Hello my chums! How are we all? I would like to begin by thanking all of you that spoke to me about my debut edition last week. Your kind words were very much appreciated. It’s the little things like that, that personally gives me the push to keep doing this. You all are bloody great! Now enough gushing, let’s get on with this week’s NXT UK Inclination!
The Hunt vs Pretty Deadly
I’ve seen Pretty Deadly on the scene for a while now, and they get better and better each time. Which is good news as they needed to be on their best form taking on the veterans of Wild Boar and Primate in this encounter.
With The Hunt looking like they’ll be taking on Imperium or Gallus in the next few weeks, it made perfect sense for Boar and Primate to come out on top here. A good solid opener with a red hot crowd.
I’ve seen Pretty Deadly on the Indie scene over here and I must admit, this is the best I’ve seen them. They work together really well. Very crisp in the ring, and their selling is top-notch. I can see a very big future for them in NXT UK. They’re more akin as a new age Rockers.
As for the match itself, it was a pretty standard affair. The speed of Howley and Stoker kept The Hunt away, but it didn’t last long. Boar and Primate took control and bossed the match. Throwing the pair around like rag dolls. Double top rope head butts finished the match and gave The Hunt a much-needed win.
Winners – The Hunt
After the match, Marcel Barthel and Fabian Aichner made their way out and began shouting at Boar and Primate. Calling them animals, and that they were dumping over their sacred mat. Primate had enough and took the pair out with a tope suicido, but Alexander Wolfe soon joined the fray. Imperium took control with the numbers game and left The Hunt lying motionless on the floor.
An Ilja Dragunov video package was played after the brawl, announcing that he would return next week!
Jordan Devlin vs Jack Starz
First things first – Jordan Devlin is one of the best wrestlers on the NXT UK roster. The fact that he’s not higher up the card/booking decisions baffles me. Secondly, why he was in a 50/50 squash match is beyond me (no offense to Jack Starz). Starz got in too much offense in a glorified squash match for my liking.
That’s not me putting Jack down either. Starz is a talent with a great future. He’s got to be really, why else would he be on a WWE roster? But I still think he 12-18 months away from leading and putting away matches.
Apart from the strong offense from the “jobber” (for more pf a better term), this match was pretty good. Much as you would expect Jordan kept the pace of the match high, even if it went a few minutes longer than I would have wanted.
Devlin hit the Devlin Slide for the win in a shade under five minutes. As his music was playing, Jordan grabbed a mic and began to speak….
Winner – Jordan Devlin
Devlin asked the crowd and the listening NXT UK management backstage, who exactly does he have to beat to prove that he’s NXT UK’s biggest star? And just like that, Dave Mastiff made his way out to the ring as Jordan rolled out. He gave the Irishman a little wave and asked Jordan why he didn’t have a match with himself. Devlin declined and headed to the back quite sharpish!
Dave Mastiff vs Kenny Williams
Hot on the heels of a fleeing Devlin, Kenny Williams comes out for his match against Mastiff. And to be honest, I’m not sure what I think about the match.
I mean the quality was there, along with the intensity. The thing that bothered me the most was the injury sell of Williams. It was sold really really well, but it (in my eyes) didn’t really have any impact on the match itself. mastiff didn’t make a beeline for the injured body part, he just carried on with his powerful offense like normal. I just don’t like to see that waste of an injury angle, that’s all.
With the seeds planted for a future Devlin/Mastiff feud on the horizon, you could tell that Dave would win this one. Which he did. Using his cannonball as a finisher – not something you see in every Mastiff match either.
Winner – Dave Mastiff
Xia Brookside was about to cut a promo but was interrupted by Nina Samuels. Xia took exception and challenged her to a match to see if “she’ll put her money where her mouth is”. Not sure strong words are the right thing to say about that challenge, but at least a point was made I suppose.
The NXT UK Tag Team Champions, Flash Morgan Webster and Mark Andrews, came out to the ring and thanked the fans for being behind them. Giving them the energy to capture the titles back at Takeover: Cardiff. They also said they are fighting champions and will take on anyone, anywhere.
Enter Gallus. Mark Coffey garbs a mic and runs down the champs. He says they won’t be kicking the champs asses this week as they want something left in the tank next week when both teams face each other with the titles on the line. Flash finishes the segment by saying “next week, we’ll be kicking your asses!”
Again I’m not sold on the comeback from Webster. Felt very flat and forced. His honor has just been threatened and his reply was like a damp squib. Needed more fire from the champions in my opinion!
The Champagne Supernova himself, Noam Dar, is interviewed backstage by Alyisha Taylor. He mocks Trent Seven and says a win is a win, no matter if it’s a DQ victory. As he began to talk about what he would be doing next, Trent walks into the picture. Both men jaw jack back and forth, referees and officials run in to hold both men back. A cheap shot from Dar fires up Seven, which brings in Sid Scala to intervene. He announces that both men will settle this in the ring, in two weeks’ time!
Piper Niven vs Jazzy Gabert
It’s worth noting that Jinny is at ringside in Jazzy’s corner for this bout. As she’ll play an integral part of the finish 😉
This is a battle of the powerhouses. It’s well known that both women are extremely strong, and in Piper’s case, very agile too. That agility of hers comes into play quite a lot in this short match up, as Jazzy (along with Jinny) can’t keep the elusive Niven down.
Quite a few times Jinny jumps onto the apron and distracts the referee, allowing Jazzy to jump Piper from behind and lay some shots in. But she comes back each and every time. A great sequence where Piper hits a headbutt, a scoop slam and a running cross-body for two was a particular highlight.
But the finish (and if you were paying attention at the top you’ll know what’s coming) comes as Jinny once again gets involved. Niven takes her out with a sweet looking headbutt, just as Rhea Ripley slides into the ring and takes out Gabert with a big boot as the ref was attending to Jinny. A senton from Piper and that’s all she wrote as the show goes off the air!
Winner – Piper Niven
A so-so edition this week I think. Too many short matches and too many promo segments. I know the promos were essential to set up future matches and storylines, but four matches and four promos in an hour? Too much folks…too much. But with that said, it was a good watch. I wasn’t tempted to switch the channel or check social media during the hour. I’m hoping that less is more next week.
So until next week, ta ta!
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