MIZ SLIDES INTO THE RING AND BLASTS BIG E WITH A STEEL CHAIR. CHAIR SHOT AFTER CHAIR SHOT AFTER CHAIR SHOT. BIG E IS NEARLY KILLED BY THIS MAN. Miz is unleashing all his frustrations with New Day. Miz pulls down Big E's straps and DOES THE SPOT WHERE HE PUTS BIG E'S THROAT IN THE CHAIR, AND HE THROWS HIM AGAINST A LADDER LAYING HORIZONTALLY ACROSS THE MIDDLE ROPES. Big E's windpipes are destroyed, Miz climbs the ladder, unhooks the briefcase, and is your second ever multiple-time MITB winner. This has been so long in the making. Miz went from complete obscurity in early 2016 to one of the best things in wrestling by the end of 2016. He has consistently put in the work, cut the best promos, had great matches, and been an all around fantastic character ever since that fateful night on Talking Smack. Speaking of that night, and the man he went off on, we'll have more on that next.

WINNER and NEW MR. MONEY IN THE BANK: The Miz

·         Post match, we see Daniel Bryan watching a monitor backstage. He doesn't look happy. Dasha Fuentes approaches him and Bryan stands up suddenly. Dasha asks Bryan for his thoughts on the new Mr. MITB, but Bryan doesn't even look her in the eyes. His face is fueled with revenge, retribution, and redemption. He walks off and we get a final shot of Miz with the case as the PPV goes off the air.

FINAL RESULTS:

No.	Results	Stipulations	Times
1PS	The Bludgeon Brothers (Harper and Rowan) (c) defeated The Good Brothers (Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows) by Pinfall	Tag Team match for the WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championships	11 minutes
2	Sasha Banks defeated Alexa Bliss, Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair, Ember Moon, Lana, Naomi and Natalya	Money In The Bank Ladder match for a Women’s Championship Contract	22 minutes
3	Bobby Lashley defeated Sami Zayn by Pinfall	Singles match	6 minutes
4	Elias defeated Seth Rollins (c) by Pinfall	Singles match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship	15 minutes
5	Asuka defeated Carmella (c) by Submission	Singles match for the WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship	10 minutes
6	Roman Reigns defeated Jinder Mahal by Pinfall	Singles match	12 minutes
7	Big Cass defeated Daniel Bryan by Disqualification	Singles match	9 minutes
8	Shinsuke Nakamura defeated AJ Styles (c)	Last Man Standing match for the WWE Championship	21 minutes
9	Ronda Rousey defeated Nia Jax (c) by Disqualification	Singles match for the WWE RAW Women’s Championship	13 minutes
10	The Miz defeated Big E, Bobby Roode, Braun Strowman, Finn Balor, Kevin Owens, Rusev and Samoa Joe	Money In The Bank Ladder match for a World Championship Contract	24 minutes

MY EXTREME RULES 2018 CARD (July 15, 2018; Pittsburg, PA; Since PPV’s are dual-branded now, WWE is gonna do tons and tons of multi-man matches to get everyone on, as is followed by this card. And yes, Rollins does pull double duty on this show.)

No.	Matches	Stipulations
1	Shinsuke Nakamura (c) vs. AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe	Triple Threat match for the WWE Championship
2	Elias (c) vs. Seth Rollins	Symphony Of Destruction II match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship
3	Nia Jax (c) vs. Ronda Rousey	Knockouts Only match for the WWE RAW Women’s Championship
4	Asuka (c) vs. Becky Lynch	Submission match for the WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship
5	Deleters Of Worlds (Bray Wyatt and Matt Hardy) (c) vs. The Show (Dolph Ziggler and Drew McIntyre)	Elimination Tag Team match for the WWE RAW Tag Team Championships
6	The Bludgeon Brothers (Harper and Rowan) (c) vs. The Bar (Cesaro and Sheamus) vs. The Club (Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows) vs. The Usos (Jey and Jimmy)	Fatal 4-Way Tag Team match for the WWE Smackdown Tag Team Championships
7	Cedric Alexander (c) vs. Buddy Murphy	Falls Count Anywhere match for the WWE Cruiserweight Championship
8	Baron Corbin vs. Bobby Lashley vs. Bobby Roode vs. Braun Strowman vs. Finn Balor vs. Jinder Mahal vs. Kevin Owens vs. Roman Reigns vs. Sami Zayn vs. Seth Rollins	10-Man Over The Top Rope Battle Royal to determine the No.1 Contender to the WWE Universal Championship at Summerslam
9	Big Cass and The Miz vs. Daniel Bryan and Jeff Hardy	Extreme Rules Tag Team match
10	Ember Moon vs. Sasha Banks	2/3 Falls match for Moon’s Money In The Bank Briefcase

