SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
NXT UK TV REPORT
OCTOBER 24, 2019
TAPED IN BRENTWOOD, ENGLAND
STREAMED ON WWE NETWORK
REPORT BY CHAD KOENIG, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
– Imperium start the show at the top of the ramp with their theme song and silhouette introduction. They make their way to the ring and stand in line. Marcel Barthel takes the mic and states that they have proven to be the most dominant force in the brand, and that Walter was the most honorable champion in NXT UK history. They pass the mic to Walter and the crowd chants “Pete Dun WOOT WOOT” over and over. New NXT UK tag team champions Gallus interrupt. The Coffey brothers trade jabs against Imperium and declare that NXT UK is “their kingdom”. Wolfgang ends the segment by saying “You’re either Gallus… or against us”.
-Smackdown on FS1 commercial
– Xia Brookside video segment at the performance center. She called out Kay Lee Ray for eliminating her at the battle royal at the Download Festival in June.
(1) OLIVER CARTER & ASHTON SMITH vs. GRIZZLED YOUNG VETERANS
Smith and Drake open by trading armbars and headlocks. They hit the ropes and Smith deadlifts Drake and dropkicks him. He continued displaying his power with a suplex. Tag to Carter and a sunset flip for a two count, followed by an impressive ushigoroshi. Gibson tags himself in but a kick put him to the mat. He tried to catch Carter’s ankle but he countered with a kick to the face and a 2 count. Drake tags himself in and work Carter with some tandem offense. Drake kept striking and kicking Carter before he rolled out of the ring after a backbreaker. They double team Carter outside, roll him back in, and a 2 count. Drake tags himself and knocks Carter to the ground for another two count.
Carter gets his second wind and knocks down Drake with a springboard moonsault. Smith receives the hot tag and lays fists into Drake. He knocked Gibson off of the apron and he pulled his partner under the bottom to the floor to help him, but Smith took both out by flying over the top onto both. He rolled Drake back in, a blue thunder bomb from Smith, and a two count. Smith was unaware that Gibson tagged himself in and they took out Carter and put him to the floor. The two do work on Smith in the ring and they hit a ticket to mayhem for the win.
WINNER: Grizzled Young Veterans at 7:53.
(Koenig’s Analysis: There was so much talent in that ring. Geography aside, Carter reminded me of a young Kofi Kingston. Smith’s power is tremendous and was displayed well. And the Grizzled Young Veterans remain one of my favorite young tag teams in all of wrestling. I see potential for days. I enjoyed this.)
– Post match- The veterans continued the beat down and Mark Andrews and Flash Morgan Webster come down and make the save.
– Tyler Bate interview from earlier that day. He addressed his future by saying that he will is going to “go with the flow and take things as they come”.
– Blood Money commercial
– NXT-heavy WWE Shop commercial
– Video from during the break showing Grizzled Young Veterans running into Gallus, stating they will be taking the belts back soon.
(2) LIGERO vs. TRAVIS BANKS
The match starts immediately on the ground with several roll-up attempts and mat wrestling. They continue with arm holds and headlocks. Banks tripped Lagero, rolled him for a two count and immediately hit a victory roll on Banks for another 2. Banks get a hold of Ligero’s arm again and grounds him. Ligero gets to the rope, kips up, and forces Banks to break the arm hold. Ligero ran the ropes and rolled up Banks for the two. Ligero attempted a suplex but Banks countered with a small package. Ligero kicks out. They bring the action back to the ground for more roll-ups and pinfall attempts. Banks stood up while ligero stayed on his knees and delivered slaps to the chest. They make it to their feet and exchange forearms. A kick to the skull by Ligero grounded Banks. More mat wrestling and several fast pinfall attempts by both. They both fought each other back-to-back for a backslide pin, but both parties shoulders were down for three, forcing the ref to call for a draw after a double pinfall, displeasing the crowd. The 2 then shake hands in a show of respect to turn the crowd’s jeers into applause.
WINNER: A draw after both men’s shoulders pinned at 7:48.
(Koenig’s Analysis: I got a lot of Japanese influence in this match. It was slow with a bit to many rest holds for my liking. The commentary made the slow parts seem more interesting so I am curious how it went for the fans in the venue. When the action picked up, it was strong. Good match, but a bit plodding for my liking.)
– Vignette of Jordan Devlin and Dave Mastiff’s feud.
– Blood Money IV commercial
– Announcement for special start time next week, due to Blood Money IV.
– A- Kid debuts next week.
– Mastiff. vs. Devlin next week.
(3) NOAM DAR vs. TRENT SEVEN
Before the bell rings, Dar starts attacking Seven from the apron, knocking him to the floor and into the steel steps. He then ties Seven’s right arm to the post and nails him with a basement dropkick. The bells rings after the ref asks Seven if he wants to start the match, which of course, he did. The moment the bell rang, Dar ran right to him and Seven struck with a massive clothesline- putting Dar on his back. Two count. Seven gets him back up, bodyslams him and drops the leg for another two. Dar attempts the Birminghammer, but its countered by an eye jab. Dar runs to attack but now Seven counters with a uranagi. Seven went up to the top rope but was taken out by Dar. Fisherman suplex to Seven for two.
Dar grounds Seven and goes to work on the leg and injured arm of Seven. Dar started wrenching Seven’s fingers while yelling out “I love you Pete” (as he heelishly took Pete Dunne’s signature hold). They get back up and Seven lays in some strikes. Dar counters with and tosses Seven over the rope. Dar hit a basement dropkick as soon as Seven got himself back in and started mocking him. Dar attempted the Tyler Driver but was blocked. Dar takes out the leg and Seven escaped a body scissor attempt. Dar rolls outside and Seven dove through the middle rope, tackling Dar against the barricade. He rolled Dar back in and went to the top, with his knee showing weakness. He went for a corkscrew senton but Dar moved out of the way. Dar attempted the north sea fisherman driver but it was countered into a slam and two count. Seven lifts Dar back up, but he hits the mustached one with a flatliner for the two. The action gets brought outside of the ropes, but on the apron. The two exchange strikes. Seven catches a kick and hits Dar with a DDT on the apron. Dar gets rolled into the ring and kicks out at two.
Seven starts to heavily sell his knee injury as he stands Dar back up to his feet. The two counter each other’s lariats, but Seven hits a snap dragon suplex and spinning star fist. He then landed a marvelous seven-star lariat for a two count. From the mat, the two exchange strikes, and then do the same when they stand back up. Dar grabbed Seven’s hair and he was met with a fist to the face. Seven hit the ropes to knee Dar but was countered. As Dar made his way to the top. He double stomped the leg and hit the ropes, but Seven was up and met him with a superkick. He grabbed Dar, missed a seven star lariat and was countered into an ankle lock back onto the mat. In the body scissors, Dar kept kicking Seven to keep him down, but forced a break when he grabbed the bottom rope. Dar verbally mocks Seven and Seven hits the Bop & Bang, snapping his fingers. He hit a Birminghammer for the win.
WINNER: Trent Seven at 13:09 (from the official start).
(Koenig’s Analysis: I loved this because of the story that took several weeks to tell. Every week you wanted to see Seven beat the hell out of Dar, and it finally came into fruition. A well- told story where there was a clear face and a clear heel, and the face prevailed without any false finishes. What a concept. Everybody was happy and it was a major moment for a solo Trent Seven. Every wrestling promotion, out of and under the WWE umbrella needs much more of this.)
RECOMMENDED: 10/17 NXT UK TV REPORT: Imperium vs. The Hunt, Andrews & Morgan vs. Gallus, Huxley vs. Dragunov
That main event was top notch, Dar and Seven deserve kudos