By Ross Casey
We are in America for Royal Rumble Axxess. The mark in me says yay cool. The smark in me is seething that the US get a UK show before Wales, Scotland and Ireland do. Hey ho, let's get stuck into some fun wrestling, eh?
TONI STORM IN-RING
The NXT UK champion, Toni Storm arrives to a nice ovation from the crowd. She says that at Evolution, she won the Mae Young Classic and she didn't think it could get any better - but it did. At Takeover: Blackpool, she claimed the NXT UK women's championship.
She knows that Rhea Ripley gets a rematch and that is fine - but she is not fine with that way that Rhea acts. Rhea is a bully. But she won't be bullied - she's kicked Ripley's arse once and she will do it again.
Rhea's new theme plays and out comes the former champ. She says that at Blackpool, Toni got lucky and she is sick and tired of people comparing her to Toni. She hates her stupid hair, her stupid face, but mostly she hates the fact that Toni has HER title.
Toni says that Ripley has said enough... then tackles her to the ground before laying in some punches! Rhea rolls out of the ring and says that she has her rematch and Toni won't have HER title much longer.
- Solid opener here for two excellent wrestlers. Hoping the rematch lands slightly better than their Takeover bout! The crowd were into Toni - as they should be.
NOAM DAR v JORDAN DEVLIN
- Smooth grappling to begin the match with Jordan Devlin grounding Dar with a wristlock.
- Noam Dar manages to lock in his own and applauds himself using Devlin's hand. LAD.
- Devlin grabs the hair to gain the upperhand. BOO.
- Dar disorientates Devlin with about six revolutions before attempting a pin. Love that strategy!
- Release suplex from Dar! That looked scary!
- Urunagi and moonsault combo! VINTAGE DEVLIN.
- Inverted backbreaker by Devlin!
- Dar lands a few strikes but Devlin FLOORS him with a forearm.
- Devlin again grabs the hair to pull him up and hits a big European uppercut before laying some smack talk on Dar.
-Dar catches the boot to the ribs and lands some strikes of his own before being cut off again with a boot to the midsection. Devlin is firmly on top here.
- ANOTHER strong kick to the ribs by Devlin!
- Devlin counters a suplex attempt and kicks out at two (with a pinky party),
- Devlin synches in a surfboard as Dar screams in pain.
- Devlin attempts a crossbody off the second rope but Dar ducks! Ring management!
- Dar swipes Devlin's feet from under him when on the ropes and momentum changes. Probably stay off the ropes from now on, Megahead!
- Reverse Northern Lights for 2 by Dar. After the kickout, Dar continued to sell his rib injury...
- Devlin attempts an enziguri - but Dar catches the leg and applies an ankle lock!
- Springboard cutter for 2 by Devlin!
- Dar attempts to dump Devlin over the ropes, but he hangs on. Dar kicks his legs from under him, so he falls onto the apron face first and out to the floor.
- Dar runs to kick Devlin but The Irish Ace moves and Dar punts the ring steps. Great call back to Devlin's feud with Banks.
- Jordan Devlin drags Dar over to the ring steps looking to make Dar suffer the same fate that Banks did with stamps on the leg, but Banks arrives and Dar moves!
- Both men struggle, but succeed at getting back in the ring.
- Devlin gets the roll up with his feet on the ropes, but Banks pushes them off, breaking the count!
- Devlin takes Banks out but gets blindsided by the alert Dar and loses with a rollup variation.
- NOAM DAR WINS!
- Post match Devlin attacks Dar, Banks makes the save and they brawl to a fade to black.
- This was clever booking, Devlin looked strong despite defeat, we continue the Banks v Devlin feud and Dar showed plenty of fight to win the match. Enjoyable.
JINNY v MIA YIM
First it was Dom's lad getting involved, now it's James' NXT roster. GET YOUR OWN BLOODY SHOW!
- Jinny gets very little reaction from the crowd as she comes out. I will be amazed if that is the case once she has worked them...
- Mia Yim gets a nice ovation and some let's go Mia chants. You can tell we are in the States!
- They start off with some respectful grappling, before Jinny yanks the hair of Yim to boos from the crowd. Told you it wouldn't take long. Jinny is a master heel.
- Jinny continues her scratching and clawing routine from a few weeks back as Yim screams in agony. The joy in Jinny's face as she digs her nails into Yim is fantastically deplorable.
- Mia Yim gets three near falls in a row, looking to end things early.
- Yim cartwheels out of a head scissors attempt by Jinny!
- Ground and pound from the physically bigger Yim!
- Mia then applies an armbar - but Jinny is able to reach the ropes with an outstretched leg.
- Jinny now with the ground and pound... she then lifts Yim's head up before taunting her to reach the ropes and then slamming her face in the mat. Mate, Jinny is horrible. She's a diamond.
- A slap by Jinny garners a genuine smattering of disgust from the crowd. Well played.
- ANOTHER slap followed by an AMAZING transition into the Liger surfboard from Jinny. Absolute thing of beauty.
- Mia Yim escapes by getting one finger on the rope.
- No let up from The Fashionista, though, who climbs onto her and clubs her lower back with blows.
- Neckbreaker from Yim!
- Duelling forearms, which Yim wins out on, before landing a lariat.
- Stiff kicks by Yim!
- Cannonball senton in the corner by Yim!
- German into the turnbuckles by Yim! JEEZ.
- Jinny wisely rolls to the outside, so Yim rolls her back in. As Yim goes through the ropes to join her, Jinny catches her with a big kick!
- Jinny immediately pins her with her feet on the ropes for 3!
- JINNY WINS!
- Jinny looks over her shoulder and gives a wry smile to Mia Yim who is furious in the ring.
- A great outing for Jinny. A high profile victory against a classy opponent, and she turned a nonplussed crowd into a hateful one towards her. Bow down to the queen!
PETE DUNNE v WOLFGANG
- Wolfgang started by working over Dunne’s arm… but Pete ain't having that, so he gets free and shove him to the mat.
- Wolfgang rolls to the outside, getting good heel heat from the crowd.
- Dunne hits a missile dropkick to the knee, before he punches out Wolfgang followed by a knee bar that sent the Scotsman scurrying for the ropes.
- Wolfgang counters a Key lock, by dumping Dunne on the top rope with a Snake Eyes.
- Dunne tries to fight back by stomping on Wolfgang’s ankles, ahead of a snap German suplex, before a backflip traps Wolfgang in the corner for an enziguri!
- Wolfgang tries for a German suplex of his own, but Dunne flips out and comes in with a Bitter End!
- Kick out at 2!!! I guess that move is just a signature for Dunne now?!
- Triangle armbar is busted out of by Wolfgang via a powerbomb into the corner - a lone voice in the crowd shrieks as Dunne kicks out at 2. She is invested! Good for her.
- After Wolfgang took too long to climb the ropes, Dunne kipped up and landed a superplex.
- Dunne stomps on the hand, before a Wolfgang lariat!!
- Two-count as Wolfgang dragged himself over, If only he got the pin sooner!
- Howling senton misses as Dunne catches him on impact in a cross armbar!
- FINGERSNAP!
- Dunne celebrates with his title, and we go off the air.
- That was a solid main event, with Wolfgang getting plenty of rub, including kicking out of the bitter end. Pete Dunne remains one of the greatest wrestlers on the planet. A fun show in an odd setting. Next week we have The Coffey Brothers v Andrews and Webster. Nice!
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