Well bloody hell, WWE NXT UK is actually bloody happening... I know that a lot of the reasoning behind this is because of World of Sport and Rev Pro being on UK TV but it still feels like a massive moment... let's get started!
We get a video package showing UK landscapes and monuments, footage of Summerslam 92 and several UK stars past and present. A KINGDOM WILL RISE!
Vic Joseph and Nigel McGuinness are green screen introducing us to the Cambridge venue and highlight that tonight's main event is Pete Dunne against Noam Dar. I'm happy with that commentary team!
MARK ANDREWS v JOE COFFEY (W/ MARK COFFEY)
We get reminded of the Coffey brothers destruction of Mark Andrews, Flash Morgan Webster and Travis Banks at the Royal Albert Hall and the fans are on board - booing them out of the building.
- Coffey shows his superior strength to start, with Andrews unable to move the big Scot.
- Andrews uses his pace to take control with a head scissors and an enzuigiri.
- Coffey throws Andrews across the ring with a shoulder barge!
- Mark Coffey causes a distraction and Joe hits a lariat to the back of Andrews' neck on the outside.
- Crowd FIRMLY behind Andrews for his comeback - including evading a clothesline with a knee-slide, Stomp 182 and a twisting moonsault! DUDE!
- Coffey turns the tide with a shoulder tackle, sending Andrews to the corner.
- Stundog Millionaire! In the words of Dom... 'You don't suplex Andrews!'
- Andrews hits a top rope moonsault on both the Coffey brothers outside the ring!
- Mark Coffey distracts Andrews who is on the top rope and Joe hits an overhead belly to belly!
- Spinning lariat from Joe Coffey for the WIN!
- Post-Match The Brothers attack Andrews before Flash Morgan Webster makes the save!
- I enjoyed that match, both men looked very good and the right man won as Andrews is already a WWE star - this helps Coffey get over and also sets up a future tag. Great start!
EDDIE DENNIS PROMO
We get some awesome archive pictures of Eddie Dennis' career wrestling in parks and small town halls. He says he started wrestling 10 years ago with the likes of Pete Dunne and Mark Andrews and it wasn't about making millions of pounds or wrestling in front of thousands of people... it was about having the best stories to tell. And boy does he have stories to tell...
- You can tell this is going down the same route as his PROGRESS storyline where he blames everyone else for the fact he isn't a star. It is going to be magical.
MOUSTACHE MOUNTAIN IN-RING PROMO
Wow, are these boys over! Trent says this is arguably the biggest day of British wrestling history. It's not just about Moustache Mountain it is about everyone - and the birth of NXT UK. He reminds everyone that months back, in a sold out Royal Albert Hall they were crowned NXT Tag Champions.
Tyler Bate says that HHH mentioned NXT UK tag champions will be crowned and there is no tag teams in this division other than them. Trent says the roster need to pal up, because he wants the best opposition going.
Trent then goes full HHH saying the UK will come together, because this is OUR BRAND, this is NXT UK.
- It is quite funny that for all the moaning that BSS are the golden boys, never lose and are HHH's bitches, they did Hunter's promo for him. Fantastic. It did highlight that there are few tags in the division and we can now expect some new ones in the future.
SID SCALA v 'BOMBER' DAVE MASTIFF
- Dave Mastiff has 'Bomber' as his moniker now? OK!
- Mastiff's gonna kill you' chants from the crowd...
- Fair play to Scala, who goes for the jugular with a forearm, but Mastiff doesn't budge.
- Bomber hits his own forearm which Scala sells like a boss.
- Delayed suplex by Mastiff, who doesn't leave his feet and chucks Scala down!
- VICIOUS elbow strikes to Scala's temple who has to cover up.
- Mastiff KILLS with a forward dropkick!
- Deadlift release German suplex!
- CANNONBALL! Mastiff wins.
- As a fan of big man squash matches, I loved that. Mastiff looked a beast, commentary got over that he likes to fight (smiling when he's hit) and Scala did a great job of selling being in the ring with the Bomber. My only question is - is Mastiff a face or a heel? That was pretty unclear here. I think he's a face, but those elbows to the temple say otherwise!
TONI STORM v NINA SAMUELS
We get a backstage interview with Fleet's finest, Nina Samuels, who claims to only have one goal in mind - the NXT UK Women's championship. And what better way to start thay by beating Toni Storm.
- Chain wrestling to begin before a slap to Storm's face ends those niceties from Samuels!
- Running knees to the back of Storm in the corner.
- Antagonising kicks to the head and taunts to the crowd from Samuels.
- Nina continues being a good heel with hair pulls.
- Samuels just about hits a tilt the whirl backbreaker.
- German suplex by Storm!
- Storm Zero for the win!
- Toni comes across as the big dog in the division again here. A shame she can't use the actual Storm Zero finish - not sure about the WWE version. Nina has all the mannerisms down, but struggled a little with her in-ring here. Hopefully just nerves.
PETE DUNNE v NOAM DAR (WWE NXT UK CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH)
We get GM Johnny Saint in the ring for this title match and the dimmed lights for the introductions. Big fight feel!
- The crowd sing happy birthday to Noam Dar.
- HUGE lariat from Pete Dunne.
- Dunne tries for the top rope backflip but Dar hits his knee out from under him!
- Dar kicks Dunne's arm out from underneath him this time on the outside.
- Noam taunts a few WWE fans front row who are cheering for Dunne.
- Duelling Supernova and Bruiserweight chants from the crowd!
- Dunne hits an Ex-Plex to change the momentum.
- Pete then reverses a German suplex by landing on his feet and kicking Dar in the head.
- Liger Bomb from Dunne for 2!
- Northern lights from Dar for 2!
- Both go out on the apron and strike each other with kicks and chops.
- Dunne grabs Dar's middle finger and bends it backwards. That looks GRIM.
- Dar then hits a release Fishermens suplex to Dunne on the apron!!!
- Both men beat the count at 9 from opposite sides of the ring. STARE DOWN!
- They crawl to the middle of the ring.
- Dunne grabs the fingers and finger snaps - which is less impressive than Scurll's.
- Dunne tries to triangle Dar but it gets reversed.
- He manages to get an armbar!
- That is reversed by Dar into an anklelock!
- STRONG strikes ending in a punch to the back of Dunne's head and both men are down.
- The crowd eat it up with NXT chants.
- Dar chops down the legs of Pete Dunne with a Hackney Marshes hack.
- Dunne goes for a Bitter End tombstone but it's reversed!
- CHAMPAGNE SUPER KNEE BAR!
- Dunne reaches the bottom rope to break the hold to cheers from the fans!
- Dar throws up the pinky but Dunne grabs it and manipulates it so it's pinned back on the mat and then stamps on it! UGH.
- BITTER END! Pete Dunne retains!
- The ref attends to Dar who is clutching his fingers
- Dunne offers his hand after but both do the pinky party. Lolz.
- That was a great match with Dar portraying a heelishish demeanour. I don't know if he is full-time with the brand or not, but I can see him join the Coffey brothers if so. Dunne continues to have bangers and these two had nice chemistry. Who is going to dethrone the Brusierweight?
I thought this was a fun first ever show for the new brand. They made a big deal out of Joe Coffey, set up a tag match, introduced Eddie Dennis, showed how over Moustache Mountain are, made Mastiff look like a monster, continued making Toni a star and put on a great main event. Of course being pre-taped, that takes something away from title matches, but that can't be helped and the crowds are hot for the duration. Recommended viewing!
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