NXT – March 6, 2019: It’s A Takeover On TV

IMG Credit: WWE

NXT
Date: March 6, 2019
Location: Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Nigel McGuinness, Mauro Ranallo, Percy Watson

Believe it or not it’s tournament time on a WWE show with the first round of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic starting tonight. The interesting team involved is the reformed DIY, who are probably the favorites in the whole thing despite having the consistency of something with very low consistency. Let’s get to it.

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

The opening video looks at the Dusty Classic, with each team getting to say that they’ll be winning.

Opening sequence.

Of course we’re greeted by Common Man Boogie, because it couldn’t really be anything else.

Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic First Round: Aleister Black/Ricochet vs. Fabian Aichner/Marcel Barthel

Aichner and Black start things off with Aichner’s shoulder not even getting a one count. Barthel comes in and gets struck down in short order with Black armdragging him into an armbar. It’s already back to Aichner to stomp Black down in the corner as the villains take over for the first time. Barthel knees Black in the face and knocks Ricochet off the apron so he can get two.

Black kicks away from a reverse chinlock though and it’s off to Ricochet to speed things up. Kicks abound (Black must be rubbing off on him) and Ricochet sends Barthel into Aichner, who DDTs his partner by mistake. Thankfully Ricochet cuts off my rant about how stupid that is with a springboard European uppercut and the standing shooting star for two. Back up and Barthel throws Ricochet into a suplex from Aichner (Still cool, though not as cool as the powerslam that they used on NXT UK earlier today. Maybe having them on TV twice in one day is a bad idea.), followed by a double springboard moonsault for two.

Ricochet is back up but a kick to the back cuts off his dive, allowing Aichner to hit a springboard tornado DDT for two. Aichner gets low bridged to the floor and Ricochet rolls over to bring in Black, who was fine watching his partner get double teamed. The Europeans catch Black in the Tree of Woe for a double dropkick but Ricochet is in with a springboard hurricanrana to Barthel. A heck of a suicide dive takes Barthel down again but Aichner counters Black’s dive into a rollup for two. Back up and Black Mass finishes Aichner at 8:20.

Rating: A-. This was GREAT with everything but the first minute or two being all action with both teams looking awesome. I haven’t been a fan of Aichner and Barthel so far but they’ve figured it out in their last few matches and looked better and better every time. I was buying that Ricochet and Black were in jeopardy more than once here and that takes a lot when you can be pretty sure who is winning as soon as the teams come out. Incredibly fun match with all four looking awesome.

Moustache Mountain stares down the War Raiders.

We look back at Dominik Dijakovic vs. Keith Lee from last week with the double countout likely setting up a rematch.

Earlier this week, Dijakovic tried to get at Lee at the Performance Center but some wrestlers (including Eric Bugenhagen) held him back. The rematch is in two weeks.

Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic First Round: Oney Lorcan/Danny Burch vs. Forgotten Sons

Steve Cutler/Wesley Blake for the Sons with Jaxson Ryker on the floor. Burch takes Cutler down by the arm to start and it’s already off to Lorcan for a headlock. The Sons get him over into the corner to take over though and it’s a backbreaker into a double chokebreaker for two. Another double backbreaker gets one and we hit the reverse chinlock with a knee in Lorcan’s back. They’re certainly making sense so far. Lorcan fights up (of course) and brings in Burch to take over, including a release German suplex to both Sons.

The middle rope dropkick into the nipup brings Lorcan back in with Blake hitting a quick backbreaker for two. The Boston crab stays on Lorcan’s back until Burch headbutts the heck out of Blake for the save. Burch slips out of a powerbomb and it’s Lorcan firing off chops to both Sons. Everything breaks down and the spike DDT gives Burch two. Cutler blocks what looked to be a German suplex attempt and it’s Lorcan getting toss powerbombed into Cutler’s knees in the corner. A reverse DDT/middle rope double stomp combination finishes Lorcan at 8:21.

Rating: B. It says a lot when a rather good match isn’t stealing the show this week but that’s how good things have been so far. I’m surprised that the Sons won but beating Lorcan and Burch still has a lot of value to it. Lorcan and Burch are over as a team and the Sons definitely needed the win more. They’re not going to win the tournament, but at least a win is better than nothing.

Here’s Velveteen Dream to remind us that he’s North American Champion (his words) but it’s Matt Riddle interrupting. This could be interesting and, as expected, Riddle says that he likes the look of the title and wonders what it would look like around his waist. Dream says the spotlight is on him….and that becomes literal. I think we have the show stealer in New York.

Io Shirai and Kairi Sane both want the Women’s Title but have to worry about Bianca Belair. Shirai says it’s her destiny to be champion and switches to Japanese as she seems to say she’s the best.

Next week: Belair vs. Shirai in a #1 contenders match.

Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic First Round: Street Profits vs. Moustache Mountain

Bate and Ford hit the mat to start with an exchange of headlocks. Dawkins tags himself in to run Bate over for two and it’s back to the mat with a waistlock. Bate gets up with an enziguri and it’s off to Seven, who stands in place so Bate can hit his bounce off the shoulders senton for two. The Profits take over on Seven for a change and it’s a kick to the ribs to set up a cravate. The fans get behind Seven, who fights up with a hard DDT for the double knockdown. It’s back to Bate for the top rope back elbow to the Dawkins. The standing shooting star gets two and Seven sends Ford outside.

The Dragon suplex/clothesline combination is broken up and Dawkins spears Seven for two. Ford is back up for a heck of a dive onto Seven as Bate hits Bop and Bang on Dawkins. With Seven down, it’s the Sky High into the crazy frog splash for two on Bate. Seven is back up for a dragon suplex to Ford on the apron and Bate German suplexes Dawkins. The torture rack (with Seven nearly dropping him) to Dawkins into the top rope knee from Bate is good for the pin at 7:22.

Rating: B. Another very good match here with the Profits getting a rub in defeat. You almost have to have the Brits win here due to their status as major stars and that’s acceptable. The Profits aren’t ready to beat a team like them, though I’m not sure if they ever will be. At least they had a very good match here.

Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic First Round: Undisputed Era vs. DIY

Bobby Fish/Kyle O’Reilly for the Era here. Gargano and Ciampa come out to their own music but then switch to the DIY song on the ramp. Fish goes after Gargano’s leg to start as the DIY chants are clearly louder than the UNDISPUTED ones. With Fish not being able to do much, O’Reilly comes in and gets armdragged down. It’s also off to Ciampa for a wristlock so Fish tries his luck again.

Everything breaks down for a bit with Gargano diving onto Fish, leaving Ciampa to get a neckbreaker on O’Reilly for two. Fish is back up with a legsweep to take Gargano down on the apron though and the Era takes over. It’s a kneebar to keep Gargano in trouble and some right hands keep him down. Gargano kicks O’Reilly away but it sends him right over to Ciampa for a knock off the apron in a smart move.

Fish’s wheelbarrow suplex gets two on Gargano and it’s already time for the chinlock, complete with an appropriate fishhook. Gargano fights up and hits the tornado DDT/enziguri combination for the much needed breather but Fish is right there to pull Ciampa from the apron. As tends to be the case, the hot tag brings in Ciampa a second later and it’s time for the house cleaning as Ciampa is still great in this role. A knee in the corner sets up a Tower of London for two on O’Reilly and it’s time to roll some German suplexes.

It’s back to Gargano who gets caught in O’Reilly’s guillotine until Ciampa runs in with a knee to the head for the break. Gargano and O’Reilly strike it out with O’Reilly hitting a Dean Ambrose rebound lariat for a double knockdown and an NXT chant. Double tags bring in Ciampa and Fish with Ciampa teasing the German suplex off the apron. Instead it’s Gargano getting knocked to the floor, leaving Ciampa to take a super Falcon Arrow for a VERY close two.

The cross armbreaker is blocked so Fish adds a top rope headbutt to get the whole thing on. Gargano dives back in and shoves Fish onto the two of them for the break and they all head outside. O’Reilly hits a great looking running knee from the apron on Ciampa, who is right back up with a hanging DDT. Gargano’s slingshot DDT gets two on O’Reilly and it’s a dropkick to Fish, setting up Meet in the Middle to finish O’Reilly at 14:04.

Rating: A. I didn’t think anything would top the opener but of course DIY managed to pull it off. Were you expecting anything else? DIY really hasn’t lost a step at all and that’s not the biggest surprise given how well they know each other. What we got here was incredible stuff and while I’m surprised the Era lost so early on, at least we got an instant classic to wrap things up.

The War Raiders come out for the staredown to end the show.

Here are the updated brackets:

Aleister Black/Ricochet

DIY

Moustache Mountain

Forgotten Sons

Overall Rating: A+. What else is there to say? This was practically a short form Takeover with four very good to outstanding matches, all with a purpose and the big story being advanced. They even set up a non-tournament match in the middle of the show. While it may not have the same variety as some episodes, this is one of the best things NXT has ever done and it’s going to be hard to top. You know, because that’s always been the case for NXT.

