NXT UK
Date: January 2, 2020
Location: Bonus Arena, Hull, England
Commentators: Nigel McGuinness, Tom Phillips

We’re back from a week off and it’s time to hit the gas on the build towards Takeover: Blackpool II. Most of the card is either already set or all but set, meaning it’s time to firm everything up. That is where NXT shines so hopefully they can do the same thing over in England. Let’s get to it.

Sid Scala and Johnny Saint confirm Tyler Bate vs. Jordan Devlin and Trent Seven vs. Eddie Dennis for Takeover. Nothing wrong with keeping these announcements quick.

Opening sequence.

Dave Mastiff vs. Kona Reeves

Before the match, Reeves rants about how unfair it was when the fans threw him off against Trent Seven a few weeks back. The jet lag messed up his nutrition and his sleep so he wasn’t ready! Then there’s Mastiff, who used to be undefeated around here. Now he gets to go home and tell his family that he was defeated by the Finest.

They go to the floor almost immediately and Reeves’ dive is puled out of the air. He’s fine enough to slip out and send Mastiff’s knees into the steps a few times in a row. Reeves ties him in the ring skirt for more shots to the head before taking it back inside. A DDT gets two on Mastiff and a big boot connects for the same. Mastiff is right back with a suplex into the corner and Into The Void is good for the pin at 3:18.

Rating: C-. Mastiff gets another win and I got to see Reeves getting crushed so I’m rather pleased with the whole thing. Mastiff is someone who surprises me quite a bit most of the times he’s in the ring and this was no exception. He only hit two moves here but Into The Void is a good finisher and something they have built up as a winning move so they’ve got a little something there.

Here’s Toni Storm for a chat. Kay Lee Ray took her to a very dark place and it made her snap on someone she considers a friend. Therefore, she would like to talk to Piper Niven right now. Cue Piper in person and Storm says she hasn’t been cool to Piper lately. Before they get past this though, Toni needs a favor. She’s going to need Piper to step aside from the title match so she can deal with Ray on her own. Then after Toni gets the title back, Piper can get the first title shot.

That doesn’t seem to be happening as Piper says she’s gone through a lot to get here and Toni has had her shot. Toni grabs her but Piper nails a headbutt, only to immediately regret it. Referees break it up so here’s Ray to laugh at the brawl, sending Toni after Piper again. It’s a good idea to give Toni and Piper a reason to fight because it makes things more of a triple threat, which you don’t get very often.

Takeover rundown.

Kassius Ohno vs. Ligero

We get a production gaffe as the recap video says this is fallout from “earlier this year”. Ohno grabs the arm to start but Ligero flips out in a hurry. A forearm puts Ohno down and he shouts that HE’S TRYING TO WRESTLE! Back up and Ligero starts kicking at the leg, including a dropkick to the thigh. Ohno misses a flip splash attempt and gets anklescissored out to the floor early on.

Ligero throws him back in but gets caught with a neckbreaker over the ropes to put him right back down. The Kassius Clutch goes on with Ohno demanding that Ligero not make Ohno hit him. Ligero slips out and hits a missile dropkick so Ohno goes for the mask, as he did in their previous match. That’s broken up and Ligero gets two off a sunset flip, only to have Ohno pull him down off the ropes. Another Kassius Clutch on the mat makes Ligero tap at 6:55.

Rating: C. Just a match to get Ohno back on track here as he lost a big one to Tyler Bate and needed a correction. Ligero is someone the fans are going to get behind every time and it’s not like a loss really hurts him. It’s good to have people like him around and I’m impressed that Ohno has had some staying power around here. Usually he loses and moves on but this could have some legs.

Post match Ohno says he’s back to being the best in the UK because no one in the back knows anything about British wrestling. Tonight he beat Ligero with wrestling instead of knocking him out because he is the greatest British wrestler alive.

Joseph Conners interrupts an A-Kid interview to say he is worthy of a spot on Takeover.

Dave Mastiff tells Kassius Ohno that if he wants a match with a British heavyweight, Ohno knows where to find him.

Ashton Smith/Oliver Carter vs. Outliers

Moss gets a running start to run Smith over as they’re starting fast. Carter is right back up with a kick to the face, only to get caught with a running elbow to the face. Mack comes in for a big toss but a double dropkick puts him out on the floor. Some double forearms do it again and Smith and Carter clear the ring.

Back in and Mack gets more serious with some running elbows to Carter in the corner. The aggressive Moss forearms Carter down in the corner but Carter fights out of a chinlock. That’s enough for the hot tag to Smith so house can be cleaned, including some kicks to the faces. Moss shoulders Smith right back down, only to get small packaged to give Smith the pin at 5:52.

Rating: C. Another standard match here with Smith and Carter finally picking up a win. The Outliers are a team who look rather good but might not have enough to back it up in the ring. The tag division is pretty stacked around here and having two more teams like this is a good thing. That being said, finding roles for all of them to play could be rather tricky.

We get a rather awesome video on the Tag Team Title ladder match with all four teams talking about how important the titles are and how all four teams want to be the best. The clips of classic ladder matches make it even better.

Ilja Dragunov vs. Alexander Wolfe

No DQ with Gallus and Imperium barred from ringside. Dragunov comes to the ring but sneaks through the dark arena to attack Wolfe during his entrance in a smart move. The fight heads to ringside with Dragunov getting the better of it, only to have Wolfe post him. Dragunov is fine enough to hit a spinning chop into a backsplash, setting up a big ax handle out to the floor to knock Wolfe silly.

Wolfe is right back up to disarm Dragunov of a kendo stick so Dragunov says bring it on and goes for the stick, only to get kicked in the face. Some stick shots to the back have Dragunov screaming but he blocks the big shot to the head. Wolfe is back with a kendo stick legsweep into a backbreaker for two, followed by the stick going across the mouth. That’s broken up as well and Dragunov starts striking away with the cane as well. Dragunov hits a heck of a shot to the chest on the floor, meaning it can be table time.

The table is set up in the corner and Dragunov kicks him down to the floor again. Wolfe is right back up with a chair shot though, setting up a Death Valley Driver onto the apron for the big knockdown shot. Dragunov hits a quick enziguri and shakes his head as Wolfe goes for the chair. Said chair is put onto Wolfe’s face in the corner for a Coast To Coast and a near fall, only to have Wolfe come back with a chair shot of his own.

Wolfe can’t follow up though so Dragunov throws in a bunch of chairs of his own. That takes too long so Wolfe grabs a German suplex and a DDT onto the chair for two. A chair gets sent into Dragunov’s throat but Dragunov gets up and says bring it. That’s what Wolfe does, by slamming the chair around Dragunov’s hand. Wolfe does it to the other hand as well but Dragunov is back with a clothesline and a running Death Valley Driver through the table. Torpedo Moscow finishes Wolfe at 14:52.

Rating: B+. They beat the fire out of each other here and this was the kind of match that shows Dragunov’s incredibly high potential. He could be a top star around here in a heartbeat because of his insane facials alone but when you throw in his ability in the ring, the star power is even stronger. Heck of a match here and I had a great time with it.

Post match Fabian Aichner and Marcel Barthel come in for the beatdown. Walter approves from the stage but Joe Coffey runs out for a cheap shot on Walter before bailing from the numbers advantage.

Overall Rating: B. This show did what they needed to do to make me want to see how Takeover is looking. They only have a little time left to really hammer things down and that’s what they did here. The main event was awesome and I want to see these people fight again. Now that the setup is going well, the payoff needs to work as well, and that very well may be the case. Check out the main event if you have the time.

Results

Dave Mastiff b. Kona Reeves – Into The Void

Kassius Ohno b. Ligero – Kassius Clutch

Ashton Smith/Oliver Carter b. Outliers – Small package to Moss

Ilja Dragunov b. Alexander Wolfe – Torpedo Moscow

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

NXT
Date: January 1, 2020
Hosts: Pat McAfee, Sam Roberts, Cathy Kelly

It’s a special edition this week with both the Year End Awards as well as the unveiling of the NXT Matches of the Year. That means things should be interesting and showing some high quality wrestling since a lot of those matches are going to come from Takeover. I can always go for that so let’s get to it.

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

The opening video looks at the year, which saw huge growth in the form of the move to USA and everything else that went down. It really was an awesome year as NXT just never slows down.

Note that the matches presented here will be clipped but I’ll be posting the full reviews for each.

The hosts give us a quick welcome.

3. From Takeover: XXV

Tag Team Titles: Forgotten Sons vs. Oney Lorcan/Danny Burch vs. Street Profits vs. Undisputed Era

Ladder match for the vacant titles and there are no seconds. It’s a brawl to start as you had to see coming with the Era taking over early on. Blake gets low bridged to the floor and it’s time for a showdown with Lorcan and Burch. Lorcan chops away but Burch gets knocked down and the Era takes over again. It’s time for the first ladder but Blake suicide dives down to take the Era out. A bunch of people wind up brawling in front of the ring so Dawkins can dive onto all of them.

The Profits climb a ladder at the same time, allowing the Era to come back in for the save. Blake knocks the Era down again with O’Reilly landing back first on the ladder. The Sons put the ladder around their heads to clean house until Burch and Lorcan hit stereo release German suplexes, sending the ladder flying in a spot that could have gone a lot worse. The Profits are back in to take down Lorcan and Burch, with Ford hitting a heck of a frog splash.

O’Reilly is back in with a missile dropkick to break up a climb attempt but he bangs up his back even worse. It’s the Era loading up the ladder with Fish going up, only to have Blake toss powerbomb O’Reilly into the ladder for the huge crash, with Fish thankfully landing on O’Reilly. The big ladder is brought in and Cutler goes up….but stops to stomp onto Fish as Cutler hits a reverse DDT. There was absolutely nothing stopping him from getting the belts there.

Now the Sons go up again but Burch and Dawkins make the save with a Doomsday elbow/Doomsday Blockbuster each. O’Reilly starts going up but here’s Jaxson Ryker to buckle bomb him into a ladder. Ryker shoves Dawkins down and crushes him with a ladder in the corner over and over. Lorcan charges at Ryker and gets backdropped onto the edge of the ladder for a scary spot. Fans to Ryker: “WE DON’T LIKE YOU!”

Everyone gets together to beat down Ryker, who I don’t think got over as well as NXT would have liked him to here. About eight ladder shots to the back crush him for good and it’s back to “regularly scheduled hostilities.” Ryker is getting back up as the Era loads up a ladder so they hit him in the face with it instead. Ford adds a big running flip dive and it’s time for Burch and Lorcan to beat everyone up with the ladders.

They throw the ladder at the Forgotten Sons and go up the big ladder with the Era making the save. The four of them wind up on a pair of ladders but the Sons shove all of them over. The Profits come back in though with Dawkins spearing Cutler down and Ford springboarding onto the ladder to knock Blake off. Ford pulls down the titles at 21:19.

Rating: B. Ryker getting this much attention hurt things a bit as he almost had his own section in the middle of the match. What matters here though is they pulled the trigger on someone new and paid off their chase over the last few months. They were the right choice and they have a bunch of matches waiting on them, which is a great future.

The hosts are rather impressed.

It’s time for our first award with Tag Team of the Year. The nominees are:

Street Profits

Grizzled Young Veterans

Viking Raiders

Mark Andrews/Flash Morgan Webster

Undisputed Era

Winners: Undisputed Era. Kind of an obvious pick there.

The Era comes into the empty arena to accept the awards from William Regal. They aren’t impressed with Regal and want to know why there are only two awards for a four man team. Regal hands them their trophies and leaves the Era to celebrate.

