On this week’s episode of NXT UK review, we find ourselves in Phoenix, Arizona! On American soil, the NXT UK crew aim to make a name for themselves. Tonight, Wolfgang will take on United Kingdom Champion Pete Dunne.
NXT UK Women’s Champion Toni Storm makes her way to the ring to a positive reception from the Phoenix crowd. She recounts her previous successes, from her Mae Young Classic victory to winning the aforementioned championship. She acknowledges Rhea Riley, the former champion, saying that while she was entitled to a rematch, she regards as Ripley as a bully. Storm expresses pleasure in kicking Ripley’s ass again.
This prompts Ripley to come out onto the stage. Ripley claims that Storm got lucky at TakeOver: Blackpool. Ripley says that she was the first-ever NXT UK Women’s Champion and that she is sick of everyone comparing her to Storm, when they should compare Storm to Ripley. Ripley expresses hate for Storm in numerous respects. Storm retorts by saying that they have talked enough, which triggers a brawl between them. Ripley rolls out of the ring, Storm beckoning her to come back in. Ripley backs up the ramp, Storm standing tall with her championship in hand.
Next week, Storm and Ripley will square off for the NXT UK Women’s Championship.
Match 1: Noam Dar vs. Jordan Devlin
The match begins with a lock-up, both men attempting to gain leverage over the other with armlocks and takedowns. Devlin shoots Dar off the ropes, but Dar takes Devlin down to the mat. Dar goes for a rounding backslide, but it was only good for a two-count. Dar plants Devlin with a back drop for another two-count.
Devlin plants Dar with a standing moonsault, but only gets a two-count. Devlin continued to stay on Dar, the Phoenix crowd breaking into a “you still suck” chant. Devlin hits an inverted backbreaker on Dar and follows up with a wrist lock, nailing him with a forearm to the face. Devlin taunts Dar as he tries to regain himself. Dar attempted to fight back, only to be met with a kick to the midsection that brings him down. Dar tries to fight back again, but Devlin counters with a suplex. Devlin goes for another counter, but Dar kicks out at two.
The crowd willed Dar to his feet, as he attempted several strikes on Devlin. Devin went for a springboard cross body, but Dar, exhausted and all, evaded the move. Dar kicks Devlin’s legs as he goes back to the top rope, sending him down the mat. Dar starts to build momentum with a series of strikes, dashing at Devlin in the corner with a running forearm. Dar hits a release northern lights suplex, but Devlin kicks out at two.
Dar catches Devlin’s leg, executing an ankle lock. Devlin rolls through and hits a springboard cutter. Devlin goes for the cover, but Dar kicks out at two. Dar follows Devlin to the outside, charging at him. Devlin evades the attack, causing Dar to inadvertently kick the steel steps. This doesn’t go unnoticed by Devlin, who targets the injured knee, propping it against the steps. Travis Banks, a Superstar with his own problems with Devlin, comes out to attempt to stop the onslaught. The referee, noticing this, warns Banks to stay back.
Back in the ring, Devlin goes for a surprise cover, his feet on the ropes. Banks quickly swipes Devlin’s off the ropes. Irate, Devlin hits Banks with a kick, sending him to the mat to the outside. Meanwhile, Dar executes a schoolboy on Devlin for the 1… 2… 3!
Winner: Noam Dar
Following the match, Devlin attacks Dar from behind. He then hits him with a backdrop driver. Banks yanks Devlin out of the ring, proceeding to fire at him with a series of strikes, igniting a brawl that carried out up the ramp. As Devlin and Banks brawl, we cut to commercial.
In two weeks, Walter squares off against NXT’s own Kassius Ohno! Next week, however, will be home to an NXT UK Women’s Championship match, as Storm will defend against Ripley. Keeping with the theme of NXT women’s action, let’s get to our next match of the evening.
Match 2: Jinny vs. Mia Yim
Both women lock up, Jinny taking down Mia Yim to the mat with a headlock. Yim rolls through with a legscissors across the neck. Jinny rolls through with a headlock of her own, but Yim reverses the hold in this technical exchange. Jinny brings Yim back down the mat with a wristlock, where she manipulates her opponent’s joints. Yim quickly takes Jinny back into a headlock. Yim runs the ropes and hits a shoulderblock, covering Jinny for the two-count.
