Howdy partners!…. Yeah, that didn’t go as well as I thought it would in my head 🙂 Anyway, welcome one and all to my preview of NXT UK’s Takeover: Blackpool II. Before I start I’d like to begin by saying that this preview was written before the go-home edition of the TV show. So if there are any matches added, or card changes, I apologize. But enough of that, let’s look at the positives. A five-match card, a two (ish) hour show, and action galore. Let’s kick off the new year as we mean to go on, shall we?!
NXT UK Women’s Championship
Kay Lee Ray (c) vs Piper Niven vs Toni Storm
This feud has been simmering away for quite a few weeks now. And it’s all set to boil over at Blackpool! I used to be a chef, hence the cooking puns there 😉
I’ve read a lot online that Kay Lee Ray’s victory over Toni Storm was a shock. Not to me. I called it at the time, and I’m calling that KLR will retain this Saturday too. I’m also calling a weasely heel kinda victory. The kind where she tips the ladder that’s holding Niven and Storm out the ring and she casually climbs the ladder to retain her title.
Niven and Storm will do the lions share of the match. The best of friends make the greatest of enemies. And although these two aren’t at the enemies stage just yet, there’s a lot of animosity. Toni has been on a tear since her return to the brand. Dispatching opponents left, right and center. While Niven feels like she has a point to prove. But if you’ve seen her in ICW then you know there’s nothing to prove at all.
Trent Seven vs Eddie Dennis
I have REALLY enjoyed Eddie “Patrick Bateman” Dennis these past few weeks. His creepy demeanor is something out of the ordinary from him, for those that have followed him on the BritWres scene. A nice bit of re-invention from the Welshman.
Trent Seven is the self-confessed Godfather of NXT UK. Along with Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate (we’ll get to him later), he feels that he helped create NXT UK. And that right there is the issue that Dennis has. He feels left out of the conversation. That his injuries have pushed him to the side, even to the back of the roster. And what better way to re-introduce yourself than going after Trent Seven.
I’ve seen both of these go at each other in tag matches on the indies, but never in singles competition. I’m really looking forward to this match. As for a winner? I’m going to go with Eddie Dennis. In all fairness, Trent can take the loss and not lose popularity at all. Eddie needs the win and I’m sure it’ll show in this match.
NXT UK Tag Team Championships
Four-Way Ladder Match
Gallus (c) vs Imperium vs GYV vs SWSC
Oh boy! Get ready for a spot fest! And I mean that in the nicest way possible as it’s this match that has sold this Takeover for me. All four teams in this contest have been outstanding since NXT UK’s inception. And all four will go hell for leather to show who is the number one team in NXT UK.
Gallus (Wolfgang/Mark Coffey) are the current champions. They remind me of a less refined Revival. And I don’t mean that in a derogatory manner. I just mean that they are a lot more fists than Dash and Dawson. But I don’t think it’ll be enough for them to retain the titles here I’m afraid.
South Wales Sub Culture (Mark Andrews/Flash Morgan Webster) are the former champions and will be leading the charge with their high flying offense. Those ladders will be used to the fullest by this pair. They’re both inventive enough to use the ladders (and maybe more) in ways that maybe haven’t been seen before.
Imperium (Marcel Barthel/Fabian Aichner) will be looking to exert their dominance in this match. Their leader WALTER is the current UK Champion and will be hoping that his fellow stable members can bring home more gold to the faction. I’m a huge fan of both these guys. The mix of Aicher’s speed and power with the technical skills of Barthel just makes for a fantastic team. But I have a feeling that they’ll be too busy with Gallus to take advantage of the situation and claim those titles I’m afraid.
Grizzled Young Veterans (James Drake/Zack Gibson) were the inaugural Tag Team Champions and dominated the division for some time. They’ve been antagonizing the three other teams for a while now, with their heelish ways. They are the ultimate opportunists, and it’s that reason why I think they’ll come out on top. With Gallus occupying Imperium’s thoughts and SWSC jumping from the tallest things they can find, GYV will sneak their way to a win. Oh yes, this match really could still the show. Well….maybe the next match may have something to say about that.
Tyler Bate vs Jordan Devlin
If you’re reading this, then you must know about my work. In my NXT UK tv reviews, I do state (quite a few times) that I bloody adore both these men. They are frickin fantastic talents separately so together…it’s gonna be an amazing match up!
With Tyler already having tasted NXT UK gold (inaugural UK Champion no less) you can imagine that Jordan will be seeing this match as a #1 contenders match. Bate has been over to Orlando and worked at NXT, and as I alluded to above in my Trent Seven piece, he’s one of the founding members of NXT UK.
Devlin wants all of that and more. He wants to be top dog and challenge WALTER (who he’s had a rivalry with in OTT). He desires that UK Championship. Jordan needs to be featured on NXT. This will be a barnstormer of a match folks! I’ve never let you down with a recommendation. I urge you all to just sit back and watch two of the finest wrestlers alive today put on a clinic.
WWE United Kingdom Championship
WALTER (c) vs Joe Coffey
Here we are peeps. We’re at the main event. WALTER toppled the 500+ day reign of Pete Dunne at his first attempt. But when Pete was the champ, he took on Joe Coffey, and defeated him with relative ease. Has Joe learned from his mistakes from the past?
It looks like he has. He has grown into the leader we all knew he could be in that time. He has become more ruthless, more aggressive. All the attributes needed to take on WALTER this Saturday. Will it be enough though?
WALTER is a freak. There I said it. But he’s in that special category of freak alongside Brock Lesnar. WALTER, in my eyes, will be UK Champion for as long as he wants. He may wait for his eventual NXT/RAW/SD call up. Or he may want to beat Dunne’s record. Either way, for all of Joe Coffey’s attributes – He’s not beating the champ. Sorry Gallus, but I think you’re walking away from Blackpool title-less.
There we have it. My personal take on this weekend’s Takeover: Blackpool II, the brand’s third Takeover. Could it beat Takeover: Cardiff as the best this young brand has offered? I’m not sure, Cardiff was pretty damn amazing. But I can guarantee you one thing, all involved will work their ass off to make it happen, and us fans will reap the benefits!
I’ll be back as usual with my NXT UK review next week. So stay with Pro Wrestling Post for all your wrestling news, previews, reviews and interviews! That’s a lot of “views” going on there! 🙂