Results

Aleister Black/Ricochet b. Fabian Aichner/Marcel Barthel – Black Mass to Aichner

Forgotten Sons b. Oney Lorcan/Danny Burch – Reverse DDT/middle rope double stomp combination to Lorcan

Moustache Mountain b. Street Profits – Burning Hammer/Top rope knee to the face combination to Dawkins

DIY b. Undisputed Era – Meet in the Middle to O’Reilly

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2000 Monday Nitro and Thunder Reviews Part 1 (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/02/22/new-book-kbs-monday-nitro-thunder-reviews-volume-vii-january-june-2000/

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

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

NXT UK – January 30, 2019: The One That Could Beat NXT

IMG Credit: WWE

NXT UK
Date: January 30, 2019
Location: Empress Ballroom, Blackpool, England
Commentators: Nigel McGuinness, Vic Joseph

We’re still in Blackpool and that means we could be in for some fun stuff. The fallout from Takeover is still in effect and we’re probably on the verge of seeing Walter make his in-ring debut. He’s a heck of a monster and if he does things well, he can be the top star around here in a hurry. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a video on Walter, who makes his debut tonight.

Opening sequence.

Dave Mastiff vs. Jay Melrose

They trade shoulders to no avail to start so the huge Mastiff goes with a crossbody to really take over. Melrose is right back up and grabs the beard (NOT COOL!) to hammer away. An armbar doesn’t get far on Mastiff so they trade forearms to no effect. Melrose blocks a suplex though and it’s right back to the armbar. Of course he can’t fireman’s carry the huge Mastiff, who crashes onto him and hits a running backsplash. A German suplex sets up the Cannonball to finish Melrose at 4:59.

Rating: C-. Not much to see here, though well done by having Primate (just call him that and drop the Melrose thing) get in some offense. Mastiff having to fight through some adversity is a nice touch and the match was far from bad. They need something for Mastiff to do though and this is only going to do so much for so long.

We look back at Zack Gibson and James Drake becoming the first Tag Team Champions.

Video on Xia Brookside.

Here are Gibson and Drake for a chat. The fans still hate Gibson, who talks about how they told everyone they would win. They stole the show in Blackpool because they were focused on their goal. You can take your shoes off and wave them all you want but they are Grizzled Young Veterans and Tag Team Champions. This brings out Sid Scala, who says their first title defense will be in Phoenix against Danny Burch/Oney Lorcan. Sounds good to me and it’s a match that makes perfect sense.

Walter vs. Jack Starz

This is Walter’s in-ring debut and he starts with the chops. They head outside for a drop onto the apron as Walter is already looking like a monster. Back in and a knee to the face sets up a heck of a powerbomb to complete the squash of Starz at 2:30. Walter not only looks like a star but he has the all important star power, which is lacking around here.

Post break, Trent Seven yelled at Walter, who was backed up by Fabian Aichner and Marcel Barthel. They’ll be his friends, though he didn’t seem interested.

Jinny vs. Kasey Owens

Owens hangs upside down in the ropes during her entrance for a nice touch. Jinny easily takes her down by the arm to star and scratches her nails into Kasey’s arm. There’s an ax kick to the back to keep Owens in trouble but she pulls Jinny into a bodyscissors for a nice counter. That’s countered into an ankle lock but Owens is in the rope in a hurry. They forearm it out until Owens avoids a charge in the corner.

Jinny takes her outside anyway and sends Kasey ribs first into the barricade, followed by an abdominal stretch back inside. You know a regular abdominal stretch isn’t enough though as Jinny scratches the ribs for a bonus. Jinny puts on a modified surfboard before just kicking her in the back. Kasey is right back with an armbar over the ropes, which can only last for a few seconds. Back up and Jinny pulls her out of the corner with the Makeover for the pin at 5:11.

Rating: D+. The fingernails stuff was a good idea as Jinny looked vicious but it still feels like she’s having trouble breaking through to the next level. That being said, Jinny vs. Storm is a big rivalry in Progress and it would work just fine in NXT as well. Owens was fine, though just another person who doesn’t stand out on a big roster.

Earlier today, Rhea Ripley demanded her rematch with Storm in Phoenix, which takes place in three weeks.

Next week: Walter vs. Mark Coffey.

Moustache Mountain vs. Fabian Aichner/Marcel Barthel

Bate and Barthel start things off in the traditional battle over the wristlock. It’s a headlock to put Barthel in control so Bate walks on his hands to escape. He’s not only big and strong but he’s agile. Barthel grabs an ankle so Bate pulls himself up and flips away again. An armdrag into an armbar has Barthel in more trouble so it’s off to Seven to stay on said arm.

Aichner comes in and starts uppercutting in the corner but Seven takes him down for Bate’s middle rope assisted Swanton. Seven is back in again and it’s a blind tag to bring Barthel back in for a pop up faceplant. We hit the chinlock for a bit, followed by a backbreaker from Aichner for two. It’s off to a bodyscissors to keep Bate down, triggering the comeback and a diving tag off to Seven. A powerbomb out of the corner rocks Aichner and it’s a sitout slam for two on Barthel.

The dragon suplex/clothesline combination is broken up and it’s an enziguri into a rollup for the near fall on Seven this time around. Barthel is sent outside and knocked off the apron by a missed charge from Aichner, leaving Seven to hit the Seven Star Lariat for two more. It’s back to Barthel to clean house until a Stunner cuts him off. Everything breaks down and a double Liger Kick takes the villains down. The dragon suplex/clothesline combination gets the pin on Barthel at 13:07.

Rating: B. I’m not much of a Barthel fan but this was a heck of a match with both teams looking great. The Grizzled Young Veterans are a great team and now we need some teams to come after the titles. Either of these two would be fine though having Moustache Mountain as the first challengers would make sense. Very good match here with all four feeling it.

Overall Rating: C+. It’s another show where the main event carried things and there’s nothing wrong with that. They had a good hour of television here and things are looking good going forward. Walter alone made this worth seeing and with the proper build, his eventual showdown with Pete Dunne could rival some top level NXT matches.

Results

Dave Mastiff b. Jay Melrose – Cannonball

Walter b. Jack Starz – Powerbomb

Jinny b. Kasey Owens – Makeover

Moustache Mountain b. Fabian Aichner/Marcel Barthel – Dragon suplex/clothesline combination to Barthel

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 1997 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/11/20/new-paperback-complete-1997-monday-night-raw-reviews/

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

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

Takeover: Blackpool – Someone Give This A Chant That I Can’t Understand Because I Don’t Speak English!

IMG Credit: WWE

Takeover: Blackpool
Date: January 12, 2019
Location: Empress Ballroom, Blackpool, England
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Nigel McGuinness

I’m not sure what to think about this. First of all, it’s cool that NXT UK is starting to do something like this. You can only go so far with a TV show and nothing else so having a special like this helps. At the same time though, NXT was down in Full Sail for nearly two years before its first Network special. It hasn’t even been three months since NXT UK TV debuted. I hope they’re ready so let’s get to it.

The opening video looks at the path to this event, with the first event taking place in this very building. Each match gets a quick preview.

The announcers, actually in the arena for a change, run down the card.

Tag Team Titles: Moustache Mountain vs. Zack Gibson/James Drake

For the inaugural titles. Moustache Mountain have some British Bulldogs inspired tights for the very nice touch. We see the rather pretty belts for the first time, which is always a nice feeling. Gibson and Bate start things off and the fans are already singing for Bate. An early armbar takes Bate down and it’s time to take the shoes off in hatred of Gibson. Bate gets taken down in a test of strength and bridges up until he backflips out of it in a very unique escape.

Drake and Seven come in so it’s time to drum up a new song. A quick fireman’s carry slam sets up Bate’s middle rope cannonball so it’s back to Gibson, who bails to the floor. Back in and a hurricanrana keeps Gibson in trouble, followed by Seven hitting a crossbody for two. Drake comes in sans tag for a distraction and heads outside, where a suicide dive hurts Seven’s arm. The slowed down Seven gets taken down by a Gibson clothesline and the villains take over.

Drake grabs an arm trap chinlock (Seven: “OW MY ARM!”) and then hits a discus elbow, which actually busts the back of Seven’s head open. Gibson, who the fans still hate, grabs a chinlock of his own as Seven still can’t get out of trouble. Seven and Drake head outside where Seven’s chops don’t have much effect but once back inside, he’s able to drive into the corner for the tag to Bate in a hurry. That was a different kind of hot tag and that’s greatly appreciated.

Bate picks up the pace with a middle rope back elbow to Gibson, followed by an airplane spin to both of them AT THE SAME TIME. I know I say this every time but EGADS that’s impressive. Gibson and Drake head outside so Bate hits a shooting star off the apron for the double knockdown. Bop and Bang hit Gibson and it’s back to Seven for a suplex into the Swan Dive for two. Gibson kicks Seven in the knee and brings Drake back in for a pinfall reversal sequence.