MY PART-COMPLETE SUMMERSLAM 2018 CARD (August 19, 2018; Brooklyn, NY- Normally I wouldn’t do a card for 2 PPV’s in advance, but as I said earlier in the post, I start a new job next month and won’t be able to get a post out for Extreme Rules which means I can’t put a Summmerslam card at the end of it, so here’s a rough draft, with only a few matches I’m 100% sure should happen)

No.	Matches	Stipulations
1	Brock Lesnar (c) (w/ Paul Heyman) vs. TBD	TBD for the WWE Universal Championship
2	TBD (c) vs. Daniel Bryan	Singles match for the WWE Championship
3	TBD (c) vs. TBD	Singles match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship
4	Jeff Hardy (c) vs. Andrade “Cien” Almas (w/ Zelina Vega)	Singles match for the WWE United States Championship
5	Ronda Rousey (c) vs. TBD	Singles match for the WWE RAW Women’s Championship
6	Asuka (c) vs. Charlotte Flair	Loser Leaves SmackDown match for the WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship
7	Deleters Of Worlds (Bray Wyatt and Matt Hardy) (c) vs. TBD	Tag Team match for the WWE RAW Tag Team Championships
8	The Bludgeon Brothers (Harper and Rowan) (c) vs. SaNitY (Alexander Wolfe and Killian Dain) (w/ Eric Young)	Tornado Tag Team match for the WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championships
9	Cedric Alexander (c) vs. TBD	Singles match for the WWE Cruiserweight Championship

Well, that was How WWE Should Book Money In The Bank 2018. Tell me what you liked and didn’t like, and what from this post you’d like to see actually happen on the show. I’ll be starting a new job mid-July so I won’t be able to do a post for Extreme Rules this year sadly, but I’ll be right back on track after that with Takeover Brooklyn IV and Summerslam both that weekend. Enjoy the PPV, everyone.

How NXT Takeover: Chicago II Should Be Booked

Hey everyone! Ever since Night Of Champions 2015, through multiple accounts, every month before major WWE pay-per-views, I’ve come on here and booked the cards to make them as exciting, intriguing, and best possible scenarios for the future. I do both NXT and main-roster pay-per-views, as well as the occasional big RAW or Smackdown weekly show. Without further ado, here is how WWE Should Book NXT Takeover: Chicago II.

PRE-SHOW:

·         We get our usual Takeover panel of Charly Caruso, Primetime Sam Roberts and Pat McAfee, who was actually really great at New Orleans. The panel hype up the matches and give their predictions. We’re shown video packages and we get backstage interviews with Shayna Baszler, Ricochet and Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch. The panel give their final predictions for the main event matches, and we get to the main show.

MAIN SHOW:

 

·         Well, here we are again. Takeover NOLA was one of the greatest fucking wrestling shows I have EVER watched. Still not over it. Lots of people are sleeping on this card just because not all of the challengers might necessarily make “dream matches”, but I think this could be just as good as NOLA. Just keep an open mind. Now, let’s get to the first match.

 

1ST MATCH: Johnny Gargano vs. Tommaso Ciampa (Chicago Street Fight)

 

 

·         WAIT WAIT, let me explain. This can’t just be a traditional WWE Street Fight. WWE Street Fights are no different from No DQ, No Holds Barred, Anything Goes, or Unsanctioned matches, which is what they had in NOLA. This needs to be a FIGHT IN THE STREETS. If you remember the match between Dean Ambrose and Luke Harper at Extreme Rules 2015, that’s essentially what should happen here, except we actually see them fighting in different public places throughout the night rather than they just disappear completely for hours. In order to do that, this would need to begin the show, even though it’ll actually end much later in the night before the main event. Ciampa is out first with new theme music, titled BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. As Ciampa is walking down the ramp, Gargano’s music hits and Ciampa spins toward the entryway, ready for a fight. Gargano blasts him from behind with a Kendo Stick and the brawl begins. The two brawl around the ring for about 5 minutes, with Gargano spearing Ciampa through a barricade, and Ciampa dropping Gargano through an announce table with a White Noise like at Chicago last year. The two fight through the crowd and up the stairs, through the doors, to the lobby, and out of the entire arena to the outside. The two are brawling and Gargano pushes Ciampa into the cameraman, cutting off the feed. We go to the commentators and they say that the cameras will try and catch up with the two later on in the show and try to restore order. With nothing that can be done at that moment, we get to our next match.

