By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
NXT UK Television
Taped February 22-23 in Coventry, England at SkyDome Arena
Aired on March 20, 2019 on WWE Network
The NXT UK opening aired… The broadcast team was Vic Joseph and Nigel McGuinness…
Johnny Saint and Sid Scala headed to the ring and announced that Pete Dunne will defend the WWE UK Championship at NXT Takeover: New York. Scala questioned who Dunne would face. Dunne made his entrance while Joseph assumed this was news to him. Dunne entered the ring and was handed the mic by Scala. “Give me Walter,” Dunne said before handing the mic back to Scala and leaving the ring…
Powell’s POV: A simple and effective start with the babyface champion asking to face his toughest challenger to date.
The broadcast team spoke and then they cut backstage where Toni Storm took part in a media scrum. She said the thing she and Jinny have in common is a love for gold. Storm said she knows how to be a champion and knows hard work. She said Jinny may have a problem with her because she actually has to work hard when she’s in the ring with her.
Storm walked down a flight of stairs behind her and then crossed paths with Rhea Ripley, who walked to the top of the steps and addressed the media. Ripley said she heard what Xia Brookside had to say about her. She called Brookside a rodent and said if she wants to step in the ring with her again the result will be the same as in the women’s tournament…
The broadcast team hyped Tyler Bate vs. James Drake as the main event and the opening match going into a break…
1. Ligero vs. Eddie Dennis. Late in the match, Dennis performed a vertical suplex from the middle rope. He picked up Ligero and performed a crucifix bomb into the top turnbuckle. Dennis followed up with the Next Stop Driver and scored the clean pin…
Eddie Dennis defeated Ligero.
Powell’s POV: A solid and competitive match until Dennis took off down the stretch and won decisively. Dennis’s gear continues to make him look like something out of the movie Elf, which I guess is better than Ligero working with a mask that looks as if it has a pair of sex toys on each side.
Footage aired from the UK Performance Center of Amir Jordan telling Kenny Williams that he should ask for a tag title match. Williams told him to train with him all week at the gym. A brief montage aired of Jordan training and pulling off a move that Williams showed him. Jordan asked if he could get them a shot at the tag titles. “Unbelievable,” Williams said before walking away…
2. “The Hunt” Wild Boar and Primate defeated Sam Stoker and Lewis Howley. In the end, Boar threw Howley into the air and Primate caught him with a suplex on the way down for the win…
Wild Boar and Primate defeated Sam Stoker and Lewis Howley.
Powell’s POV: As kids, my middle brother and I jokingly came up with the pro wrestling name of “Mad Pig Powell” for our younger brother. Who knew that silly childhood gimmick would actually mesh with a real act in 2019? Anyway, this was a simple showcase match for The Hunt.
3. Kassius Ohno vs. Ashton Smith. Ohno controlled the early offense, Smith made a brief comeback, and then Ohno dominated down the stretch. Ohno hit a Ripcord Elbow and scored the clean pin.
Kassius Ohno defeated Ashton Smith.
After the match, Ohno checked on Smith and helped him to his feet. Ohno stuck his first for a fist bump, then spun around and blasted Smith with a rolling elbow. Travis Banks came out to check on Smith and shot Ohno a look. Once Smith was in the ring, Ohno teased entering the ring, but he stopped and applauded once Banks spotted him…
Powell’s POV: I knew Smith was screwed when McGuinness labeled him as “the hard working Ashton Smith” before the commercial break that preceded the match. Ohno was showcased nicely. The post match angle was well done, but it didn’t stop some fans from chanting “one more time.” Banks vs. Ohno should be really good.
Footage aired of Gallus members Joe Coffey, Mark Coffey, and Wolfgang drinking coffee in a restaurant. Joe recapped their wins and losses and said they need to establish dominance, and added that Gallus stays on top…
Powell’s POV: I once dated a gal who… Never mind.
4. Tyler Bate vs. James Drake. Joseph asked McGuinness if he would consider it an upset if Drake defeated Bate. McGuinness thought about it before saying that he would while listing many of Bate’s accomplishments. Late in the match, Drake performing a running dropkick on Bate in the corner. Drake took his time going to the top rope, and Bate moved when Drake went for a 450 splash. Drake landed on his feet, but Bate performed an exploder suplex into the corner. Bate performed a Spiral Tap from the ropes and scored the pin…
Tyler Bate defeated James Drake.
After the match, Scala and Saint announced that the Dunne vs. Walter match is official for NXT Takeover: New York…
Powell’s POV: A good main event. Bate is a tremendous worker and Drake is no slouch. The Dunne vs. Walter match being made official is the big news of the show for those who avoided spoilers. It shouldn’t surprise anyone that they are going with that title match given the recent storylines, but perhaps it will surprise some that the match is being held at the NXT Takeover: New York event. It’s a terrific addition to that lineup. Overall, a solid show, yet a notch down from last week. Haydn Gleed and/or Darren Gutteridge will be by later today or Thursday morning with their weekly audio review of this show.
Check below for the new Pro Wrestling Boom Podcast with Jason Powell and guest Eric Bischoff discussing whether there are similarities in Vince McMahon’s WWE booking and Verne Gagne’s booking of the AWA during its dying days, a network shakeup that could potentially be an issue for All Elite Wrestling, Eric’s upcoming shows with Tony Schiavone and Conrad Thompson in Chicago and New York, and much more.
Be the first to comment