Everything breaks down again and the dragon suplex/clothesline combination is broken up with Gibson’s Ticket To Ride. Helter Skelter into a 450 gets a very close two on Seven and the fans are back into it. Gibson gets the Shankley Gates on Seven and Drake puts another one on Bate at the same time. Just because he can, Bate powers up into a Death Valley Driver to sent Drake into Gibson and Seven for the save.

Bate comes back in and starts throwing the good looking boxing punches. The half dragon suplex/clothesline combination gets two on Drake and the fans aren’t sure what to do now. Bate gets knocked off the apron and onto Gibson’s shoulders, setting up a suicide dive Doomsday Device on the floor to knock Bate cold. Back in and Ticket to Mayhem gives Drake the pin and the titles at 23:52.

Rating: B+. Very good opener and exactly how the finish should have gone. Moustache Mountain are the most over people on the roster not named Pete Dunne and they don’t need to win here to keep that spot. Gibson and Drake are awesome together and it makes a lot more sense to give them the titles to bring them up to the next level. Therefore, when Moustache Mountain, or whoever it is, takes the titles from them, it means that much more. Really intense match here and an awesome opening match.

Johnny Saint and Sid Scala come out to congratulate the new champs.

Earlier today, Jordan Devlin attacked Travis Banks and injured his knee. Banks is still medically cleared.

Travis Banks vs. Jordan Devlin

Banks has a bad knee but he’s fine enough to dive onto Devlin before the bell. Devlin gets in a whip into the steps though and the knee is crushed into the steel over and over. Referees and Scala come out to break it up and it doesn’t look like there’s a match here. Devlin grabs the mic and says he’s the greatest Irish wrestler alive. Hang on though as Scala says there’s a backup plan as they thought Devlin might try something like this.

Finn Balor vs. Jordan Devlin

This is a special one as Balor trained Devlin. They stare each other down and the scared looking Devlin slaps him in the face, earning himself a Sling Blade. It’s way too early for the Coup de Grace as Devlin bails out to the floor. Devlin gets in a shot outside and hits his own jumping double stomp back inside.

Balor is right back with a basement dropkick but a regular version breaks up another Coup de Grace attempt. Back in and Devlin pounds away so Balor chops the skin off his chest. 1916 is blocked with an enziguri so Balor hits him with the Pele for a double knockdown. Another attempt works just fine but Devlin gets up again.

The arm pull into the hard belly to back gives Devlin two of his own. Some shots to the ribs keep Balor in trouble until he knocks Devlin outside. That means the running kick to the chest but Devlin posts him for two with feet on the ropes. A moonsault hits raised knees though and it’s an inverted DDT to knock Devlin silly, followed by the running corner dropkick. Now the Coup de Grace connects to give Balor the pin at 11:46.

Rating: B. That’s exactly what it needed to be as you don’t have Devlin beat a former World Champion. At the same time, there’s no shame in losing to someone that far above you and Devlin got in a lot of offense. Balor was a great choice for the replacement and that’s one of the places where WWE shines. One of the wrestlers on your regional minor league show is hurt? Here’s a former World Champion, who happens to be the opponent’s trainer, as a replacement.

Luke Menzies is here.

We recap Dave Mastiff vs. Eddie Dennis. They’re the two monsters of NXT and Mastiff beat Dennis in their first match. Dennis then attacked him to set up a rematch, which went to a double DQ. That’s kind of a weird way to set up a third match but it could be fun.

Eddie Dennis vs. Dave Mastiff

No DQ. They go straight for the slugout to start with Mastiff hitting a crossbody for the first knockdown. Since it’s anything goes they head outside with Mastiff running him over again and loading up the steps and sending them inside for some fun. Dennis finds a kendo stick though and cracks Mastiff over the back to take over. A Russian legsweep with the stick gets two and it’s time to choke with said stick.

Another big swing is blocked though and Mastiff hits a headbutt (CRACK) to rock Dennis. Mastiff powerbombs him down and loads up the steps but another crossbody is countered into a spinning Rock Bottom (with Dennis’ legs shaking) onto the steel for another two. Dennis brings in a chair but walks into a Regal Roll.

For some reason Dave goes up top though and that means the release Severn Bridge for a rather close near fall. A table is set up in the corner but Mastiff knocks him down and sits on Dennis’ chest. Another Regal Roll on the floor sets up a backsplash as Dennis is mostly dead. Back in and Dennis gets two off the reverse inverted DDT as reality is setting in. Severn Bridge through the table is broken up and Mastiff Cannonballs him through it instead for the pin at 11:53.

Rating: B-. Perfectly watchable power brawl with weapons, though it’s nothing that hasn’t been done before. Mastiff remaining undefeated is the right call and you could put him forward for a one off title shot at some point. I still like Dennis a lot and that kind of look and imposing presence is going to keep him around for a good while.

Kay Lee Ray and Jazzy Gabert are here.

We recap Rhea Ripley vs. Toni Storm. Ripley won the inaugural Women’s Title by beating an injured Storm and there really isn’t any other real competition for her. Storm is healthy and focused now after winning the Mae Young Classic. They’re both prodigies and this could be a heck of a match, or at least a major preview of the future.

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.

We recap Pete Dunne vs. Joe Coffey. Dunne has been champion for over 600 days, having won the title back in May 2017. He’s beaten everyone who has come close to him though Coffey is a big strong guy who could knock Dunne’s head off. Coffey isn’t the biggest star but he’s been built up well over the last few weeks.

United Kingdom Title: Joe Coffey vs. Pete Dunne

Dunne is defending and Mark Coffey and Wolfgang head to the back in a bit of a surprise. During the entrances, Vic says Dunne’s 603 day reign is the longest since the beginning of Hulkamania. Not even close but we’ll go with that for a better story than the Glamour Girls holding the WWF Women’s Team Titles for 906 days. Aggressive feeling out process to start with Coffey shrugging off a forearm to the face. Some finger bending has Coffey in trouble but he knocks Dunne away without much effort.

The discus lariat misses so Dunne runs him over and tries a not great looking Regal Stretch. Dunne switches to an armbar and, after hitting five straight knees to get out of a vertical suplex, switches to another armbar on the other arm. That’s broken up as well so Coffey throws him outside with Dunne hitting his face on the apron. Dunne enziguris him but gets slammed onto the ramp for the double knockdown. Back in and Coffey gets two off a sidewalk slam We hit the bearhug on Dunne with an overhead belly to belly keeping him down.

Dunne is fine enough for another enziguri and he flips out of a German suplex for a little showing off. Coffey gets sent outside for a middle rope moonsault and they’re both down again. Back in and the X Plex gives Dunne two but a running headbutt to the back sends him into the cover. A powerbomb gets two on the champ and the fans didn’t exactly react to the kickout. Coffey goes with the Boston crab and Dunne, after nearly looking out, dives for the rope for a break.

Back up and they trade headbutts for yet another double knockdown. Coffey shrugs off a German suplex so Dunne takes him down into a Koji Clutch. That’s broken up with raw power so Dunne knees him in the head and punches him out of the air on another spinning crossbody attempt. The Bitter End gets two so Coffey takes him to the apron for a Batista Bomb and they’re both dead on the floor. Dunne gets back in but looks a bit scared so they go with an exchange of kicks to the head.

The stomps to the fingers have Coffey in trouble but the discus lariat takes Dunne down for two more. Coffey tries it again but gets pulled down into the finger spreading. That’s lifted into a buckle bomb which doesn’t break the hold, so it’s a swinging superbomb to really break things up. Coffey can’t cover though and they both pull themselves up in the corners. The slugout is on again with Dunne getting the better of it and Coffey being out on his feet against the ropes.

Coffey snaps off a German suplex out of the corner for two more and just unloads with right hands to the back of the head. For some reason Coffey tries his own Bitter End but gets countered into another DDT. Dunne hits another one of his own but Coffey rolls away before the delayed cover. Coffey takes him to the top and brings Dunne up with him, only to fall back to the floor in what I think was a botch. Whether it was or not, I don’t remember the last time I saw a spot that made me gasp like that.

He’s fine though and snaps off a reverse slam for two more back inside. They head up top again and this time dive off and into the barricade for what I’m assuming they were trying to do the first time. Back in and another Bitter End gives Dunne two so he grabs a triangle and cranks on the fingers for the tap at 34:48.

Rating: A-. They got a little ridiculous with the kickouts at the end but this felt epic for the most part. At one point the fans were chanting ARE YOU WATCHING VINCE MCMAHON, which sums up how the match should be treated. It was a big time match and while I wasn’t quite sold on Coffey as a serious challenger, there were a few times where they had me believing that they would pull the trigger on an upset. That takes some special work and it was an awesome match. A bit too long with a few too many kickouts, but still an excellent main event for the first Takeover. But who in the heck is supposed to beat Dunne?