Next up, Male Competitor of the Year:

Adam Cole

Walter

Johnny Gargano

Velveteen Dream

Tyler Bate

Tommaso Ciampa

Winner: Adam Cole. Again, could it be anyone else?

Cole and the Era come to the ring again to torment Regal some more but he leaves faster this time. Cole says they decided to do this at the beginning of the year and he’ll win it for years to come.

Now it’s Female Competitor of the Year:

Shayna Baszler

Io Shirai

Toni Storm

Kay Lee Ray

Bianca Belair

Rhea Ripley

Winner: Shayna Baszler. It was going to be her or Ripley but this is the right call.

Baszler and the Four Horsewomen accept the award with Shayna not being surprised.

The hosts praise Baszler for her win.

Rivalry of the Year: Johnny Gargano vs. Adam Cole for Rivalry of the Year with no other nominees. You could go with Undisputed Era vs. Everyone Else but this was the best option again.

Gargano is proud to win two years in a row but Cole brings up that he won the whole thing. A challenge is thrown out to keep it going but Cole turns it down. Gargano: “Some things never change.”

2. From Takeover: WarGames.

Team Ripley vs. Team Baszler

Rhea Ripley, Tegan Nox, Candice LeRae, Dakota Kai

Shayna Baszler, Bianca Belair, Io Shirai, Kay Lee Ray

Kai is Yim’s replacement in WarGames. The first two will face off for five minutes, followed by Team Baszler sending in a second member for a three minute advantage. After that, Team Ripley gets to tie it up for three minutes. The teams alternate entrances every three minutes until everyone is in, and then it’s first pinfall or submission wins. If you leave the cage, you forfeit the match for your entire team. Rhea and Io get huge reactions while Kai is seen as a big of a disappointment.

Shirai and LeRae get things going and they hit the right hands early on. Candice’s headscissors is rolled through as the fans are entirely behind Io. Shirai gets sent to the other ring but is fine enough to block a dive, setting up a 619 from both directions. A rope walk missile dropkick puts Candice down again and she gets sent head first into the metal board between the rings. LeRae’s face gets raked across the cage but she scores with some right hands as Bianca Belair is in to make it 2-1.

The release Glam Slam into the running shooting star have Candice down again but she scores with a reverse hurricanrana. Belair’s charge hits Shirai in the corner so she makes up for it with a triple powerbomb, with the third being a buckle bomb into the cage (Cage bomb?). Belair grabs a camel clutch so Shirai can run the ropes several times into a dropkick to a huge reaction (it’s not that hard to work a crowd up you know).

Rhea Ripley ties things up and it’s already time to bring in the weapons. Hold on though as Rhea pauses to slam the cage door onto Belair’s head before grabbing even more weapons. The fans want tables but have to settle for EVERYTHING else as Rhea goes under the ring at least six times to get weapon after weapon. A belly to back faceplant onto the trashcan makes it even worse for Belair and it’s time to set up some chairs.

Shirai saves Belair from a double suplex through the chairs to prevent a bad case of death as Kay Lee Ray makes it 3-2. She pulls out her own weapons, including a pile of chairs, before pulling out a table….which she slides back under the ring in a good heel move. Chair shots abound, including a tornado DDT to plant Rhea on one of the chairs. A lot of people head over to the corner above the open chairs so Ray folds them down, setting up the HUGE Tower of Doom to crush everyone save for Belair onto the chairs. That’s fine for Belair, who snaps off the gorgeous 450 onto Ripley.

Everyone is down so it’s Dakota Kai to tie things up….but she turns around and kicks Nox in the face before slamming her into the small cage so hard that the cage is actually rocking back and forth. The cage door is slammed onto Nox’s head (you could hear that one all over the arena) and then the knees over and over. Kai takes the brace off so here’s William Regal for the save. Kai shoves HIM and swears a lot as Regal orders her to the back. She comes back though and pulls on the leg again before shouting at a furious Ripley, who is watching from the cage (yeah the cage, which we haven’t seen in a few minutes now).

With Kai finally taken to the back, Baszler finally gets to come out to complete her team and doesn’t exactly seem in a hurry. Ripley is being held back but she breaks free to slug it out with Baszler, only to have the numbers get the better of her. Kai and Nox are officially out so pins and submissions are open. Candice gets in a shot to knock down Shirai and Ray but she has to save Ripley from being handcuffed to the ropes (something I couldn’t see at all watching live). The stereo two on one fights are on with Belair being sent into a trashcan in the corner.

Ripley blocks Ray’s DDT and suplexes her into the cage, setting up the Cloverleaf to Shirai on the top. Not to be outdone, Baszler grabs the Kirifuda Clutch on LeRae across the ring. LeRae slips out though and Ray makes a save with a kick to the head, followed by LeRae’s moonsault for two on Baszler. Belair gorilla presses LeRae over the top onto Ripley and it’s the Gory Bomb to leave LeRae laying. The moonsault gives Shirai two and there are the hair whips to Ripley.

LeRae is back with the kendo stick shots for the save but Shirai takes her down. Shirai goes all the way to the top but LeRae catches her, followed by the super reverse hurricanrana to Ray for the huge crash. LeRae and Belair stand up, only to have Shirai moonsault onto both of them (Mauro: “MAMA F’ING MIA!”) for an even bigger crash. Ripley loads up a trashcan onto two open chairs but stops to knock a trashcan into Ray’s face. That lets Baszler grab the Kirifuda Clutch but Ripley escapes and cuffs them together. Baszler’s big kick misses and it’s Riptide through the chairs to pin Baszler at 27:26.

Rating: B. This was definitely better on a second watch with the additional camera angles showing me a lot that I didn’t see before (including the handcuffs all together). Ripley continues to look like the star of stars and I don’t see how they can’t put the title on her soon. At the same time though, it’s going to take a long time for me to get my head around two women, including one who started the match, beating four, including two champions, at the same time. That’s a lot, and some of the villains just disappeared for long stretches. It’s not some horrible idea or completely unacceptable, but it’s going to take some time.

The hosts liked the match.

Future Star of the Year:

Kushida

Xia Li

Bronson Reed

Tegan Nox

Dakota Kai

Ilja Dragunov

Isaiah Scott

Taynara

Cameron Grimes

Winner: Dakota Kai. This was pretty much a pickem and Kai is a great choice. The future looks great around here.

Kai has known she was the future for a long time and everyone else is late to the party.

Here are the teams for the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic:

NXT

Undisputed Era

Forgotten Sons

Matt Riddle/Pete Dunne

Kushida/???

NXT UK

Grizzled Young Veterans

Gallus

Imperium

Flash Morgan Webster/Mark Andrews

Takeover of the Year: Takeover: WarGames. Yeah that works.

Breakout Star of the Year:

Damian Priest

Piper Niven

Dominik Dijakovic

Angel Garza

Joe Coffey

Keith Lee

Candice LeRae

Matt Riddle

Rhea Ripley

Winner: Keith Lee. It was him or Dijakovic.

Lee gets the award backstage from HHH and sings a bit because we haven’t seen anything yet.

1. From Takeover: New York.

NXT Title: Adam Cole vs. Johnny Gargano

The title is vacant coming in and it’s 2/3 falls. Cole sends the Undisputed Era to the back so he can do this on his own. The fans are behind Cole and it’s off to the mat about a minute and a half in. Gargano works on a hammerlock but gets reversed into a headlock. Back up and it’s an armdrag into an armbar to to keep Cole in trouble. That’s broken up and Cole bails to the floor where he manages to catch Gargano with a jumping enziguri. A hard knee to the face rocks Gargano and we hit a chinlock.

Gargano fights up again so Cole pulls him right back down into a dragon sleeper. That’s broken up too and it’s a double crossbody for a double knockdown. They bring it up another gear with Gargano nailing a belly to belly, setting up the rolling kick to the head. The slingshot spear gets two and a tornado Downward Spiral is good for the same. Cole is right back with the Backstabber out of the corner for two of his own. They fight over a small package and it’s Cole up first with a jumping enziguri. Another exchange of rollups goes nowhere so Cole hits the Last Shot for the first fall at 13:54.

The second fall begins and it’s a German suplex into another Last Shot for a very close two. Gargano spears him to the floor but walks into the fireman’s carry backbreaker. Back up and Cole can’t get a superbomb so Johnny reverses into a super White Noise (Ciampa move) for two of his own. With that not working, Gargano hits a slingshot DDT onto the apron but breaks the count, allowing Cole to post him twice in a row. Back in and Johnny grabs the flipping armbar (Ciampa move) before switching over to the Gargano Escape for a very fast tap and the tie at 20:52.

We pause for a second as Gargano has a cut on his head but it’s not a bad one. Gargano’s discus lariat sets up a swinging kick to the head but the brainbuster to the knee gives Cole two. The Lawn Dart sends Cole into the middle buckle for two so it’s double enziguris and double superkicks for a double knockdown. Cole is up first with a straitjacket suplex but Gargano is back with a reverse hurricanrana. The low superkick sends Cole outside and Gargano is crushed again. He goes out to get him and it’s a wheelbarrow suplex into the apron to put Gargano down again.

Back in and Gargano’s slingshot spear is blocked with a superkick, setting up Cole’s middle rope Canadian Destroyer for a very close two and the fans are losing it again. Gargano rolls outside and Cole tells him that he fails so Gargano throws him over the announcers’ table. The table is cleared out but Cole hits a Fairy Tale Ending onto (not through) the table instead. Cole wants the countout so Johnny dives back in at nine, right into a low superkick for another near fall.

The next Canadian Destroyer is countered into the Gargano Escape and here’s Roderick Strong for a distraction. Kyle O’Reilly breaks the hold as Cole is tapping and the referee goes down. High/Low from Fish and O’Reilly gets an even closer two so Gargano backdrops Cole onto all three of them. The Era gets beaten up on the floor but it’s two more superkicks into the Last Shot from Cole….for two. Another Last Shot misses and the Gargano Escape makes Cole tap for the title at 38:15.

Rating: A-. Yeah it worked and while it needed to be Ciampa, this was the best ending they could have had given what they had. Gargano FINALLY overcoming the odds to win the title was the feel good ending that the show needed, especially with Gargano defeating the entire Era to win. Some of the near falls were a bit much and there were a few too many superkicks, but they nailed the ending and that’s what mattered most.

Candice comes out to celebrate and they go into the crowd to hug their parents. They walk to the stage….and it’s Tommaso Ciampa….to hug both of them to end the show.

Adam Cole wins Overall Competitor of the Year as the Undisputed Era all has trophies. Cole says they’re the best around with the trophies and the titles. This is just the beginning.

Overall Rating: A. Well what else was it going to be? Three great matches and a bunch of clips of other awesome stuff. It’s not a traditional show but for what it was, this was as good as it was going to get. The show isn’t supposed to be a regular night but rather a look back and it was a look back at an awesome year. If they can come close to doing this again next year, sweet goodness we could be in for some awesome stuff.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

NXT
Date: December 25, 2019
Location: Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida/Barclays Center, New York City, New York
Commentators: Nigel McGuinness, Mauro Ranallo, Tom Phillips, Beth Phoenix
Hosts: Pat McAfee, Cathy Kelly, Sam Roberts

It’s a Christmas night show because that’s something we needed this year. Last week’s show was a huge one with Rhea Ripley finally ending Shayna Baszler’s crazy long Women’s Title reign in a great moment. In addition to that, Johnny Gargano returned and annihilated Finn Balor to set up a huge match probably in the near future. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a recap of last week’s big (and awesome) show.

