NXT UK – September 25, 2019: The Big Relief

IMG Credit: WWE

NXT UK
Date: September 25, 2019
Location: Motorpoint Arena Cardiff, Cardiff, Wales
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Nigel McGuinness

This taping almost has to be coming to an end right? It feels like we’ve been on this same taping cycle forever now and that doesn’t seem to be changing. Last week saw Kassius Ohno defeat Sid Scala in a British Rounds match and that means….well not much actually, but it was good stuff. This week it’s Noam Dar vs. Trent Seven, which is an upgrade for one and a downgrade for the other. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Moustache Mountain came to work earlier today.

Oliver Carter vs. Ligero

We hit the double arm crank for a bit until Carter slips out and kicks Ligero in the horn. An overhead belly to belly sets up another kick to the head for two, followed by a Lionsault for the same. Ligero is right back up with a monkey flip into the corner though and a springboard Stunner rocks Carter again. C4L finishes Carter at 5:26.

Rating: C. I don’t know what the deal is with Carter as they built him up as someone of note and then he loses his first two matches clean. I’d assume they have something planned for him and if that’s the case then fine, but it’s quite the odd way to go to start with him. Then again, it’s not like he was that interesting in the first place.

Walter showed up at the UK Performance Center and yelled at some trainees for not working hard enough. Some of them practiced a bit so Walter chopped them down for laughing. That’s why he’s going to be the champion forever: there is no future around here.

Starting next week: NXT UK is on Thursdays. That’s quite the relief as there was no need to pack in so much stuff on one day when Thursday was sitting there empty.

Here’s Tyler Bate for the first time since Takeover. The fans are rather pleased and sing about him in approval. Takeover was one of the hardest nights of his career and it wasn’t just because of the beating from Walter or not leaving as champion. It was because he felt like he had left the fans down, which earns him a NO chant. He’s far from finished around here though….and here’s Jordan Devlin to interrupt.

Yeah Bate worked hard at Takeover but it didn’t impress Devlin. Why was he on the sidelines at Takeover while Bate failed miserably? Everyone knows Devlin is the only man around here who can beat Walter and he would be United Kingdom Champion if he had the shot at Takeover. Bate may be big and strong but he’s a boy instead of a man. The fight is almost on but Devlin bails instead.

Video on Tegan Nox’s impressive start to her WWE career, which was then cut short by her second horrible knee injury. Rehab was hard but now she’s back and facing Kay Lee Ray next week.

Nina Samuels vs. Dani Luna

Luna is a Welsh wrestler who gets a rather strong reaction. A wristlock doesn’t work well on Luna as she powers out but Nina takes her down and punches away. Nina gets two off a Hennig Neck Snap and dropkicks her in the back for two. We hit the cross arm choke and Nina adds some trash talk for flavor. That’s broken up and Dani gets in a deadlift suplex, but the shaken up Nina kicks her in the head. Luna’s fall away slam gets two but Nina kicks her in the face and grabs the Final Act for the pin at 5:55.

Rating: D+. The fans were behind Luna but it’s clear that she has a long way to go. Nina is an interesting case as it was clear they wanted to push her but she somehow feels like a throwback to the early days of NXT UK (if such a thing exists) as the promotion has come a long way in a short amount of time. Nina can get back to the important part of the card, but it might take some tweaking.

Next week: Isla Dawn vs. Piper Niven.

Noam Dar vs. Trent Seven

Dar goes straight to the ropes for a delay before going to the hair to take over with a wristlock. A nearly clean break has Dar raving about the lack of a clean break so he headlocks Trent down and pulls on the moustache. They take turns sending each other into the ropes until Seven hits a crossbody for two. Dar goes back to the beard before crotching Seven on top to really take over. The middle rope clothesline drops Seven again and Dar sends him upside down into the ropes for a crash to the floor.

Back in and Seven makes his comeback with some forearms, only to get uppercutted right back down. Seven is fine enough to chop away and hit a DDT to really stun Dar. A twisting corkscrew misses so Seven punches him in the face. The Seven Star Lariat connects for two though and they’re both down. Dar is right back up with a shot to the face and another to the back of the head, but he stops to mess with Seven’s towel. This includes putting it down his trunks and that’s too much for Seven, who unloads on him for the DQ at 9:28.

Rating: C. It’s nice to have Seven back and as usual, Dar is a lot easier to hate when he stays in the ring being a jerk than when he runs his mouth backstage. He really isn’t the most interesting guy, but he keeps coming back onto my good side every now and then, which is a lot better than some people. Just be consistent and we might be able to get somewhere with him.

Post match Dar escapes and smiles to end the show.

Overall Rating: D+. While not bad, this was a completely skippable show with almost nothing going on save for the setup for what could be a good Bate vs. Devlin match. They didn’t have a lot of the big names here and it was showing badly, which isn’t the best kind of show as a result. It wasn’t awful, though just not much that you need to see.