Dunne poses…..and here’s Walter (a massive Austrian with some crazy hard chops). So that’s who beats Dunne. Coffey tries to get back in and is kicked square in the face for his efforts. The big staredown ends the show. They had to bring in someone new as there’s no one on the show who is beating Dunne and Walter is as perfect of a choice as they could have made. Yeah Dunne has beaten everyone, but imagine the monster that he can’t beat. That’s where Walter comes in and he’s rather awesome for something like this.

Overall Rating: A. As usual the show is good and in this case they have the classic main event to put it over the top. Nothing on here was anywhere close to bad and they had some historic moments, with Walter’s debut being the highlight. He just comes off like a great monster and that’s the kind of person who needs to take Dunne down. It’s a great show and worth seeing, with the one hour a week of the show being a much better choice than what they’ve been doing. Check this one out as it’s an awesome time.

There’s currently no new show listed on the Network for Wednesday so they might be taking the week off.

Results

Zack Gibson/James Drake b. Moustache Mountain – Ticket To Mayhem to Seven

Finn Balor b. Jordan Devlin – Coup de Grace

Dave Mastiff b. Eddie Dennis – Cannonball through a table

Toni Storm b. Rhea Ripley – Storm Zero

Pete Dunne b. Joe Coffey – Triangle choke with finger spreading

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/11/20/new-paperback-complete-1997-monday-night-raw-reviews/

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

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

Takeover: Blackpool Preview

IMG Credit: WWE

Here we are and in record time. Back in the summer of 2012, NXT moved down to Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida. This was the start of the new way around developmental, which would be the permanent case going forward. For about a year and a half, the only thing NXT had was regular television, which is still the case today. They finally got a live special called Arrival in February 2014, nearly two years after their first regular show. NXT UK is getting its first live special two and a half months after the TV show debuted. That’s quite the different path but hopefully with the same results. Let’s get to it.

Travis Banks vs. Jordan Devlin

This was added to the card last but could be quite fun. It’s the battle of the midcarders in search of something better to do and in this case you have two guys who could move up the ladder with a win here. Banks hasn’t been back from his injury for that long while Devlin has been built up pretty well over the last few weeks. In other words, it’s Ireland vs. Australia for what is probably a future shot at the (currently) British champion.

I’m going with Devlin here as he’s been built up better so far, even though Banks seems like someone who could be a star with the right push. The only problem is Devlin has already lost to Pete Dunne so there isn’t as much of a reason to see them fight again. Devlin is someone who has a lot of the necessary skills and would seem to be a better option at the moment, even if Banks comes off as the more complete package.

Dave Mastiff vs. Eddie Dennis

Now this is more my speed. These are the resident monsters of the promotion and have been billed as exactly that. They’ve already met on TV twice with a win for Mastiff and a double DQ in the rematch, making me wonder why they didn’t do a pair of draws to set up this big match. I’ve been a big fan of Dennis since he debuted on this show and hopefully he can live up to that on the big stage.

That being said, I’m taking Mastiff here as he seems to be the bigger prospect at the moment. Dennis is the kind of guy who can bounce back from a loss better as he’s a better talker and has a stronger backstory. Mastiff on the other hand is someone who is going to lose a lot the first time he’s beaten, and that doesn’t need to be the case just yet. Mastiff wins in a short and entertaining fight.

Women’s Title: Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Toni Storm

This is another one where I’m not sure where to go. Ripley defeated an injured Storm to become the first champion. Storm is healthy now and, in theory at least, is the person that WWE would want to push to the moon and back. She’s young, energetic, looks great and can go in the ring. Where more can you ask for? Well perhaps a younger, taller, arguably more unique looking near prodigy from the same part of the world.

I’ll take…dang I guess Ripley to retain here, as I can’t imagine them putting the title on Ripley, only to take it off of her so fast, even if it’s to Storm. The problem here is they’ve done exactly what they should do here: make a match where I can’t imagine either of them actually losing. That takes talent and they’ve pulled it off here, which makes for a heck of a match. In theory they don’t change the title here, but I wouldn’t be shocked if they did either.

Tag Team Titles: Moustache Mountain vs. James Drake/Zack Gibson

This is the tournament final to crown the first champions and they’ve got a heck of a match. There isn’t much of a division around here but these two teams are the best around the whole promotion. Both are regular teams around the UK and now they’re getting a chance on the big stage. The fans can’t stand Gibson, love Moustache Mountain and….well they notice that Drake is rather good as well. That makes for a hot crowd and hopefully the match lives up to it.

They’ve both been built up very well, but Gibson and Drake makes more sense here. Moustache Mountain are the biggest stars in the promotion and don’t need the win. Having already won the real NXT Tag Team Titles, there’s no need to have them win here and get built up even further. Let the other team win and become stars, so that the big moment of Moustache Mountain finally winning the titles means more than just beating a team that hasn’t been around very long.

NXT Title: Pete Dunne(c) vs. Joe Coffey

Dunne has been champion over 600 days now and, to quote an old WWF poster, somebody has to stop him. The thing is, I’m not sure if Coffey is the guy to do the stopping. He’s a big guy with a good finisher, but Dunne is just on another planet. The win over Dunne is going to be the biggest thing to ever happen to the promotion and I don’t know if they want to waste that on someone like Coffey. He’s good, but I don’t think he’s that good.

I’ll go with Dunne retaining the title, followed by some kind of a big attack to set up the next challenger. There are a lot of options to come after the title and Dunne is going to lose the title….eventually. Coffey is the kind of guy who can be right back in short order and while he’ll have a very good, and likely long, match against Dunne, it’s not going to be enough to end the historic reign.

Overall Thoughts

I know I’m harsh on the TV show (the scheduling, not the wrestlers) but they’ve done a very good job of setting up a show where I don’t know who is going to win a lot of these matches. That’s good booking and with the right kind of execution, this could be awesome. The live shows are usually pretty good and while I haven’t been a fan of the build, the show itself looks strong. Now if only they can live up to the hype.

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/11/20/new-paperback-complete-1997-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 – January 2, 2019 (First Episode): Prep Time

IMG Credit: WWE

NXT UK
Date: January 2, 2019
Location: Liverpool Olympia, Liverpool, England
Commentators: Nigel McGuinness, Vic Joseph

We’re almost up to Takeover: Blackpool and a lot of the card is becoming clear. There are a few spots left though and some of those are in the Tag Team Title tournament. We have a semifinal match tonight with Moustache Mountain facing Gallus, which could be entertaining if done right. Let’s get to it.

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

In Memory of Gene Okerlund.

Opening sequence.

Travis Banks vs. Jamie Ahmed

Banks goes straight for the arm to start but Ahmed is right in the ropes. Ahmed gets in a few shots of his own until Banks sends him into the corner. That means a running dropkick to the back and a German suplex for two. Another dropkick sets up a running stomp in the corner and the Slice of Heaven finishes Ahmed at 2:42. Pretty much a squash.

Post match here’s Jordan Devlin to say that he and Banks have wrestled all over the world but the difference is Devlin gets to go home to his family every week. Banks looks like he wants to shut Devlin up but Devlin reminds him to never bet against the Ace.

We look back at Zack Gibson beating Trent Seven a few weeks back with the help of James Drake. Tyler Bate came out for the save, leading to Gallus beating Bate and Seven down. The teams will meet for a spot in the first ever NXT Tag Team Title match.

Video on Dave Mastiff vs. Eddie Dennis from a few weeks back. The rematch is next week.

Kenny Williams/Amir Jordan vs. Marcel Barthel/Fabian Aichner

Williams takes Barthel down into an early headlock and then does it again by the arm. Jordan comes in to stay on the arm but stops to dance because that’s his whole deal. Thankfully Barthel knocks him down with one shot and it’s off to Aichner for the beatdown in the corner. Jordan’s comeback is cut off by a cheap shot from the apron and it’s a spinebuster into a running kick to the chest.

The chinlock is broken up with a jawbreaker but Aichner is smart enough to knock Williams off the apron. Barthel grabs another chinlock which is broken in short order as well, allowing the hot tag to Williams. That means some house cleaning until Jordan tags himself back in. Barthel throws him down with a suplex for two and Aichner tosses Williams into the barricade. A powerbomb/belly to back suplex combination finishes Jordan at 7:21.

Rating: D+. This could have been worse and while I’m still not wild on Barthel, he works fine enough as a partner for the pretty good Aichner. Jordan continues to be nothing but a bad joke while Williams is perfectly watchable. Hopefully we can get more from Aichner and Barthel as they could be a rather nice team.

Toni Storm and Deonna Purrazzo agreed to a match because they both want the Takeover title shot.

Johnny Saint and Sid Scala are trying to announce some Takeover matches when Joe Coffey interrupts. He wants the title shot with Pete Dunne at Takeover and is told it’ll be taken under advisement.