The hosts welcome us to the show and do some bickering because that’s what WWE does.

From Full Sail.

Roderick Strong is issuing an open challenge for the North American Title.

North American Title: Roderick Strong vs. ???

Strong is defending against….Austin Theory, making his NXT TV debut. They go to the mat with Strong getting an early near fall and smiling a lot. Strong’s headlock doesn’t last long as Theory flips him over and even offers his cheek without much fear. The trash talk goes to Theory so Strong forearms him in the face and stomps away. Theory is back up with a nice dropkick for one and a hard whip puts Strong into the corner.

A standing moonsault connects for two and they head outside, with Strong hitting an Angle Slam into the post to start in on the back. That’s only good for nine so Strong stomps away again with the aggression starting to flow. Strong hits his own great dropkick and sends Theory outside, only to have Austin roll in….for a backbreaker to give Strong two.

Theory snaps off a snap suplex before rolling through the ropes for another dropkick. The fans are split as Theory kicks Strong away and hits a buckle bomb to rock Strong again. A fisherman’s buster onto the knee gets two on the champ but he’s right back with a superplex. Theory counters a backbreaker though and grabs a torture rack into a spinning powerbomb for his own two.

Strong takes him to the top for a backbreaker onto the buckle but Theory is out again. Theory is right back up with something like a fisherman’s buster onto the apron for a VERY close two and the shock is rather nice. They slug it out with Theory hitting a superkick (Mauro: “AUSTIN THEORY JUST JINGLED HIS BELLS!”) so Strong is right back with End of Heartache. The Stronghold finishes Theory at 16:46.

Rating: B. Theory looked like a potential star here and the fact that he is 22 years old puts him near the heights of Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate who should not be that good at that age. Strong was the right choice of an opponent for him too as he has a style that works with everyone, including Theory, and we got a rather awesome match out of the two of them. This was about Theory doing everything he could and Strong focusing on the back because that’s what he does to set up his finisher. Theory will be back.

Theory gets a standing ovation and we get a lot of replays.

The hosts chat a bit with McAfee shouting a lot.

From Brooklyn, after a Smackdown taping.

Isaiah Scott vs. Jack Gallagher

Scott starts working on the arm but Gallagher grabs a leg to get out. Now it’s Gallagher cranking on the arm and fingers (Beth: “Taking those phalanges to a place they’re not supposed to go!”) and then a chinlock to mix it up a bit. Scott is right back on the arm with something like a short armscissors and Gallagher can’t spin out of things. He finally flips away so Scott dropkicks him in the side of the head.

Scott sends him over the top for a face first drop onto the apron. Back in and we hit the chinlock as they’re certainly keeping things slow and mat based early on. Gallagher slams him away though and we take a break. Back with Scott’s arm a bit banged up but he uses the good arm for a heck of a discus lariat. The middle rope elbow to the back has Gallagher in more trouble and it’s time for some kicks to the chest against the ropes.

A rolling Downward Spiral gives Scott two more and a backbreaker gets him away from Gallagher cranking on the arm. Gallagher headbutts the heck out of him for two of his own and they’re both down. It’s back to Scott’s arm but Scott reverses into an arm hold of his own, only to have Gallagher reverse into a cross armbreaker attempt. Scott reverses that into a Pentagon style arm snap, albeit with his foot instead of pulling back. The House Call is good for the pin on Gallagher at 13:48.

Rating: C+. Scott is someone who has more starts and stops to his run in NXT than I can even imagine. He keeps coming and going without being able to really get very far. That becomes an issue, but the talent is there and he can do all kinds of things in the ring. It helps that the fans are with him and Gallagher is the same way, with the ability to have a good match against anyone.

The hosts talk about how important the Barclays Center has been for NXT.

Next week: the NXT Awards.

From Full Sail.

Candice LeRae vs. Taynara Conti

Conti can’t sneak in a kick to the ribs as LeRae knocks it away and hits a neckbreaker across the middle rope. A suicide dive connects and Candice adds a springboard crossbody to the floor for two. The chinlock goes on but Conti fights out in a hurry and hits a running knee as we take a break.

Back with Conti getting two off a tilt-a-whirl Boss Man Slam and then covering again for a bonus. Candice is so annoyed that she ties her hair back and slaps away, setting up a missile dropkick for her own two. The step up backsplash sets up the Lionsault to finish Conti at 7:55.

Rating: C-. LeRae is someone who can wrestle a fine enough match but she doesn’t exactly break through to the other side. I could see her getting a Cinderella run towards the title but I’m not sure if she will ever win the thing. Conti is fine as a midcard dragon to slay, though she needs to win a few matches to get her back to that status.

Arturo Ruas is coming.

Back to Brooklyn.

Dominick Dijakovic vs. Bronson Reed

They do the power lockup to start with Dijakovic getting the better of things off a headlock. Reed reverses into one of his own as he gets his turn to grind Dijakovic down for a change. An exchange of shoulders goes nowhere so Dijakovic tries and fails at a suplex attempt instead. Reed runs him over and sits on Dijakovic’s back as we take a break.

Back with Reed forearming him in the face and snapping off a German suplex. A running hip attack in the corner gives Reed two and there’s a suplex for the same. Dijakovic still can’t suplex him so he kicks and strikes away instead. Now the toss suplex connects for two on Reed and the Cyclone boot gets the same.

Just to show off, Dijakovic busts out a moonsault for another near fall and the fans are getting into these kickouts. The chokeslam is broken up with headbutts to the hand (that’s a new one) and Reed busts out a middle rope Thesz press for two more. Some headbutts to the head look to set up the splash but Dijakovic catches him on the middle rope with a chokebomb for the pin at 12:16.

Rating: C+. I can go for a good hoss fight like this and that’s what they did here. Reed has gotten to show off multiple times now and I’ve been having a good time watching him look so good. At the same time, Dijakovic is a monster and someone who should be pushed towards the main event in a hurry. He’s that good and NXT knows it.

Video on When Worlds Collide.

Video on Bianca Belair.

Bianca Belair vs. Shotzi Blackheart

Shotzi, recently signed, takes her into the corner to start and snapmares Belair down for blowing bubbles. Belair spins out though and drops a seated senton to take over. A sunset flip doesn’t work for Shotzi and Belair blows more bubbles. This one is broken up with a slap to the face and a springboard hurricanrana sends Belair into the ropes. A running reverse Cannonball against the ropes puts Belair on the floor but she counters a dive and drops Shotzi onto the apron.

Back from a break with Belair clotheslining her down and posing a lot on the cover. Shotzi gets caught with a running dropkick and we hit the cravate. That’s broken up and Shotzi hits a running faceplant to get a breather. There’s a kick to Belair’s head and a rolling faceplant gets two. Shotzi gets creative with a running tornado DDT onto the apron and Belair is rocked. Back in and a big boot misses though, allowing Belair to send her into the corner. The KOD finishes Blackheart at 10:15.

Rating: C. This was a way to showcase Shotzi and that worked out well enough. You knew she wasn’t going to beat a bigger star like Belair but at least she hit a bunch of nice stuff. It was designed as a get to know you match and for what it was, that worked out well enough. Shotzi is going to need some more work but she had a good first outing here so at least her first foot came off well.

The hosts discuss Shotzi and the women’s division.

Keith Lee/Lio Rush vs. Tony Nese/Damian Priest

What an odd pair of teams. Nese and Rush start things off but it’s off to Priest for the ridiculous visual on the staredown instead. Rush slaps him in the face for some reason but he gets in a kick to the chest as well. A blocked kick allows the tag to Lee though and now let’s have a staredown.

Priest makes it personal by pulling off Lee’s Santa hat and it’s time for them both to miss a lot of shots to the face in a far more fast paced exchange than should be legal for people their size. Lee hits a crossbody and smiles at Nese for trying to interfere. The chase is on outside with Nese being Pounced over the announcers’ table for a .6 Cole. Back from a break with Priest punching Rush out of the air to take over.

Nese comes in to kick Rush in the face and we hit the bodyscissors. A big kick to the head misses and Rush flips out of a belly to back suplex. The bottom rope springboard Stunner puts them both down though and it’s back to Lee to clean house. Lee’s running clothesline gets two on Priest but the Spirit Bomb doesn’t work. Nese knocks Lee down and gets two off a Lionsault but Rush comes back in for a springboard hurricanrana.

Rush strikes away and kicks Nese in the head but Priest chokeslams him onto the apron. Back in and….Lee, in the Santa hat, rises up next to Priest and throws him to the floor. Lee catches a diving Nese in the air so Priest tries a running flip dive….and Lee catches THAT, holds him up, and powerbombs him onto the apron. You know, because HE CAN DO THAT. The Limit Breaker into the Final Hour off of Lee’s shoulders finishes Nese at 13:25.

Rating: C+. The more I watch Lee, the more I’m convinced that he was built in a lab somewhere. The guy is a complete athletic freak with the power and athleticism being as impressive of a combination as you’re going to see. Throw in another rise into the camera and how can you not be impressed? Much like Dijakovic, he needs to be pushed up the card in a hurry, just because it’s hard to leave him out of the main event if he keeps this up.

Overall Rating: B. This was a show that you may not have needed to see but it was entertaining and flew by with no stories and little more than a bunch of showcase matches. There’s nothing here you really need to see, though Theory and Shotzi both had some valuable performances. We’ll be back to normal soon enough but for a one off special, this worked very well.

Results

Roderick Strong b. Austin Theory – Stronghold

Isaiah Scott b. Jack Gallagher – House Call

Candice LeRae b. Taynara Conti – Lionsault

Dominick Dijakovic b. Bronson Reed – Chokebomb

Bianca Belair b. Shotzi Blackheart – KOD

Keith Lee/Lio Rush b. Tony Nese/Damian Priest – Final Hour to Nese

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

NXT UK
Date: December 26, 2019
Hosts: Nigel McGuinness, Tom Phillips

It’s the end of the year and that means we get to look back at some of the better things to go down in 2019. I wouldn’t have believed it when the year started but NXT UK has become one of the better wrestling shows on television and they could have some great offerings on a show like this. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

The hosts welcome us to the show and preview Takeover: Blackpool II.

From Takeover: Blackpool.

Women’s Title: Toni Storm vs. Rhea Ripley

Ripley is defending. Storm goes after her to start and starts firing off the forearms until a faceplant cuts her off. That’s fine with Storm who hammers away even more, setting up a suicide dive onto a bailing Ripley. They don’t head inside just yet though and Ripley kicks her back first into the barricade. Back in and Ripley stomps away as the loud fans continue to be split.

The bodyscissors stays on the weakened ribs and a delayed vertical suplex gets two. A pair of legdrops gives the champ two but the trash talking lets Storm headbutt her for a double knockdown. The slugout goes to Storm and she rolls some German suplexes but Storm Zero is countered. So is Riptide and they go into a pinfall reversal sequence for two each.

Ripley gets the standing Texas Cloverleaf but gets reversed into the hip attack in the corner. Storm gets frustrated at the kickout and gets caught with Riptide for two, giving us Ripley’s great stunned face. A headbutt lets Storm Zero connect for two and they’re both down again. Storm slugs away with forearms and another Storm Zero gives her the pin and the title at 14:49.

Rating: B-. Kind of a flat and out of nowhere finish as they didn’t really build off the near fall from the first Storm Zero. Storm winning the title so soon after Ripley won it for the first time is a bit of a surprise but you can’t go wrong with either of them as the champion. Tyler Bate winning the inaugural title and dropping it to Dunne has gone just fine and Storm is going to be perfectly fine with the title, as is Ripley without it.

