By Ross Casey
Bloody hell, 50 episodes! Here's to plenty more...
As alwaus we get an awesome opening package - this week it is for Moustahe Mountain v Grizzled Young Veterans volume 2. We are finally getting the rematch from January's takeover and I am HYPE!
The commentators are talking about the upcoming main event when Rhea Ripley's music plays and she makes a beeline for the ring...
RHEA RIPLEY IN RING PROMO
The metalheads in the crowd see Rhea as one of their own, so start cheering her and chanting her name. Like the true heel she is, Rhea tells them to shut up.
She says that her and Piper have been going back and forth for weeks and she is sick of her thinking she is the most dominant in NXT UK. So rather than settling it later - let's set it now! Piper seems cool with that, she stomps to the ring with purpose and we have our opening match!
RHEA RIPLEY v PIPER NIVEN
Love the start to this as they scrap in 'real' fashion. Two big hoss women going toe to toe in what looks anything but scripted. They have to be torn apart by referee Big Strong Joel. Piper takes control with a crossbody and a clothesline over the top rope. Because Rhea is so tall, she nastily strikes her head on the barrier.
On the outside, Rhea plays the bully and breaks the count a few times to cause Piper more damage, including a savage post spot. Piper somehow kicks out at one after it! Rhea screams ARE YOU KIDDING ME! I'm with ya, Rhea!
Piper fights back as the fans chant duelling names, but Rhea quickly cuts her off with a lariat. A long body scissors is made not dull thanks to Rhea clubbing Piper in the back as she applied it and the incessant chants for both wrestlers from the invested crowd.
Piper hits a dropkick and looks to go up top, but gets dragged off the ropes and lands heavily on her knees. Ripley goes staright for the inverted cloverleaf and impressively locks it in. Man, she is good. Piper gets to the ropes and sells the knee brilliantly.
Rhea acts the bully again, with disrespectful slaps and kicks to the fallen Piper. She screams YOU THINK YOURE GOOD? YOU JUST GOT HERE. YOURE NOTHING! Then she SLAPS her in the face to oooohs from the crowd.
That serves to wake Piper up, who lands a brutal Saito suplex! Both maintain wrist control and land lariats until Rhea goes for the Riptide, but can't land it. Piper responds with a HEADBUTT and sidesteps Ripley's charge who hits the ringpost.
CANNONBALL to the back of Ripley, followed by a Michinoku Driver and Piper wins! That was fucking great. I really like Piper, but if Rhea isn't called up soon that is a travesty - she is READY.
WINNER - PIPER NIVEN
KENNY WILLIAMS BACKSTAGE PROMO
Glen Joseph asks Kenny Williams what was in his mind when he got involved in Noam Dar's match last week and cost him. He says that he went down with one thing in mind and did something completely different.
From nowhere, Noam attacks him and forces his face into the Download Festival mud. I ALWAYS KNEW YOU WERE A DAFTY. NOW YOU ARE WHERE YOU BELONG... IN THE MUD.
That was bloody brilliant. A novel use of their surroundings and the feud is ON!
ALEXANDER WOLFE v JACK STARZ
I absolutely love that Jack Starz gets fed to the new wrestlers. First WALTER and Ilja, now it is Wolfe. The gatekeeper of NXT UK isn't Kassius Ohno - It's Jack F'N Starz!
Gone is the madness and in is the plain black wrestling gear wearing a solemn face. In finding Imperium, Wolfe has found his Sanity. What a line, Vic Joseph!
Starz attempts a wristlock, only for Wolfe to coldly reverse it and then destroy his arm in many different holds. Starz uses his speed to try and jolt his way out of the hold, but in doing so gets caught by Wolfe who hits a BRUTAL German Suplex.
Again Starz shows plenty of fight to break free of a hold and runs at Wolfe - only to eat a pump kick. Yet he keeps coming and lands a big European uppercut. He heads up top but misses and then Wolfe hits a death valley driver.
Wolfe does the Imperium stance and hits a Liger Bomb for the win!
