1/28 NXT UK TV REPORT: Fatal four-way tag team number one contender match and Carter vs. Gradwell

NXT UK TV REPORT (EP. 132)
JANUARY 28, 2021
STREAMED ON WWE NETWORK
REPORT BY CHAD KOENIG, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

Announcers: Andy Shepherd and Nigel McGuinness

-Jordan Devlin started the show by coming to the ring and stating that he wants to be the greatest wrestler the NXT UK brand has ever seen. The gloating was cut short by Trent Seven’s music, as he came out and agreed with Jordan’s accomplishments and accolades. He said that Devlin needed a new challenger and that he would cut his weight down to 205 so he could challenge him for the Cruiserweight Championship. Devlin mockingly said that he would need o cut at least thirty pounds, but if he did that, he would challenge him. Seven clocked the champion in the head and told him that he was coming for him. Seven looked into the camera at the end of the segment and said “he needs a new challenger, and it’s gonna be me,” as Devlin exited to the back.

-A WWE Royal Rumble commercial aired

-A video package on Kay Lee Ray and the women’s division aired that led into announcing the arrival of Japanese veteran wrestler Meiko Satomura.

(1) BEN CARTER vs. SAM GRADWELL

Gradwell walked to the ring and insulted Carter’s shorts, as well as his home state of New Jersey. Gradwell proceeded to tell him that he was going to send him back bloodied.

Gradwell applied a wrist lock early on and kept him grounded for a bit. Carter kipped back up, but Gradwell maintained the hold. He eventually escaped and connected with a dropkick in the midst of a spot fest full of acrobatic rolls.

Gradwell got a hold of him again and beat him back down to the canvas. He continued kicking him before a pinfall attempt. Gradwell smacked Carter around as he was trying to climb the ropes to get to his feet. He flipped his way back up from off of the ropes and stole a quick roll-up pin that Gradwell kicked out of. Carter came at him, but he was knocked down by Gradwell for a two count of his own.

Carter continued to writhe in pain as Gradwell just attacking him while he was on his back. Carter then kicked out of a series of pinfall attempts before Gradwell applied a long, heavy headlock.

After Carter escaped the hold, the two hit the ropes exchanged strikes. Gradwell rolled out of the ring Carter dove through the ropes on him. Gradwell rolled back in and the two did the same thing again, this time with Carter flipping over. He rolled Gradwell in and bounced off of the ropes to attack him. Gradwell instead caught him and slammed him face first to the mat. A two count followed.

Gradwell got Carter up and hoisted him onto his shoulders. Carter slithered his way off and then ricocheted from the ropes for an innovative DDT. He went to the top rope and pinned Gradwell after a frog splash.

WINNER: Carter at 7:23

Koenig’s Analysis: Gradwell came off as a tough SOB and had some great, powerful moves. I liked Carter’s DDT finisher, but thought he was flipping and do acrobatics far too much. He needs to save the spots for when they matter and not overdo them. I look forward to seeing more of him, as he is bringing a different, Americanized style to the brand.

-A commercial aired for the new WWE Chronicle on Bianca Belair

-A WWE Smackdown commercial played.

(2) JOSH MORRELL vs. SHA SAMUELS

With his new name back (for whatever reason, he came out as “Ed Harvey” two weeks ago and changed his name in the middle of the match), Samuels went after Morrell immediately and put him in a headlock and worked it into an arm hold. He held that in for a while until Morrell countered it into a wrist lock of his own. The stronger Samuels chased Morrell around but kept catching him and put a beating on him. Samuels tossed him hard onto his back and continued to toy with him by driving his elbow into his head and shoulders.

After controlling the entire match Morrell started to show some offense and got his first pair of pinfall attempts after a dropkick. Samuels then got up and continued the abuse before submitting him with an inverted camel clutch.

WINNER: Samuels at 5:11

Koenig’s Analysis: A squash match to show Samuels power. Like Carter in the match before, Morrell was getting a bit too “flippy” and doing acrobatics for no logical reason.

-Ilja Dragunov was shown backstage from earlier in the week being asked about his match with Jack Starz. He admitted that he didn’t want to hurt his friend, but just “lost it.” Sam Gradwell then walked by and mockingly said “look out for that bad boy!” Dragunov looked upset and walked away.