Video on Toni Storm.

Video on Kay Lee Ray.

From Takeover: Cardiff.

Women’s Title: Kay Lee Ray vs. Toni Storm

Toni is defending and we get the Big Match Intros. Ray bails straight to the floor so Storm dives onto her, setting up a big forearm to the face back inside. Ray knocks her right back down though and we hit a seated abdominal stretch. Toni goes off with shots to the face and a superkick to put Ray down. A running clothesline can’t set up Storm Zero so its’ a Code Red for two instead.

Now Storm Zero connects for two so Ray is right back with her own superkick. The Gory Bomb gives Ray her own two so they head up top. Neither can hit a super version of their finisher so Toni grabs a release German suplex for two more. Storm gets sent outside so Ray hits a top rope flip dive for a nasty landing, sending the referee down to check on them. Back in and the Gory Bomb onto the top rope sets up a regular Gory Bomb to give Ray the title at 9:58.

Rating: C. This felt sloppy and rushed, the latter of which is probably true due to it not getting that much time. Storm didn’t have a lot of life or fire here and it was causing some issues. Ray winning is a good thing as Storm had held the thing long enough but I was hoping it was in a better, or at least bigger feeling, match.

Video on Piper Niven.

Video on Travis Banks vs. Jordan Devlin.

We see the end of the Grizzled Young Veterans becoming the inaugural Tag Team Champions.

From Takeover: Cardiff.

Tag Team Titles: Flash Morgan Webster/Mark Andrews vs. Gallus vs. Grizzled Young Veterans

The Veterans (Zack Gibson and James Drake) are defending and it’s Andrews sunset flipping Gibson for two to start. Drake comes in for a double hiptoss into a standing moonsault/standing flip dive from Andrews and Webster. We settle down to Webster not being able to sunset flip Wolfgang so it’s a six man staredown. The champs are knocked to the floor and a hurricanrana/moonsault takes down Gibson and Coffey.

Back in and a moonsault press gets two on Gibson as the champs are in trouble. He’s right back up with a backbreaker on Webster on the floor with Drake slingshotting down into a forearm to Webster’s chest. Back in again and everything breaks down again with Andrews cleaning house, only to get jumped by Gallus. That means stereo flip dives from the Welsh guys to both other teams and the fans are rather pleased.

Back in and Andrews’ assisted 450 gets two on Gibson, only to have Gallus come back in to start cleaning house. A catapult into a Samoan drop gets two on Andrews but it’s a reverse hurricanrana/running knee strike (cool) for two on Wolfgang. Andrews is back up with a shooting star to take out Gallus and Gibson. As the fans again ask about Vince’s viewing habits, it’s Stundog Millionaire into a Swanton from Webster for two on Gibson. Helter Skelter into the 450 gets two on Andrews, with the crowd literally getting to their feet on the kickout.

The champs and the Welsh guys are all knocked down but it’s Gallus coming back in to clean house. Coffey hits his own big dive to take everyone out, followed by the enziguri into the powerslam for a delayed two on Andrews. Everyone gets back in and Gallus gets beaten down until Webster is catapulted into a Canadian Destroyer on Coffey. Gibson takes Wolfgang to the floor for an electric chair, with Drake adding the suicide clothesline for a Doomsday Device.

That means the big showdown between the champs and Andrews/Morgan with the Welsh guys getting the better of it. Webster hits a 630 on Drake with Gibson making the save. Andrews tries to dive on him but gets hit in the throat on the way down. Back in and Ticket to Mayhem hits Webster but Drake goes to deal with Gallus. That lets Andrews come in with Fall to Pieces to Gibson to give Webster the pin and the titles at 20:10.

Rating: B. This was WAY too long and felt like it just kept going and going. That being said, there were some very good near falls and some awesome near falls before the perfectly done feel good moment at the end. If you cut off five minutes, it’s even better, but the length held it back a lot. Andrews and Webster winning is completely the right call though and it felt like a special moment.

Video on Dave Mastiff.

Video on Dave Mastiff vs. Jordan Devlin in their Falls Count Anywhere match.

Devlin promises a bigger 2020 because he’s the MVP of 2019.

The announcers talk about Devlin.

Video on Ilja Dragunov vs. Cesaro.

We look at some of the rising stars.

From October 24.

Noam Dar vs. Trent Seven

They’ve been annoying each other for weeks. Dar’s towel says RIP STRONG STYLE. Dar jumps him on the floor during Seven’s long entrance and uses the towel to tie Seven to the post. That means a dropkick to drive the arm into the post as we’re still waiting on the opening bell. Seven gets in and insists that he can go so Dar charges at him, right into a hard lariat for two. A legdrop gives Seven two but Dar slips out of a Burning Hammer and snaps Seven’s bad arm across the top rope.

The arm is fine enough to snap off a Rock Bottom out of the corner but Dar kicks him off the top. The crash makes Seven scream in pain and a fisherman’s suplex gives Dar two. A snapmare into the ropes gives Dar two and it’s time to start stomping at the leg. With the fans chanting something about Alicia Fox, Dar grabs something like an STF with a bend of the fingers and a shout about how much he loves Pete Dunne.

Back up and Seven blocks a Tyler Driver 97 but gets his leg kicked out again. Something close to a snap dragon suplex sends Dar outside for a change and Seven nails the suicide dive. The spinning moonsault misses though (partially due to the knee being banged up) but Seven’s Michinoku Driver gets two instead. Dar is right back with the ankle lock, sending Seven rolling over to the rope.

They fight to the apron with Seven getting in a DDT to drop Dar on his head. That’s only good for two as well so Seven dedicates this one to Tyler, setting up the Seven Star Lariat for two more. Seven is fired up but Dar kicks the knee out and hits a top rope double stomp to the leg.

The ankle lock with the grapevine goes on so Seven has to flail a lot, eventually making it over to the rope. Dar grabs the towel before kicking Seven in the head, ala Pete Dunne, for two more. The trash talk goes on so Seven bends the finger back, gets in the punch to the face and hits the Birminghammer (if that’s not what Tom said, it should be) for the pin at 13:10.

Rating: B. Yeah that worked. This is the kind of match that Seven hasn’t had very often so giving him the fighting from behind win, which also tying in the stuff with the rest of British Strong Style, worked very well. Dar is very easy to dislike and it’s even better watching Seven literally hit him in the face and drop him on his head for the win. This felt like a definitive win and a statement win for Trent, which was exactly what he needed to do.

Video on Pete Dunne vs. Walter.

Video on Tyler Bate vs. Walter. That’s still my Match of the Year.

Joe Coffey is ready to take the title from Walter at Takeover.

One more Blackpool rundown wraps us up.

Overall Rating: B. This is the kind of show that works very well in this spot. Takeover is coming up soon and WWE needs to promote it as well as they can. Giving us a look at the show and looking at everything else while saying “here’s what you can expect” is a smart move and I liked this show rather well. Good stuff here from a very good promotion.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

NXT UK
Date: December 19, 2019
Location: Bonus Arena, Hull, England
Commentators: Tom Phillips, Nigel McGuinness

We’re starting to see the path towards Blackpool taking shape and that’s a good thing. The show is in about a month and with the main event and a few title matches set, there aren’t many things left to get ready. The show is looking good and under the right circumstances, we could be in for a heck of a night. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Amir Jordan/Kenny Williams vs. Pretty Deadly

Williams takes Stoker down by the arm to start and it’s off to Jordan in a hurry. The running crossbody gives Jordan two on Howley, who rolls outside. Back to back dives put him down again and Jordan hits a slash for two back inside. It’s Stoker coming in again to work on the recently repaired shoulder, including sending it into the post for two. The armbar goes on but Jordan jawbreaks his way to freedom.

An attempt at some double teaming is broken up and a diving tag brings Williams back in to speed things up. Stoker pulls Howley to the floor to get him out of trouble so Williams dives onto both of them at once. Back in and everything breaks down with Howley stealing a rollup for two on Williams. A gorilla press tossed into a gutbuster gets the same but Williams victory rolls Howley down, setting up the Swanton Bombay for the pin at 7:59.

Rating: C. Williams and Jordan have grown on me as they’re fine for the midcard face team and can get some nice reactions. They might not be able to go very far but at least they’re getting a little chance to shine. You never know where you might be able to go with things and maybe they can turn into a little something.

Imperium isn’t happy about a ladder match for the Tag Team Titles but they’ll win them anyway.

Ligero used to respect Kassius Ohno until he figured out that Ohno felt none for him. In two weeks, he’ll knock some respect into Ohno.

Here is Trent Seven for a chat. Trent talks about Eddie Dennis getting involved with him lately and they’ve known each other for a long time now. Then Eddie grabbed his hand from the crowd and it wasn’t the same Eddie Dennis that he knew. Last week, a wrestler named Michael May was trying to make his NXT UK debut and make a name for himself but Dennis took him out and offered him up as a gift to Trent.

It’s weird, so he would like Eddie out here now for an explanation. Cue Eddie, but before he says anything, Trent asks why he’s doing this. Trent talks about being proud of being one of the Founding Fathers of NXT UK. Eddie gets in and knocks him down before saying he’ll see Trent at Takeover. Works for me.

Video on the Women’s Title triple threat at Takeover.

Amale vs. Jinny

Jinny wastes no time in starting with the knees before throwing Amale down for the right hands to the head. Amale tries a comeback but gets knocked down again, this time setting up a rocking boat hold. That’s broken up so Jinny stomps her down in the corner. A dropkick gives Amale a breather but Jinny avoids a charge and hits a slingshot hilo for two. The Makeover finishes Amale at 3:33.

Rating: D+. The match was just a squash but that’s the kind of match that Jinny needs. I know she has Jazzy Gabert around to do the enforcing but at some point Jinny has to do something for herself so she has credibility later on. This was also a nice performance from Amale, who showed some nice fire at times.

Post match Jinny sends Jazzy after Amale. The beatdown is on but Gabert changes her mind and walks away.

Walter is ready for Imperium to get a technical advantage when Alexander Wolfe beats up Ilja Dragunov.

Noam Dar vs. Tyler Bate

The fans are behind Bate, as you almost knew they would be. Bate takes him into the corner and adjusts the mustache before it turns into a fight over arm control. The fans appreciate Dar’s efforts to take over with an armbar but he bails to the rope when Bate takes over. It’s too early for the Tyler Driver 97 so Dar backs off and we get a staredown. Dar gets in a few shots in the corner but Bate does a headstand and pulls out Jack Gallagher’s one foot stop.

Some uppercuts stagger Dar but Bate tries the handstand again, this time earning himself a running dropkick to the face. Dar’s armbar goes on again before he snapmares Bate into the ropes for a nasty crash. We hit the neck crank to mix things up a bit but Bate belly to back suplexes his way to freedom. Dar kicks the leg out though and baseball slides him to the floor.

It’s back to the snapmares, this time with one sending Bate into the steps. That’s good for a nine count (Nigel: “LUCKY!”) but Bate blocks a big kick to the chest. An exploder suplex into a running shooting star gets two on Dar but he pulls Bate into an ankle lock. That’s broken as well and it’s an exchange of rollups until Dar grabs the Rings of Saturn. Bate slips out again but another running shooting star is countered into a small package for two. The Nova Roller is blocked with an enziguri, only to have Dar pull him into the kneebar.