Jinny vs. Candy Floss

The announcers confirm that Storm is getting the Women’s Title shot, making the match with Purrazzo seem a little less important. Floss takes her down into a hammerlock to start as the fans call Jinny a Primark Princess. Jinny gets in some stomping and a hard forearm for two before grabbing a Kimura. A wristlock sends Candy face first into the mat again but she pops up with a dropkick for a breather. Jinny has had it with this offense though and it’s A Touch of Couture to finish Candy at 4:23.

Rating: D. Jinny is starting to get better at this, though she’s still nothing compared to what she does in Progress. That’s because she hasn’t been allowed to be that character, which is going to slow anyone down. Candy continues to be fine as the perky face and that’s a good role to be in on a show like this.

Tag Team Title Tournament Semifinals: Moustache Mountain vs. Gallus

It’s Wolfgang and Mark Coffey for Gallus here. Bate wastes no time in dropkicking Coffey down for one as the fans sing about their love of Moustache Mountain. A backdrop keeps Coffey in trouble and he bails outside for a breather. Back in and Coffey finally runs him over and it’s off to Wolfgang to take over with a front facelock. Wolfgang lets go to take a swing at Seven but walks into a hurricanrana for his efforts.

Now it’s Seven coming in for the chops and a DDT to drop Coffey. Wolfgang suplexes him down though and the beating is on with right hands to the head. A running elbow sets up a waistlock to keep Seven in trouble and the beating continues. Coffey grabs the same waistlock before it’s back to Wolfgang for the same hold, which stays on for a ridiculous amount of time. Wolfgang finally switches over to the bearhug before throwing Seven outside for a breather. Coffey tries to add a dive but gets knocked out of the air, allowing Seven to run around the ring and tag Bate in.

Bate starts fast with a suicide dive on Wolfgang, followed by a middle rope uppercut for a bonus. A t-bone suplex drops Wolfgang again and Bate nips up for good measure. Bate throws him up for the airplane spin and the reverse motion sets up a toss as Wolfgang is rocked. With Bate staggered, Coffey jumps on his back for a choke….so Bate German suplexes Wolfgang and drops Coffey onto the mat at the same time. My jaw actually dropped on that because THAT’S NOT NORMAL!

It’s back to Seven to pick up the pace with a dive off the apron to take out Wolfgang. As Wolfgang comes up holding his knee, Mark enziguris Bate for two. Cue Joe Coffey to get on the apron but Pete Dunne is out to cut him off. An X Plex drops Joe on the apron and it’s Bop and Bang to put Mark down. Wolfgang gets knocked off the apron and it’s the dragon suplex/clothesline to finish Coffey at 14:38.

Rating: B+. I’m still not wild on Gallus but it was nice to see these guys beat the heck out of each other and draw in Joe and Dunne as a bonus. They had a very good match here with Bate looking like a star (I mean DANG) and Seven more than holding up his end. You had to put Moustache Mountain in the title match though as they’re bigger and more interesting stars. This wasn’t up for debate but we had a good match on the way.

Post match the brawl is on with Dunne coming in for the save. British Strong Style stands tall with Dunne saying he’ll defend the title against Joe at Blackpool. Another brawl breaks out to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. The main event saved the show and that’s all it needed to do. They focused on some different people here and it helped a lot as the show needs some stars other than the established ones. Blackpool doesn’t look awesome yet but they’re putting the pieces in the right places to make it work. Pretty good, but the main event is all that’s worth seeing.

Results

Travis Banks b. Jamie Ahmed – Slice of Heaven

Marcel Barthel/Fabian Aichner b. Kenny Williams/Amir Jordan – Powerbomb/belly to back suplex combination to Jordan

Jinny b. Candy Floss – A Touch of Couture

Moustache Mountain b. Gallus – Dragon suplex/clothesline combination to Coffey

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/11/20/new-paperback-complete-1997-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 – December 19, 2018 (First Episode): The Witch Of Australia

IMG Credit: WWE

NXT UK
Date: December 19, 2018
Location: Plymouth Pavilions, Devon, England
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Nigel McGuinness

We’re getting into some interesting times now with the announcement of the NXT UK Tag Team Titles. That instantly gives a lot of people something to do and that’s a good thing around here. Other than that we have some people coming after the United Kingdom Title, which needs to change hands sooner rather than later so Pete Dunne isn’t miles ahead of everyone else. Let’s get to it.

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

The opening video previews Rhea Ripley defending the Women’s Title against Isla Dawn tonight. This might work better if Dawn’s witch thing actually developed whatsoever.

Opening sequence.

Jordan Devlin vs. Mike Hitchman

An early fireman’s carry takeover puts Devlin down but he hits some forearms to the back to put Boar in trouble. The chinlock goes on for a bit before an Irish whip into the corner messes with Boar’s back again. The release Rock Bottom looks to set up the standing moonsault but Boar is out of the way. Boar hits a backsplash but can’t hit a package piledriver. Instead Devlin kicks him in the head, only to miss a moonsault. The pop up powerbomb gives Boar two, only to have Devlin snap off the Ireland’s Call for the pin at 4:57.

Rating: C-. Devlin is someone they want to push and his work has gotten better but he doesn’t exactly offer anything special. He has a good look and can wrestle a match, but the “I’m the best and will be the champion” thing has been done to death and puts him in the middle of a large group of people doing and saying almost the exact same thing.

Post match Devlin says betting on him isn’t a gamble because the Ace trumps all.

Moustache Mountain likes NXT UK so far and now it’s time to win the titles. First though, they need to take care of Gallus.

Flash Morgan Webster and Mark Andrews want the Tag Team Titles as well because they’re exciting.

Fabian Aichner vs. Eddie Ryan

Ryan wears a lion mask to the ring because he’s the English Lion. He certainly has a good look to him. Aichner won’t shake hands to start and the threat of a headbutt makes Eddie back off. A dropkick staggers Aichner though and a clothesline takes him outside. Back in and a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker plants Eddie, followed by a belly to back suplex for two. Ryan knocks him into the corner, setting up the middle rope European uppercut. Aichner has had it with him though and sends Eddie outside for the running knee into the steps. The helicopter bomb gives Aichner the pin at 5:07.

Rating: C. I liked both guys here as they offer something a little different than the same people that populate this show so often. These are two big guys who hit each other hard, setting them apart from the aforementioned “I’m from the UK and I’m tough”, which gets a little difficult to take time after time.

Video on Travis Banks.

Tyson T-Bone/Saxon Huxley vs. Moustache Mountain

T-Bone hammers on Bate to start and drives him into the corner for the tag off to Huxley so the beating can begin. The middle rope elbow to the jaw takes Huxley down though and Seven comes in to scare him to the floor. Back in and T-Bone pops Seven in the jaw with a right hand to take over with the villains getting the better of things in the corner. They take turns hitting Seven in the face and a crossbody against the ropes gets two.

The front facelock slows Seven down even more until T-Bone hammers away with forearms to the back. T-Bone’s big right hand is countered with a snapdragon suplex, followed by an enziguri for the tag to Bate. A German suplex takes Huxley down and the running shooting star gets two. Bate’s suicide dive takes T-Bone down and the clothesline/dragon suplex combination finishes Huxley at 7:03.

Rating: C. It’s pretty clear that Moustache Mountain is going to be in the title match whenever the titles are decided and that’s just fine. Now if this place is smart, they’ll have them lose in the title match and make a new team so they can set up a big rematch down the line. Hopefully that’s where we go, because it’s what makes the most sense and has the most potential.

After beating Eddie Dennis last week, Dave Mastiff wants the UK Title. Dennis runs in and beats him down.

Video on Pete Dunne.

Next week: Toni Storm is back, Webster/Andrews vs. James Drake/Zack Gibson and Joe Coffey vs. Travis Banks.

Women’s Title: Isla Dawn vs. Rhea Ripley

Ripley is defending for the first time. Dawn’s headlock doesn’t get her very far so she takes Ripley down for one instead. The headlock on the mat works a bit better but Ripley is right back up with a running dropkick to take over. Ripley slams her down for two more and puts a boot on the back for some posing. The chinlock goes on for a bit, followed by a hard clothesline for two on Dawn.

A victory roll is countered into Ripley’s standing cloverleaf until Dawn rolls her way out. Ripley misses a big boot and goes shoulder first into the post (that’s an epidemic anymore). Dawn knees her in the ribs and the snap suplex Jackhammer gets two. Nigel: “Dawn has put away everybody with that bridging suplex.” Has she won three matches with it yet? Riptide retains the title a few seconds later at 9:00.

Rating: C. This was similar to any first title defense with little drama and nothing more than a way to get Ripley a title defense under her belt. The wrestling was fine though I can’t say I’m surprised at the lack of a reaction at Dawn’s big near fall. That’s all this needed to be as Ripley is likely to hold the title for a pretty long time to come.

Replays and posing take us out.

