By Ross Casey
Another week, another amazing opening package from the guys at NXT UK. We see Moustache Mountain in their excellent main event from last week on the cusp of being crowned new NXT UK Tag Team Champions, only for Imperium to attack.
The footage of Bate getting destroyed by Imperium as Trent is forced to look on, helpless whilst handcuffed was great and the unseen footage of Trent in tears carrying his fallen friend to the back was the icing on the cake. Great storytelling.
ILJA DRAGUNOV v ASHTON SMITH
This is an interesting matchup between two faces. Ashton Smith gets a nice pop thanks to his WHOOP music and Ilja is well liked too, because he's Ilja.
Dragunov and Smith go toe to toe from the off, with Smith selling more than his opponent. Ashton turns the aggression up, realising he will have to in order to hurt Dragunov, but Ilja fights out of a tie up and destroys Smith's chest with a chop.
Smith fights back and targets the leg, but again even when in a leg lock, Dragunov is looking to be on the attack, trying to fight out rather than sell the pain. Smith goes for the legs on a stood Dragunov, but he blocks it and release powerbombs him!
Smith again shows heart by fighting back - landing a superkick to the knee of Dragunov and a fishermans suplex - only for Ilja to kick out at one! Ashton seems perplexed. How can he hurt this man?
In short, you can't. Dragunov hits a massive lariat and the Torpedo Moscow headbutt shortly thereafter for the win!
This is interesting to me because I usually really dislike the invincible trope on the whole - especially for a face - but with Dragunov fighting bottom tier stars here I think it works. It will be intriguing to see if he loses some of that imperiousness when he faces tougher competition.
If he continues not to sell, I can see fans starting to turn on him down the line, like they did with Super Cena. A caveat to this of course is the thought process that the producers know this and this is long term setting him up for a heel turn.
WINNER - ILJA DRAGUNOV
XIA BROOKSIDE STORY RECAP & BACKSTAGE INTERVIEW
We are reminded of the Xia Brookside story, from her initial attack by Jazzy, to eliminating both Jazzy and Jinny in the battle royal before outsmarting them versus Killer Kelly. Once that is finished Radzi asks her about her opponent next week, Jinny.
Xia naively says that she finally gets Jinny one on one next week, and will prove she is nothing but a coward hiding behind bigger women. Xia mate, Jinny won't be alone...
THE NINA SAMUELS SHOW - ON THE ROAD
Nina is at the Download Festival and this package did wonders for her character work. From calling herself the hero of NXT for daring to trapse through the mud (which was accompanied by excellent footage of her doing so) to being nice to fans to their faces, then rolling her eyes once their back was turned, this was wonderful TV.
TONI STORM (C) v CANDY FLOSS
Another face v face match! Are the heels busy watching a band or something?! We get a handshake to start between the two competitors as Candy Floss breaks out into her infectious smile - which makes Toni do the same. WRESTLING!
As with most Candy Floss matches, this starts with some very accomplished grappling. She is very good at it. Toni battles out of a head scissors and offers her hand to Candy - who accepts with a giggle.
Candyfloss does the jump over mermaid wave to Toni, who laughs and does it right back - so Candy goes for the armbar! Hello - things just got interesting! Storm is reminded that she is in a match here against a very talented wrestler.
Candy attempts a roll up but only gets a one count and again Toni looks at her opponent and nods in approval. Candy Floss continues her technical approach with a wristlock, but Toni stops that with a FOREARM to the jaw. Ouch.
Candy gets her closest call yet, with an inside cradle for two that Big Boi Joel was arguably slow to get down to in the first place. Toni hits a running lariat, which Candy shows heart to kick out from but follows up with a Storm Zero for the win!
This was a really fun match, which propelled Candy and gave Storm another victory. Post match Kay Lee Ray attacked Candy on the ramp, sending a message to Toni Storm. Arguably, the NXT UK Womens Champion could have helped Candy Floss quicker than she did...
WINNER - TONI STORM
LIGERO VIGNETTE
This was an excellent vignette for Ligero. He says that the wins have dried up, and whilst he stands out on the brand thanks to his mask, he is looking to change. He has hope that something will soon and that it will drive him to be better.
This was a cool vignette - but they probably should have aired it before his win over Noam Dar! His change was Kenny Williams interfering with a chair!
Will we see Ligero unmask in the near future?
TRENT SEVEN IN RING PROMO
No smiles from Trent here - he is upset and angry. Seven says that he usually doesn’t come out alone, as Bate is usually with him. Pete has his hands full elsewhere, and Bate has been hospitalized and is hurt.
He looks straight into the hard cam - But HE'S HERE. He has been since day one and NXT UK was built on British Strong Style. And now there is WALTER & Imperium, who claim that the mat is sacred, but the mat is OURS.
He claims the mantra of Imperium is a ploy to bend the rules, like what they did last week when they handcuffed him and made him watch the Bate beatdown. He doesn't care for the title right now, he doesn't care when or where it takes place, but he will cut the head off the snake, and take out WALTER - and will do it for Tyler, Dunne, and for the Trent Seven army. This will be for US!
That was a fired up promo from Trent - but I sure as hell don't fancy his chances when taking on Imperium alone!
MARK ANDREWS BACKSTAGE PROMO
Mark Andrews says that ever since growing up watching wrestlers he had his favourites, and it is amazing to see so many of those now involved in NXT. Having one of them say he doesn't belong really hurts and he will prove to Kassius Ohno he belongs by going through him next week!
Really looking forward to this match. Both wrestlers are great they have had incredible matches before and they have a great story. Will Andrews use 'American moves' to win or will he try and wrestle 'British?'
THE ANIMALS v GALLUS
The bell rings and we get a huge start as all six men brawl in the ring. Eventually, THe Animals get the upper hand and Gallus powder to the outside. The Scots regroup on the outside and Mark Coffey turns the tide with a big slap to Primate back in the ring.
Wolfgang is tagged in and he continues to beat on Primate, whilst slagging off the ref. Joe Coffey is next to tag in and he grounds and pounds on Primate before tagging Mark back in. They are cutting the ring in half and having plenty of success.
Mark loses grip of Primate though and he is able to tag in Wild Boar. He goes rabid on Mark and hits his unique moveset until he gets caught in a massive goozle and is chokeslammed almost through the mat. A gassed Mark tags Wolfgang who goes straight for the pin. That was cool and made sense to get the better cover.
Gallus isolate Wild Boar now and try and get under the live crowd skin. They accomplish it easily. Joe hits a huge powerslam on Boar, but there is a kickout at two. Joe is being a proper dick here, begging the almost beaten Boar to hit him, then mockingly moving out of the way.
Gallus are killing every hope spot that Boar has and the crowd are now despararte to see Dave Mastiff tagged in. Great stuff. Mastiff eventually gets the hot tag and hits an absolute flurry of offence on all three members of Gallus. The crowd are eating it up as the match pace gets decidedly quicker.
Mastiff lands a Finlay Roll on Mark Coffey whilst Wolfgang is on his shoulders! It lloks like an absolute carwreck and is all the better for it! Mastiff sets up Joe Coffey on Mark Coffey in the corner for the cannonball via a headbutt, but Joe moves so only Mark is hit.
Boar tags in and The Hunt go for their stereo headbutts off the top - but Wolfy pushes Mastiff into Boar crashing them both to the floor. Primate lands his headbutt and goes for the pin but the ref informs him he isn't legal. Matt would approve.
Mark throws Boar back in and Joe hits a BRUTAL All The Best For The Bells for the win, That was good fun. If you love a hoss fight, seek it out!
WINNERS - GALLUS
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