Jinny shoots out from the corner to hit a hurricanrana, but Yim rolls through the attack. Jinny, clearly frustrated, starts to unleash a flurry of strikes. Yim returns fire by tacking Jinny, executing several seated strikes of her own. Yim attempts an armbreaker, but Jinny scurries to the ropes before the arm can be extended. Yim is sent face first into the middle turnbuckle by Jinny, who covers her opponent for the two-count.
Jinny starts to trash talk Yim, slamming her face into the mat several times and following up with a kick to the back. Despite this, her pin attempts were broken out of at two. Yim wills her way out of a headlock, with the help of a pro-Yim crowd. Jinny rolls through another attack, executing a seated wheelbarrow stretch, kicking at Yim’s back to prevent her from reaching the ropes. Jinny breaks the hold and punches Yim in the back of the head several times.
Yim, in the corner, locks in a tarantula across the ropes. She follows up with a running neckbreaker, buying herself time to recover from the previous attacks. Yim follows up with several forearms, back kicks, and chops, backing Jinny into the corner. Yim soon hits a cannonball, going for the cover, but Jinny kicks out at two. Jinny blocks a kick from Yim, but is sent into the corner with a German suplex, Jinny rolling out of the ring. Yim rolls Jinny back inside, but is caught with a kick. Jinny goes for the cover, using the nearby ropes for leverage, propping her legs against them. Unbeknownst to the referee, he counts the 1… 2… 3!
Winner: Jinny
Next week, Joe and Mark Coffey square off against Mark Andrews and Flash Morgan Webster! Up next, in tonight’s main event, Wolfgang and Pete Dunne will clash!
Match 3: Wolfgang vs. Pete Dunne
The match begins with Wolfgang tossing his entrance vest at Dunne, much to the displeasure of the United Kingdom Champion. Both men lock up, Wolfgang wrenching at Dunne’s arm. Dunne works his way out of the hold and shoves Wolfgang to the mat. Dunne works on the arm and wrist of Wolfgang, keeping him grounded. Wolfgang finds his way to the ropes, though, and escapes to the outside, binding his time.
As the referee was distracted by Dunne, who tried to get Wolfgang back in the ring, Wolfgang sneak attacks his opponent. Wolfgang, keeping his opponent grounded, executes a chin lock. Wolfgang runs the ropes, but runs right into a ferocious clothesline by Dunne! Dunne hits a dropkick to Wolfgang’s knee. Dunne attempts a leg submission, but Wolfgang reaches the ropes. Wolfgang sends Dunne over the top rope and onto the mat outside.
Wolfgang rolls out of the ring, stomping at the fallen Dunne. Wolfgang rolls Dunne back inside, but Dunne quickly takes hold of Wolfgang’s arm, stomping down at him. He then begins to bend back the fingers of Wolfgang, but is soon dropped across the rope, which breaks the hold. Wolfgang goes for the cover, but Dunne kicks out at two. Dunne, attempting to gain momentum, kicks away at Wolfgang’s inner thigh. Wolfgang charges at Dunne, but Dunne evades, hitting a snap German suplex.
Dunne throws several rights and lefts, hitting a top rope moonsault, landing on his feet. Dunne then follows up with an X-plex, going for the cover, but only receiving a two-count. Dunne goes back to the fingers, bending them back while stomping at Wolfgang. Wolfgang overpowers Dunne, sending him into the corner. Wolfgang hits a sliding back senton followed up by a reverse suplex. He goes for the cover, but Dunne kicks out at two.
Wolfgang goes to the top rope, but Dunne springs up, hitting him with a big superplex. Dunne stomps at the hands of Wolfgang and is about to snap the fingers, but Wolfgang blocks it, hitting Dunne with a clothesline. Wolfgang hits a double-knee gutbuster, but Dunne kicks out just before the count of three! Wolfgang, with a visible hobble in his knee, goes back to the top rope. He goes for The Howling, but Dunne catches him on the way down, cinching in an armbar. Dunne bends back at the fingers. Unable to take the pain, Wolfgang quickly taps out.
Winner: Pete Dunne
The show closes with Dunne standing tall in the ring, United Kingdom Championship in his mouth and all. Tune in next week for more NXT UK action, including the Coffey brothers taking on Mark Andrews and Flash Morgan Webster, and the next showdown between Toni Storm and Rhea Ripley for the NXT UK Women’s Championship!
