NXT UK HITS & MISSES 2/4: Dragunov as a loose cannon, Devlin vs. Mastiff, and more

Xia Brookside vs. Nina Samuels – HIT

This was a match that was set up after Samuels came out during Brookside’s last match to cost her the win. Samuels took charge of the match from the start and did so with a good strong hard-hitting style. That style set the tone early. It looks like they are trying to build Brookside as an underneath babyface with lots of fire. As the match went on, we saw a nice comeback from Brookside and once Samuels saw she was going to lose, she distracted the ref and got a tainted win. I’m interested in where Brookside goes from here.

Josh Morrell vs. Joseph Conner – MISS

Well, the most interesting thing about this match was seeing Jinny come out with Conners. The announcers spoke on this throughout the match and wondered why the two were paired up together. It looks as if this could be a trial run of some kind as Jinny was the leader of this pairing right out of the gate. The match was nothing but a simple squash that showcased Conner’s new mentality and his effort to prove himself to Jinny.

Ilja Dragunov vs. Tyson T-Bone – HIT

This was another avenue to show Dragunov’s loose cannon style. At this point its clear that they are using this storyline to build him back up. His match here with T-Bone was a strong and snug match. They both hit each other hard and at one point were exchanging strikes that were reminiscent of Dragunov’s match with Walter. That strike exchange seemed to make Dragunov snap and fall into that loose cannon mode. This caused him to continue to strike until the referee stopped the match.

Meiko Satomura Promo Video – HIT

Another amazing promo video for Satomura. Having both men and women speak on her and how big it is to have her coming to the NXT UK brand frames here as a big deal right away.  This hype is building her up to be someone who could be the one to take the title off Kay Lee Ray.

Joe Coffey vs Danny Jones – PUSH

This was another squash match. I’m a fan of the Joe Coffey style and after the long lay off due to the pandemic, this is just his third match back. This match allowed him to build credibility with a win and  showoff what he can do in the ring. What made this whole thing effective was due to what happened after the match. Coffey took the ring mic and cut a promo about Rampage Brown. Coffey called Brown out and Brown made his entrance. Brown then told Coffey “anytime, anywhere.”  I can’t wait to see that one.

Jordan Devlin vs Dave Mastiff – HIT

This was the best match on the show. Jordan Devlin came out and grabbed the mic talking. He said that once again he would have to find his own challenger for the NXT Cruiserweight Championship. Dave Mastiff came out answering the call. Knowing he was far from 205 weight limit, Mastiff said he just wanted to come out and shut Devlin’s mouth. The match itself was a good back and forth match. Both guys had their moments where they had control of the offense. Ever since Devlin started this open challenge for his championship, he’s been on another level with his performances. This physical match looked like it took a toll on both guys. Devlin ended up pulling out the win in the end.

NOW CHECK OUT LAST WEEK’S NXT UK HITS & MISSES: NXT UK HITS & MISSES 1/28: Devlin promo, Satomura announcement, and Carter in action