SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
NXT UK TV REPORT (EP. 131)
JANUARY 21, 2021
STREAMED ON WWE NETWORK
REPORT BY CHAD KOENIG, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Announcers: Andy Shepherd and Nigel McGuinness
-The show started off with a recap of the Ray/Jinny feud.
(1) RAMPAGE BROWN vs. DAVE MASTIFF
The two monsters locked up early on in the match to test each others power, which was followed by both of them throwing hands before Mastiff finally went down after a standing dropkick. Mastiff gained leverage after a failed attempt to life the Bomber on his back. Mastiff then put Brown in the corner and perched him on the top rope. Brown jumped off with a shoulder lead to knock Mastiff down as he gained leverage in the match again, and getting a two count after dropping an elbow.
While Mastiff was grounded, Brown put him in a headlock and followed up with an attempt to lift him, but Mastiff came down on him to stop momentum. Mastiff then with a standing senton that made Brown flock to the corner. He fought his way out of the corner before Mastiff tossed him halfway across the ring. Mastiff with a two count. Mastiff then hit the ropes, but Brown took him down for a pinfall attempt after a lariat.
They went to the corner and battled there. Brown attacked Mastiff’s knee down while the Bomber was on the turnbuckle, making him tumble to the canvas. Brown then with a suplex and a Doctor Bomb to put Mastiff down for the count.
WINNER: Brown at 6:31
Koenig’s Analysis:A good battle of big men. The announce team didn’t refer to the fact that these two are friendly in and out of the ring. I’m not sure if this will lead to a heel turn for one them, but I hope that doesn’t happen. Brown is impressive and I absolutely see him being a contender for Walter this year.
-A recap of Walter vs. A-Kid from last week aired.
-A WWE Royal Rumble commercial spotlighting McIntyre/Goldberg played.
-Kenny Williams and Amir Jordan were shown in a backstage segment from earlier in the day. Williams didn’t seem to have a lot of faith in his friend as he faced the returning Tyson T-Bone. Jordan had the line of the night when he learned about the match when he said “couldn’t they find someone a little smaller?”
(2) JACK STARZ vs. ILJA DRAGUNOV
Dragunov held an armbar early on that Starz eventually reversed. After a dropkick to Dragunov, he took over the match again with a hip toss. The two stayed on the mat for a bit and displayed some textbook mat wrestling and arm manipulation that led into Starz getting a pair of near pin falls.
Dragunov then impressively lifted Starz up by the legs and slammed him down for a side headlock. They worked their way to their feet and the two exchanged blows. Starz then gained momentum with a near pinfall after a bridged suplex. Dragunov got intense after Starz laid in some slaps to his back. We all knew the end was near at that point. After a pair of German suplexes and a Torpedo Moscow, we were right. From there, Dragunov unleashed a vicious attack of elbows that knocked Starz out and caused the end of the match.
WINNER: Dragunov at 5:45
-After the match, Dragunov immediately felt bad about what he did to his friend and started to apologize.
Koenig’s Analysis: It’s a match with Jack Starz, so we knew who the winner would be. Like the first match, these two are friends and fought because Dragunov respected him and needed a burst of confidence after his loss against Walter. It was great to see Starz put on the most offense (and defense) that I’ve ever seen him have in a match on the brand. Of course, it was more important to see Dragunov get the fire back that he had before his loss.
-Sam Gradwell was shown talking about Ben Carter after seemingly learning that he would be facing him next week.
-WWE Smackdown on Fox commercial.
(3) TYSON T-BONE vs. AMIR JORDAN w/ Kenny Williams
T-Bone looked fit and lean in his return match and Jordan approached with caution. Jordan applied a headlock for a while, but T-Bone lifted him and rag dolled him across the ring. He continued the beating on Jordan all over the ring and got the first pinfall attempt of the match after a series of blows to Jordan’s back. T-Bone then had Jordan by the legs and lifted him into the ropes to hurt Jordan’s throat. A two count followed.
T-Bone continued the brutality by attacking him on the canvas and holding in a headlock. Jordan was able to break free and started to kick T-Bones legs. A pair of dropkicks began to stun T-Bone. Jordan again went for the legs to get some type of pinfall, but T-Bone kneeled down to get a two count in. Jordan countered by flipping T-Bone over and holding him down for three. Williams looked shocked after the win.
WINNER: Jordan at 5:00
Koenig’s Analysis: This worked well because T-Bone looked strong and didn’t lose much. He is still a threat. It was also a good way to potentially start dissension between the tag team members by Williams showing doubt about Jordan. The match did what it needed to even though it wouldn’t exactly be considered a “five star classic.”
-Xia Brookside was interviewed in the back recapping her issues with Nina Samuels. She said that soon enough she would see what Nina is made of.
-Another WWE Royal Rumble commercial aired.
-A video package for the #1 contender match to see who will face Gallus next week played. After, a “breaking news” alert hit that said Eddie Dennis would be banned from accompanying The Hunt.
(4) KAY LEE RAY (c) vs. JINNY w/ Joseph Connors
They started with a headlock that transferred into Jinny grounding the champion with an armbar. The action then went into the corner where the two exchanged blows. The announcers then pointed out that Piper Niven and Dani Luna were watching on the screens of the arena.
Ray got the first pinfall after slamming Jinny to the mat. She went to the top and jumped as Jinny ran under her. Jinny tossed her into the corner hard enough that it then scored her a two count. Ray rolled outside and Jinny followed.
The two fought out of the ring with Jinny tossing the champ into the stairs. The two rolled in and Jinny got a pinfall attempt almost immediately. She tossed Ray into the corner again and got another two count. After running the ropes, Jinny applied a submission that Ray was able to break by getting her fingertips under the ropes. Jinny then lifted Ray up by the hair and grounded her yet again. At this point, the announcers diverting all of the attention to the women on the screens was getting obnoxious and taking away from the match. The two exchanged kicks that brought both women to their backs, before making it back to their feet at eight.
Ray laid in some blows here, followed by a DDT that yielded another near fall. Ray almost made Jinny tap with a Koji Clutch, but Jinny was able to kick out of it. She then scored a pinfall attempt after a clothesline.
Back on their feet, Ray was setting Jinny up for a Gory Bomb. Connors distracted her from outside, allowing Jinny to set her on the ropes and slam her down for a pin. However, Connors pulled Ray’s feet and was caught by the ref, who then banned him from ringside. Ray super kicked Jinny and ran out after Connors who took her belt. She grabbed the belt and placed it on the apron to attack Connors quickly. Jinny then took the belt and swung it at her. Ray grabbed Jinny and planted her with a Gory Bomb to retain.
WINNER: Ray at 11:07
Koenig’s Analysis: This was a little confusing as I’m not sure why Connors was essentially helping Ray by not allowing Jinny the pin. The constant pointing out of women’s roster members on the screens were distracting. The match itself was kinda sloppy and didn’t have much of a flow. It wasn’t wrestled poorly, it just didn’t build much suspense.
-NEXT WEEK-
-Ben Carter vs. Sam Gradwell
-Andrews & Webster vs. The Hunt vs. Pretty Deadly vs. Jordan & Williams for the #1 contender for the NXT UK Tag Team titles.
Follow Chad on Twitter & Facebook @ChadFromAlbany
NOW CHECK OUT LAST WEEK’S NXT UK REPORT: 1/14 NXT UK TV REPORT: Walter vs. A-Kid, Harvey vs. Coffey, Bate vs. Gradwell, and more
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