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This week's NXT UK was a special event, as two titles were on the line. Tyler Bate would defend the NXT UK Heritage Cup against Gallus's Mark Coffey. We'd also see Meiko Satomura's first defense of the NXT UK Women's Championship. She'd go toe-to-toe with the French Hope, Amale.
All of that, plus a tag team match featuring Teoman and Rohan Raja. Ashton Smith and Oliver Carter had revenge on their mind, as the they had felt the wrath of Teoman in recent months. Tonight was their chance, and all four men shined in an awesome tag team bout.
NXT UK kicked off with a message from "Papa H" himself, Triple H. The Game highlighted the great match between NXT UK Champion WALTER and Ilja Dragunov last year. Next week, Dragunov/WALTER II will take place.
Dragunov/WALTER NXT UK Championship Press Conference
We started the show off with a press conference highlighting the bout. Alex McCarthy's TALKSport asked WALTER if he felt his 800+ day reign with the NXT UK Title was under threat. WALTER was not phased by his contender, saying that he was in this for the greater good of this sport.
It has been an honor for WALTER and Imperium to step in the ring and represent wrestling the way it should be. Ilja Dragunov is a great competitor, but he didn't have WALTER's mental fortitude.
Ace from BBC1Xtra asked Dragunov what he had learned since his loss to WALTER the previous year. Dragunov said that it had been a very rough year for him. Losses are a part of the sport, but that loss followed Dragunov throughout the year. He learned a lot, and is now prepared to face the NXT UK Champion.
Alistair McGeorge of Metro.co.uk said the previous match had been praised highly since it took place, and wanted to know what we could all expect. Dragunov and WALTER laid it down pretty simply. It's going to be a violent affair. Though Dragunov wanted to redefine violence, WALTER wanted to redefine this sport. WALTER said he was tired of Dragunov feeling sorry for himself, and that's why he knew he wasn't on his level.
Dragunov has been putting on a show with the emotions and problems he's been going through to get this shot. WALTER believed that, truly, Dragunov was a fraud. Dragunov said that the respect he once had for WALTER is now gone, and has been replaced with pure hatred.
Subculture earned a shot at the NXT UK Tag Championships last week thanks to Mark Andrews' win over Lewis Holey. We'll see them face Pretty Deadly for the gold next week. The NXT UK Championship and Tag Championships will be on the line in what's to be a phenomenal episode.
Ashton Smith and Oliver Carter vs Teoman and Rohan Raja on NXT UK
NXT UK has been plagued by the villainous Teoman recently, and Teoman even managed to spread his vile energy to recently recruited Rohan Raja. Tonight, Ashton Smith and Oliver Carter, two men attacked by Teoman, looked for revenge.
Ashton Smith was all over Teoman in the early goings, just overpowering him with incredible strength. Teoman ran away, tagging in Raja. Oliver Carter wanted a piece of Raja and rocked him with a crescent kick. However, Teoman broke the pin and distracted Carter.
This allowed Raja to hit a Bossman Slam to turn things around in their favor. Teoman and Raja took turns tearing down Carter. It seemed that Carter was on his way to Smith after rocking both Teoman and Raja with some strong punches. However, as Carter crawled, he was cracked with a sliding forearm.
Carter would eventually get to Smith, who ran right through Teoman and Raja with some hellacious clotheslines. A massive fireman's carry driver nearly earned Smith a win on NXT UK, but Teoman just kicked out.
In the corner, Teoman dropped him with a flatliner in the turnbuckle. A backstabber from Raja and an enzuigiri from Teoman set Smith up for a nasty sky-high spinebuster. Somehow, Smith kicked out and managed to get to Carter. Carter avoided the Bossman Slam again and spiked Raja with a German suplex.
A superkick blasted Raja for the near fall. With Smith picking him up with an electric chair, Carter hit Raja with a springboard cutter. Teoman dragged his partner to the floor, but NXT UK's new "family" were taken out with a dive from Smith.
Carter hit a Scissor Kick on Raja, only for Teoman to pull his legs off the ropes mid-springboard. After Raja planted Carter with the flatliner, Teoman locked in the crossface for a huge win on NXT UK.
Results: Teoman and Rohan Raja defeated Oliver Carter and Ashton Smith via submission on NXT UK.
Grade: A-
We saw NXT UK's A-Kid, who was on crutches and in a knee brace. He told Sid Scala that when he was medically cleared, he'd want Jordan Devlin in a thirty-minute Ironman Match.
