NXT UK – October 31, 2018 (Second Episode): That Wasn’t A Good Idea
IMG Credit: WWE
NXT UK
Date: October 31, 2018
Location: Cambridge Corn Exchange, Cambridge, England
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Nigel McGuinness
This is the second episode of the show today, because WWE would rather do two in a row than edit them together into one show, which would make my life easier. Anyway, things are starting to come together around here as some of the characters who were introduced earlier on in the series are starting to interact, which opens the potential for some stories. Let’s get to it.
Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.
Opening sequence.
Moustache Mountain vs. Sam Gradwell/Saxon Huxley
Huxley and Seven start things off in a rematch from last week (earlier today thanks to WWE). Just like last time, Huxley gets the better of it early on, this time sending Seven outside so Gradwell can get in a few shots of his own. Gradwell comes in and forearms Seven in the head before dropping a headbutt on the shoulder for two. It’s back to Huxley, who seems to annoy Seven by hitting him in the face.
Seven kicks them both to the floor and brings in Bate for the big suicide dive. Back in and a standing shooting star gives Bate two but Huxley sends the moustached ones into each other. A spinebuster/Backstabber combination sets up a half crab on Seven, which is broken up because it’s a half crab. The hot tag brings in Bate and it’s a dragon suplex/clothesline combination to finish Gradwell at 6:06.
Rating: C. They need to build up some tag teams while it’s a good idea to put them together, putting them against the only actual team around at the moment isn’t the best idea in the world. The match was fine enough, though I don’t think the ending was ever exactly in doubt. Hopefully Seven and Bate become a full time American team one day as they’re more than good enough to hang with the best in WWE.
Travis Banks has been attacked.
Video on Isla Dawn.
Video on Jinny.
Mark Andrews thinks the Coffey Brothers attacked Banks and asks to fight in Banks’ place.
Isla Dawn vs. Nina Samuels
They fight over a lockup to start with Samuels driving her into the corner to little avail. Dawn elbows her in the face and snapmares her down but Samuels is right back up with a suplex. It’s time to start in on the arm, including a hard whip to send Dawn shoulder first into the post. Dawn gets two off a rollup and then kicks Samuels in the head. Something between a belly to belly and gutwrench suplex finishes Samuels at 3:22.
Rating: D. I wasn’t feeling this one as even with the video before the match, I’m not sure I know much about either of them, especially Samuels. Dawn looked to be the better of the two of them and you can all but guarantee the start of a Women’s Title tournament soon. This didn’t have the time to go anywhere, and that’s not the best idea when you’re trying to establish some people. Dawn didn’t get in much offense until the end, though that suplex was kind of cool.
Pete Dunne says he doesn’t need to be worried about Burch, because Burch needs to be ready for him. He doesn’t worry about Burch’s comments last week and Burch has his attention now.
Video on Jordan Devlin.
Eddie Dennis is still not happy with Pete Dunne and Mark Andrews moving on without him. He was the youngest principal in the United Kingdom but quit his job to dedicate himself to wrestling. After six months, he signed with WWE, even though he was injured for a lot of that time (Dennis: “Thanks for the calls guys.”). Now he has a lot to prove. I like this guy and he debuts next week.
Jordan Devlin vs. Tucker
Tucker spins out of a wristlock to start and hits a top rope back elbow to the jaw. An enziguri gets two but Devlin is right back with some right hands to the head. With that working so well, say it with me, it’s time to start on the arm. The arm is cranked on the mat and then wrapped around the top rope, followed by a dropkick for two. Tucker is back up with a springboard swinging Downward Spiral for two of his own. A Swanton hits knees though and Devlin hits a fireman’s carry into a reverse DDT (almost an AA/F5 combination) for the pin at 4:09.
Rating: C-. Devlin looked better of the two (with a cool finisher) but this didn’t do any favors to the idea that so much of the roster looks the same. The wrestling wasn’t bad but neither of them stood out and that’s a big part of the problem with this show. So many of the people look or act the same, which isn’t a good prospect so far. Oh and ENOUGH WITH THE ARM WORK!
Danny Burch has been wrestling for over fifteen years and knows Dunne is a well rounded wrestler. All Burch can do is wrestle as best as he can and win the title. The title match is in two weeks.
Mark Andrews vs. Wolfgang
I do not get Wolfgang and I don’t see that changing here. Wolfgang takes him into the corner and howls. You know, because his name has WOLF in it. Andrews gets sat on the top and Wolfgang points a finger at him. Back down and a headlock slows Wolfgang down but he blocks an armdrag without much effort. A springboard hurricanrana works a bit better for Andrews but his suicide dive is countered into a gorilla press onto the apron.
Back in and the pace slows a good bit with Wolfgang kneeing him in the ribs but not being able to toss Andrews outside. Andrews is back with some strikes to the chest and a 619 to the back draws a BRITISH WRESTLING chant. A middle rope spinning crossbody is countered into a gutbuster, followed by a spear for two. Wolfgang’s moonsault misses so Andrews is right back up with a tornado DDT. That’s enough to send Wolfgang to the floor for the big flip dive. The Stundog Millionaire sets up the shooting star to finish Wolfgang at 8:39.
Rating: C+. Not a bad David vs. Goliath formula here but nothing that hasn’t been done better multiple times before. Andrews is another case where the WWE version is that much better than the TNA version and it’s really rather impressive to see how solid of a high flier he can be. Wolfgang continues to be just another big guy though, which doesn’t work with how big of a deal he often is around here.
Post match they shake hands and Wolfgang leaves so here are the Coffey Brothers to beat Andrews down. Flash Morgan Webster runs in for the save with Wolfgang following, only to turn on Webster so the Brothers can get in another beatdown. As usual, this doesn’t work so well when Wolfgang just lost clean.
Overall Rating: C-. This wasn’t quite as good as the first show, mainly due to the lack of the better main event. They’re starting to tell some stories and I’m curious about where some of them are going, but having just a few minutes per match without much promo time to really build things up. Also, I really wouldn’t recommend two hours of this in a week. The show just isn’t strong enough to support that much in a single day yet and today made that obvious.
Results
Moustache Mountain b. Sam Gradwell/Saxon Huxley – Dragon suplex/clothesline combination to Gradwell
Isla Dawn b. Nina Samuels – Gutwrench belly to belly suplex
Jordan Devlin b. Tucker – Fireman’s carry into a reverse DDT
Mark Andrews b. Wolfgang – Shooting star press
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Not sure if it aired since I missed the kickoff but allegedly before the show Rhea Ripley retained the NXT UK women’s title over Dakota Kai.
That was just a dark match. Didn’t air on the show.