Overall Rating: C+. Perfectly fine show this week as you can see the first Takeover card from here. That doesn’t mean it’s anything thrilling, but I’ll take acceptable over “let’s get this over with” any day. They still have a long way to go for their midcard character development but things could be far worse considering how long the show has been around. Not a bad show at all here, though the same problems still exist.

Results

Jordan Devlin b. Wild Boar – Ireland’s Call

Fabian Aichner b. Eddie Ryan – Helicopter bomb

Moustache Mountain b. Saxon Huxley/Tyson T-Bone – Clothesline/dragon suplex combination to Huxley

Rhea Ripley b. Isla Dawn – Riptide

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/11/20/new-paperback-complete-1997-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 – December 5, 2018 (Second Episode): They’re Losing Me Fast

IMG Credit: WWE

NXT UK
Date: December 5, 2018
Location: Plymouth Pavilions, Devon, England
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Nigel McGuinness

It’s the second show in the tapings and that means things are starting to pick up while still being fresh. Things are still starting to grow around here and the shows are still entertaining, but they still don’t have the spark that makes it must see. That’s a hard thing to pull off for any company and I’m not sure if it’s going to happen around here. Let’s get to it.

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

In Memory of Dynamite Kid.

Opening sequence.

Joseph Conners vs. Dan Moloney

Conners has a much more colorful ring jacket this week. Feeling out process to start as Nigel compares Conners to Jack Torrance from the Shining. With that not working for Conners, he rips on Moloney’s ear, due to having lost half of his own ear in a bar fight and wanting to even things up. Well that’s certainly a story.

A short arm clothesline gives Conners one and we hit the chinlock as the pro-Moloney chants start up again. Moloney fights up with some running forearms and a spinning spinebuster gets two. That’s about it for Conners though as a sunset bomb into the corner sets up Don’t Look Down for the pin on Moloney at 4:29.

Rating: D+. I know I say this a lot but Conners is another name who feels like he’s in the huge midcard scene and doesn’t stand out. The match was watchable and the ending sequence was good but that’s about all this had going for it. Moloney is fine for a jobber to the stars, but you need a bigger star the Conners to make it work.

Isla Dawn wants Rhea Ripley so here’s Ripley to say she already has an opponent for tonight. Dawn better be watching.

Gallus and Moustache Mountain got into a shouting match earlier today with Joe Coffey telling them to bring him his coffee. Are we sure he doesn’t want them to go pick up his mother for Christmas?

Mike Hitchman vs. Dave Mastiff

I wish Hitchman would pick a name. Either be Mike Hitchman or Wild Boar instead of Wild Boar Mike Hitchman. Whatever his name is, his early forearms to the head don’t have much effect as Mastiff knocks him down and drives in the elbows. Hitchman is right back by avoiding a charge in the corner and hitting a running shot to the back.

A fishhook crossface chickenwing but Mastiff powers out and throws him down again. That means a big running backsplash but Hitchman slips out of a fireman’s carry. Some running shoulders knock Mastiff into the corner and Hitchman has a shot. That shot is wasted though as Hitchman gets up two feet to block a charge. The Cannonball finishes Hitchman at 4:10.

Rating: C. Slightly better than the opener, partially due to them turning Mastiff into a pretty good monster. He’s rather reminiscent of Vader with the look and I believe he’s used a Vader Bomb before, and that’s a pretty good comparison to make. Hitchman isn’t bad either and plays a good, aggressive character. Not too bad at all here.

We look back at Travis Banks being found hurt a few months ago.

Mastiff feels great after his win and praises Hitchman. Eddie Dennis is watching from behind.

Ligero vs. Tyson T-Bone

The bigger T-Bone takes him down by the arm (popular joint tonight) to start before going with a big right hand to rock Ligero. They head outside with T-Bone hammering away as Ligero is stuck up against the steps. The chinlock goes on for a bit until Ligero fights out without much effort. A slingshot Sliced Bread #2 gets two but T-Bone is right back with an exploder suplex and a running hip attack in the corner. Ligero sends him outside for a running flip dive off the apron. Nigel calls T-Bone the King of the Travelers. I’m not even going to try to figure that one out as Ligero finishes him with a top rope splash at 6:32.

Rating: D. T-Bone is rather high on the list of people I just don’t care about around here. He’s not big enough to be big and he’s not small enough to be small. Having a name that sounds like a mid-level boss on an old arcade beat em up doesn’t help either. Ligero is perfectly suitable for what he does and that’s going to keep him around for a good while.

Video on Rhea Ripley.

Here’s Ripley for a chat. She says she’s all about opportunities because her opportunity let her become the first ever NXT UK Women’s Champion. Someone else can have their opportunity tonight so come get your chance of a lifetime.

Women’s Title: Rhea Ripley vs. Candy Floss

Floss is challenging and looks exactly like you would think someone named Candy Floss (the British name for cotton candy) would look. Ripley works on the arm to start but Floss is right back with a dropkick to scare Ripley a little. That means a dropkick for two on Floss and it’s already off to the chinlock. Back up and Ripley fires off some shoulders to the ribs in the corner, followed by Riptide to finish Floss at 2:48.

Ripley helps her up and then decks Floss from behind. Floss gets thrown to the floor and no one makes the save.

Earlier today, Flash Morgan Webster and Fabian Aichner set up a match for next week.

Next week: an update on the NXT Tag Team Titles.

Travis Banks vs. Wolfgang

The Coffey Brothers are in Wolfgang’s corner. Banks slugs away and kicks Wolfgang in the ribs but gets his bad shoulder sent into the post. The Coffey Brothers offer a distraction so Wolfgang can get in another shot and we hit the chinlock. Banks fights up and takes it outside again, this time hitting a running double stomp off the apron.

That means another distraction so Wolfgang can run him over. The backsplash sets up a spear for two but Banks kicks him in the face again. That means more Coffey Brothers but Moustache Mountain comes out to take care of them. Banks dives onto everyone anyway and Seven trips Wolfgang to give Banks the pin at 4:16.

Rating: D. I like Banks well enough but they were rushing through this and there was too much going on in a four minute match. I’ll take any loss for Wolfgang that I can get though and it’s nice to see what’s likely a six man tag being set up. Gallus is far from a good stable though and I can’t picture Moustache Mountain with either Banks or Dunne really breaking a sweat over them.

Overall Rating: D+. Well that didn’t work. This was a rather lame show with a lot of stuff packed in. That’s usually a good thing but it doesn’t matter when the stuff that’s packed in doesn’t work very well in the slightest. The wrestling wasn’t great and the stories aren’t interesting, making this a pretty worthless episode. That’s not a good sign when we’re not even fifteen shows in yet.

Results

Joseph Conners b. Dan Moloney – Don’t Look Down

Dave Mastiff b. Mike Hitchman – Cannonball

Ligero b. Tyson T-Bone – Top rope splash

Rhea Ripley b. Candy Floss – Riptide

Travis Banks b. Wolfgang – Pin after a trip from Trent Seven

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/11/20/new-paperback-complete-1997-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 – December 5, 2018 (First Episode): As Always

IMG Credit: WWE

NXT UK
Date: December 5, 2018
Location: Plymouth Pavilions, Devon, England
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Nigel McGuinness

We’re finally out to the third set of tapings and the road to getting this down to one show a week continues. Last week saw the crowning of Rhea Ripley as the first ever NXT UK Women’s Champion, meaning we might be hearing something from the new champ. With some luck, she’ll live up to the expectations on her. Let’s get to it.

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

In memory of Dynamite Kid. Rather appropriate given the show.

There’s also a crawler included offering condolences to Kid’s family.

Opening sequence.

Here are Wolfgang and the Coffey Brothers to get things going. Joe talks about being called ruthless, devious and underhanded. Whoever called them that is absolutely right because NXT UK is their kingdom. The three of them are Gallus and now they want British Strong Style. There are no more Big Strong Boys because now it’s all about Gallus. This brings out…Travis Banks, who was put on the shelf by the three of them back in Cambridge. Joe calls Travis in for a fight and Banks is stupid enough to go, meaning he earns that three on one beatdown. Moustache Mountain runs in for the save.

Fabian Aichner likes the idea of facing some of the British talent because he’s used to facing the best in the world. In other words, “we don’t have room for you on NXT so go to England for a bit”.

Jordan Devlin is ready to earn another shot because he got so close last week. Picture the NXT UK roster like a deck of cards. He’s the ace and tonight, he’s facing the joker in Flash Morgan Webster. Just remember: ace trumps all. Unless it’s being played as the low end of a straight and then it’s not worth much but I get the idea.

Fabian Aichner vs. Mark Andrews

They shake hands to start and Andrews has to slip out of an early gorilla press. Andrews spins around his head into a headscissors to send Aichner outside, followed by a suicide dive. Back in and a backbreaker plants Andrews, which isn’t the most surprising strategy given how big Aichner is.