 

2ND MATCH: The Undisputed Era (Kyle O'Reilly and Roderick Strong) (c) vs. Danny Burch and Oney Lorcan (Tag Team match for the NXT Tag Team Championships)

 

·         Undisputed Era are out first with Adam Cole and Kyle is playing his title guitar as always.ONE AND ONEY and Danny Burch are out next. I’m so damn happy that these two are finally on a Takeover. They’re too good not to be. Longer overdue. The match goes 19 minutes. It’s a FIGHT full of stiff kicks, punches, forearms, headbutts, backbreakers, and death. UE get the win after Adam Cole jumps up on the apron when it looks like Oney and Burch are about to get the win to distract the ref, and Oney runs around the ring and yanks Cole off the apron, but in the mean time Roderick Strong takes the opportunity to blast Burch with a steel chair, hits the End of Heartache and gets the win.

 

WINNERS by PINFALL and STILL NXT Tag Team Champions: The Undisputed Era (Kyle O'Reilly and Roderick Strong)

 

·         We get an ad for Money In The Bank the following night and an ad for Tapout.

 

·         We go to the commentary team now and Mauro begins to transition into our next official match but CAMERAS THEN CUT TO GARGANO AND CIAMPA BRAWLING INSIDE OF A SUPERMARKET. It’s a full out Booker T vs. Stone Cold supermarket brawl. Gargano throws Ciampa into a shelf of oranges, Ciampa smashes a watermelon over Gargano’s back, they try to lock each other in a freezer, Gargano rams Ciampa into a wall in a cart, everything you would expect in a Supermarket brawl. These would all obviously be pre-taped segments. The fight ends when they fight out of the market to another location we’ll see later.

 

 

3RD MATCH: Shayna Baszler (c) vs. Nikki Cross (Singles Match for the NXT Women’s Championship)

 

·         Baszler is out first followed by Cross. The match goes 12 minutes and we get formal ring introductions. This is gonna be the most unexpected great match of the entire year for all of WWE. The two brawl all around ringside, over the announce tables, slamming each other into ring posts, into steel steps, onto steel steps, dives everywhere, submission after submission, it’s complete chaos. Baszler ends up getting the win after Cross is up top and tries the Hail Storm Flying Headbutt but Baszler catches her mid-air and rolls into a Rear Naked Choke and Cross passes out for the win. Cross has been fantastic and she’ll take the title eventually unless WWE plans for her to join Sanity on the main roster after this show, but Baszler is still the most dominant force in that division and they could have a Steel Cage match in Brooklyn to harken back to Shayna’s MMA background.

 

WINNER by Submission and STILL NXT Women’s Champion: Shayna Baszler

 

·         We get an ad for WWE Shop and then the commentators once again begin to transition to the next match but GARGANO AND CIAMPA ARE NOW BRAWLING IN A MOVIE THEATER. Ciampa and Gargano drown each other in the popcorn dispenser, throw each other into movie posters, powerbomb on the ticket counter, again, everything you could possibly imagine happening in a movie theater brawl. The segment ends when they again brawl out the back door and cameras have to try and catch up with them later. We go back to the commentators and they introduce us to our next match, and it’s a BANGER.

 

4TH MATCH: Ricochet vs. Velveteen Dream (Singles match)

 

·         Ricochet is out first followed by Dream. The match goes 25 minutes. The second number of the match length is how many stars this will get. Actually six. Actually eighteen. Actually 23059234. I’m excited if you couldn’t tell. I’m not even about to tell these two guys what spots they could do. They already have them all set out weeks before the show, practicing everyday Ricochet’s 630 senton off 345 ladders stacked on top of each other into a Death Valley Driver. The actual ending to the match comes when Ricochet knocks Dream to the outside of the ring and runs to try a Tope Suicida, but Dream HAS BRASS KNUCKLES AND SLUGS HIM IN THE JAW. THE REF DOESN’T SEE IT AND THEN DREAM HITS THE PURPLE RAINMAKER FROM THE TOP ROPE FOR THE WIN. Ricochet still has so many more guys to face and turmoil to go through until he gets to the main event and the NXT title. Dream however, should have his chance already, in Black/Dream II in a 30-Minute Iron Man match at Takeover Brooklyn 4, which by the way I’ll have my full card for at the end of this post.

