It was an exciting week for the WWE Universe as Chicago was the centre of a lot of the action with both NXT Takeover: Chicago, as well as WWE Backlash, were both held at the famous Allstate Arena in Rosemont.
Looking back at the week that was, there was a lot to soak in, especially when you factor in RAW and Smackdown Live. But, thanks to the evolution of social media, fans are privy to a bit of insight, as well as a sneak peek into the lives of a WWE Superstar.
Trending
With that said, let's take a look back at some of your favourite Instagram post from some of the top WWE Superstars!
New Champs in WWE! More RIGHT HERE
#15 Samoa Joe games out
A lot of today's WWE Superstar’s are huge gamers outside of the ring. While they only get a limited amount of downtime, it is important for these Superstars to find a way to maximise their time. Many take the video game route. AJ Styles, Zack Ryder, Xavier Woods and many more WWE Superstars enjoy gaming during their down time.
In this Instagram post, Joe is thrilled to receive his new gaming chair, made by Clutch Chairz.
#14 The Game and his prodigy
Triple H is shown here with NXT Women's Champion Asuka, shortly after she defeated Ruby Riot and Nikki Cross at NXT Takeover: Chicago, where she retained her title and extended her unbelievable undefeated streak.
Asuka is nearing 180 consecutive wins since arriving in NXT, which is a record that will likely never be touched.
#13 NXT Tag Team shakeup?
In this recent NXT Instagram post, Wesley Blake is pictured with Steve Cutler. It appears that Wesley Blake has been teaming up with Steve Cutler during a string of recent NXT live events throughout central Florida.
You may recall that Buddy Murphy and Wesley Blake were once NXT Tag Team Champions, but have since distanced themselves following the 2016 Brand-Split.
#12 Roddy vs. The World
Roderick Strong is suddenly in the driver's seat to the top of the NXT roster. The former Ring of Honor World Champion is finally performing like a true NXT Championship contender.
Roddy looked extremely good at NXT Takeover, taking care of Eric Young in the first contest of the evening. At 33 years of age, Roderick brings with him a tremendous amount of quality experience from his 17 years in the ring.
#11 The Bullet Baseball Club
Karl Anderson is shown here with Cincinnati Reds pitcher Bronson Arroyo, right before Karl threw out the ceremonial first pitch of the evening.
Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows have been a strong duo since arriving in the WWE. However, many fans feel they have not been allowed to fully showcase the ability that they truly do possess. For several years, Gallows and Anderson were among the top teams on the planet when in New Japan Pro Wrestling.
Maybe the Good Brothers will soon pick up that ever elusive steam they need.
#10 The Broski rewind
Zack Ryder takes a nostalgic look back in time as he congratulated his former ally Trent Baretta on being inducted into the New York Wrestling Connection Wrestling Hall of Fame.
Zack has always been one of the most fun guys to follow on social media. Not only does he stay active, but he can be very hilarious. Despite not being at the top of the roster, life isn't too bad for Ryder. After all, he gets to go home to Emma!
#9 A boy and his Boo
James Ellsworth continues to ride the wave of obscurity as he somehow manages to keep a job with the biggest wrestling company in the world, despite not having an ounce of talent.
I will admit one thing and that's the fact that Ellsworth took advantage of a golden opportunity and made the absolute most of it, which is the reason why he not only has a job but also gets a ton of TV time, which is a luxury in this business.
#8 Doing it all with Flair
Charlotte continues to fill the gigantic shoes left behind by her legendary father, Ric Flair. Charlotte has been one of the most dominant and successful women's wrestlers of the current era. She has also been one of the most improved of all NXT call-ups in recent years.
The ceiling is extremely high for this WWE Superstar as she continues to stand firm at the forefront of the Women's Revolution. Look for her to remain high atop the ladder for years to come.
#7 Matt Hardy hangs with royalty
In this Instagram post from Friday, May 26, 2017, Matt Hardy takes a candid photo with two of the most well-known WWE broadcasters of all time, WWE Hall of Famers Jerry ‘The King’ Lawler and Good Ol’ JR, Jim Ross.
This post brings back a lot of fond memories of a much more popular era in professional wrestling when Jim Ross was indeed the voice of the WWE.
#6 Bayley’s battle scars
Mickie James is shown here, taking an up-close look at Bayley’s newest reminder of how serious it can get inside the squared circle. It appears to be a gnarly welp from a kendo stick.
Bayley is often misunderstood as weak, simply because of her overly kind demeanour. However, she has proved herself time and time again to be one of the toughest lades in the locker room. As of now, Little Miss Bliss is the queen of the castle, but that can all change in an instant.
#5 A dapper Mr. Black
Some were worried that once RAW and Smackdown Live started plucking all the top NXT talent, that NXT would suffer from a lack of reliable stars. However, that has not been the case, thanks to top-notch stars such as Drew McIntyre, Bobby Roode and Aleister Black, just to name a few.
Known by many as “Tommy End,” Black is an absolute beast in the ring. He has the presence, the skill and the look to be not only an NXT Champion, but a future main roster champ as well.
In this post, Aleister snapped the obligatory mirror selfie on the evening of NXT Takeover: Chicago.
#4 Family time at the Danielsons’
Family life for Daniel Bryan and Brie Bella appears to be going perfectly fine. These two were destined to not only be together but to be parents. In this Instagram post, Brie snaps a quick photo of daddy Daniel with baby Birdie.
While I miss seeing Daniel in the ring, where he was a man among men, it's nice to see that he has adapted well to his new lifestyle as a devout family man.
Brie made this Instagram post on Wednesday, May 24, 2017.
#3 Purple Dreams
Patrick Clark appears to be embracing his new “Velveteen Dream” persona. While there has been plenty of criticism, Patrick has embraced the opportunity and is giving the gimmick his all.
It's easy to point and mock, but sometimes we have to give things a chance, especially in this fickle world we call professional wrestling. I can only imagine the response some of the more provocative gimmicks got, especially ones like Adrian Adonis and now, Velveteen Dream.
The bottom line is that Patrick Clark is extremely talented and he has proven that fact on Tough Enough. This is one we just need to give a chance and see what evolves from it.
#2 Five feet of fury
Alexa Bliss is the truth. She has proved just that since arriving on the main roster. To see her progress and overall improvement from the time she was simply a valet for an NXT tag team, to now, the top women's wrestler in the business and the WWE RAW Women's Champion is simply amazing.
Alexa has risen from the ranks of mediocrity to absolute superstardom, unlike anything we have ever witnessed in the women's division. Week after week, night after night, Alexa Bliss goes out and outworks everyone, which is why she is where she is today as the top lady in the WWE.
#1 Welcome to the era of The Maharaja
This past week was highlighted by the WWE Backlash pay-per-view and as we now know, Jinder Mahal made history on that night, winning his very first WWE Championship. In fact, that win represents the first title Jinder has won in the WWE at all.
It was some 7 years ago that Jinder Mahal first signed with the WWE. His career has been full of ups and downs, mostly downs, but now it seems as if it was all worth it. After all this Superstar has been through, he deserves this accomplishment.
As a WWE fan who welcomes and embraces change, I can only hope Jinder Mahal is the champion for some time to come.
