NXT UK – March 27, 2019: Strong British Style
IMG Credit: WWE
NXT UK
Date: March 27, 2019
Location: Coventry Skydome Arena, Coventry, England
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Nigel McGuinness
We’re down to two shows before Wrestlemania weekend, meaning we’re in for the build towards Pete Dunne defending the United Kingdom Title against Walter in what should be an incredible showdown. I’m not sure what else we’ll be seeing, but at least we should be in for some entertaining stuff, which has become the norm around here. Let’s get to it.
Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.
Opening sequence.
Jordan Devlin vs. Dan Moloney
Devlin takes him into the corner to start and offers a clean break before sneaking in a chop. We hit the armbar for a bit, followed by a standing moonsault for two on Moloney. An elbow to the jaw sets up a cobra clutch as Moloney can’t get anything going. Back up and a slingshot cutter keeps Dan in trouble. A headbutt rocks him again, setting up the hard Saito suplex for the pin on Moloney at 4:29.
Rating: D+. They’re building Devlin up quite well, as there’s a pretty wide gap between the title contenders and the rest of the roster. Giving Devlin a step towards that top tier is a good idea, as the promotion needs some fresh talent at the top of the card. Devlin has been on a roll for a long time now and makes as much sense as anyone else.
Here’s Kassius Ohno to a chorus of booing. He’s new around here and wants to speak from the heart. Ohno reads an apology from his phone, wishing his deepest condolences to Ashton Smith’s friends and family. He shouldn’t have revived Smith and then knocked him out again….but he just couldn’t help himself.
It’s really gratifying to knock someone out over and over again. He could have gone anywhere he wanted but NXT UK chose him. When he came here to make an impact, he saw some guy from New Zealand trying to make play British wrestler. If Travis Banks tries to go against Ohno, the Kiwi Buzzsaw will be smashed to bits. Ohno did well here, as it takes a lot to overcome the whole being Kassius Ohno thing.
Video on Dave Mastiff.
In two weeks: Toni Storm defends the Women’s title against Jinny.
Jinny is in India for the WWE tryouts because WWE chose to send her there instead of Toni. She’s more marketable and better in the ring than Toni, and she’ll prove it in two weeks.
Xia Brookside vs. Rhea Ripley
Rhea throws her down a few times with very little effort. Xia goes with a jumping headlock and Rhea can’t quite power her way out of it. The second attempt at a power escape works a bit better and a hard forearm to the back gives Ripley two. A delayed suplex keeps Brookside’s back in trouble but she’s right back up with a bulldog into a headscissors.
Double knees in the corner let Brookside send her outside and it’s a high crossbody to a very strong reaction (much better than I was expecting). Back in and a middle rope Codebreaker gives Brookside two more but Ripley has had enough. A hard toss into the corner sets up the Riptide to put her away at 7:22.
Rating: C+. This was a very nice surprise with Ripley selling a lot for the still young Brookside. Much like the men’s division, the women’s division has a strong top group but needs a lot more than what they have at the moment. You can only get so far with the same two people so adding Jinny and a few more, like Brookside down the line, would be a good idea. Brookside getting this kind of a reaction is a really good sign for her future though and hopefully she can go somewhere.
Post match Ripley says she’s the most dominant woman in NXT and no one can compete with her. That’s a REALLY bad thing to say and here’s Piper Niven (Viper) to chase her off. Piper says Ripley isn’t the most dominant woman around here anymore.
Isla Dawn is excited to have a fellow Scotswoman on the roster when Kay Lee Ray (I think) comes up to say she’s not Isla’s friend because they’re both from Scotland.
Video on Walter, showcasing a lot of his success in Progress. The destruction of Jack Starz’s chest is disturbing with the broken blood vessels.
Trent Seven doesn’t like Joe Coffey calling him the dead weight of British Strong Style. He’s coming down Moustache Mountain with the Trent Seven Army behind him, waiting for Coffey.
Marcel Barthel and Fabian Aichner don’t like Kenny Williams and Amir Jordan dancing around. They’re ready to take those two out because that mat is sacred ground and they’re ready to be successful.
Mark Andrews vs. Noam Dar
Dar takes him tot he mat to start but has to spin out of a wristlock. A missed kick to the head sends Dar into the corner and it’s an early standoff. Andrews has some more luck with a headscissors into an armbar, though it doesn’t last long. Dar knocks him to the apron instead and a baseball slide sends Andrews to the floor.
Back in and Dar crotches him on the top for two, followed by an armdrag into the ropes. Andrews fights up by kicking him away, setting up the knees slide into an enziguri. There’s the double stomp to the ribs so Dar rolls to the floor, leaving himself open for a suicide dive. A standing corkscrew moonsault gets two back inside but Dark picks the ankle for the ankle lock. That’s broken up as well and a middle rope moonsault to the floor takes Dar out again.
Rating: B. The ending is a shame for multiple reasons (including the most obvious) as they were having a heck of a match before the injury. This was your awesome cruiserweight match and while I’m not a big Dar fan, hopefully the injury isn’t all that bad and he’s back in the ring sooner rather than later.
Post match they’re both taken out on stretchers but they do give double thumbs up each.
Next week: Trent Seven vs. Joe Coffey.
Here are Sid Scala and Johnny Saint for the contract signing between Pete Dunne and Walter. Scala hypes up the match and Walter signs while staring Dunne down. Dunne says Walter doesn’t have to say anything because he wants this match even more than Walter. In New York, Walter will learn that NXT UK belongs to the Bruiserweight. Dunne signs but Walter calls him Peter and says he could put Dunne through a table whenever he wanted to. Dunne’s time is up and the reign of the Bruiserweight ends in New York City. The staredown ends the show.
Overall Rating: B-. The ending segment was good with the intensity dripping off these two guys and that’s about all that mattered on the show. The rest of the card worked well enough and they’re building some stuff up for the future. If that’s the big thing they take away from the American version, they’re going to be in good shape. Just blow the roof off the place in New York (as you know they can) and it’s a successful Wrestlemania season.
Results
Jordan Devlin b. Dan Moloney – Saito suplex
Rhea Ripley b. Xia Brookside – Riptide
Mark Andrews vs. Noam Dar went to a no contest
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