En route to NXT UK TakeOver: Cardiff, on August 31st, this week’s show begins with General Manager Johnny Saint and Assistant Sid Scala in the ring and the main event of Jordan Devlin against Alexander Wolfe. As they hype TakeOver, they are interrupted by Imperium. Marcel Barthel says that since Imperium arrived, Saint and Scala are no longer needed. The four members of Imperium enter the ring, threatening that Saint and Scala leave. Walter takes the mic, saying that Imperium proved they are the number one force in NXT UK. Walter asks who is left to challenge him at TakeOver.
SNEAK ATTACK from @Tyler_Bate! #NXTUK pic.twitter.com/w7lHEBHs7v
— NXT UK (@NXTUK) July 31, 2019
Tyler Bate’s music plays as Walter stands in the ring, the other members of Imperium guarding the entranceway. Bate attacks Walter from behind and starts to clean house, ejecting other members of Imperium from the ring. This brawl brings out officials and NXT UK talent alike. As the brawl cools down, Scala takes the mic, declaring that Walter will defend the WWE United Kingdom Championship against Bate at NXT UK TakeOver: Cardiff!
Wolfgang and Mark Coffey vs. Pretty Deadly (Sam Stoker and Lewis Howley)
This match begins with Wolfgang immediately on the attack, taking advantage of Howley early on. Wolfgang hits a big hip toss on Howley. Hesitantly, Howley makes the tag to Stoker, who hits a few clotheslines before being dropped by Wolfgang. Coffey is tagged in and he continues the assault on Stoker. Coffey hits a Russian leg sweep followed by a knee drop to the back of the head. Coffey whips him into the corner before tagging in Wolfgang. The two members of Gallus perform a double monkey flip on Stoker. Wolfgang poses to the jeers of the NXT UK Universe.
#PrettyDeadly was just thrown pretty far… #NXTUK pic.twitter.com/UOi4zg7lPb
— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) July 31, 2019
Wolfgang whips Stoker back into the corner before tagging in Coffey. Stoker slowly crawls to his corner and kicks Coffey in the face before tagging in Howley. However, Howley’s hot tag is quickly shut down by the members of Gallus. Wolfgang performs a big power slam on Howley for the 1… 2… 3!
Winners: Wolfgang and Mark Coffey
Following the match, Coffey takes the mic, saying that NXT UK has been Gallus’ kingdom. However, the kingdom is also built by wretches, which brings their attention to Grizzled Young Veterans. Coffey says that the NXT UK Tag Team Championship will “soon” be theirs.
Backstage, Jordan Devlin marches up to Scala, who demands what he had to do to get a rematch for the UK Championship. Scala says that Devlin will wrestle in the show’s main event, but not against Walter. Instead, he will square off against Alexander Wolfe. Scala wishes Devlin luck before leaving the frame.
The show cuts to an interview conducted with “Bomber” Dave Mastiff earlier in the day. Joe Coffey has a big mouth, but Mastiff isn’t hard to find. Next week, Mastiff and Coffey will square off!
Dani Luna vs. Rhea Ripley
The match begins with Rhea surprising Luna with a running big boot. Ripley forces Luna into the corner and hits a series of shoulder tackles. Ripley runs into the corner, but Luna sidesteps and hits a jumping knee. Luna continues the attack, but Ripley quickly takes advantage again, raining down on her with a series of forearms. Ripley hits Luna in the side of the head before following up with clubbing blows to the back of the head. Luna tries to fight back, but Ripley cuts off her momentum with a dropkick.
Ripley starts to taunt Luna, who tries to fight back. Once again, however, Ripley takes control and plants her with the Riptide! 1… 2… 3!
.@RheaRipley_WWE is taking out ALL of her frustrations on @DaniLuna_pro. #NXTUK pic.twitter.com/hC21xvymft
— NXT UK (@NXTUK) July 31, 2019
Winner: Rhea Ripley
After the match, the show cuts to a segment featuring Kay Lee Ray and NXT UK Women’s Champion Toni Storm, who will square off at NXT UK TakeOver: Cardiff. They talk about their past, with them being friends early in their wrestling careers. They traveled and even lived together, with Storm looking to Ray as an older sister of sorts. Storm was happy when it was announced Ray would be part of NXT UK. However, it wasn’t what Storm imagined, as Ray changed from the person she knew. Storm says that Ray knows her better than anyone else, which makes this upcoming title defense different. Ray confidently expresses that she will take the championship from Storm.
Following the commercial, the show cuts to a segment featuring Eddie Dennis, who underwent surgery for a pectoral injury this past spring. Dennis says that he places blame, for his injury, on every single self-entitled professional wrestling fan that passes judgment on their art form. Dennis believes the fans are unaware of the effort that wrestlers put in, as they boo wrestlers, even though they did nothing wrong. Dennis blames the fans.
Next week, Piper Niven teams up with Xia Brookside to take on Jinny and Jazzy Gabert!
Jordan Devlin vs. Alexander Wolfe
They lock up to begin, with Devlin forcing Wolfe into the corner. Wolfe takes Devlin into a submission, which Devlin reverses. Wolfe soon brings Devlin to the mat, manipulating the wrist and hand. Devlin rolls through and slaps Wolfe across the face. As Wolfe goes after his opponent, Devlin quickly leaves the ring, taking his time to get back in. Once he’s in, Wolfe forces Devlin into the corner, hitting him with a stiff forearm. Wolfe hits a back elbow on the top of Devlin’s head before going for a power slam. Devlin escapes, however, and hits the double knees across the chest! 1… 2… Wolfe kicks out!
The match returns to Wolfe’s side, as he takes advantage of the smaller competitor. Wolfe follows up with a series of strikes. Devlin tries to fight back, but Wolfe resumes control with an abdominal stretch, forcing his knuckles into his opponent’s side. Devlin fights back and goes for a springboard cutter, only for Wolfe to reverse it with an inverted suplex across the top rope! 1… 2… Devlin kicks out! Wolfe plants his knee across the side of Devlin. The Irish Ace tries to fight back, but Wolfe fires back, slinging him into the corner. Devlin rolls through and hits a double stomp!
It's come down to a slap fight. #NXTUK pic.twitter.com/bGSvX2KUQJ
— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) July 31, 2019
Devlin hits a hook and plants Wolfe with an uranage followed by a standing moonsault. Slingshot cutter is successfully hit on Wolfe! 1… 2… Wolfe gets the shoulder up! They exchange slaps across the face before resorting to forearms. Wolfe hits a big uppercut and goes for a powerbomb, but Devlin reverses, knocking him down with a headbutt. Devlin’s injured ribs came into the equation as he went for the Devlin Side, but he resorts to kicking his opponent’s head over and over. Devlin hits the Spanish Fly! 1… 2… Wolfe just gets the shoulder up!
Wolfe hoists up Devlin on his shoulders. Devlin reverses, but Wolfe catches him with a bridging German suplex! 1… 2… Devlin kicks out! Devlin escapes another powerbomb attempt and hits a kick! Devlin goes to the top rope for a moonsault! Devlin rolls through as Wolfe evades, only to be hit with a big boot! Wolfe plants Devlin with a seated powerbomb for the 1… 2… 3!
Winner: Alexander Wolfe
After the match, the show cuts to a backstage interview with Bate. He says that Walter thought he could put him on the shelf. However, Bate isn’t going to go down so easily. He will win the UK Championship, and make Walter look novice come to NXT UK TakeOver: Cardiff.
