SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
NXT UK TV REPORT (EP. 114)
SEPTEMBER 24, 2020
STREAMED ON WWE NETWORK
REPORT BY CHAD KOENIG, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Hosted By: Andy Shepherd
-The show starts with a video recap of last week, followed by a lineup of tonight’s show.
-Sid Scala backstage earlier today with some NXT UK talent involved in the Heritage Cup.
(1) WALTER (c) vs. SAXON HUXLEY
Walter went for a sleeper at the bell. Huxley countered and tossed him to the mat and laid in a couple strikes. Walter wasn’t letting that happen so he clotheslined Huxley outside of the ring. He kept trying to get into the ring but Walter continuously knocked him back outside. He lifted the steel stairs outside and the ref told him to put them down. He jumped to the apron where Walter was waiting for him, but was able to make it back in this time.
Walter came at him off the ropes but Huxley impressively caught the champion and slammed him to the mat before going to the top rope with a flying forearm followed by a pinfall attempt. Huxley tried to keep the big man down by dropping a couple elbows.
Walter rolled out of the ring and Huxley followed and executed a Thesz Press. Huxley broke the count and went after Walter again but was met with a hard strike. He charged Walter but was caught this time and slammed to the mat. Walter broke his own count and dropped Huxley on the barricade and then onto the apron. Walter rolled in and Huxley barely made the ten count to get back in. However, as soon as he rolled in, Walter put him in a sleeper followed by a German suplex. He put Huxley on the ropes for a modified superplex. Walter taunted Huxley as he tried to get up but Walter hit the back of his neck incredibly hard, followed by a powerbomb for the win.
WINNER: Walter at 6:09.
(Koenig’s Analysis: A good glorified squash that made Walter look dominant while Huxley still looked strong for lasting as long as he did with the champion. Huxley has changed a bit during quarantine, with a look and style reminiscent of Bruiser Brody. It will be interesting to see where Huxley goes.)
-WWE Night of Champions commercial
-Heritage Cup rules listed.
-The official draw for Heritage Cup brackets. Pete Dunne introduced and came down to draw the names. The picks for the tournament that starts next week are as follows:
- Joseph Connors vs. Dave Mastiff
- WILD CARD pick vs. Trent Seven
- Flash Morgan Webster vs. A-Kid
- Noam Dar vs. Alexander Wolfe
-Noam Dar got into a scuffle with Dunne and tossed over the ropes during this.
-Dani Luna and Xia Brookside shown backstage hyping up Piper Niven.
-WWE Untold: “The Champ is Here”
(2) THE HUNT (Wild Boar & Primate) vs. PRETTY DEADLY (Sam Stoker & Lewis Howley)
Boar and Stoker start the match with Boar taking the early lead, working on Stokers arm, and slamming him to the mat for two. Tag to Primate who got hit in the face, giving Stoker enough time to make the tag to Howley. Primate attacked his feet early in and tossed him around the ring. Howley got slammed to the mat before Boar got tagged back in and was slammed on top of Howley for two.
As Boar hit the ropes, Stoker yanked his arm from outside of the ring and slammed it onto the ropes. Howley took advantage, pushed him to the corner and did some double teaming. Tag in to Stoker. He slammed him to the mat for a near pinfall. Stoker kept him on the mat and worked his arm.
Pretty Deadly exchanged tags and kept working Boar in their corner. Stoker was legal man at this time and Boar hit a powerslam for two. Howley got tagged in again and he went right for the attack and got a two count on Boar before getting locked into an armbar. He broke the hold but continued to get tossed around the ring. A cross body from Howley off the middle rope gave Pretty Deadly another near pinfall before a tag was made to Stoker. They worked him in the corner and again exchanged tags. Boar broke free and got the tag in to Primate with Stoker as the legal man, even though he beat both of them up in the ring.
Tag in to Boar before they prepped for a double team attack that was halted by an outside interference from Howley. Boar went outside to take care of that as Primate dove from the top and went for the pin. Stoker kicked out at two. Howley distracted the ref as he rolled up Stoker. Boar speared him as he was on the apron but Stoker got his own roll up in for the victory.
-Post Match, Eddie Dennis came out and called Pretty deadly over. The two exchanged nods so we will see where that goes.
-WWE Clash of Champions commercial
WINNER: Stoker & Howley at 7:58.
-The Hunt shown backstage after the match briefly just being upset in the locker room. The camera panned to Sid Scala talking about Wolfe vs. Dar next week and how they would be able to keep order in the ring. Dunne offered to ref and that was immediately confirmed.
(Koenig’s Analysis: A good tag team match, but it was a little busy. Not a lot of breathing room for the match and got confusing at points. Surprised to see Pretty Deadly get the win over the more powerful team but it was done through cheating essentially so I see this match happening again soon. These are two fine teams on their way up the card, for sure.)
(3) KAY LEE RAY (c) vs PIPER NIVEN
Ray escaped to outside of the ring early in the match. She paced around outside before getting back in the ring. Ray went right to work on the arm and took her to the mat. Niven escaped and Ray tried to pick her leg. Niven wasn’t having it so she tossed the champion around the ring. Niven hoisted Ray on her shoulders but Ray countered out. Niven caught her again and put her in a headlock before switching to leg scissors. Ray countered and grabbed Niven’s leg and wrenched it into a modified figure four.
As Ray got up, Niven backed into a corner. She got able and sent Ray over the top rope with a series of stomach punches. Niven came out but Ray met her with a tornado DDT onto the ramp. She placed Niven on the steel steps and ran at her. Niven moved and Ray’s knee went in hard.
The ref called medical from the back to look at her knee. The ref told Ray that she can defend it later. Niven looked visibly upset that her opportunity might be out. As she walked to the top of the ramp with Ray, she said something (I couldn’t tell what it was) that made Ray slap her. Niven slapped her back and ran her back into the ring. Ray apparently wanted to continue as Niven mounted her with a series of strikes prior to working the champion’s knee.
As Niven approached Ray while she was nursing her knee, Ray landed a perfect superkick before going to the top rope. She landed a dangerously close swanton onto Niven.
Back on their feet, they exchanged blows again. Ray got knocked down and Niven hit a standing senton for two. Ray kicked her again but this time looked like she blew out her knee again. Niven put her up for a Piper Driver but Ray’s leg on the rope broke the count. Niven went to the middle turnbuckle for a splash but Ray had her injured keens up, hurting Niven while sacrificing herself.
The ref again said that he would stop the match. Ray said no as Niven came at her with a cannonball that Ray escaped from. Niven hooked her leg while she was down and got the victory. After the match, Jinny looked on from where the crowd would be.
WINNER: Kay Lee Ray at 14:25
(Koenig’s Analysis: A fun match and a good story told. I really like Niven’s size, look and move set. I would really like to see her speed up her moves though as she moves very slowly and always looks winded. If she works on that, Niven will be hard to beat.)
-I want to mention that the show has some changes that I like. The shots of wrestlers after their match backstage, even if they don’t really do anything with or for the wrestlers, looks great and helps with the flow. Also, I don’t recall seeing the large images of the wrestlers in the ring on either side of the entrance before. That looks tremendous.
NEXT WEEK:
- Heritage Cup 1st round match: Alexander Wolfe vs. Noam Dar (special guest ref: Pete Dunne)
- Triple Threat match with winner earning wild card spot. Contestants were not announced.
Bate and Devlin unseen and unmentioned…hmm……