-Rampage Brown was then seen being interviewed. Gallus walked by unceremoniously and Brown told Joe Coffey he would like a challenge. Connors agreed and continued to walk on.

(3) MARK ANDREWS & FLASH MORGAN WEBSTER vs. ASHTON SMITH & OLIVER CARTER vs. PRETTY DEADLY (Lewis Howley & Sam Stoker) vs. THE HUNT (Primate & Wild Boar) – Fatal Four-Way #1 Contenders Match

Andrews and Howley started the match, but Smith was immediately tagged in by Howley. Smith applied a wrist lock that was countered with a roll up for two. Tag was made to Webster who got a pair of pinfall attempts. Carter gets the tag in to lay Webster out and tagged himself back in moments later. Andrews tagged himself in without Carter seeing it and he was taken down by a surprise dropkick from Andrews. Howley then tagged himself in by tapping Andrews and then sliding in for a pin but Carter kicked out at two. Andrews and Smith tagged back in again and Smith got a two count after slamming Andrews, who then went to tag in Howley.

Smith overpowered Howley around the ring until Primate tagged himself in. Primate grabbed Howley who then grabbed his partner for leverage. Boar then ran in to even the odds by having he and his partner executing a double suplex to Pretty Deadly. They tossed Howley in the corner as Andrews then tagged himself in, with Morgan & Webster then going face to face with The Hunt. A melee ensued when all four teams got involved. When the smoke cleared, it was Primate in with Boar.

Boar kicked Smith out to the floor, leaving Carter to fend for himself. Carter tossed Boar over his head and he crawled to Pretty Deadly’s corner to tag in Howley. The teams then went into another tag frenzy and in the end, Stoker and Andrews were in the ring. Smith tagged himself in and slammed those two to the ground. Andrews then tagged in Howley and kicked Carter to the canvas. The other teams were all battling outside of the ring as Gallus chomped popcorn in the stands.

Carter and Stoker continued to battle in the ring. Carter tagged in Smith and Howley to Primate. All four teams came in again and more chaos ensued.

Smith and Primate were the legal men at this point. Smith got Primate on his shoulders as Carter went to the top to take him down after tagging himself in. Carter then with the pin and knocked The Hunt out of the match.

Howley came in here and drove Carter on the mat. He got a two count after slamming him down. Carter tagged in Smith again and the two ping-ponged around the ring before another tag to Carter. Double teaming ensued and they attempted to pin Stoker. Andrews then tagged in here and drove Carter’s face into the mat. He tagged Smith in as Webster tagged himself in. Carter didn’t see it so Andrews attacked him from behind and then eliminated their Carter & Smith. We are left with Morgan & Webster against Pretty Deadly.

Howley ran his knee into Webster’s gut. Pretty Deadly kept him in their corner for a while before he escaped to tag in Andrews. Pretty Deadly continued the double teaming against Andrews before he hit an impressive hurricanrana to get two count on Howley.

Howley started to focus on Andrews’ knee here- the same knee that he injured last year. He tagged in Stoker who put him on his shoulders and executed an airplane spin that converted into a single leg crab. Their two partners came in and broke up the hold. Webster then gets the tag and flies high right onto Stoker for a quick near fall. Tag made to Andrews while Webster went up to take out Pretty Deadly from the turnbuckle. Andrews was in the ring prepping to dive over the ropes when Eddie Dennis came out of the shadows and hit him in the knee with a chair. The ref didn’t see it and he laid in pain in the ring. Stoker tagged Howley and they worked together to slam Andrews to the mat and pick up the win.

WINNER: PRETTY DEADLY at 24:15

Koenig’s Analysis: The first 15 minutes of this match was way too busy. That seemed to be the running theme throughout the episode. Too many unnecessary spots, which isn’t usually common practice on this show. The match was great when it was the two final teams in the ring. Anything with Andrews and Webster is fun to watch. I hope this show doesn’t continue to become a spot fest program.

-NEXT WEEK: Nina Samuels vs. Xia Brookside and a Jordan Devlin open challenge.

NOW CHECK OUT LAST WEEK’S NXT UK REPORT: 1/21 NXT UK TV REPORT: Ray vs. Jinny, Brown vs. Mastiff, and Starz vs. Dragunov