Back up and Andrews slides on his knees to duck a clothesline and nails an enziguri. A standing Whisper in the Wind splash gets two, followed by Andrews flipping out of a suplex into a hurricanrana (cool) for two more. Andrews scores with a 619 to the ribs and a victory roll gets two. That’s enough for Aichner so he clotheslines the heck out of Andrews, only to get caught with the Stundog Millionaire.

Aichner catches a Blockbuster and reverses it into a brainbuster (that’s some impressive power) for two but takes too long setting up a double springboard moonsault (which someone his size can just do). A very twisting DDT drops Aichner for another near fall but he moves before the shooting star can connect. They head outside with Aichner crushing Andrews’ head against the steps with a running knee for nine. Andrews is done so Aichner hits a helicopter bomb for the pin at 9:17.

Rating: B. Aichner is one of those guys with all the natural tools and Andrews has more than enough charisma and underdog status to make something like this work. He’s very good at making you believe that he can beat someone like Aichner, even as he comes up short in the end. Aichner could be a big star just with his natural look and skills alone so give him some kind of a character and he’ll be fine.

Video on Isla Dawn.

General Manager Johnny Saint has named Sid Scala as his assistant but Rhea Ripley comes in to interrupt them. She wants some suitable competition and grabs the much smaller Scala by the cheeks to mock him.

Isla Dawn vs. Nina Samuels

Dawn headlocks her down to start and then trips Nina down to make it even worse. That’s reversed into a chinlock as they’re certainly sticking with the mat work early on. A tilt-a-whirl backbreaker mixes things up and gives Nina two before it’s off to the required arm work. Isla comes back up with a hard belly to back suplex though and a running knee to the face, followed by something like a snap Jackhammer for the pin at 3:18.

Rating: D+. Neither of them are doing much for me but they have to build someone up to face Ripley sooner or later. Dawn’s witch thing is better than nothing and it’s not like the rest of the division has much going for it. Samuels is pretty much just there and you need people like her around. Not a bad match, but neither exactly showcased themselves.

Video on last week’s Women’s Title match. Ripley brags and Toni Storm says she’ll be back.

Tucker vs. Eddie Dennis

Dennis wastes no time in using the size and power, including a heck of a backbreaker for an early two. The cravate goes on and Dennis throws in some knees to the face for good measure. Tucker spins out and jumps to the top for a back elbow to Dennis’ jaw but gets blasted by a clothesline. The Severn Bridge sets up the Next Stop Driver for the pin on Tucker at 2:28. Just a squash.

Next week: Banks vs. Wolfgang.

Flash Morgan Webster vs. Jordan Devlin

They start with the battle over arm control with Morgan grabbing an armdrag into an armbar to take over. Devlin will have none of that though and Rock Bottoms him down, setting up a standing moonsault for two. A backbreaker gets the same and it’s off to a seated abdominal stretch. He even pulls on the leg and then drives an elbow into the ribs for some bonus pain.

Webster falls out to the floor for a bit before coming back in to rake the eyes and slap the face. A running knee to the face drops Devlin again and the pace picks up, including a running clothesline to Devlin. Webster gets two off a super hurricanrana but the Baba O’Reilly Buster (seriously) is countered with a backdrop.

Devlin’s running knee in the corner sets up the pull into the snap overhead belly to belly for two and frustration is setting in. A hard headbutt to the chest puts Devlin on the floor and a Whisper in the Wind off the steps drops him again. Back in and Webster’s Swanton hits knees, setting up Ireland’s Call for the pin at 12:04.

Rating: C+. Devlin is growing on me but after last week’s loss, a lot of his momentum is gone. You have to give him a win like this to build him back up, but there’s only so much you can get out of beating Webster. I’m still not big on Webster though, as his work is just ok. As usual, that’s the case with a lot of people around here and that doesn’t seem to be changing.

Overall Rating: C+. There was good stuff on here, but it’s more of the same thing: a lot of people that I don’t care about having matches for the sake of having matches. Most of them aren’t advancing anywhere and the feuds they have aren’t the strongest in the world. It’s not a bad show by any means, but it’s nothing that I look forward to and nothing that I remember the next week. There’s talent around here, but without the spark and connection to them, it’s just a show that comes and goes.

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/11/20/new-paperback-complete-1997-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 – October 31, 2018 (Second Episode): That Wasn’t A Good Idea

IMG Credit: WWE

NXT UK
Date: October 31, 2018
Location: Cambridge Corn Exchange, Cambridge, England
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Nigel McGuinness

This is the second episode of the show today, because WWE would rather do two in a row than edit them together into one show, which would make my life easier. Anyway, things are starting to come together around here as some of the characters who were introduced earlier on in the series are starting to interact, which opens the potential for some stories. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Moustache Mountain vs. Sam Gradwell/Saxon Huxley

Huxley and Seven start things off in a rematch from last week (earlier today thanks to WWE). Just like last time, Huxley gets the better of it early on, this time sending Seven outside so Gradwell can get in a few shots of his own. Gradwell comes in and forearms Seven in the head before dropping a headbutt on the shoulder for two. It’s back to Huxley, who seems to annoy Seven by hitting him in the face.

Seven kicks them both to the floor and brings in Bate for the big suicide dive. Back in and a standing shooting star gives Bate two but Huxley sends the moustached ones into each other. A spinebuster/Backstabber combination sets up a half crab on Seven, which is broken up because it’s a half crab. The hot tag brings in Bate and it’s a dragon suplex/clothesline combination to finish Gradwell at 6:06.

Rating: C. They need to build up some tag teams while it’s a good idea to put them together, putting them against the only actual team around at the moment isn’t the best idea in the world. The match was fine enough, though I don’t think the ending was ever exactly in doubt. Hopefully Seven and Bate become a full time American team one day as they’re more than good enough to hang with the best in WWE.

Travis Banks has been attacked.

Video on Isla Dawn.

Video on Jinny.

Mark Andrews thinks the Coffey Brothers attacked Banks and asks to fight in Banks’ place.

Isla Dawn vs. Nina Samuels

They fight over a lockup to start with Samuels driving her into the corner to little avail. Dawn elbows her in the face and snapmares her down but Samuels is right back up with a suplex. It’s time to start in on the arm, including a hard whip to send Dawn shoulder first into the post. Dawn gets two off a rollup and then kicks Samuels in the head. Something between a belly to belly and gutwrench suplex finishes Samuels at 3:22.

Rating: D. I wasn’t feeling this one as even with the video before the match, I’m not sure I know much about either of them, especially Samuels. Dawn looked to be the better of the two of them and you can all but guarantee the start of a Women’s Title tournament soon. This didn’t have the time to go anywhere, and that’s not the best idea when you’re trying to establish some people. Dawn didn’t get in much offense until the end, though that suplex was kind of cool.

Pete Dunne says he doesn’t need to be worried about Burch, because Burch needs to be ready for him. He doesn’t worry about Burch’s comments last week and Burch has his attention now.

Video on Jordan Devlin.

Eddie Dennis is still not happy with Pete Dunne and Mark Andrews moving on without him. He was the youngest principal in the United Kingdom but quit his job to dedicate himself to wrestling. After six months, he signed with WWE, even though he was injured for a lot of that time (Dennis: “Thanks for the calls guys.”). Now he has a lot to prove. I like this guy and he debuts next week.

Jordan Devlin vs. Tucker

Tucker spins out of a wristlock to start and hits a top rope back elbow to the jaw. An enziguri gets two but Devlin is right back with some right hands to the head. With that working so well, say it with me, it’s time to start on the arm. The arm is cranked on the mat and then wrapped around the top rope, followed by a dropkick for two. Tucker is back up with a springboard swinging Downward Spiral for two of his own. A Swanton hits knees though and Devlin hits a fireman’s carry into a reverse DDT (almost an AA/F5 combination) for the pin at 4:09.

Rating: C-. Devlin looked better of the two (with a cool finisher) but this didn’t do any favors to the idea that so much of the roster looks the same. The wrestling wasn’t bad but neither of them stood out and that’s a big part of the problem with this show. So many of the people look or act the same, which isn’t a good prospect so far. Oh and ENOUGH WITH THE ARM WORK!

Danny Burch has been wrestling for over fifteen years and knows Dunne is a well rounded wrestler. All Burch can do is wrestle as best as he can and win the title. The title match is in two weeks.

Mark Andrews vs. Wolfgang

I do not get Wolfgang and I don’t see that changing here. Wolfgang takes him into the corner and howls. You know, because his name has WOLF in it. Andrews gets sat on the top and Wolfgang points a finger at him. Back down and a headlock slows Wolfgang down but he blocks an armdrag without much effort. A springboard hurricanrana works a bit better for Andrews but his suicide dive is countered into a gorilla press onto the apron.