GALLUS BACKSTAGE PROMO
Wolfy brings the cameraman into their Download Festival trailer in such Scottish dialect, that I thought he was speaking German. Mark says that they have only had one home game in NXT UK. Talk about an away game - The Hunt love mud!
Mark then says they will beat them and send them back to the Festival with the goths and the great unwashed. Then he gets Wolfy to send them out.
Bloody love Gallus!
JAZZY GABERT v DANI LUNA & MERCEDES BLAZE
Dani Luna is the first to the slaughter. She eats three slams and tags out. Mercedes ain't about this life and stays on the outside... so Jazzy slams her in.
Jinny is on the outside looking smokin' and loving the destruction her insurance policy is delivering. Gabert is pummeling Mercedes in the corner so Luna bravely attacks. She attempts a crossbody but simply bounces off the giant mass of Gabert.
Jazzy dumps Luna to the outside and under instruction from Jinny, attends to the legal woman. DOMINATOR! Jazzy wins! That was exactly what it needed to be. Jinny shows absolute confidence knowing she has Jazzy on side and the Alpha Female looked awesome.
WINNER - JAZZY GABERT
KASSIUS OHNO PROMO
Kassius Ohno cuts a promo on NXT UK being in a state of emergency and says he’s here to protect the integrity of British wrestling. He talks about the founding five from the original tournament - British Strong Style, Wolfgang and then Mark Andrews.
Andrews isn’t an authentic British wrestler. He who thinks of HBK when throwing a superkick instead of the real pioneer, Gentleman Chris Adams. Andrews is a complete disappointment and he will show him about passion for British wrestling, because he’s the best at it.
This was BRILLIANT. Also, these two had one of the greatest matches I have ever seen live at PROGRESS Super Strong Style 16 and I hope they deliver again on NXT UK.
NXT UK TAG TEAM MATCH - GRIZZLED YOUNG VETERANS (C) v MOUSTACHE MOUNTAIN
Tyler Bate and Zack Gibson begin with some nice technical wrestling before Bate lands a dropkick, but hurts himself trying to hit Drake with one on the apron. Drake tags in and almost immediately ends up on the wrong end of his exchange with Bate whilst the crowd sing about his arse face. What a bloke.
Trent Seven tags in and CROSSBODY! Why didn't you go for the pin, Trent? Seven sets up the cricket bowl slap, but Zack Gibson guards Drake, takes him by the hand, walks him into their corner and tags in. These four are all absolute heroes.
Trent lands some vicious chops on Zack and then a suplex. Drake blind tags in and uses Gibson for a big time stepup dropkick! GYV then land the tag team slingshot backbreaker on the outside. Thus begins the Trent Seven beatdown we expect from every Moustache Mountain match. He's so good at it!
Thanks to a backfist to Gibson though, he manages with wobbly legs to get the hot tag to Tyler Bate. Gibson charges Bate in the corner but he catches him and dead lift suplexes him over his head! Incredible!
Bate huricanranas both GYV members at the same time, then tope con hilos both from the ring to the outside. The crowd are eating this up! Moustache Mountain attempt the neckrope springboard lariat dragon suplex double team but they miss and GYV hit a superkick neckbreaker combo for two! BREATHTAKING STUFF,
Seven Star Lariat and Trent is able to get the tag! Gibson blind tags in and takes Bate into the corner so Drake can land his Grit Your Teeth dropkick. Drake goes up top, but Trent pushes him off.
Bate hits a headbutt on Drake, Seven burning hammers Gibson on top of him and Gibson KICKS OUT! The crowd are going wild,
IMPERIUM arrive and destroy Moustache Mountain. Boooooo. They handcuff Trent to the bottom rope and force him to watch WALTER constantly throw Tyler against the barricade as welts appear on Bate's back.
This is set to a chorus of WANKERS from the Download Festival as you hear Trent screaming Tyler's name in anguish and for someone to get the key. This is the best brand in WWE... Fight me.
WINNERS - MOUSTACHE MOUNTAIN BY DQ
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