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NXT UK TV REPORT (EP. 133)
FEBRUARY 4, 2021
STREAMED ON WWE NETWORK
REPORT BY CHAD KOENIG, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Announcers: Andy Shepherd and Nigel McGuinness
(1) XIA BROOKSIDE vs. NINA SAMUELS
Nina Samuels is getting a push here with some character development. She now has a man coming out with her to “carry her luggage”. Commentary are now dubbing her “NXT UK’s leading lady”.
Samuels taunted Brookside after the bell by pointing to her luggage carrier and saying, “This is what you should be doing-carrying my bags!”. Brookside immediately grounded her. Brookside got back up and pushed her into the corner. Brookside sloppily slammed her to the mat and rolled her up with a sunset flip that was as slow as death itself. She then worked her arm before Samuels powered out and suplexed her (poorly and dangerously). She then came at Brookside and kicked her into the corners. A two count from Samuels followed.
Brookside then drove her knee into Samuels’ back. Samuels escaped and put her in the corner to beat her down. Brookside then slammed Samuels after a series of strikes in the middle of the ring. Brookside had a pinfall attempt of her own here, but after she kicked out, she took Brookside down with a leg sweep. The “action” went outside of the ring momentarily, and Samuels tossed a piece of her luggage into the ring after tossing Brookside back in. Brookside avoided being hit by the luggage, but while the ref was distracted, Samuels cracked her in the head with a purse to knock her out and get the win.
WINNER: Samuels at 4:53
Koenig’s Analysis: Terrible. Terrible. Terrible. This was sloppy, the moves were slow, and the suplex from Samuels looked like it could have paralyzed Brookside. When Samuels was kicking her, I don’t think the first several kicks even made contact. Both of these women, who I felt have been improving, took a huge step back this week.
-Sid Scala is shown coming in to the building. An interviewer asks him when we might be seeing the tag team championship match after last week’s #1 contenders match. He started to say that he doesn’t have an exact date yet. At this time, Jordan Devlin walked in behind Scala and asked him who he is the ring with tonight. He asked for someone who could “push him” after he said he hasn’t made that decision yet.
– A WrestleMania 37 commercial aired
– A commercial for WWE Untold: AJ Styles Debut show played.
-Jack Starz started to get interviewed before Scala pulled him outside to talk to him quietly. You couldn’t hear the conversation, but Starz walked away looking disappointed.
(2) JOSH MORRELL vs. JOSEPH CONNORS w/Jinny
-Joseph Connors came out with a bit of a new look himself here, as he has been coupled with “the Fashionista” Jinny. His hair has been straightened, and he is wearing a long jacket.
-They lock up and walk around the ring for a moment. After a two count from Connors, Morrell got up and kicked Connors out of the ring. Connors got a pep talk from Jinny outside and came back into the ring. Connors immediately took down Morrell and applied a wrist lock. Morrell tried to kip out, but Connors smashed his head into the mat before beating the hell out of him in the corner. A trio of near falls followed. Connors lifted him up and continued the beating. Connors then with another near fall after a great looking backbreaker.
Connors kept the young Morrell in a headlock before coming back up and hitting the ropes. Morrell got a little offense in here after picking up some speed, getting a few fast pinfall attempts in. Connors kicked it into fifth gear here and wanted to take the kid down. A DDT and a vicious neckbreaker did the job.
WINNER: CONNORS at 5:39
Koenig’s Analysis: A good squash match for this new and improved Connors. He tightened up the screws on his character and style here with this new look. He looked strong and crisp. Morrell got in a few high spots, but this was a squash and Morrell has a ways to go. This was good an I’m liking the pairing of Connors with Jinny.
-“The East End Butcher” Sha Samuels in a vignette video- his first since his debut a few weeks back. He gives his background in a gruff, loud voice, that he comes from generations of butchers, which is hard work. He then explained that he has been wrestling for nineteen years in the UK. He screamed at the camera and said he was here to hurt people.
– A commercial for WWE Legends- Yokozuna played.
-Xia Brookside shown backstage looking for Sid Scala and told him that she wanted a rematch with Nina Samuels, so we have more of that to look forward to. Hopefully this match will be better. Luckily the bar is low.
(3) ILJA DRAGUNOV vs. TYSON T-BONE
T-Bone took down Dragunov with a boot at the bell. He continued to kick him while he was on the mat until Dragunov powered out and took him down in a reverse headlock. He then started to wrench T-Bone’s arm when Sam Gradwell came to the ring to mock Dragunov.
Dragunov kept T-Bone grounded, but he got himself vertical to slam Dragunov hard. The two continued to battle until T-Bone suplexed him across the ring, all the while Gradwell is screaming “don’t do what you did to Jack Starz!”, referring to him blacking out and beating his friend unconscious a few weeks back.