Results

Ligero b. Oliver Carter – C4L

Nina Samuels b. Dani Luna – Final Act

Noam Dar b. Trent Seven via DQ when Seven attacked in the ropes

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 – August 28, 2019: They Need To Work On Go Home Show

IMG Credit: WWE

NXT UK
Date: August 28, 2019
Location: Plymouth Pavilions, Devon, England
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Nigel McGuinness

It’s the go home show for Takeover: Cardiff, which feels like it was announced a very long time ago. Last week’s show saw Tyler Bate and Walter have their big showdown, which makes me wonder what is left for this week’s show. The good thing is I have some confidence that they could pull this one off so maybe we’re in for a strong last show. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Ilja Dragunov vs. Tyson T-Bone

Dragunov’s music is still awesome. T-Bone grabs a headlock and runs Dragunov over with a shoulder. That earns him a knee to the face and a backsplash (make sure you get in your backsplash) so T-Bone is back with a right hand. The armbar goes on with Dragunov giving T-Bone the crazy eyes.

T-Bone slaps on a nerve hold instead, which lasts as long as any standard nerve hold. Dragunov fights back with the collection of clotheslines and a German suplex, but a second attempt is knocked down with a right hand. A missed charge sends T-Bone’s shoulder into the post and it’s a top rope backsplash to crush him. Torpedo Moscow gives Dragunov the pin at 5:38.

Rating: C-. How in the world is Dragunov not on Takeover? Normally I would ask how in the world he isn’t a heel but with that kind of intensity, it’s easy to see why he’s cheered so soundly. You can imagine him turning heel somewhere down the line though as he could be a heck of a monster heel despite his size. Just don’t have him lose to Kassius Ohno of all people again.

Video on Toni Storm’s path to the Women’s Title and Kay Lee Ray wanting to take it from her. Ray has made it personal, including bringing up their past friendship and Toni’s dad walking out on the family.

Jack Gallagher asks the fans who is the better British wrestler: Kassius Ohno or himself? Ohno pinned him despite the foot being underneath the ropes, so he’d like a rematch next week.

Joseph Conners vs. Oliver Carter

Nothing to get you in the mood for a big show like a Joseph Conners match. Carter is from Ghana but lives in Switzerland for a pretty unique mix. Some early strikes set up a backdrop to Conners, who is tossed outside in a fast start. Back in and Conners pulls him down by the hair and forearms away at the chest. Conners runs him over for two as the fans are trying to get into this. Carter fights back with more shots to the face and scores with some top rope knees to the chest. An overhead belly to belly into a kick to the face gives Carter two but he misses a Lionsault. Don’t Look Down finishes Carter at 6:26.

Rating: D+. Carter is someone with some potential as he looks fine and had some good fire, but my goodness what do they see in Conners? He’s been around since the beginning of the show and is little more than a gatekeeper, so he wins here? Conners has been one of the few true misses since the promotion debuted and this match could have fit into any spot in his history. The matches aren’t even that bad but they’re so uninteresting that I was checking the clock to see how much longer it could possibly go.

Takeover rundown.

Cesaro says he’s coming to Cardiff to take a more hands on approach.

Video on Piper Niven vs. Rhea Ripley. They meet next week.

Kenny Williams vs. Jordan Devlin

Feeling out process to start with Williams taking him down by the arm, followed by a backdrop and a clothesline to the floor. That’s enough for Devlin but Williams isn’t letting him walk so easily. Devlin sends him back first into the barricade though and it’s a suplex back inside to bang Williams up even more. With Devlin saying that he isn’t breaking a sweat, it’s another shot to Williams’ back.

Devlin kicks him in the back and says he’s the ace to Kenny’s joker, which brings Williams up to hit Devlin in the face. Another kick to the face gives Williams two but Devlin is back with a shot to the ribs. They head to the apron but Devlin can’t get a Spanish Fly to the floor. Back inside and Williams hits a great looking top rope elbow to the face. Devlin counters a charge into a wheelbarrow suplex (fans: “YOU KILLED KENNY!”), followed by a Spanish Fly for two.

What looks like a super Regal Roll is countered into a springboard hurricanrana to bring Devlin back down and a wheelbarrow faceplant gives Williams two more. Williams gets sent chest first into the buckle though and Devlin hits a moonsault onto the back for another near fall. Devlin has had it with this and pulls Williams in for the Saito suplex and the pin at 12:33.

Rating: B-. Williams is good for a completely passable if not above average performance every time he’s out there and you have Devlin who is one of the best all around performers on the show. The problem is that this felt like the least important match since the previous one, which has been the case for the entire show. Devlin could be a big deal around here but they keep putting him in matches like this one and it’s getting repetitive.

Long video on Tyler Bate vs. Walter, with Walter winning the UK Title and forming Imperium to go after British Strong Style. Walter injured Pete Dunne so Bate is fighting for the team’s honor. And the title.

Here are the Grizzled Young Veterans to complain about Flash Morgan Webster and Mark Andrews qualifying for the Tag Team Title match by winning singles matches (fair point). Cue Gallus and Webster/Andrews for the big brawl to end the show.

Overall Rating: D+. Oh this didn’t work. Other than a few parts here and there, this felt like they ran out of ways to build up Takeover last week and threw everyone not on the show out here to fill in time. It’s a perfectly watchable nearly hour long show but it took a lot of the energy out of the build to Takeover. The show itself is all that matters, but what we had here wasn’t working in regards to setting up Saturday.

Results

Ilja Dragunov b. Tyson T-Bone – Torpedo Moscow

Joseph Conners b. Oliver Carter – Don’t Look Down

Jordan Devlin b. Kenny Williams – Saito suplex

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