 

WINNER by Pinfall: Velveteen Dream

 

·         IT’S TIME FOR OUR FINAL CONTEST OF THE EVENING, FOR THE NXT CHAMPIONSHIP, VIC JOSEPH SAYS…….. But not before we return to the scene of Gargano and Ciampa brawling back into the arena! They’re back in the lobby again and come back down through the crowd, clothesline each other over the barricade, and into the ring. This is where they have their proper match for the night, only about 20 minutes so shorter than the last one, but really all they need after everything that’s happened in the night. The match ends FINALLY when Ciampa is beating down Gargano with forearms, and busts him open. Johnny Wrestling is a sprinkler of blood. Candice LeRae runs down to try to stop the madness. Candice has a steel chair, and so does Ciampa. The two both stare each other down on opposite sides of the ring with Gargano in the center, lying in a pool of blood and foreign objects. Ciampa puts down his chair, and sits down next to Gargano. Candice runs at Ciampa with knees and starts beating him down in the corner. Ciampa is absorbing the punishment and then Candice goes to the top for a crossbody but Ciampa pushes Gargano, who has just gotten up in the way and Candice flattens her husband and then rolls to the outside, hurt from the miscommunication. Ciampa takes advantage and locks in the Garga-No Escape on Gargano himself.The pain is too great and Gargano taps out. Ciampa is now 2-0 in Chicago. Gargano is out indefinitely. Candice ends up challenging Ciampa to a match in Brooklyn on the next set of tapings. Yes, really. Ciampa winning with Johnny’s own submission move would be the ultimate heel heat.

 

WINNER by Submission: Tomasso Ciampa

 

5TH MATCH: Aleister Black (c) vs. Lars Sullivan (Singles match for the NXT Championship)

 

·         This may not be everyone’s ideal Takeover main-event show closer, but the NXT title didn’t main event in NOLA so it should here. Plus, I think this could be a blowaway match. Again, keep an open mind. This will be very telling for Lars’ abilities and how far he’ll go in the company. Lars is out first followed by Black. We get formal ring introductions and the match goes 17 minutes. Lars shouldn’t lose clean, but Black should also retain. I don’t know if Lars should ever lose cleanly while in NXT. We’ve already had two pretty dusty-finishes tonight, and I don’t think it should be that way for a third. You could always just go for a DQ or Countout win for Black, but I don’t think that should happen in a Takeover main event. For now, we’ll just say Black hits a lucky series of Black Mass kicks and gets the win.

·          

WINNER by Pinfall and STILL NXT Champion: Aleister Black

 

FINAL RESULTS:

No.	Results	Stipulations	Times
1	Johnny Gargano and Tommasso Ciampa fight outside of the arena (Part I)	Chicago Street Fight	2:30:00 (go to beginning of main show for explanation)
2	The Undisputed Era (Kyle O'Reilly and Roderick Strong) (c) defeated Danny Burch and Oney Lorcan by Pinfall	Tag Team match for the NXT Tag Team Championships	19 minutes
N/A	Gargano and Ciampa fight in a Supermarket	N/A	4 minutes
3	Shayna Baszler (c) defeated Nikki Cross by Submission	Singles match for the NXT Women’s Championship	12 minutes
N/A	Gargano and Ciampa fight in a Movie Theater	N/A	4 minutes
4	Velveteen Dream defeated Ricochet by Pinfall	Singles match	25 minutes
N/A	Ciampa and Gargano return to the arena and have a proper 20 minute match; Ciampa defeats Gargano by Submission	Chicago Street Fight	20 minutes
5	Aleister Black (c) defeated Lars Sullivan by Pinfall	Singles match for the NXT Championship	17 minutes

 

MY CARD FOR NXT TAKEOVER: BROOKLYN IV (August 18, 2018; Brooklyn, NY)

No.	Match	Stipulations
1	Aleister Black (c) vs.Velveteen Dream	30-Minute Iron Man match for the NXT Championship
2	Adam Cole (c) vs. EC3	Singles match for the NXT North American Championship
3	Pete Dunne (c) vs. Ricochet	Singles match for the WWE United Kingdom Championship
4	Shayna Baszler (c) vs. Nikki Cross	Steel Cage match for the NXT Women’s Championship
5	The Undisputed Era (Kyle O'Reilly and Roderick Strong) vs. TM61	Tag Team match for the NXT Tag Team Championships
6	Candice LeRae vs. Tommaso Ciampa	Intergender match
7	Lars Sullivan vs. Otis Dozovic (w/ Tucker Knight)	Singles match to determine the No.1 Contendership to the NXT Championship

Well, that was How NXT Takeover: Chicago II Should Be Booked. Tell me what you liked and didn’t like, and what from this post you’d like to see actually happen on the show. Be sure to look out for my MITB 2018 post tomorrow, and of course I’ll have “How NXT Takeover: Brooklyn IV Should Be Booked” post Summerslam weekend. Enjoy the PPV, everyone. Let’s see if they can top NOLA.