T-Bone picked him up and tossed him again and was able to get a one count. Dragunov broke free and dropkicked T-Bone. As Gradwell continued the obnoxiousness, Dragunov took down Gradwell with an enziguri. Unfortunately for the Russian, he was soon tossed out of the ring. As he was getting up, Gradwell got in his face and continued the berating. T-Bone rolled out and laid in some hard strikes, but that just irked Dragunov as he retaliated with a flurry of his own before rolling T-Bone back into the ring. Commentary started to point out that Dragunov might be “snapping” again like he did with Starz. Dragunov then held his wrist and kicked his face before wrapping himself around the grounded T-Bone and elbowing him in the face. The ref called the match for Dragunov as he T-Bone lay there dazed.
-After the match, Gradwell told Dragunov that he needed to control his emotions. He tossed Gradwell over the barricade and started to scream in Russian as security got involved.
WINNER: Dragunov at 6:49
Koenig’s Analysis: A hard hitting match. I enjoy seeing Dragunov beat his opponents unconscious as he builds himself up after losing that amazing match against Walter. The addition of Gradwell was great as I look forward to seeing Dragunov inevitably knock him out.
A promo aired for Meiko Satomura’s debut next week.
-A WWE Elimination Chamber commercial played.
(4) DANNY JONES vs. JOE COFFEY
After a lock up, Jones slapped Coffey in the face. That didn’t bode well and Coffey tossed Jones to the ropes. He continued to beat the hell out of the young Jones. He then slapped Jones and got in a little offense before Coffey executed a belly to belly. Jones attempted a sleeper hold, but the Iron King took him down with a Glasgow Send-off, followed by a Best of the Bells for an easy victory.
-After the match, Coffey talked about crossing paths with Rampage Brown and challenged him. Brown came down and said “all you have to do is ask- anytime and anywhere”.
WINNER: Coffey at 2:49
Koenig’s Analysis: A squash match for the sake of having a squash match. I’m perfectly fine with these from time to time. Obviously, it was used as a way to hype the future match of Coffey and Brown.
-A recap video of last weeks Fatal Four Way tag team match aired.
(5) JORDAN DEVLIN (c) vs. DAVE MASTIFF
Devlin grabbed the mic before his opponent was chosen and said that Sid Scala had been looking for an opponent all night and will challenge anyone under 205. However, it was Mastiff that came to the ring. Devlin said that Mastiff couldn’t be welcome on 305 Live, let-alone 205 Live. Mastiff grabbed the mic and told him that he was just keeping that title warm until Trent Seven drops to 205, and that he just wanted to kick Devlin’s ass.
Devlin attempted to work Mastiff’s arm early on and then tried to out-power him. That failed miserably as Mastiff flattened him with a senton. Devlin kicked out at one. The two exchanged blows after making it to their feet before Mastiff got a pair of near falls. Devlin was trying to find a way to take down the big man, and he finally did with a shoulder block to his knee.
As Mastiff was down holding his knee, Devlin continued to work on it to weaken his stability. When Mastiff made it up, he made it to the corner to lay in some punches without collapsing. It gave him time to rest up for a minute when he sent the champ across the ring. Mastiff then tossed Devlin into the corner and onto the outside of the ring. Mastiff slowly stalked him outside of the ring as Devlin made it back in. The Bomber followed him back in and Mastiff hoisted him onto his shoulders. Devlin made it to the ropes to toss Mastiff outside of the ring. Devlin jumped over but was caught and driven into the outside mat. Devlin made it to the barrier and Mastiff ran at him. Devlin moved and Mastiff’s cannonball sent him through the barricade.
Mastiff was able to make it back into the ring at nine and went to the top rope. As Devlin lie in the middle of the ring, Mastiff connected with a flying headbutt. He hooked the leg for two. Jordan slowly climbed the ropes to make it to his feet. He kicked Mastiff’s knee as he was coming at him before connecting with a cutter. Devlin then went to he top and landed a 450 splash for the win.
WINNER: Devlin at 12:07
Koenig’s Analysis: A fun match to watch between two of the best and was a great clash of styles as well. The much smaller Devlin looked like he had a believable win with the way the match was put together. It will be quite the showdown when Trent Seven drops the weight and those two fight.
NEXT WEEK: The Hunt vs. Andrews & Webster in a street fight, SPRNVA Sessions with Sha Samuels and the debut of Meiko Satomura.
NOW CHECK OUT LAST WEEK’S NXT UK REPORT: 1/28 NXT UK TV REPORT: Fatal four-way tag team number one contender match and Carter vs. Gradwell
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