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#2 WALTER vs. Tyler Bate for the NXT United Kingdom Championship (NXT UK TakeOver: Cardiff)
WALTER debuted in WWE at NXT UK TakeOver: Blackpool with plenty of hype behind him. The man who had become the final boss of the UK independent scene was seen as a game-changer for the NXT UK brand. Shortly after his arrival, he defeated Pete Dunne for the NXT United Kingdom Championship at TakeOver: New York to end his record-breaking title reign.
WALTER then created his Imperium stable because he wanted the group to replace British Strong Style as the leading faction in NXT UK. Imperium took out Dunne and Tyler Bate, and WALTER finally decimated Trent Seven in a brutal angle. This brutality prompted Bate's return, and he challenged for the championship at NXT UK TakeOver: Cardiff.
Bate's match with WALTER was an epic encounter that is among the longest matches in WWE in the past decade. Over 42 minutes, WALTER dominated Bate with brutal chops and a hard-hitting offense. At one point, the champion powerbombed Bate into the ring post as a callback to the original angle that took him out of action. Throughout the bout, Bate proved to be a dazzling underdog babyface who the crowd got behind in a big way.
The two men kept things simple with big moves, dramatic comebacks and engaging sequences. WALTER was a bullying brute who was superbly matched by Bate, a resilient babyface. The champion hit a huge powerbomb, but Bate shockingly kicked out at one. WALTER then put the challenger down with some devastating chops and a nasty lariat to retain the NXT UK Championship.
The work was top-notch, the bout had spectacular drama, andthe fantastic crowd that added so much to this classic. This title bout lived up to any and all expectations. The closing stretch was scintillating, and it made for an overall Match of the Year candidate. This bout still stands as one of top two NXT UK matches of all time.
