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NXT UK TV REPORT (EP. 108)
August 13, 2020
STREAMED ON WWE NETWORK
REPORT BY CHAD KOENIG, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Hosted by: Andy Shepherd (from home).
-Andy Shepard again introducing the show from home. It’s been about a month of “best of” shows, so it was a pleasant change to have another show dedicated to “hidden gems” that have never before been seen on television. He mentioned next week’s fight at Takeover between Pat McAfee and Adam Cole, and brought up this match from 2018.
(1) ADAM COLE (c.) vs. ZACK GIBSON (from Download Fest, June 7, 2018)
Cole brought Gibson to the mat early on and hooked in an armbar. Fists followed before Cole executed a neckbreaker. Gibson went to escape but turned around and hit Cole in the throat. Cole kicked out at two. Cole crawled to the corner and Gibson tossed him to the center and started to work his fingers and hand. Cole got tossed into the corner and went for another pinfall attempt. The crowd has been incredibly animated throughout the match, singing (something that I couldn’t make out) throughout much of the match. Gibson tossed Cole into the corner again and ran at him but was met with a superkick.
When both met got back up, they exchanged strikes in the middle of the ring. Cole with a neckbreaker for two, followed by a codebreaker for another two count. Cole went for a suplex that Gibson countered by slamming Cole to the mat for another near pinfall. He rolled Gibson up again but he escaped and attempted to counter with a Shankley Gates. Cole escaped, and Gibson with a Ticket to Ride that did zero damage to Cole. Another superkick knocked Gibson down for another two count.
Both men were on their back as the ref counted them down. Cole got up and went to climb the ropes. Gibson pulled him down and hit another Ticket to Ride for two. A standing suplex followed with the same result.
Gibson was telling Cole to “stay down” at this point as Cole powered back up. Gibson went to the top and on his way down, was hit with yet another superkick. Gibson kicked out and got up on his knees. Cole came from behind with a knee to the back of his head. One, two, three.
WINNER: Aam Cole at 10:01
(Koenig’s Analysis: A lot of action packed into this match. It flew right by. I wouldn’t consider this a clinic by any stretch, but if you want to see two great wrestlers in the beginning of their prime have a match with a little bit of everything in it, this is a good one to watch.)
-Valkyrie in a well-produced vignette of her running in the woods, telling the NXT UK Universe to “witness the rise” of Valkyrie.
-Wild Boar and Primate in a vignette saying (in their signature way) that since March, they have been working non stop and that everyone will soon be “the hunted”.
-A brief history of the next match between Nina Samuels and Xia Brookside.
(2) XIA BROOKSIDE vs. NINA SAMUELS (from March 6, 2020)
Brookside started to work on Samuels’ arm and hand early on. Samuels countered and grabbed her wrist, grounding her in the process. They stood up and Samuels held the wrist and walked her around the ring. Brookside countered and latched in a leg lock and Brookside slid out of. Samuels then slid out of the ring and dove through the ropes onto her. Brookside looked for some fan reaction (it was minimal) as Samuels was rolled back into the ring. As she rolled back in, Samuels stomped her.
Samuels tossed her into the turnbuckle a couple of times here before Brookside got a two count in. Brookside with head scissors and Samuels was sent into the corner. Brookside with a pinfall attempt. Samuels then rolled her up for two but she had a handful of tights. Brookside then went to the tops and dove onto Samuels before getting the three.
WINNER: Xia Brookside at 5:15
(Koenig’s Analysis: Whenever these two in the ring together or with others, it is almost always the same review from me. Incredibly green, slow and prodding. They look great, fit the part and have potential but my God they aren’t there yet. Their moves are almost always sloppy and slow, and the audience hardly reacts. They are time-filler and I hope to see progression with them after the pandemic.)
-Mark Andrews and Flash Morgan Webster in a video discussing their issues prior to the COVID19 pandemic. Andrews had an injury that he said that he is still recovering from and when he finds out who attacked him, that he will get his retribution. As a team, they also have their eyes set on being the first ever two time NXT UK tag team champions.
-Summer Slam commercial.
-French wrestler Amale in a vignette here. She said that she was a fan before becoming an NXT UK wrestler. She said that she will become the first ever French women’s NXT UK champion.
(3) PETE DUNNE (c.) vs. ALEXANDER WOLFE (from July, 2019)
-Shepherd introduces the next match which featured a return of Pete Dunne to the NXT UK arena.
-These two were slugging from the bell. Wolfe rolled out after a knee to his gut. Dunne followed and bent Wolfe’s fingers all over the outside of the ring before kicking them into the steel steps a couple of times. Wolfe backed up the ramp asking him to stop but Dunne followed continued the damage. While on the apron, Dunne looked to stomp his arm again but Wolfe pulled away and tripped him onto the hard frame. he pushed Dunne into the ring and went right to the top rope with a flying fist followed by a near pinfall.
As Dunne was on his back, Wolfe mounted him and slugged away. He even slammed him onto the mat for two. With his knee in Dunne’s back, Wolfe bent him like a bow. He went for an elbow but Dunne rolled out of his grasp.
After Dunne escaped, he laid in some chops and an insiguri. Dunne with an X Factor for two. Dunne then went to the top and missed a jump attack. Wolfe with a kick but his leg was grabbed. However, he still lifted Dunne up for what appeared to be a suplex but instead slammed his legs onto the ropes. Wolfe went to the top again but on his way down was met with a forearm for two. Dunne put him to the mat and stomped his throat. Wolfe got back up and pushed him to the corner. He hoisted Dunne up and slammed him down for a pinfall attempt.
As both men were exhausted and on their backs, Wolfe laid in a series of strikes. Of course Dunne rebutted and the two went strike for strike. They made it back to their feet and Dunne attempted to lift him up but Wolfe countered with a German and a two count. Dunne went up tp the top and Wolfe followed up with him. Dunne jumped down connected with a Bitter End for the win.
WINNER: Pete Dunne at 9:28
(Koenig’s Analysis: A good battle between two tough men. Like the first match, not a clinic but a fast-paced match that flew by. The bookends of this show featured some good matches.)
Follow Chad on Twitter & Facebook @ChadFromAlbany
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