The big dive reaches the rope to get Bate out of trouble so Dar kicks him in the head for two more. Bate’s leg is fine enough for a rolling Liger kick but it takes him a long time to get to the top. Dar rolls to the floor so Bate kicks him off the apron. That sets up the big dive and the rebound lariat connects to give Bate two more. The Tyler Driver 97 is loaded up but here’s Jordan Devlin for the distraction. Dar’s rollup only gets two and it’s the Tyler Driver 97 to finish Dar at 18:00.

Rating: B+. This got going at a level that had me feeling Bate’s magic all over again. The guy just knows how to make a match feel exciting and that’s what he did here. Dar was right there with him every step of the way too. He’s a very talented guy in the ring and while I can’t get into most of the other stuff he does, I can get behind one of his matches and he brought me in hard here.

Post match Devlin teases coming in but bails. We do get what sounds like a Takeover challenge though.

Overall Rating: B. The main event easily powers this one and it became a good show all around. I’m wanting to see Takeover at this point as they’ve turned it into a heck of a card. We could be in for a great one if they hit everything that they’ve set up, and this card is looking like the best yet. Check out Dar vs. Bate if you get the chance as they were rolling at the end.

Results

Amir Jordan/Kenny Williams b. Pretty Deadly – Swanton Bombay to Howley

Jinny b. Amale – Makeover

Tyler Bate b. Noam Dar – Tyler Driver 97

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

NXT
Date: December 18, 2019
Location: Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Beth Phoenix, Mauro Ranallo, Nigel McGuinness

It’s a double title night here with both the NXT Title and Women’s Title on the line. First up Adam Cole will defend against Finn Balor and odds are the main event will see Rhea Ripley challenging Shayna Baszler. NXT knows how to do these big shows so it should be interesting to see how things go. Let’s get to it.

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

The opening recap looks at last week’s show.

NXT Title: Finn Balor vs. Adam Cole

Cole is defending. They go to the mat to start with Balor getting the better of things off a headlock. Back up and Cole takes over on the arm, only to get caught with a basement dropkick for one. This time it’s Balor working on the arm instead before stomping away. Cole gets knocked outside but he’s fine enough to superkick the leg before Balor can kick him from the apron.

Back in and we hit the chinlock to keep Balor in trouble as the announcers talk about Cole’s mind games. Another kick to the leg takes Balor down again and a neckbreaker gets two. Balor bridges out of a Figure Four necklock and the Eye of the Hurricane gets two on the champ. Cole is right back with a Backstabber, only to have Balor grab a Sling Blade. The superkick cuts off a running Balor for two but Cole is slow to get up. He walks into a Pele kick but Balor falls down as well, allowing Cole to get his own two.

The Panama Sunrise and 1916 are both countered so Cole grabs the brainbuster onto the knee for two more. We get the dueling UNDISPUTED/LET’S GO FINN chants as Balor fights up, only to get knocked off the top. The Panama Sunrise to the floor is countered with a backdrop though and Balor hits the John Woo dropkick against the barricade.

Back in and the Coup de Grace misses, allowing Cole to hit the Last Shot….for two, giving us an outstanding ARE YOU SERIOUS face. Balor clotheslines him down though and now the Coup de Grace connects. 1916 is loaded up….but here’s Johnny Gargano for the first time in nearly two months. The distraction lets Cole hit a low blow and the Last Shot retains the title at 15:17.

Rating: A-. This was another great match for Cole and another instance of him beating a big name to further solidify himself as one of the best in the world today. Gargano vs. Balor is going to be a huge deal and I’m curious to see where they go with Cole now. It would seem that it’s time for either Tommaso Ciampa or Keith Lee, but dang they could go a lot of different ways.

Post match Cole leaves and Gargano grabs a chair. Balor tries to get out but Gargano is right there with some chair shots to the back to send him outside. More shots send Balor bailing through the crowd to escape.

Video on Pete Dunne vs. Damien Priest vs. Killian Dain from Takeover: WarGames.

Killian Dain vs. Damien Priest

Priest has taped up ribs coming in. Dain shoves him into the corner to start so Priest comes out slugging. That just earns Priest the running crossbody and Dain grabs a waistlock. Priest gets sent into the corner so Dain hits a baseball slide to the ribs to put him on the floor. Back in and we hit the second waistlock with Dain quickly switching into a reverse chinlock with a knee in the spine.

Dain adds a backsplash and the tape is pulled off to make the ribs even more vulnerable. There’s a fisherman’s suplex for two more and a running dropkick puts Priest on the floor as we take a break. Back with Priest managing to hit a Flatliner for a breather. A jumping back elbow and some rapid strikes make it even worse for Dain, with a clothesline putting him down.

Priest somehow manages a suplex and the fans bring him back to his feet. Dain tries to bail so Priest is right there with a step up flip dive. Back in and South of Heaven gives Priest two in a great near fall. Dain manages a kick to the ribs and a powerbomb though, plus a big elbow for two. The Ulster Plantation is countered so Priest hits the spinning kick to the head but a powerbomb is too much for the ribs. Dain’s Vader Bomb hits raised knees though and the Reckoning finishes Dain at 14:18.

Rating: B-. This was all about two big, strong men hitting each other very hard with Priest’s ribs being the focal point of the match. Dain tried once too often though and Priest used the opening to get the win. Priest is someone who could go a long way around here (Say after the NXT Title?) and I’m for it, provided I can stop calling him Punishment Martinez.

Vote for the Year End Awards!

The Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic is back, with things getting started on January 1.

Kushida vs. Cameron Grimes

Kushida still has Grimes’ hat. They go to the mat for some grappling and Kushida gets the better of it to a rather nice reaction. Kushida pulls him down into a cross armbreaker before twisting both arms around at the same time. Grimes bails to the floor so Kushida hits him with a baseball slide and throws him back inside.

The Octopus Hold has Grimes in more trouble until he flips out, only to get caught in the same thing again. Back from a break with Kushida in trouble after Grimes hit his running belly to belly. There’s a big throw and Kushida is in even more trouble. Grimes stays on the back with a backbreaker and even bends Kushida over the knee for a bonus.

The back is fine enough for a handspring elbow to drop Grimes and it’s a cartwheel into the basement dropkick. Kushida goes after the arm again with a dropkick but the attempted Hoverboard Lock is countered into a sitout Rock Bottom for two. Kushida snaps off a German suplex so Grimes one ups him with a bridging version for two more. Grimes heads to the apron and that means a handspring kick to the face to put him on the floor.

The big flip dive to the floor nearly misses Grimes but they’re both down. Back in and Kushida goes for the Hoverboard Lock in the corner but gets shoved down. That just means another handspring kick and a super victory roll gives Kushida his own two. Grimes hits the enziguri but misses the Cave In. Kushida misses a kick of his own though and the Cave In connects to give Grimes the pin at 13:58.

Rating: B. The matches on this shove have been awesome at this point and this was another great one. Grimes just got a heck of a win as Kushida is a much more established name at this (or likely any) point. It’s clear that they’re giving Grimes something and that is an a big treat as he has been a HUGE surprise for me and someone I’m liking more every time I see him.

Grimes gets his hat back.

Video on Io Shirai.

Io Shirai vs. Santana Garrett

Shirai backflips to start and runs her over, only to get wristdragged out of the corner. That doesn’t sit well with Shirai so Garrett superkicks her instead. A flapjack works a bit better for Shirai but she misses some running knees in the corner. Garrett’s Russian legsweep gets two and a forearm rocks her again. There’s the handspring elbow in the corner and a floatover suplex gets two more on Shirai. The Last Chancery has Shirai in more trouble but she sends Garrett throat first into the top rope. Running knees in the corner set up the moonsault to finish Garrett at 4:01.

Rating: C. This was a step above a squash for Shirai as Garrett is someone who can have a good match with just about anyone but she hasn’t had the strongest career in NXT so far. She seems like someone who is biding her time though as she is too talented to be left on the sidelines for long. It’s Shirai’s town though and she should be moving higher up the card soon.

When Worlds Collide is coming.

Pete Dunne vs. Travis Banks

Dunne starts on the arm to start, as is his custom. Some rollups give Dunne two and it’s a standoff. Dunne tries to drop down but Banks is right there with a dropkick to the side of the head. They strike it out next to the rope and Dunne easily gets the better of things to put Banks down. A double stomp to the hands sets up the X Plex onto the apron and we take a break.

Back with Banks hitting a pair of running dropkicks in the corner to set up the Cannonball. Dunne bails to the floor and it’s the suicide dive to send him into the barricade. A missile dropkick sends Dunne back into the corner and there’s a middle rope double stomp for two. Dunne flips over him out of the corner and just sidesteps Slice of Heaven for a crash. Another X Plex gets two but Banks is right back with an enziguri.

Banks goes up top for a super sunset flip but Dunne lands on his feet. The Bitter End is countered so Banks tries the Slice of Heaven, which is countered into a leg tied stomp. Banks counters the Bitter End again and hits the Kiwi Crusher for two more. Dunne powerbombs him out of the corner and busts out a super X Plex. Now the Bitter End is good for the pin on Banks at 10:54.

Rating: B. This was the hard hitting, back and forth style that you expect from the NXT UK wrestlers. They beat each other up here and Dunne gets a win to get himself back on track. Banks is someone who looks good every time he’s out there and if he wants it, I’m sure he could be a big star in the regular NXT as well.

Post match Dunne shows some respect.

Dakota Kai isn’t worried about Mia Yim and wants the Women’s Title.

Next week: Lio Rush/Keith Lee vs. Damian Priest/Tony Nese and Roderick Strong issues an open challenge.

Women’s Title: Rhea Ripley vs. Shayna Baszler

Ripley is challenging and we get the Big Match Intros again. They go with the grappling to start and Baszler takes her to the mat by the arm. The stomp to the arm is blocked though and Ripley gets back up. The threat of Ripley’s big right hands sends Baszler running into the corner and there’s a hard whip into the corner to send Baszler to the floor. Back from a break with Ripley hitting some clotheslines and knees to the head to put Baszler down.

A running dropkick sends Baszler into the corner again, meaning it’s the top rope superplex to make Baszler bounce off the mat. Rhea sends her outside so here are the Horsewomen, only to have them taken down by a Cannonball off the apron. Baszler uses the distraction to stomp the arm into the steps and it’s time to twist the arm around back inside. The arm gets twisted around again and we take another break.

Back again with Baszler stomping on the arm again, though this time with the Horsewomen having been ejected for working on Ripley’s arm again. She even had to get checked by the doctor during the break but was ruled able to continue. Baszler starts kicking at the ribs but Ripley hits the running dropkick to send her into the referee in the corner. Riptide connects for no count so Baszler rolls outside again.

This time the Cannonball off the apron misses but Rhea is able to slip out of a Kirifuda Clutch. Baszler throws in a chair and a DDT onto said chair gets two more. The fans believe all over again and Rhea flips out of another Kirifuda Clutch. The standing Cloverleaf is broken up and now the Clutch goes on for a VERY long time with Ripley not being able to get out.

We go old school with the referee checking the arm but she grabs the referee’s shirt to say she’s not done. She flips out again and stomps Baszler in the head, setting up the standing Cloverleaf (now dubbed the Prism Trap). Baszler kicks that away too and hits a running knee in the corner. They go up top but Baszler talks too much trash, allowing Ripley to get in a headbutt. The super Riptide gives Rhea the pin and the title at 20:50. Ripley nearly loses it on the celebration for a great moment.

