Coming off an excellent NXT UK: Takeover show, we are back to the weekly tapings for the latest WWE brand. It's my personal highlight of the week and I am excited to see where we are going storyline wise post Blackpool.
For our quick review of the big show head here.
We start the show with an excellent promo of how Jordan Devlin attacked Travis Banks and stole his opportunity to perform on the biggest stage of his career. Banks vows to gain revenge tonight, when they face off in the main event! HYPE!
PETE DUNNE PROMO
Pete Dunne comes out to a great pop from the crowd. Well deserved after his performance in the main event at Takeover.
At NXT Takeover we made history. It all started here two years ago and since then the brand has changed. Since Chicago though - one thing remains the same. I am the NXT UK champion!
Gallus arrive - Joe Coffey says that this is still his Kingdom. Losing a battle to Dunne, means he has thought of new strategies to win the war. Look at the title, because at the end of this war we know whose waist it will be around! If anyone has a problem with that, they can get to the back of the line!
WALTER's music hits! Coffey is in the ring looking to attack, but his Gallus teammates wisely usher him away from the ring...
Wolfgang and Mark Coffey then attempt to blindside Dunne and Walter, but fail pretty spectacularly.
That leaves just Dunne and WALTER in the ring. WALTER stares at the UK Championship on the floor, Dunne stares at Walter and gingerly picks it up. We get more staredowns and then Dunne's music hits to end the opening segment.
- This was a lot of fun. It felt important. Coffey has claimed he has not given up on the war, WALTER has silently laid claim to the championship and Dunne is yet to attack the big Austrian - proving he is wary of his newest opponent. Lovely stuff.
SID SCALA ANNOUNCEMENT
Sid Scala is addressing the media where he says that not only will NXT UK be in Phoenix for the Worlds Collide Tournament, but they will be taping three episodes of TV there. Something to look forward to!
As he carries on, he sees Zack Gibson and James Drake entering the Blackpool Ballroom. He asks them about their title win over Moustache Mountain but gets cut off...
Before the match, all you wanted to do was talk about Moustache Mountain. We will give our address to the NXT UK universe next week, but for now Sid, you can jog on!
- A big announcement from Scala and a zinger from Gibson. Man, I love this show!
NINA SAMUELS v LANA AUSTIN
After a bad run of results, Nina won her first NXT UK match recently and she is facing a debuting Lana Austin here. They really ram home the lovely story of how Austin is a mother of three and wrestles to prove to her children that dreams can come true.
She got a deflated reaction during her entrance, but the crowd started chanting her name at the ring bell. Weird!
- Samuels is top to begin
- Austin retaliates with a European uppercut and basement dropkick
- Nina wraps Austin up in the ropes and delivers a dropkick to the back!
- Samuels locks in an armbar variation and then lands a neck snap.
- Back to the armbar for Samuels, but Austin gets out using a Russian leg sweep.
- Austin lands a European uppercut, high knee and then a tornado punch for 2!
- Samuels throws Austin's bad shoulder into the turnbuckle!
- PRIMA DONNA!
- SAMUELS WINS!
- This was a short match, with a simple story to tell. Samuels worked the shoulder joint until she could hit her finisher. The crowd dislike her and she is well on her way now with two wins in a row.
MOUSTACHE MOUNTAIN PROMO
Moustache Mountain are interviewed by Radzi, who says their title match at Takeover had everything...
Trent Seven looks downtrodden and says no it didn't. It didn't have Moustache Mountain leaving as the first ever NXT UK tag champions. Tyler says that unlike their competitors, they never lose sight of their goal. So whilst they may be down, they are far from out.
Trent apologizes. Sorry, Bab.
- I liked this a lot. Trent looked super sad and Tyler came across as the sympathetic and positive mate. Go chase those titles, lads!
TONI STORM PROMO
Radzi asks Toni how she feels about beating Rhea Ripley for the NXT UK Women's championship. She says that she could have gone for RAW or Smackdown, but she chose this title because she loves this brand. It deserves the best women's division and that is exactly what she is going to do as champion.
Radzi claims to have noticed a positive change in Toni since she won the Mae Young classic... Toni says that when you come through adversity you become a stronger and better person, and sometimes the NXT UK Champion!
She smiles and Radzi congratulates her.
- Well, this was adorable. This is how you make a babyface! Great stuff, she comes across as likeable and honourable, without being a bit of a wet blanket. Strong promo.
EDDIE DENNIS v JAMIE AHMED
Here he is, bloody Screwface!