Back in and the pace slows a good bit with Wolfgang kneeing him in the ribs but not being able to toss Andrews outside. Andrews is back with some strikes to the chest and a 619 to the back draws a BRITISH WRESTLING chant. A middle rope spinning crossbody is countered into a gutbuster, followed by a spear for two. Wolfgang’s moonsault misses so Andrews is right back up with a tornado DDT. That’s enough to send Wolfgang to the floor for the big flip dive. The Stundog Millionaire sets up the shooting star to finish Wolfgang at 8:39.

Rating: C+. Not a bad David vs. Goliath formula here but nothing that hasn’t been done better multiple times before. Andrews is another case where the WWE version is that much better than the TNA version and it’s really rather impressive to see how solid of a high flier he can be. Wolfgang continues to be just another big guy though, which doesn’t work with how big of a deal he often is around here.

Post match they shake hands and Wolfgang leaves so here are the Coffey Brothers to beat Andrews down. Flash Morgan Webster runs in for the save with Wolfgang following, only to turn on Webster so the Brothers can get in another beatdown. As usual, this doesn’t work so well when Wolfgang just lost clean.

Overall Rating: C-. This wasn’t quite as good as the first show, mainly due to the lack of the better main event. They’re starting to tell some stories and I’m curious about where some of them are going, but having just a few minutes per match without much promo time to really build things up. Also, I really wouldn’t recommend two hours of this in a week. The show just isn’t strong enough to support that much in a single day yet and today made that obvious.

Results

Moustache Mountain b. Sam Gradwell/Saxon Huxley – Dragon suplex/clothesline combination to Gradwell

Isla Dawn b. Nina Samuels – Gutwrench belly to belly suplex

Jordan Devlin b. Tucker – Fireman’s carry into a reverse DDT

Mark Andrews b. Wolfgang – Shooting star press

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2003 Smackdown Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/09/07/new-book-kbs-complete-smackdown-2003-reviews/

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

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

NXT UK – October 17, 2018 (Debut Episode): Nice To Meet You

IMG Credit: WWE

NXT UK
Date: October 17, 2018
Location: Cambridge Corn Exchange, Cambridge, England
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Nigel McGuinness

So over the last few years, WWE has been going over to the UK for some one off shows and they’ve been pretty good. Since it’s WWE though, that means it’s time to start a whole new weekly show (currently their fourth show on Wednesdays) under the NXT banner. I’m not sure what to expect here so let’s get to it.

The opening video looks at the history of WWE in the UK and HHH talks about how ever empire has a beginning.

Opening sequence.

The announcers preview the show. Dang Joseph is way taller than I thought.

Mark Andrews vs. Joe Coffey

Coffey is a big guy who has his brother Mark in his corner. The brothers were rather violent back at the UK Title Tournament shows back in June so they’re certainly villains. Coffey powers him to the mat to start and gets two off a test of strength grip. The much smaller Andrews gets in a shot to the face and a springboard hurricanrana has the fans right back into things.

Coffey is right back up with some hard shots to the face and just plows through Andrews with a shoulder. A swinging butterfly suplex gets two and we hit a cross arm choke to keep Andrews in trouble. Mark Coffey is about to get in a cheap shot but gets caught, leaving Joe to run Andrews over instead. Back in and Andrews slugs away for all he’s got, capped off by an enziguri to put Coffey down.

A double stomp to the ribs sets up a standing corkscrew moonsault for two and Andrews is running out of steam. Coffey has had it with Andrews and hits a pop up powerslam for two of his own but the Stundog Millionaire gets Andrews out of trouble for the moment. Mark Coffey saves Joe from the shooting star so Andrews dives onto both of them for the big crash. Back in and Mark Coffey offers another distraction, allowing Joe to hit a hard belly to belly into a discus lariat for the pin at 7:37.

Rating: C+. Good choice for an opener here as you need something entertaining to get the fans into the feel of the show. The Coffey Brothers are going to be solid heels as they’re bigger than most of the people on the show and work well together. On the other hand you have a high flier like Andrews, who is always going to be worth a look. Nice match here and it even sets up some stuff going forward. Not bad at all and a smart move to put Joe over someone who has been on the main roster.

Post match the double beatdown is on but Flash Morgan Webster makes the save with his helmet as payback for the brothers beating him down back in June.

Eddie Dennis is the Pride of Wales and has been friends with Andrews and Pete Dunne for years. He’s got some stories.

Here’s the very popular Moustache Mountain (Trent Seven and Tyler Bate) to talk about this being the most important day in the history of British wrestling. This is the birth of NXT UK so let’s pause for the UK chant. Just a few months ago, they stood in this very ring and became the NXT Tag Team Champions. Since then, HHH has mentioned something about some NXT UK Tag Team Titles. There’s just one problem: there aren’t any other tag teams in NXT UK. There is however a boat load of talent in the back so let’s have some of them become teams to give Moustache Mountain some competition. Posing and cheering ensue.

Dave Mastiff, a big man with a huge beard, is coming to show what he’s made of. Mastiff has to weigh at least 350lbs if not more. That’s certainly a bit different.

Clip of Noam Dar returning in June and becoming #1 contender.

Sid Scala vs. Dave Mastiff

Mastiff’s entrance gets a gasp. Scala on the other hand doesn’t get much of a reaction because he’s just a guy in trunks. Mastiff drives him into the corner as the announcers aren’t even pretending that this is going to be competitive. A big toss sends Scala flying and Mastiff hits a rather impressive dropkick to cut him down. There’s a release German suplex into the Cannonball in the corner for the pin at 1:58. Exactly what it should have been.

Nina Samuels is ready to show what she can do.

Nina Samuels vs. Toni Storm

You can feel the star power from Storm. Toni takes her down by the head to start, drawing a rather positive chant from the crowd. Back up and Samuels slaps her in the face, earning a series of strikes into the corner. Storm misses a charge though and a running knee gives Samuels two.

Some stomps keep Storm in trouble so she fights up with forearms to the face. A kind of sloppy tilt-a-whirl backbreaker gives Samuels two and it’s time to start mocking Storm. Naturally that fires Storm up (Samuels kind of had it coming) and it’s a release German suplex into Storm Zero (White Noise onto the knee) to give Storm the pin at 4:09.

Rating: C. Oh yeah Storm is going to be a star and there’s no stopping that. She has a great look, the charisma, the presence and can work in the ring. Not bad for someone in her early 20s. Samuels got to show off a bit here and wasn’t very impressive. Her offense was very basic and nothing she did really stood out.

Next week: Tyler Bate vs. Wolfgang.

United Kingdom Title: Pete Dunne vs. Noam Dar

Dar is challenging and General Manager Johnny Saint is in the ring for the introductions. Dunne gets a hero’s welcome, as you had to expect. Feeling out process to start but hang on because the fans need to sing Happy Birthday to Dar. That’s not cool with Dunne so he blasts Dar with a clothesline, which is fine with the fans as well. Dar sends him outside for a hard soccer kick to the arm and Dunne in in some sudden trouble.

Back in and Dunne hits a quick X Plex for a breather and unloads in the corner. Dar kicks him with the face so Dunne flips out of a German suplex and gets two off a powerbomb. A northern lights suplex gives Dar the same so Dunne goes for the fingers like a true villain who the fans cheer anyway. Dar is right back with a release fisherman’s suplex onto the apron and they’re both down. Stereo dives beat the count at nine as the fans declare this awesome.

Dunne goes to the fingers again so Dar spins around into an elbow to the face. A leglock is reversed into a cross armbreaker but Dar reverses that into an ankle lock. Dunne staggers him with an enziguri so Dar forearms him in the back of the head for the double knockdown. Dar kicks the leg out but the Nova Roller is forearmed out of the air. The Bitter End is reversed into a kneebar with Dunne having to dive for the rope. That’s enough for Dunne, who bends the fingers back again and stomps on the arm, setting up the Bitter End to retain at 11:35.

Rating: B. This didn’t have the drama or the emotion (or the time) that a lot of Dunne’s matches have but Dar more than showcased himself here. They’re doing a very good job of having Dunne get closer and closer to losing the title but surviving in the end. Whoever eventually figures out the puzzle is going to look like a star and that’s the point of such a long title reign. Good first main event here.

Post match Dunne offers a handshake but the injured Dar sticks his pinkie up, which Dunne seems fine with as he returns the gesture and smiles.

Overall Rating: B+. This is a situation where the wrestling and the content weren’t exactly the point. The purpose of this show was to start off strong and they did just that. You got an introduction to several characters and that’s going to be the case for the first few weeks. The main event was a solid match and we know Dunne is the man around here, while the rest of the show was about setting up a foundation. This was a success, and while there’s a long way to go, they’ve started well.

Results

Joe Coffey b. Mark Andrews – Discus lariat

Dave Mastiff b. Sid Scala – Cannonball

Toni Storm b. Nina Samuels – Storm Zero

Pete Dunne b. Noam Dar – Bitter End

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2003 Smackdown Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/09/07/new-book-kbs-complete-smackdown-2003-reviews/

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

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