NXT UK American Assessment for 8/21/19 (Andrews vs Drake)

By
Robbie Sutter

Tonight’s episode of NXT UK, which airs from Plymouth, England, starts with Imperium members Fabian Aichner and Marcel Barthel making their way to the ring and a main event of Mark Andrews and James Drake. They will be in action in the opening contest!

Fabian Aichner and Marcel Barthel vs. The Hunt (Wild Boar and Primate)

The match begins with Primate and Aichner as the legal men. They lock up, finding themselves at a stalemate in terms of power. Primate shoots Aichner into the ropes, both men unphased by shoulder tackles. Aicher hits Primate with a knee to the midsection and follows up with an armbar. Primate stands and bites at Aichner’s era! Primate backs Aicher into the corner, where Wild Boar makes the tag. Barthel makes the quick tag and quickly takes down Wild Boar, focusing on the arm. The crowd is firmly behind Wild Boar.

Wild Boar attempts to escape Barthel’s hold, but the latter keeps hold of the arm, maintaining control. Wild Boar forces Barthel into the corner with a flurry of strikes. Barthel escapes from the corner and hits Wild Boar with a chop thrust. In the opposite corner, Barthel continues the attack with strikes and headbutts of his own. Barthel makes the tag to Aichner, who stomps away on Wild Boar in the corner. Aichner executes two backbreakers before going for the pin, Wild Boar kicking out before three. Aichner tags in his partner again. Tandem offense follows by the Imperium members. Barthel cinches in a chin lock on Wild Boar, who tries to fight out of the hold. Wild Boar escapes and makes the quick tag!

Primate, as the legal man, attacks both Imperium members off the hot tag! Overhead toss on Aichner! Back drop on Barthel! Primate tags Wild Boar back in. They go for tandem offense of their own, but Aichner escapes. Primate is dumped out of the ring. Aichner goes for a schoolboy on Wild Boar, who fights out and hits a senton! Wild Boar dumps Barthel out before hitting a cannonball on Aichner. He goes for a second cannonball, which is evaded. The Imperium members hit stereo dropkicks on Wild Boar before doing away with Primate. The match ends with Aichner and Barthel hitting their powerbomb/flying back elbow combo for the 1… 2… 3!

Winners: Fabian Aichner and Marcel Barthel

Following the match, Sid Scala announces another match for NXT UK TakeOver: Cardiff. Following their recent animosity, Travis Banks, who previously missed his first TakeOver, will square off with Noam Dar!

After the commercial, Radzi Chinyanganya attempts to get an interview with Walter. He runs into Aichner and Barthel, who ignore him before commotion begins in the nearby locker room. Camera static and interference follow before the show cuts to a fallen Barthel, a set of footsteps following after.

Kay Lee Ray vs. Shax

They lock up to begin, with Ray forcing Shax into the corner. A clean break follows. Another lockup follows and Shax shifts gears, forcing Ray into the corner this time. Ray attacks Shax in the corner with a series of forearms. Ray focuses on Shax’s arm, wrenching and attacking it with ferocity. Ray goes for the cover, but Shax kicks out at two. Shax blocks a suplex attempt, going for a quick rollup. Ray quickly kicks out and brings Shax down to the mat with a vicious clothesline! Back in the corner, Ray chops Shax across the chest. Shax evades an attack and unleashes on Ray with a flurry of strikes. Shax goes for a flying maneuver, only to be caught off by a crescent kick by Ray in midair! One Gory Bomb later and Ray scores the pinfall victory!

Winner: Kay Lee Ray

After her victory, Ray takes the mic as the crowd chants for Toni Storm. In ten days, Ray says, she will challenge Storm for the NXT UK Women’s Championship. Ray says that Storm wants the crowd to believe she’s a big star. However, Ray knows her personally and considers her weak and fragile. At Cardiff, Ray will take what means the most to Storm: the NXT UK Women’s Championship.

This brings out Storm, who marches down the ring with a conflicted expression on her face. Ray continues to taunt Storm, the crowd reaction for the latter as strong as ever. Ray says she gets to go home, surrounded by friends and family. However, Storm goes home to no one and nothing except for the NXT UK Women’s Championship. Ray says everyone in Storm’s life abandoned her. She was Storm’s best friend for years and heard her “sob stories.” However, Ray implies that Storm’s personal issues are her own.

