NXT UK – March 4, 2021: The Final Boss Battle

NXT UK
Date: March 4, 2021
Location: BT Studios, London, England
Commentators: Andy Shepherd, Nigel McGuinness

It’s time for a special show with a huge main event. This week the Women’s Title is on the line again as Kay Lee Ray defends against Meiko Satomura in what sounds like a final boss fight (because that’s an awesome/appropriate nickname). I’m not sure how I see it going but it would be a bit un-NXT to have someone pop in and win the title in her first major match. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

The opening video looks at the Women’s Title match with various main roster and NXT women giving their picks.

Opening sequence.

Sam Gradwell vs. Ilja Dragunov

Gradwell gets in a slap to the face and dodges away, only to get taken to the mat with a head and arm clutch. That’s broken up with Gradwell going for the arm but walking straight into a big boot. Gradwell is busted open but he is still able to catch Dragunov on top and knock him to the floor. Back in and Gradwell gets two off a shot to the face but has to check his busted mouth.

The butterfly suplex sets up a chinlock until Dragunov fights up and stares him down. A hard headbutt rocks Gradwell and sets up the rolling German suplexes, followed by an enziguri to rock Gradwell again. The top rope backsplash looks to set up Torpedo Moscow….which only hits an exposed buckle. Dragunov is fine enough to slip out of a fireman’s carry though and the hard elbows to Gradwell’s head are good for the stoppage at 8:07.

Rating: C. These two beat each other up well enough as I’m rather surprised at how much better Gradwell has gotten since returning. The intensity is there and it is making for an interesting story. Then there is Dragunov, who is a different kind of intense and has to be going somewhere with his recent near insanity streak.

Post match Dragunov keeps unloading with the elbows until the referee reverses the decision. Dragunov goes after the referee before snapping back to reality and looking at his hands. Dragunov is near tears as he leaves on his own.

Teoman (Lucky Kid) tells us that his name is Teoman and he is coming next week.

Xia Brookside has Nina Samuels bring her and Aleah James an apple and tea. Nina spikes the tea but Brookside takes the wrong one, meaning the frustration grows again.

It’s time for Supernova Sessions with Noam Dar, who reads some nice statements about himself. Tyler Bate is the guest this week and Dar mocks him for looking young. Bate is proud of his accomplishments and mentions being a vegan. Therefore, Dar has a gift for him: a lot of broccoli and some lettuce, which Bate enjoys. Bate doesn’t feel bad about losing to A-Kid because you only lose when you don’t do. Dar says Bate should face Dave Mastiff next week, which Bate will do, assuming it is under Heritage Cup rules. He is no one’s doormat and wants the funky music played.

Ben Carter was training at the Performance Center this week and talks about how awesome it is.

Video on Aleah James, who was inspired by Melina and Mickie James.

Isla Dawn uses an Ouija board, crystal ball and tarot cards for an unexplained reason.

Kenny Williams/Amir Jordan vs. Oliver Carter/Ashton Smith

Williams rolls away from Carter’s wristlock to start and they miss a few charges each. Smith comes in to run Williams over and takes him down again with a judo throw. Back up and a crossbody sets up a headlock but it’s off to Jordan in a hurry. That goes badly for him as well as Smith forearms him in the head, followed by Carter dropping him face first onto Smith’s raised boots. A running clothesline gives Smith two and it’s back to Carter for some kicks to the face.

Jordan manages an enziguri though and the hot tag brings in Williams to clean house. A Code Red gives Williams two on Smith as everything breaks down. Williams and Jordan hit stereo dives to the floor but Smith takes Williams down with a faceplant back inside. Carter flips Smith into a 450 for two on Jordan with Williams making the save. Williams dives onto Smith and it’s Jordan trading rollups with Carter. With Jordan in trouble, Williams turns a rollup over and Jordan gets the pin at 8:11.

Rating: C+. Not too bad here with both teams getting to showcase themselves. The problem here is both of them are on the lower tier of tag teams around here and they both needed that breakout match. I’m not sure if this was it, but winning a match on TV is always going to help things out a bit.

Video on Jinny/Joseph Conners vs. Piper Niven/Jack Starz. Piper wanted to fight them both on her own but had to get a partner so Starz is filling in for the first ever mixed tag in NXT UK history.

Amir Jordan and Kenny Williams are happy with their win and are ready to keep going against Flash Morgan Webster/Mark Andrews next week.

Women’s Title: Kay Lee Ray vs. Meiko Satomura

Satomura is challenging and of course we get the Big Match Intros. The fight over a lockup doesn’t go anywhere so Satomura kicks the leg out and grabs the armbar. Back up and Ray slaps on a hammerlock but Satomura knocks her outside with ease. Ray scores with some chops back inside and gets two off a dropkick. Satomura is fine enough to slap on the STF, with Nigel freaking out on commentary.

The rope grab gets Ray out of trouble so Satomura kicks away at the leg. Ray is fine enough to pull her down into a Koji Clutch until Satomura stacks her up for two and the break. Back up and Satomura kicks her down in the corner without much trouble, only to have Ray slide to the floor and trip her down. A hanging DDT off the apron plants Satomura but she’s back up for a slugout on the apron.

Satomura’s Death Valley Driver onto the apron knocks them both silly on the floor. They both make the count and it’s a Saito suplex for two more on Ray. A tornado DDT gives Ray the same but she pulls Satomura into some kind of a triangle choke. Satomura finally makes her over to the rope for the break and hits another Death Valley Driver for another two.

Ray gets her knees up to block a frog splash and the Gory Bomb connects for the next near fall. Ray’s knee is banged up so the Swanton takes too much time. Satomura loads up the Scorpio Rising but Ray grabs the leg and pulls her into the Gory Bomb…which is countered into a sunset bomb for two more. Ray is right back up though and now the Gory Bomb retains at 16:47.

Rating: B+. These two beat the heck out of each other and it even exceeded the hype they had built up. Ray winning is the right call, as it makes her feel like the next level champion by beating the legend. That’s a great way to go with these two and they had one of the better matches in NXT UK history on the way there. Awesome stuff and they both held up their end.

Post match Ray helps Satomura up and bows in respect before posing to end the show without going violent.

Overall Rating: B. This was a great show with nothing bad and a pretty incredible main event to wrap it up. They have things set up going forward but also had this show to go with it. NXT UK may be the best show going at the moment because the wrestling is good and the pacing is even better, which isn’t something many other shows can get right. Keep this stuff up, because it’s great.

Results

Sam Gradwell b. Ilja Dragunov due to a reversed decision

Kenny Williams/Amir Jordan b. Oliver Carter/Ashton Smith – Rollup to Carter

Kay Lee Ray b. Meiko Satomura – Gory Bomb

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