- Eddie Dennis charges immediately, hitting strong style forearms.
- Ahmed responds with a big hip toss.
- Lariat by Dennis floors Ahmed!
- Strong Irish whip into the turnbuckle by Dennis!
- Dennis synches in a cravat...
- Ahmed rolls through but Dennis keeps the hold on!
- Dennis launches Ahmed over the top rope to the floor!
- Eddie follows him to the floor and lands a sick forearm!
- Big bodyslam on the outside by Dennis!
- Ahmed reverses a Severn Bridge!
- Screwface on the offence now... he lands some boxing jabs and floors Dennis with a big kick to the temple.
- Ahmed goes up top, but Dennis cuts him off with a big boot to the face!
- Delayed suplex off the second rope by Dennis!
- The crowd are mercilessly booing Dennis, who responds by mocking them, Pretending he can't hear. Which makes them boo louder. Well played.
- NEXT STOP DRIVER!
- DENNIS WINS!
- An extended squash match for Dennis who looks to rebuild his win/loss record after defeat to Dave Mastiff in Blackpool. I really enjoyed the big spots here and Dennis' interactions with the crowd.
MAIN EVENT - JORDAN DEVLIN v TRAVIS BANKS
Travis Banks has plenty to be vengeful about towards Jordan Devlin, so it was great to see him rush the ring before he was even properly announced and attack The Irish Ace!
- Both men swing for the fences, similar to Zayn and Owens.
- Banks gains the upper hand and clotheslines Devlin out of the ring.
- Travis follows up with a tope and hypes up the crowd, who respond in kind.
- Banks then hits another tope on a different side of the ringside area!
- They fight in the front row and Banks kicks Devlin over the barricade back to ringside!
- Banks walks through the crowd, clapping hands with fans and then hits a dive back onto the ringside area. Legend. This is the Banks I remember from his PROGRESS title chase!
- Banks misses a kick and Devlin responds by taking out the same knee he did at Takeover. Here we bloody go...
- They revisit the Takeover spot where Devlin tries to stamp on the knee of Banks whilst balanced on the ring step, but this time Banks moves out of the way.
- Banks lands a double stomp to the back of Banks on the outside!
- Back in the ring and Devlin is begging off the attack from Banks.
- The Kiwi Buzzsaw ignores those pleas and kicks the crap out of him.
- Devlin goes back to the knee of Banks!
- Devlin starts a slow, methodical, aggressive move set to break down Banks.
- Banks begins to fight back, but Devlin lands the urunagi and moonsault combo for 2!
- Devlin pushes Banks into the ringpost from the apron!
- SPANISH FLY OFF THE APRON TO THE FLOOR!
- Devlin tries to win by a count-out but Banks slips in at 9!
- Victory roll for 2 by Banks!
- Banks runs at Devlin...
- ANOTHER SPANISH FLY BY DEVLIN!
- Banks no sells thanks to his fighting spirit and turns Devlin inside out with his jumping lariat!
- Both men are down... STANDING OVATION!
- Travis Banks has wrist control...
- He lands FOUR forearms and a jumping knee - but Devlin stays on his feet!
- And lands a HEADBUTT!
- PULL UP SUPLEX FOR 2!
- Moonsault by Devlin but knees up by Banks!
- Missile dropkick into the corner by Banks...
- KIWI CRUSHER!
- DEVLIN KICKS OUT AT 2!
- Banks goes for the slice of heaven but Devlin collapses to the floor, so Banks misses and lands on his bad knee!
- Devlin has to use the ropes to haul himself up, but goes straight for Ireland's Call... but he's too woozy. He and Banks fall through the ropes and onto the floor.
- They both reach the apron but fail to make the count of 10.
- DOUBLE COUNTOUT.
- Post match they stare down and throw hands, eventually finishing the show brawling in the crowd.
- This match FUCKING RULED. I love the story of Banks looking to avenge his lost opportunity at Takeover. I love that Devlin riles up the crowd. I love Travis' fire. I love that both men coming out of this looking great. I saw lots of arguments that this should have been on Takeover, but the story dictated that Banks be replaced.
We got a moment for Balor and this is a far better angle than the 'you don't go home to New Zealand so you're not as patriotic as me' one it started as. This is money. This is personal. By taking Banks out, Devlin got a huge spotlight match against Balor, and Banks won't quit until he gets his moment by beating Devlin on a big stage as payback. Looking forward to this feud continuing!
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