NXT UK – April 29, 2021: The UK Does It Better

NXT UK
Date: April 29, 2021
Location: BT Studios, London, England
Commentators: Nigel McGuinness, Andy Shepherd

It’s time for a cool but also odd match as Meiko Satomura will be facing Aoife Valkyrie. That could go in a few different directions but it is a great test for the so far impressive Valkyrie. Other than that, we could be a long way off from the next main event story around here, but you never know with NXT UK. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Rohan Raja vs. Teoman

This is Raja’s, who previously wrestled as Gursinder Singh in Impact Wrestling, debut. Raja takes him down to the mat to start so Teoman is straight over to the rope. Back up and Teoman starts cranking on the arm but a neckbreaker gets Raja out of trouble. There’s a slap to Teoman’s face so he elbows Raja down and kicks him in the face.

The neck crank doesn’t last long and Raja is back up with more shots to the face. Teoman dropkicks the leg out though and a quick DDT sets up the Crossface. They roll back into the middle and Teoman cranks on it even harder, eventually snapping Raja’s arm. That’s enough for the referee to stop it at 6:03.

Rating: C-. This didn’t have the time to go very far but it did a good job of making Teoman look like a bigger danger. Raja was built up a bit to make him seem like someone worth beating, which is better than having Teoman in there beating up a jobber. I’m curious to see more of Teoman, who has a long way to go but this helped him a bit.

Post match we see the replay and you can hear the snap when Teoman cranks back on the Crossface.

Video on Flash Morgan Webster, Mark Andrews and Dani Luna, all of whom enjoy skateboarding and being around graffiti. Their new name seems to be Subculture, though I’m not sure they need their own name.

Dave Mastiff interrupts an Ilja Dragunov promo and a match seems to have been made.

Sid Scala brings out Kay Lee Ray for a chat. Ray wants a better introduction than that, because she has beaten everyone Scala and Johnny Saint has thrown at her. Scala agrees, so it is time to have a gauntlet match for the #1 contendership. That will include Jinny, Isla Dawn, Xia Brookside, Dani Luna and Emilia McKenzie. Ray says it doesn’t matter because none of them are beating her. This was less than three minutes. If it had been on Raw, it would be pushing fifteen.

Video on Pretty Deadly making media appearances as champions.

A-Kid is ready to defend the Heritage Cup against Tyler Bate in their rubber match in three weeks.

Levi Muir vs. Sha Samuels

Muir actually shoves him away to start and a crossbody cuts Samuels off again. Samuels isn’t having this and runs him over, setting up some arm cranking. The Butcher’s Hook is broken up and Muir makes the clothesline comeback. A torture rack is loaded up so Samuels rakes the eyes to escape, setting up a spinebuster to finish Muir at 3:58.

Rating: C. Muir got in a lot more than I was expecting here and that was nice to see for a change. Samuels winning is a good way to get he and Dar back on track but it was a surprising change to have him actually break a sweat her for a change. It wasn’t competitive, but it was entertaining in the short form.

Trent Seven says he is a founding father around here but Sam Gradwell pops up to say they signed on the same day. So why is Gradwell not as revered around here? Seven isn’t on Gradwell’s level.

Meiko Satomura vs. Aoife Valkyrie

Valkyrie is undefeated and bows to Satomura to start. The lockup sees Satomura driven into the ropes so she grabs a headlock and they roll around on the mat a bit. Satomura works on the arm but Valkyrie pulls her into a rollup for two. This time it’s Valkyrie working on the arm but getting sent into the corner for a running elbow. Valkyrie is back up with an enziguri to the floor, setting up a quick dive. Back in and Valkyrie slaps on a full nelson with her legs but Satomura slips out and starts kicking at the leg.

A reverse Figure Four sends Valkyrie very slowly to the ropes so Satomura kicks her in the head. Back up and Valkyrie nails another enziguri, followed by a sunset bomb for two. Satomura suplexes the heck out of her for another two but the Scorpion Kick is countered into a kick to the face. The moonsault gives Valkyrie two but Satomura is back up with a DDT. A running moonsault knee to the back rocks Valkyrie again and Scorpion Rising finishes Valkyrie at 10:37.

Rating: B. I’m not sure if Valkyrie should have been losing here but it was a heck of a match as Satomura continues to get the best out of people. Valkyrie is someone who has been built up well and if she isn’t going to win or even for the title, feeding her to Satomura for the first big win is not a bad idea. It isn’t like losing to someone built up as the best ever is going to hurt her, so this was more a delay than anything else, assuming there are plans for Valkyrie.

Video on Kenny Williams vs. Amir Jordan before their Loser Leaves Town match last week.

Symbiosis vs. Gallus

Symbiosis would be Eddie Dennis/Primate/Tyson T-Bone. Dennis bails away from the idea of having to fight Joe Coffey so it’s off to Primate. Joe is taken into the corner and the alternating beatdown is on, including a few shots from Dennis. An elbow to the face cuts him off though and Wolfgang comes in to work on the arm a bit. T-Bone tags himself in though and drives shoulders into Joe’s ribs in the corner and Primate adds a springboard ax handle.

The rapid fire stomping is on and it’s back to Dennis for a boot to the face. Joe manages to kick Primate and T-Bone down but Dennis is back in to cut him off. The Severn Bridge is escaped and Joe grabs a neckbreaker for a double knockdown. Wolfgang comes in off the hot tag and it’s time to clean house.

T-Bone manages a fall away slam so it’s Mark Coffey coming in to wreck a lot of people. Primate escapes a chokeslam and clotheslines Mark in the back of the head, allowing Dennis to grab a lifting Downward Spiral and spin him into a slam. Everything breaks down and Wolfgang spears T-Bone to the floor, leaving Joe to hit All The Best For The Bells to pin Primate at 9:27.

Rating: C+. Nice job of getting Gallus back here, though having Symbiosis being called Symbiosis and then losing was a little weird. Either way, I’m not sure I can imagine them being as big of a deal as Gallus so putting them over to build them back up makes more sense. It helps that Gallus is a good trio, with Joe becoming one of the most reliable people around here.

Overall Rating: B-. Good grief this show is fun and easy to watch. When you consider what Raw puts us through every week, this is absolutely awesome by comparison and I had an easy time sitting through the hour plus show. The women’s match was very good and then the main event gives Gallus a nice boost back up. Another nearly great show, which is taking place more and more around here.

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