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NXT UK TV REPORT (EP. 101)
JUNE 25, 2020
STREAMED ON WWE NETWORK
REPORT BY CHAD KOENIG, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Hosted By: Andy Shepherd (from home).
-The show started with a cold open from Andy Shepherd from home. I assume they need to update their intro after last week’s #SpeakingOut controversies. He announced that these will be favorite picks from NXT UK talent
-Jinny made a video from home to introduce her pick: Asuka vs. Nikki Cross in WWE’s first Last Woman Standing match.
(1) ASUKA (c) vs. NIKKI CROSS – Last Woman Standing Match
From June 28, 2017
Cross started this match crouched in the corner as Asuka approached. Asuka missed with some kicks and Cross pushed her into the corner. Asuka escaped quickly and released a flurry of strikes. Cross reversed an Irish Whip and connected with a cross body. Asuka hit the ropes and sent Cross outside after a kick to the face. She followed behind with a baseball slide but Cross tied her up into the apron and beat her down hard while still tied up in the cloth. Cross then pulled out several chairs. The match then had an edit here.
The match resumed with Cross being thrown into the steps, with Asuka bouncing her head off of them. Asuka then pulled out a trash can under the ring and threw it in the ring. She dropped the can onto Cross’ head and Asuka hit a series of kicks onto the can before a dropkick which laid Cross out. Asuka went under the ring and pulled out several chairs and threw them in. Cross met her outside and Asuka laid in some kicks while she continued to throw more chairs in the ring. The two climbed back into the ring and there was another match edit.
When it resumed , Cross was manhandling Asuka while the chairs were no longer in the ring. A neckbreaker from Cross leveled the champ. Three more neck breakers from Cross followed. As the ref was counting, Cross brought the belt in the ring to use as a weapon but Asuka kicked the title into Cross’ head. Asuka got Cross toward the ropes and she tried to suplex her onto the chairs outside of the ring, but Cross countered and slammed Asuka on top. She was laid out while Cross smiled. She got up at the count of nine, grabbed Cross and the two made it up the ramp. Asuka threw her off the side of the ramp. This was happening right next to commentary and Asuka went for a kick but Cross moved and the champ hurt her leg. Cross put her up for a spinning neckbreaker. Asuka made it up again at the count of nine. The two continued to battle and Cross struck her with a ladder before starting to set up a table. Cross slammed Asuka’s head on to the table and she set up the ladder. She placed Asuka on the table and climbed the ladder. Asuka rolled off and met her at the top of the ladder. Asuka hooked her neck and suplexed her through the announce table. The ref counted and Asuka made it up at nine for the win
WINNER: Asuka at 14:42
(Koenig’s Analysis: A really fun match but the edits ruined this. One moment there are chairs in the ring, the next minute there’s not. It throws a wrench in the in-ring story when they are edited like so.)
-Undertaker “The Last Ride” commercial
Oliver Carter and Ashton Smith are in a zoom chat. Carter showed him their new ring tire and Smith didn’t like the neon colors. He wanted black. Smith told him to burn the clothes, jokingly. Smith stated that when this (COVID19) is over, that they need to take control of the tag team division.
-Nina Samuels discusses why she picked her match- The British Bulldogs vs. The Dream Team at Wrestlemania 2. She noted that if the Bulldogs won, they would be the first British team to win gold in WWF/E history.
(2) THE DREAM TEAM (c) (Greg “The Hammer” Valentine & Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake w/Johnny Valiant) vs. THE BRITISH BULLDOGS (Davey Boy Smith & The Dynamite Kid w/Ozzy Osbourne, Captain Lou Albano)
This is from WrestleMania 2, April 6, 1986
Valentine and Smith start the match. Smith pushed Valentine down hard and asserted his dominance. Smith made a tag while he clenched onto Valentines arm. Dynamite came right in and hammered away (pardon the pun) before a two count. Dynamite with a quick snap suplex before a tag back in to Smith, who came right in and put Valentine up for a standing suplex and a near pinfall. Valentine rolled outside to rest and was coaxed by Johnny Valiant. Valentine came back in and instead of tagging, he decided to take on Smith. Valentine took the big man down and made the tag. Beefcake tried to put him up but Smith countered with a monstrous press slam and a tag to Dynamite, who came in with a clothesline and small package for one. Tag back to Smith and he held him into a bridged suplex for two. Beefcake made the tag while he was still tied up, and Valentine went up to the top and dropped the hammer onto Smith, followed by a suplex and a one count.