Storm, according to Ray, is the reason they don’t speak. Storm is the reason none of her friends or family calls, that her ex-boyfriends left her, and why her father left her and her family. This results in Storm slapping Ray across the face. Ray rolls out of the ring with a sinister expression, leaving a fuming Storm between the ropes.

A video package hyping the match at NXT UK TakeOver: Cardiff between “Bomber” Dave Mastiff and Joe Coffey plays. This bout will be held under Last Man Standing rules.

Next week, Oliver Carter makes his way to NXT UK!

Jordan Devlin is interviewed backstage regarding NXT UK TakeOver: Cardiff. Devlin is upset that he isn’t on the card, even though he took Walter to his limits. Kenny Williams interrupts, saying that he’s not on the card either. Williams challenges Devlin to a match, next week, saying he’s ready to bet against the ace. The camera cuts to Walter and Alexander Wolfe, who are none too happy about the attack earlier. Walter tells Razdi to find Tyler Bate so that they can settle things.

Mark Andrews (w/Flash Morgan Webster) vs. James Drake (w/Zack Gibson)

The bout begins with a lockup, Drake forcing Andrews into the corner. Drake taunts Andrews, telling him he’s not going to TakeOver. Drake focuses on the arm of Andrews, who finds himself overpowered by the NXT UK Tag Team Champion. Andrews takes control, however, hitting a series of arm drags. Andrews attempts to roll up Drake, who kicks out just before three. Drake backs up into the corner, a stunned expression on his face. Drake takes control of the match again, cinching in a headlock. Andrews fires back with a running hurricanrana followed by a standing moonsault! 1… 2… Drake kicks out!

Mark Andrews James Drake
Photo / WWE.fr

Drake pushes Andrews into the middle turnbuckle before following up with a series of strikes. Drake hits a short-arm clothesline on Andrews, but it’s only good for a two-count. Drake hits a low dropkick on Andrews. 1… 2… Andrews kicks out! Drake hits a snap suplex and floats over for another near-fall. Andrews starts to fight back and props himself on the top turnbuckle, but Drake pulls him off by his foot. Drake follows up with two backbreakers. 1… 2… Andrews kicks out again! Andrews begins to rebuild momentum, escaping Drake’s hold. Drake attempts a submission, but Andrews rolls through, hitting a double stomp!

Andrews hits an enziguri on Drake, causing him to roll out of the ring. Andrews follows up with a suicide dive! Back in the ring, Andrews evades a slam attempt and transitions into a tornado DDT! 1… 2… Drake kicks out! Andrews a bulldog before going to the top rope. This causes Gibson to make his way over, catching the attention of both Andrews and Webster. Drake takes advantage with a dropkick! 1… 2… Andrews kicks out! Drake attempts to cover Andrews numerous times, only for him to continually kick out. Frustrated, Drake taunts Andrews, who starts to fight back with a flurry of lefts and rights. Drake fires back with an enziguri. Andrews suddenly executes an inverted hurricanrana! 1… 2… Drake kicks out!

Suddenly, Gallus members Mark Coffey and Wolfgang come out, attacking Webster before targeting Gibson. Back in the ring, Andrews hits Stun Dog Millionaire before rolling up Drake for the 1… 2… 3!

Winner: Mark Andrews

With this victory, Andrews and Webster will be competing at NXT UK TakeOver: Cardiff against Gallus and Grizzled Young Veterans for the NXT UK Tag Team Championship!

Back in the ring, Trent Seven makes his way through the crowd and enters the ring. This brings out Walter. Wolfe follows after, but Tyler Bate appears, incapacitating him with a steel chair! Walter attempts to enter the ring, but Seven cuts him off with an uppercut! Bate follows with the chair in hand, attacking Walter. As Seven continues the attack on Wolfe, Bate and Walter drawl in the ring. Bate plants Walter with the Tyler Driver ’97! Afterward, Bate lifts the WWE United Kingdom Championship, posing over the fallen Walter as this week’s show comes to a close.

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