Rating: A-. Above all else, this felt like a big changing of the guard. Baszler has been champion for the better part of a year and a half (save for Kairi Sane’s short reign) and she had beaten so many people that it was going to take a monumental effort to finally stop her. That’s what Ripley had and you could feel the energy in the whole thing. I had a great time watching this and they gave some awesome false finishes where I wasn’t sure they were going to pull the trigger. This should have been Ripley’s win and it feels like she had to earn every bit of it. Awesome main event and a better moment.

After all the replays, we come back to the locker room filling the ring (and I mean completely filling the ring) to celebrate with Ripley to end the show.

Overall Rating: A. Dang that was an awesome show with two great bookends and some very good stuff in the middle. The worst part of the show was Shirai vs. Garrett and even that was perfectly watchable. This show felt just shy of Takeover levels and they even have stuff to look forward to later. It’s one of the better weeks of TV they’ve ever done and it nailed just about everything. Great show and worth checking out in full.

Results

Adam Cole b. Finn Balor – Last Shot

Damien Priest b. Killian Dain – Reckoning

Cameron Grimes b. Kushida – Cave In

Io Shirai b. Santana Garrett – Moonsault

Pete Dunne b. Travis Banks – Bitter End

Rhea Ripley b. Shayna Baszler – Super Riptide

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

NXT UK
Date: December 12, 2019
Location: Bonus Arena, Hull, England
Commentators: Tom Phillips, Nigel McGuinness

The roll towards Blackpool continues as we are getting ready for one of the biggest shows that NXT UK has ever had. The show is going to be built around Gallus vs. Imperium in what should be a rather hard hitting feud. That feud will be continuing this week with Gallus defending the Tag Team Titles against Imperium in a main event set up last week. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Isla Dawn vs. Kay Lee Ray

Non-title. The fans seem split but the pro-Dawn chants are a bit louder. Dawn gets in a quick crossbody for two and la majistral is good for the same. It’s way too early for the Gory Bomb from Ray as Dawn reverses into a sunset flip for two instead. Ray blocks a rollup attempt and a faceplant giver her two of her own. Dawn’s leg is wrapped around the middle rope but Ray misses a charge into the corner. A running knee in the corner corner hits Ray but bangs up the knee again. Back in and a Meteora gives Dawn two, only to have the knee go out again. Some superkicks set up the Gory Bomb to finish Dawn at 4:27.

Rating: C. Just a match here as Ray had to sweat a little bit before winning in the end. The fans responded well to Dawn and maybe a face run for her could go somewhere. You don’t exactly expect that out of someone called the White Witch but stranger things have worked. Ray is becoming a bigger deal though and winning like this will get her higher up the all time ranks.

Post match Ray says she doesn’t care who she faces next and mentions both Toni Storm and Piper Niven. Cue Piper with a shake of her head but Storm charges past her to go after Ray. The fight is on but Storm is knocked into Piper, who isn’t happy at being dropped. They argue as Ray leaves, only to have Sid Scala come out and announce a triple threat for the title at Takeover.

Jordan Devlin is here to show some highlights of the rest of the NXT UK roster. We start with the Grizzled Young Veterans defeating Moustache Mountain to become the first Tag Team Champions. Then Tyler Bate got beaten up at the Download Festival. Finally, Bate lost to Walter at Takeover: Cardiff while Devlin was sat on the sidelines. Shame really. Good stuff from Devlin here.

Joe Coffey says Takeover is the biggest night of his career. Last time they were in Blackpool, Walter kicked him in the face so this time it’s time to show that Gallus is the best.

Michael May vs. Trent Seven

Or not as Eddie Dennis comes out and jumps May, telling Seven that it was a gift. No match of course.

Noam Dar wants to fight at Takeover but Johnny Saint gives him a match with Tyler Bate next week instead.

Ridge Holland vs. Jack Starz

Holland throws him around like a toy to start, including a hard head and arms suplex. A knee to the ribs cuts off the comeback cold and there’s a double underhook overhead belly to belly. Starz avoids a charge in the corner and grabs a headlock, which I don’t see going well. Holland pounce the heck out of him though and finishes with Northern Grit at 2:39. Another dominant and impressive performance.

Post match Holland is nice enough to give Starz a tip of the cap.

A healthy Amir Jordan surprises Kenny Williams at the gym. They’re teaming, and dancing, again next week.

Tag Team Titles: Gallus vs. Imperium

Gallus is defending against Marcel Barthel/Fabian Aichner. They start fighting before the Big Match Intros are done and it’s Mark forearming Aichner to start. A headlock takeover puts Coffey down so it’s off to Barthel for an armbar. Aichner slaps on one of his own but Coffey pops up with a jumping shoulder. It’s off to Wolfgang, with Phillips trying to compare him to British Strong Style as the fathers of NXT UK. Other than being in the same place, I’m not exactly seeing the resemblance.

Everything breaks down for a bit and Barthel gets flipped into the corner. He rakes the eyes to get out of a fireman’s carry and some stereo dropkicks in the corner have Coffey in trouble. Barthel gets rather cocky and yells in the corner as a trainer comes out to check on Coffey. He’s fine enough to slap Barthel in the face so it’s more stomping in the corner. Aichner hits a hard clothesline but gets backdropped over the top to give Coffey an opening.

Another backdrop allows the tag off to Wolfgang so house can be cleaned. A swinging neckbreaker gets two on Aichner and it’s back to Coffey in a hurry. Now the catapult into the Samoan drop can connect for two and everything breaks down again. With Coffey down on the floor, an assisted spinebuster gets two on Wolfgang.

Coffey is back up to block the European Bomb and it’s time for the slugout. Coffey wins a slugout with Aichner and forearms Barthel out of the air. Aichner drops Coffey but walks into a spear from Wolfgang to put everyone down. Cue the Grizzled Young Veterans to steal the titles but Mark Andrews and Flash Morgan Webster cut them off. They all get in and the match is thrown out at 11:58.

Rating: B. This was getting good by the end but the interference was necessary to get us to the match that really matters. Gallus vs. Imperium could go on for a long time now and if this is the kind of match that we are going to get, we should be just fine for the next several weeks. Or we can just have a big mess of a match at Takeover, which should be fine too.

Post match the big brawl is on until Johnny Saint and Sid Scala come out to announce a four team ladder match for the titles at Takeover. That seems like quite the harsh decision, unfair to the champs and rather overly fair to the Veterans.

Overall Rating: C+. Pretty nice show overall with Takeover coming together (albeit in matches that weren’t really surprising, which isn’t a bad thing) and a solid main event. Things are starting to look good around here and with the shadow of Walter lurking, we could be in for a lot of good stuff for the near and even somewhat far future.

Results

Kay Lee Ray b. Isla Dawn – Gory Bomb

Ridge Holland b. Jack Starz – Northern Grit

Gallus vs. Imperium went to a no contest when the Grizzled Young Veterans, Mark Andrews and Flash Morgan Webster interfered

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

NXT
Date: December 11, 2019
Location: Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Mauro Ranallo, Nigel McGuinness, Beth Phoenix

It’s the next to last show of the year with one more show to go after this in 2019. That show is going to need a main event and we’ll be setting that up tonight with a triple threat match for the #1 contendership to the NXT Title. In other words, it’s Keith Lee vs. Tommaso Ciampa vs. Finn Balor, which should tell you everything you need to know. Let’s get to it.

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

The opening recap looks at the triple threat but Adam Cole cuts things off to say this is a waste of time. Whoever wins tonight is just cashing a ticket to a beating from the best NXT Champion of all time. That is undisputed.

Cruiserweight Title: Angel Garza vs. Lio Rush

Rush is defending and we get the Big Match Intros, as we certainly should for something like this. Rush jumps him before the bell though and it’s a brawl to start until Garza spears the champ through the ropes. A tackle into the steps has Garza down but he drops Rush face first onto the apron to take over. Garza can’t TAKE OFF HIS PANTS though as Rush tackles him down and starts the rapid movements. He gets caught in the corner though and a superkick gives Garza two more.

Garza sends him outside though and we take a break. Back with Rush getting in a shot to the face to put Garza on the floor as well. That means a moonsault to the floor as the pace slows a bit. A slingshot reverse suplex is reversed into a crossbody for two on Garza but he catches Rush with an enziguri on top. That means the super Spanish Fly for a very close two, followed by an exchange of superkicks for the double knockdown.

It’s Rush up first with a Wing Clipper of his own for a near fall of his own but Garza puts him in an electric chair. For some reason Garza drops him onto the ropes so Rush bounces right back with the Stunner. The Final Hour connects but Garza crawls to the floor…..AND RUSH TAKES OFF GARZA’S PANTS! Another Final Hour to the floor only hits knees though and the Wing Clipper gives Garza….two. In a smart move, Garza grabs the underhook again and pulls back for the tap and the title at 15:17.

Rating: B. This was an intense, back and forth match with Rush trying as hard as he could but ultimately being beaten by the better man. That being said though, it isn’t exactly an interesting feud and while Garza has been impressive, he just feels like the next guy to hold the title. It’s way better than whatever they would do on 205 Live, but the title still doesn’t serve much of a purpose other than filling in time on these now double length shows.

Clip from a special on Shayna Baszler vs. Rhea Ripley to set up their title match next week. That is feeling special.

Finn Balor doesn’t like Tommaso Ciampa because he calls the NXT Title Goldie. He’s coming for the title.

During the break, Garza brought his girlfriend into the ring and proposed to her. She said yes, as you might have expected.

Last night, Cameron Grimes attacked Kushida at the Performance Center.

Cameron Grimes vs. Raul Mendoza

Grimes jumps him in the corner to start and sends him outside for a big flip dive. Cue Kushida for a distraction though and Mendoza snaps off a hurricanrana for the pin at 1:14.

Kushida steals the hat, just to be evil.

Mia Yim is furious at Dakota Kai and promises to put her in an ambulance tonight.

Video on Travis Banks, who is in action tonight.

Travis Banks vs. Jaxson Ryker

When Worlds Collide preview. Banks starts fast by kicking him to the floor and hitting a suicide dive. Back in and Ryker chops away in the corner before throwing Banks down with ease. Banks dropkicks the knee out to send Ryker into the corner though and there’s a Cannonball to the back. The top rope double stomp misses so Ryker ax handles him in the chest. A missile dropkick sets up the Slice of Heaven to pin Ryker at 2:46. Remember when Ryker was an unstoppable monster who survived a bunch of ladder shots earlier this year at Takeover? NXT doesn’t either. Or Banks is just that awesome.

Dakota Kai vs. Mia Yim

Yim dropkicks her into the corner to start but Kai forearms away. That just earns her a toss into the corner and a basement dropkick to the head gives Yim two. Kai is back with some kicks to the back but a missed charge puts Kai on the floor. That means a Cannonball against the steps as we take a break.

Back with Yim working on the leg but getting sent face first into the buckle. The circling kick to the face gets two on Yim but she scores with some kicks to the ribs. A belly to belly sends Kai down for two more, followed by Code Blue for the same. Kai grabs a sitout powerbomb out of the corner for two but a one kneed Codebreaker puts her on the floor. Back in and Yim charges into a boot to the face, allowing Kai to pull off a turnbuckle pad. A bounce off the exposed buckle gives Kai the pin at 10:00.

Rating: B-. Yim is a lot better when she’s motivated like this and we got a good match out of it. I’m also rather surprised by how well Kai has done with the heel run. She seems like the most natural face ever and yet here she is cheating and making me want to see someone stop her. Well done indeed and a good match too.