Valentine put Smith in a headlock that Smith countered out of and made the tag. Dynamite came in with lightning fast strikes and manhandled Valentine around the ring. Quick tags followed from the Bulldogs so they could execute a double slingshot. Dynamite with the cover for two. Dynamite with a sunset flip for another two. A backbreaker followed and Beefcake broke up the pinfall. Valentine was then able to get Dynamite up and slammed him for two. Valentine had Dynamite grounded and lifted his legs up but he was met with a knee to the crotch. Valentine went to the top and Dynamite scooped him up and tossed him across the ring. Smith came in to help but Valentine ran out of the ring. The tag was made to Smith and he got Valentine up and slammed him to the mat for another two. Valentine then tossed Smith shoulder first into the corner. He got Smith in a hammer lock while tagging in Beefcake for the double team. Beefcake did some more work on Smith’s arm and tagged Valentine in again. Valentine then with a near pinfall after slamming Smith to the mat.Smith got up and tossed Valentine into his team’s corner and knocked Dynamite to the floor. That didn’t matter as Smith rolled him up and got the victory to win the titles.
WINNER: The British Bulldogs at 13:02
(Koenig’s Analysis: A classic old school match of British strongmen versus a couple of brawlers. Valentine definitely carried this match and the right team won. The Bulldogs looked young and strong and deserved the belts.)
-WWE Extreme Rules commercial
-Ridge Holland vignette
-Valkyrie picks Kevin Owens vs. Finn Balor from the Beast In The East pay-per-view. She states that this was her favorite era of NXT, and that fellow Irishman Balor was a big influence on her.
(3) KEVIN OWENS (c) vs. FINN BALOR
From WWE Beast in the East, Sumida, Tokyo, Japan, July 4, 2015
Balor (as The Demon) dropkicked Owens into the corner at the bell before KO rolled out. Balor attacked him outside of the ring and brought the brawl back inside. They hit the ropes and Balor sent Owens outside via a dropkick and baseball slide. He followed Owens to toss him into the barricade.
Back in the ring, the two exchange vicious blows before Owens hit a backdrop for two. He put a hurting on Balor and played to the crowd over a bevy of boos. He laid over Balor for two and quickly put him in a chinlock. Balor battled his way out, but it was short lived as Owens railed him with a forearm that sent Balor out of the ring, with Owens following behind and tossed him into the steps. Owens rolled back in as Balor just beat the count. However, Owens immediately attacked and rolled him up for two before tossing him back outside.
Balor came back in but was immediately put into a headlock. He escaped, then hit the ropes some more, and Balor took him down with a basement dropkick. Balor got some offense in before a pinfall attempt. In real time, Owens was preparing for a match at the Battleground pay-per-view against John Cena, so Owens mocked him by performing Cena’s signature combo and “you can’t see me” gimmick before a five knuckle shuffle. Owens hoisted Balor up for the attitude adjustment that he countered out of. Balor with a Pele kick and that knocked both me down. When they got up, Balor held the rope down to send a charging Owens out of the ring. Balor followed behind with an over-the-top dive. Balor sent him back in, hit a double stomp, and a side slam for two. Balor missed a coup de grace which gave Owens the chance to toss him into the corner and follow through with a cannonball before another near pinfall. Balor then hit a slingblade and went to the top. Owens came over to stop them and the two battled from the middle rope. Balor got the best of that situation and went back to the top and connected this time with a coup de grace. Balor for two.
Balor started to heat up after this and forced Owens into the corner. He laid in a series of strikes and put Owens up on the top rope for a suplex. Owens countered with a rolling senton for two. Owens went back to the top for another but this time he was met with knees to his back on the way down. Balor with the cover for two. Balor ran at him, but Owens kicked him and got a two count of his own. Owens started to yell “you can’t beat me” and slapped Balor in the face. Balor dropkicked Owens into the corner and went to the top again. One more coup de grace gave Balor the victory and championship.
WINNER: Balor at 18:26
(Koenig’s Analysis: This really makes me miss Owens and a fighting heel. He was so great in that role. Balor was loved in Japan and him winning the belt here was a treat for the locals who have followed him for so long. The match was good. Lots of emotion and storytelling.)
NEXT WEEK: Superstar Picks from Nikki Cross, Drew McIntyre and William Regal.
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