We open the show with the bracket for the NXT UK Women's Championship tournament, as the first round matches begin here.
DAKOTA KAI v NINA SAMUELS
- Commentary mention that Dakota Kai almost won the PROGRESS women's championship recently. They are getting plenty of mentions on this brand!
- Penalty kick and then a double stomp from Kai.
- Painful looking single knee backstabber by Samuels.
- Samuels has Kai wrapped up in the ropes and hits a dropkick to the back!
- Nina has Kai in a submission and the crowd are giving her hell. If you all hate Nina clap your hands...
- Huge tilt the whirl backbreaker by Samuels. Sweet.
- Gory special by Samuels!
- Kai fights back with a running dropkick which sends Kai to the corner and then lands a facewash. Ouch.
- Chiropractor!
- DAKOTA KAI WINS!
- That was easily the best that Nina Samuels has looked in-ring on this brand and it is unfortunate that the chiropractor finish looked a little off because apart from that, this match was very good. Kai is a brilliant babyface and has excellent wrestling ability, whilst Nina has heat and showed plenty of improvement here.
MARK ANDREWS & FLASH MORGAN WEBSTER BACKSTAGE
Mark Andrews says that he is putting his beef with the Coffey Brothers behind him and has eyes on some gold. Flash overhears and says that as a tag team they could be the first ever NXT UK Tag champions - think about it. Mark Andrews says he has a point...
- I like that they are attempting to pad out the tag division, even if they are makeshift teams at this point, we will get some fresh matches and see if teams click.
ASHTON SMITH BACKSTAGE
Glen Joseph (off camera) interviews Ashton Smith asking about his tough loss to Wolfgang last week. Smith responds saying what was he supposed to do, go home and cry about it? He is going to look at himself and... at that point Eddie Dennis interrupts. He says that it's been a tough start for Smith - but not for himself. If he wants tips, watch his match next week. Smith says maybe he will...
- This is interesting. Are we getting a feud between these two or some kind of alliance where Smith is under the wing of Dennis using his tactics to get ahead?
TYSON T-BONE v JAKE CONSTANTINOU
Tyson is making his first appearance in-ring since the weekly shows began and we get reminded that he is Killer Kowalski trained, has a gypsy heritage and has the Virgin Mary tattooed on his right hand for forgiveness on every punch he throws.
- T-Bone is in full control, rag dolling Constantinou with a hip toss to begin.
- Tyson continues to pound on his opponent with clubbing fists and a big back suplex.
- Elbow drop for 2 by T-Bone
- Right hand wobbles Constantinou...
- LARIAT KILLS HIM!
- Post match Tson has the mic. Is that a joke? Is that the best NXT UK has to offer? Seriously, it's a joke. MIC DROP. He walks away and down the aisle to boos before Dave Mastiff appears on the ramp... when they meet Mastiff says you want the best NXT UK has got... watch this!
- T-Bone has a unique look and character, but his match here was a bit dry UNTIL that finishing sequence. The straight right and then the lariat looked deadly. Add the post-match stuff teasing a match with Mastiff and this was a success re-debut for Tyson.
BOMBER DAVE MASTIFF v DAN MOLONEY
We get the original UK tournament schtick on Moloney that he is from a council estate in Birmingham, his friends are in jail and he wants to be a positive influence.
- Moloney goes straight for the jugular, skipping the crowd pumping he would usually do and goes straight after Mastiff.
- Mastiff laughs and hits his dropkick.
- Bomber follows up with a senton, crushing the sternum of Moloney.
- Mastiff's gonna kill you chants from the crowd.
- Deadlift German suplex on Moloney.
- CANNONBALL!
- BOMBER DAVE MASTIFF WINS!
- This was a great squash, Moloney showed he wasn't afraid, but simply couldn't handle the mass of Mastiff. T-Bone staying ringside to watch was a nice touch and I'm looking forward to their hoss battle.
SID SCALA BACKSTAGE
Sid is asked about the fact he is yet to pick up a win on NXT UK. What does he need to do in order to change his fortunes? Sid answers that he feels that the NXT UK audience is losing faith in him and he needs to sit down with Johnny Saint and ask him for one more opportunity.
- I bloody love Sid Scala. The plucky underdog character has been played to death, but when successfully done, it is always great stuff. The Mikey Whipwreck of NXT UK looks like he is getting a final shot at redemption!
JINNY v MILLIE MCKENZIE
These two have great chemistry from wrestling on the indies and I am looking forward to this one!
- Big Millie McKenzie chants from the crowd.
- Slap to the face from Jinny!
- Millie responds with forearms.
- Dropkick and a stiff kick to the spine from Millie.
- Jinny hides in the ropes to avoid being hit, forcing the ref to step in.
- Flatliner into the middle turnbuckle from Jinny.
- Jinny grabs the hair as she hits strikes to the head of McKenzie.
- Let's all go to Tescos where Jinny buys her best clothes by the crowd. An oldie but a goodie.
- Chin bar wears down Millie.
- Jinny hits an AWESOME transition into the Liger surfboard. So good.
- Spear from McKenzie!
- 2 German suplexes by Millie. SUPLEX MILLIE!
- Japanese arm drag into the turnbuckle by Jinny.
- Ripcord rolling thunder!
- JINNY WINS!
- That was really good. 18 year-old Millie proved on her biggest stage yet that she is going to be something special, but the more experienced Jinny picks up the win. I love that she uses the acid rainmaker in PROGRESS as a tribute to her trainer Jimmy Havoc and now in NXT she is paying tribute to Jushin Liger, one of her favourites. Great stuff. BOO JINNY BOO.
ZACK GIBSON v TRENT SEVEN
Pre-match we of course get the Zack Gibson promo. He is Liverpool's #1. Soon to be recognised as NXT's #1. Soon to be recognised as the World's #1. The Beatles conquered the music world, Liverpool conquered the football world and... Trent Seven's music plays to interrupt.
- Shoes straight off from the crowd for the if you hate Gibson shoes off chant.
- The match starts with lots of grapples and reversals from both men on the mat.
- It breaks down when Trent hits two strong style chops - so Gibson powders.
- Trent's Moustache Mountain tag partner, Tyler Bate, arrives and isn't having that. He makes him go back to the ring, where he eats another Trent chop.
- Double chop to the throat from Gibson! That's a game changer.
- Keylock driver for 2 by Gibson.
- Fake chop into the DDT by Seven!
- Massive right hand knocks Gibson off the ropes!
- Seven hits a missile tope through the first and second ropes!
- Snap dragon suplex by Trent!
- Immediately followed up by a powerbomb and single leg crab combo!
- Gibson attempts to lock in Shankly Gates but Trent fends it off...
- Zack reverses a Seven star lariat by hitting a codebreaker on the arm of Trent!
- They trade open hand strikes, ending with a big lariat by Gibson.
- Ticket to ride by Gibson for 2! Love that move.
- Shankly Gates is locked in!
- Trent reaches the rope where Bate is willing him on.
- Gibson boots Bate who gets up on the apron.
- Back hand slap and SEVEN STAR LARIAT!
- Only 2!!!
- James Drake appears and hits Tyler Bate into the steps.
- Gibson gets a rollup and uses Drake for leverage for the 3!
- ZACK GIBSON WINS!
- Grizzled Young Veterans have arrived!
- Post match GYV celebrate and then The Kingdom arrive and kick Moustache Mountain's ass to pose and end the show stood tall again.
- This was an EXCELLENT main event. The crowd were invested in fun to start, but were drawn in to the drama of the match thanks to great work from all three. The post match stuff shows that Moustache Mountain's easy ticket to the titles may well have hit a snag. A brilliant episode.
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