Post match Yim goes after Kai again and takes her onto the tech platform. The belly to back superplex onto some tables destroys Kai as Yim is up pretty quickly. Kai may be hurt as the referees are checking on her for a good bit.

Keith Lee says all he needed was an opportunity and now it’s going to take a lot to stop him. He’s the only one who can make the other two bask in his glory.

Breezango vs. Singh Brothers

One: Breezango are doctors this week. Two: I ALREADY WATCH 205 LIVE SO WHY DO I HAVE TO WATCH THESE STUPID SCHMUCKS HERE TOO????? A jumping knee to the face rocks Sunil to start and a Backstabber puts him down again. It’s off to Fandango, who avoids a charge in the corner to get two on Samir.

A dropkick lets Sunil get a breather and he sends Breeze outside for a few seconds. Back in and the Bollywood Blast gets two on Breeze and we hit the chinlock. Breeze enziguris his way out of trouble and it’s back to Fandango for a top rope kick to the face. Everything breaks down and Samir gets powerbomb onto the apron. Back in and the Last Dance gives Fandango the pin at 4:17.

Rating: D. Well that certainly existed. I’m not sure what the appeal or even point here was supposed to be but it did fill in some time. Having Fandango in a costume of the week (or month at this rate) is missing the point, but it’s not like it’s going to matter all that much either way. At least they got on TV, but

We get another part of the Baszler vs. Ripley video, this time focusing on Ripley’s rise to the top of NXT UK.

Kayden Carter vs. Bianca Belair

Belair charges at her in the corner to start but Carter is right back with a springboard kick to the face. A backbreaker into a gutbuster puts Carter right back down and it’s off to an Argentine backbreaker. That’s broken up so Belair drops down onto Carter’s back a few times. Carter comes back with a forearm to the ribs but the tornado DDT is blocked. Carter gets knees up to block a moonsault and Belair misses a charge to the floor. Back in and Belair spears her down, setting up the KOD for the pin at 4:55.

Rating: C. Carter is someone who has impressed me multiple times so far and she got in some offense against a much bigger star here. Belair is fine in moments like this but she keeps falling short at the finish line. It wasn’t a squash though and that’s a good sign for Carter’s future.

Adam Cole comes out to watch the main event.

Video on Tommaso Ciampa, who is back to claim what is his.

Tommaso Ciampa vs. Keith Lee vs. Finn Balor

During his entrance, Ciampa dedicates this to Goldie. Ciampa starts on Balor to start with Finn being sent outside. That means a stalking from Lee, who drops Balor onto the apron. Lee sends him back inside for a slingshot dive onto both of them for the big knockdown. Back from a break with Lee crushing both of them with corner splashes until Ciampa kicks him in the face. A Cactus Clothesline leaves Balor alone in the ring but it’s Ciampa back inside in a hurry.

Ciampa’s running knees to the face has Balor in trouble and there’s a double hanging DDT to both Lee and Balor. Ciampa pats himself on the back (as he does) and starts slugging away at Lee for a change. Lee runs him over but the splash hits knees in a hurry. The Fairy Tale Ending is broken up though and it’s Balor coming back in for a double stomp to Lee’s chest. With everyone back in, Lee starts crushing the other two in the corner.

That gets the fans going all over again and a double backdrop makes it even worse. Lee goes up but gets double super Russian legsweeped back down. We take another break and come back again Ciampa trying the super Air Raid Crash….so Lee puts them both on his shoulders for a double electric chair. Lee misses a middle rope moonsault but he’s fine enough to hit the Limit Breaker on Ciampa. Balor reverses another attempt into a small package for two but Lee is fine enough to block the Sling Blade.

The Spirit Bomb is countered into a double stomp. Ciampa is sent outside and Balor hits a big flip dive onto Lee. Balor sends Ciampa into the barricade to knock down some fan but it’s time for Lee to start running people over back inside. Ciampa goes after Lee’s knee and somehow hits the Air Raid Crash for two. Back up and Lee plants him with a spinebuster, setting up the middle rope moonsault for two of his own. The Spirit Bomb hits Ciampa but Balor comes in off the top with the Coup de Grace to Lee (that was some great timing) for the pin and the title shot at 18:10.

Rating: B+. The ending alone made this one that much better as Balor came in out of nowhere and got the pin, including after hitting his finisher instead of stealing someone else’s win. This is a match where no one looks bad and the action was awesome throughout so what more can you ask for? Other than Lee winning, but he seems safe for now.

Cole stares Balor down and the Undisputed Era comes out to join him to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. I’m not sued to saying this but for the first time in a long time, it felt like this show dragged in parts. There were matches (Belair and Breezango in particular) which felt like they were there for nothing other than filler to get us to the two hour run time. That being said, you had the Cruiserweight Title match, the main event and Grimes vs. Kushida continuing so we should be fine going forward. It just makes me miss the hour long format because this could have been a classic show had they not had to stretch to fill in the time.

Results

Angel Garza b. Lio Rush – Double underhook pull

Raul Mendoza b. Cameron Grimes – Hurricanrana

Travis Banks b. Jaxson Ryker – Slice of Heaven

Dakota Kai b. Mia Yim – Ram into an exposed turnbuckle

Breezango b. Singh Brothers – Last Dance to Sunil

Bianca Belair b. Kayden Carter – KOD

Finn Balor b. Keith Lee and Tommaso Ciampa – Coup de Grace to Lee

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

NXT UK
Date: December 5, 2019
Location: Bonus Arena, Hull, England
Commentators: Tom Phillips, Nigel McGuinness

The big story has started picking up as we have the now face Gallus vs. Imperium, which seems to be focused around Joe Coffey challenging Walter for the United Kingdom Title. That works very well as we are just over a month away from Takeover: Blackpool II. Tonight is the negotiating session, which sounds like a fancy way of saying “they’ll talk and then they’ll fight.” Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Toni Storm vs. Killer Kelly

Storm starts fast with a low dropkick and a running big boot drops Kelly again. Kelly knocks her down though and hits some crossface shots to set up the reverse chinlock. Back up and a jumping spin kick to the chest rocks Storm so she hits Kelly in the face. A release German suplex drops Kelly and it’s Storm Zero for the pin at 2:12.

Post match Toni grabs the mic but it’s Kay Lee Ray jumping her from behind. Cue Piper Niven for the save and Ray leaves, but Storm doesn’t seem happy with Piper for helping her.

Flash Morgan Webster and Mark Andrews want to be the #1 contenders. Let them have a chance in Blackpool.

Post break, Storm tells Niven to stay away from her.

The Hunt vs. The Outliers

That would be Riddick Moss/Dorian Mak (Dan Matha). Boar pulls Moss into the corner to start and then punches him right back out. Make up your mind dude. Moss is right back with a heck of a running shoulder into the corner and the trash talk is on in a hurry. Mak comes in and it’s time for some slow stomping.

The Outliers take turns stomping in the corner but stop to mock Boar for not being able to make it over to the ropes. Mak grabs a bearhug to mix things up a bit and Boar’s bite to the finger doesn’t get him very far. A missed charge allows the tag off to Primate though and it’s time to clean house. Moss gets sent outside for an apron splash and it’s three straight top rope headbutts into a double top rope headbutt to finish Mak at 7:41.

Rating: C. This was a fairly dull one for the most part but then the ending comeback from Primate made up for a lot of it. The Outliers aren’t the most original team in the world but they make for some annoying heels that you want to see lose and that’s a nice act to have around. I still like the Hunt, but they seem a long way off from the title picture.

Jordan Devlin vs. A-Kid

This could be interesting. Devlin headscissors him down to the mat to start but Kid flips up and we get the early staredown. Kid’s springboard is cut off by a kick to the leg and Devlin is starting to get cocky in a hurry. Cue Tyler Bate as Devlin puts a knee in the back and cranks on the leg at a rather unnatural angle (A-Kid’s foot is parallel to his hip for a cringe inducing visual).

Kid gets up and climbs the ropes into a springboard moonsault DDT. Back up and Kid’s knee gives out on a whip across the ring, meaning it’s a slingshot cutter to give Devlin two. The Devil Inside is shoved off though and Devlin falls to the floor, allowing Kid to hit a great looking springboard moonsault out to the floor. Devlin kicks him in the face though and, after a glare at Bate, hits the Devil Inside for the pin at 7:25.

Rating: C+. You have two guys with a lot of talent and give one of them a reason to be more aggressive than usual. Bate vs. Devlin is going to be a big deal as not only is the match going to be entertaining but it might be the boost that Devlin has been needing. British Strong Style is still the most over group of people around here so having Devlin in there with Bate is going to be nothing but great for him.

Jinny isn’t happy with the loss to Piper Niven and calls it disrespectful. It was the same thing when Jazzy Gabert was ejected from ringside. Everything is fine though, with Gabert speaking for once to say the same thing.

Joseph Conners vs. Ligero vs. Travis Banks

Fallout from Conners breaking up Ligero vs. Banks from three weeks ago. That earns Conners a double beatdown in the corner to start so some chops and kicks can make his skin crawl. Ligero and Banks stare each other down but go with a double superkick to put Conners on the floor instead. We get a double cover between Ligero and Banks so Conners rolls both of them up for two at the same time in a smart move. Not a successful one, but smart.

They head outside with Ligero headscissoring Conners down but getting stomped from the apron by Banks. Everyone is back in with Banks dropkicking Conners into the corner and Ligero following him in to give Banks two. Conners breaks up a cover on Banks with the slingshot DDT before DDTing both of them down for two each. A shortarm clothesline gets two more on Ligero but Banks shoves Conners off the top.

Ligero is back up with a super armdrag to bring Banks down and it’s a triple knockdown. Banks and Ligero chop it out on the apron until Banks is sent out to the floor. That means Conners comes out to join him and knock Ligero into the steps. Conners, with a busted nose, tries a dive but gets caught in the ropes as Banks is back up.

The Slice of Heaven hits Conners but Ligero hits C4L on Banks. Conners is back up with Don’t Look Down on Ligero so Banks nails a top rope double stomp for the save in a session with a lot of action but not much selling. Another Slice of Heaven is countered into a powerbomb from Ligero but Conners snaps his arm across the top rope. Another Don’t Look Down gives Conners the pin on Banks at 10:36.

Rating: B. Winner aside, they had a very fast paced match here with everyone getting a chance to shine. Banks continues to look like a star, Ligero is someone who is playing way above his head and Conners is still the least interesting guy in the promotion. Giving him wins isn’t making him more interesting and I don’t know what WWE sees in this guy.

Kassius Ohno doesn’t like that Tyler Bate got underneath his skin. He doesn’t like that so from now on, the knockout artist is taking a backseat to the wrestling genius. It’s going to be holds instead of strikes because the genius is back.

Sid Scala and Johnny Saint are here for the face to face between Coffey and Walter. Coffey tells Walter to start negotiating but Walter wants to hear his terms. Walter has a seat and Coffey talks about him showing up at Blackpool in January to take the attention. That night, Walter kicked him in the face and left a mark that hasn’t gone away. Now Coffey wants the title, which doesn’t surprise Walter. But what would Walter get in return?

He wants Wolfgang and Mark Coffey to defend the Tag Team Titles and Joe says yes before Walter can get another word in. Walter isn’t done yet though because he also wants Ilja Dragunov vs. Alexander Wolfe in a No DQ match. Joe can’t do that because Dragunov isn’t part of Gallus, but here’s Dragunov to say he’s in.