NXT UK Women's Championship Match: Amale vs Meiko Satomura (c)
Amale had the opportunity to be the first-ever French-born NXT UK Women's Champion. Meiko Satomura caught her challenger with a quick kick to the leg before bringing her down with a snapmare into a headlock.
Amale managed to break away from Meiko's grip by yanking back on the hair. That wasn't enough to give her the upper hand, as Meiko hit her with a running shoulder tackle. She locked in another submission hold, stretching Amale with a seated abdominal stretch.
Satomura finally lost control when Amale sent the NXT UK Champion face-first into the turnbuckle. A shotgun dropkick connected, earning Amale a two-count. However, the arrogance of Amale cost her. A series of kicks lit her up, and a handstand knee drop connected as well.
The Final Boss of NXT UK just battered Amale with strong roundhouse and forearms. Amale showed her resilience by managing to withstand the punishment, even responding with a knee to the face.
The running boot in the corner blasted Meiko, and she followed with the swinging fisherman's neckbreaker for a two-count. A pump kick blasted Satomura, but she responded with a roundhouse catching her challenger bouncing off the ropes.
Amale caught a kick and planted the champ with the Hope Breaker. Satomura kicked out, and caught her challenger with another series of strikes and a DDT. Scorpio Rising knocked NXT UK's French Hope out cold.
Results: Meiko Satomura defeated Amale via pinfall on NXT UK.
Grade: A
Unfortunately, we learned that the NXT UK Championship would not be on the line next week. After the press conference earlier, WALTER and Ilja Dragunov got into it backstage. The NXT UK Champion severely injured his hand, and would not be able to compete. We'll get the match at a later undisclosed date.
NXT UK Heritage Cup: Mark Coffey w/Wolfgang vs Tyler Bate (c) w/Trent Seven
As for all NXT UK Heritage Cup matches, this one was under British Round Rules. Six three-minute rounds where you can win by pinfall, submission, or count-out. First to two falls wins.
Gallus's Mark Coffey wrapped up with Tyler Bate, who spent the first minute trying to break away from Coffey's grip. After breaking the wrist lock, Bate was taken down with a heel hook, forcing him to the ropes.
Bate got back to his feet and managed to get the better of Coffey with some great chain wrestling, with the first round ending as Coffey tried to take the champion to the apron. Coffey slapped the inaugural NXT UK Champion's face in a friendly way before returning to his corner.
When the next round started, Coffey took Bate down with a hammerlock. The Big Strong Boi eventually broke away and caught Coffey with a surprising and quick pinfall.
Tyler Bate up on Mark Coffey 1-0.
Coffey ran in quick, bringing Bate back down to the mat in the first five seconds of round three. Bate broke away again, but his rebound clothesline off the ropes was countered with a big back-body drop. A Russian legsweep dropped Bate for the two-count.
Bate pelted Coffey with some strikes, but a dive from the top was countered with a clubbing blow from Coffey. Bate had no time to recover as Coffey laid out the seated champion with a basement forearm.
Mark Coffey tied it up with Tyler Bate 1-1.
Tyler Bate went to a striking game in round four, pelting his challenger with some punches and knees. Coffey responded with a sidewalk slam for another two-count. Bate escaped a uranage and nearly got COffey with the crucifix pin. An exploder suplex sent Coffey overhead, and the NXT UK Heritage Cup Champion began to fire up.
A running moonsault hit Coffey for the two. The airplane spin left both men disoriented, but Coffey was surprisingly the first to recover. After slamming Bate, Coffey missed the diving bulldog. Bate ran head first into Coffey, literally. The meeting of the minds left both men down on the mat as the fourth round expired.
Mark Coffey had no idea where his corner was, while Bate could only slowly crawl over to Trent Seven. When the fifth round began, Coffey sent Bate into the ring post for a two-count. Bate ducked a flying roundhouse and caught Coffey with the left hand. The rebound lariat and rolling ax kick connected.
After all that, the Tyler Driver planted Coffey in the middle of the ring. Five rounds in, Bate barely escaped with the NXT UK Heritage Cup.
Results: Tyler Bate defeated Mark Coffey via pinfall on NXT UK.
Grade: A+
After the match, Bate offered his hand. Coffey accepted, and Seven and Wolfgang joined in on the sportsmanship. What a fantastic end to an excellent episode of NXT UK. Great stuff all around.