Scala makes the Tag Team Title match for next week and the No DQ match for some point in the future before confirming Coffey vs. Walter for the title at Takeover. Coffey leaves but Walter stops Dragunov, saying that he made a bad decision. Wolfe pops out from underneath the ring and here are Barthel and Aichner to destroy Dragunov. They put him through the table to end the show with no Gallus save. This was fine, though it didn’t exactly set up anything surprising.

Overall Rating: C+. Good wrestling and an ok enough ending segment make for a pretty nice show as Takeover is starting to pick up steam. This show may not be the best week to week but, like any other, it gets better when they have a target in sight. That’s what they have now and it made this show better. It’s a good week and maybe they can keep it going.

Results

Toni Storm b. Killer Kelly – Storm Zero

The Hunt b. The Outliers – Double top rope headbutt to Mak

Jordan Devlin b. A-Kid – Devil Inside

Joseph Conners b. Ligero and Travis Banks – Don’t Look Down to Banks

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

NXT
Date: December 4, 2019
Location: Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Mauro Ranallo, Beth Phoenix, Nigel McGuinness

Things got more interesting last week with Finn Balor going after Adam Cole, though it isn’t clear if they’re going to be alone, as Tommaso Ciampa was in the mix too. They have something interesting with the NXT Title picture and that is going to make for some fun shows as we get ready for Portland. Granted that’s a long way off though and a lot could change by then. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening recap.

Opening sequence.

Mauro Ranallo previews the show.

Killian Dain is in the ring to call out an opponent to replace the injured Damian Priest.

Killian Dain vs. Pete Dunne

They go straight to the fight with Dunne kicking him down and working on the arm. The fingers are bent back but a clothesline doesn’t put Dunne on the floor. Instead Dain hits a crossbody and crushes Dunne for two. The reverse chinlock goes on, followed by a running elbow to give Dain two more.

The second chinlock goes on, this time with Dain hammering away at the chest at the same time. Dunne fights up and hits a German suplex, only to get caught going up top. Dain pulls him to the apron, only to get stomped on the hand. A moonsault jams Dunne’s knee though and Dain hits a dive, with the camera missing most of it.

Back from a break with Dunne hitting a tornado DDT and stomping on the fingers again. A kick to the head gives Dunne two and now the moonsault to the floor connects. Dain drops him onto the apron though and a Cannonball against the steps makes it even worse. Back in and Dunne tries to catch him on top, only to get dropped backwards for the big crash to give Dain the pin at 14:46 (the same thing Dain did to Dunne at Takeover to accidentally give Dunne the pin on Priest).

Rating: B-. Nice match here with a good callback to the previous match at Takeover. Dunne losing is still something I’m not used to after watching him destroy people for so long but it’s what happens when you move up in competition. He jumped into NXT when the talent pool was crazy deep and it’s going to take some time for him to adjust himself.

Dakota Kai thinks Tegan Nox isn’t worth her time and now Rhea Ripley wants to play hero. Tonight, Dakota is taking her out, just like she did to Mia Yim.

Here’s the Undisputed Era, minus Bobby Fish, for a chat. They’ve been on a roll lately and the greatness is just beginning. However, they don’t like the way they were treated last week, as NXT allowed Bobby Fish to get hurt and then Keith Lee knocked Adam Cole around like a rag doll. Cole is NOT a rag doll and wants Lee out here right now for an explanation. Cole dubs him Mr. Moment Maker so the fans sing about basking in his glory.

Strong brings up Roman Reigns beating Lee at Survivor Series, because he’s a loser you see. Lee gets to the point and looks at all the gold. Cole: “My eyes are up here.” Lee: “I’m just deciding which of these championships I should take first.” The fight is on with Lee cleaning house. Tommaso Ciampa runs down to send Cole back in, but Strong saves him from the Spirit Bomb.

Xia Li wants revenge on Shayna Baszler.

Kushida is back from his broken wrist.

Xia Li vs. Shayna Baszler

Non-title. Li wins an early strike off and Baszler isn’t sure what to do. They go to the mat with Baszler not being able to hang in the striking. Instead she flips Li over, only to get kicked in the head. Baszler takes her down by the arm though and hits the big stomp to put Li in trouble. More strikes give Li a breather but she can only do so much with one arm. Li heads up top and strikes her way out of a superplex attempt. A powerbomb out of the corner gets two but Baszler pulls her into the Kirifuda Clutch for the tap at 4:06.

Rating: C+. Li was giving it everything she had here and got in some big shots that made her look good. It wasn’t like the ending was ever in doubt here as Baszler just won the main event of Survivor Series and isn’t going to lose something like this. Li got to show off a lot and I could see her being something in a few months.

Kassius Ohno is back from the UK and wants to be ready for Worlds Collide, when NXT meets NXT UK. That could be good if they treat it like something special, and it seems that they might.

Forgotten Sons vs. Adrian Alanis/Leon Ruff

Ruff and Alanis are from Evolve. Blake wastes no time in clotheslining Ruff in the back of the head and there’s the buckle bomb to make it worse. Alanis comes in and gets taken down by a running knee to the head. A release German suplex sets up the reverse DDT/middle rope stomp finishes Alanis at 1:21.

Post match Jaxson Ryker chokeslams Ruff onto the apron for a heck of a nasty crash.

Dakota Kai vs. Rhea Ripley

Kai’s new Titantron is the attack on Tegan Nox for an outstanding addition. Hold on though as Ripley has a mic and says not so fast. It was a great setup at Takeover, and now we have another one. Cue Mia Yim to run Kai over and the fight is on. Yim destroys Kai, sending her into the barricade over and over again. They eventually go into the crowd with Kai crawling away. No match of course.

With Ripley still at ringside, cue the Horsewomen for the other brawl. Ripley fights them off as well as she can but the numbers game eventually gets the better of her, allowing Baszler to choke her out. Ripley is out so Baszler talks trash about how Ripley can’t win when anything is on the line. Now Ripley wants a title shot, and so does Baszler. They’ll fight for the title in two weeks. Best thing about this: flowing from one story into another without having to go to the back and set things up. It feels MUCH more natural and that is the best thing that they could have done here.

Ciampa and Lee are ready to face the Undisputed Era. Dominick Dijakovic shows up and seems to be joining them tonight.

Video on Finn Balor, who wants the NXT Title back. He’s playing chess while Cole is playing checkers, so checkmate.

Video on Isaiah Scott.

Matt Riddle vs. Kassius Ohno

The fans chant for Riddle in the Goldberg cadence for a fun moment. They go with the grappling to start until Riddle takes him down by the (right) arm. The cravate has Riddle in more trouble but he’s back out with a German suplex as the eyes get a bit more serious. Ohno gets sent outside for a kick to the chest and we take a break.

Back with Riddle kicking at the chest as the announcers keep hyping up When Worlds Collide. Ohno gets in a shot to the throat and a big boot to drop Riddle as he is willing to cheat to finally beat him. Or he’s just a villain in general. The cravate goes back on and is switched into a crossarm choke to keep Riddle in trouble.

That’s broken up as well and Riddle hits a Broton but has to bail out of a standing moonsault. The Bro To Sleep sets up a powerbomb to plant Ohno, and the Final Flash knocks him silly. Riddle’s Floating Bro gets two but Ohno is right back with a suplex. Ohno tries a cradle piledriver but gets reversed into a knee to the face and the Bro Derek to give Riddle the pin at 12:33.

Rating: B-. Yeah of course these two have good matches against each other because they work well together and have similar styles. At the end of the day though, Ohno exists to put Riddle over and that’s a great role for him. What matters more than anything else here though is the hype for When Worlds Collide, meaning it might actually be important for once. They have been watchable before, but it would be great to see the show have some meaning.

We look back at Baszler beating Ripley down. The title match is official for the 18^th.

Kushida vs. Raul Mendoza

Or not as here’s Cameron Grimes to jump Mendoza and take his place. This stuns Kushida for some reason.

Kushida vs. Cameron Grimes

As stunned as he is, Kushida is fine enough to hit a handspring kick to the face to put Grimes on the floor to start, setting up a big flip dive off the top to take Grimes down again. Back in and Kushida grabs something like the Black Widow and bends the arm WAY back for a nearly terrifying visual. Another handspring is countered into a German suplex to put Kushida down for the first time and the Superman forearm connects. Grimes tries his backflip into a German suplex but Kushida reverses into a rollup for the pin at 4:16.

Rating: C. This was a weird one as Grimes has been getting a pretty big push in recent weeks but then loses here to the returning Kushida. I get why Kushida gets the win to put himself back on track but why have him beat Grimes and not, say, Mendoza like you had planned? Just a weird moment but it came at the end of a fine match.

We recap Lio Rush vs. Angel Garza. They meet for Rush’s Cruiserweight Title next week.

Also next week: Yim vs. Kai.

Undisputed Era vs. Dominick Dijakovic/Tommaso Ciampa/Keith Lee

Strong gets taken into the corner for the early beating and Ciampa already has to give himself some applause. O’Reilly comes in for a standing guillotine on Dijakovic and is quickly tossed out of a suplex. A middle rope splash gives Dijakovic two and the standing knees to the back make it even worse. The Era is sent outside and we take a break. Back with Dijakovic fighting out of O’Reilly’s abdominal stretch and hitting one heck of a clothesline.

That’s not enough to get over for the tag though as O’Reilly grabs the leg. It takes all three members of the Era to pull Dijakovic back into the corner for a unique visual. Dijakovic fights up and makes the tag off to Ciampa so house can be cleaned. A jumping knee to the back of O’Reilly’s head sets up Project Ciampa for two.

The Fairy Tale Ending is broken up and it’s High/Low to give Strong two with Lee and Dijakovic making a double save. Strong drops Ciampa again as things settle into the normal structure again. Cole and Lee get the hot tags and it’s time for the real house cleaning. The threat of a big dive sends the Era scattering so Lee runs over O’Reilly and Strong.

Dijakovic hits a spinning springboard dive but Cole breaks up a superplex to put O’Reilly on the pile outside. Cue Finn Balor to dropkick Cole into the referee in the corner. 1916 plants Ciampa but Lee rises up behind Balor for a great visual. Lee hits the Spirit Bomb on Balor and, after avoiding the Last Shot, hits the Limit Breaker for the pin on Cole at 11:48.

Rating: B. This was the kind of match that NXT knows how to do very well as they had the interference but then gave us the big moment to end things as well. These guys beat the heck out of each other and had the big spots in there, with Lee continuing to get the rocket push. That being said, there are other people involved who could get the title shot as well, which makes for a lot of great possibilities.

Post match here’s William Regal to make Keith Lee vs. Finn Balor vs. Tommaso Ciampa for next week with the winner getting a title shot the following week. That really could go any of the three ways and that’s not something you see every day.

Overall Rating: B. Another night with the wrestling being good throughout, as well as setting up multiple things that I want to see later on. You don’t get that very often and they made it work here, which almost no one else can do. The future is crazy bright with Lee and Ripley getting the monster pushes, but what makes it so much better is you could see them winning, which is almost unthinkable. More good stuff here though, as NXT’s roll continues (for years now).

Results

Killian Dain b. Pete Dunne – Middle rope belly to back slam

Shayna Baszler b. Xia Li – Kirifuda Clutch

Forgotten Sons b. Adrian Alanis/Leon Ruff – Reverse DDT/middle rope stomp to Alanis

Matt Riddle b. Kassius Ohno – Bro Derek

Kushida b. Cameron Grimes – Cradle

Keith Lee/Tommaso Ciampa/Dominick Dijakovic b. Undisputed Era – Limit Breaker to Cole

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6