By Haydn Gleed, ProWrestling.net Staffer (@haydngleed)
NXT UK TV
Taped November 15-16, 2019 in Hull, England at Bonus Arena
Streamed November 28, 2019 on WWE Network
Happy Thanksgiving to all the American readers out there… Highlights were shown of the story between Imperium, Gallus and Ilja Dragunov over the last few weeks. They ended with footage of both teams about to go at it backstage but Sid Scala stepping in and making the eight man match for the main event… The usual music and video opening aired and Tom Phillips and Nigel McGuiness were on the call…
1. Piper Niven defeated Jinny (w/Jazzy Gabert).
Gleed’s Ramblings: Just one quick note, Jinny’s entrance annoys the hell out of me. She does exactly the same movements and actions every single time, it feels so fake and makes me believe that she’s a robot. This match went exactly the way you would imagine. Piper being on offence when she wasn’t fighting off interference by Jazzy Gabert until Gabert was sent backstage. In all fairness, Jinny pulled out some new moves and holds that she hasn’t used in NXT UK before and worked hard to sell for Piper, but given the vignettes they’ve been doing with Niven, it’s clear that they are getting behind the artist formerly known as Viper, so at no point did I feel the result was in doubt.
After the match Piper had a microphone and called out Kay Lee Ray. She said she’s not asking you she’s telling you, she’s coming for the NXT UK Women’s Championship. This brought Kay Lee Ray out who climbed in the ring. She went to speak but instead slapped Piper Niven. She started to scream who do you think you are but took a right hand from Niven. As Kay Lee Ray backed up the entranceway, Toni Storm ran down and attacked Ray. The champion ran through the crowd with Piper and Toni staring at each other in the ring…
A video package showing that the next tv tapings will be in York, Coventry, Bournemouth and Glasgow through to August 2020…
2. Eddie Dennis defeated Deriess Gordon. Before the match, the commentators noted that Gordon had been trained by Marty Jones, Trent Seven and Ligero.
Gleed’s Ramblings: Eddie Dennis is playing the same intense deranged character which doesn’t mesh well with him *sigh*. Gordon showed some nice athletic ability but this was ultimately about showing the power of the big Welshman. Despite how frustrated I was by the same bland Eddie Dennis, I was impressed by Gordon and want to see Deriess more than Dennis in this incarnation. On a positive, Eddie did a lot of Trent Seven’s mannerisms and moves furthering his feud with the man from the mountain of moustache.
RADZI!!! Was backstage hyping the main event for tonight, but he was interrupted by Joseph Conners. He said let me ask you a question, who is takeover worthy? Radzi tried to answer but Joseph stopped him and said he’s takeover worthy. He is going to see Johnny Saint to demand a triple threat match for himself, Travis Banks and Ligero for next week…
3. Noam Dar defeated Ashton Smith.
Gleed’s Ramblings: Another week another loss for Ashton Smith with the announcers building up a story they don’t seem to be paying off in terms of saying he just needs one win to take the step forward. With that being said, this was an impressive showing from both men and it will further enhance the perception of the potential Ashton Smith has.
Joseph Conners vs. Ligero vs. Travis Banks in a Triple Threat, and A-Kid vs. Jordan Devlin were advertised for next week…
4. Joe Coffey, Mark Coffey, Wolfgang, and Ilja Dragunov fought Walter, Alexander Wolfe, Fabaian Aichner, and Marcel Barthel fought to a double count-out.
Gleed’s Ramblings: Hey, aren’t Imperium the four guys who were made to look like glorified jobbers at Survivor Series and over the past couple of weeks on Raw and Smackdown?! Why are the commentators calling them a dominant force?! Sarcasm aside this was built up as a huge TV main event and a collision against two powerful factions in NXT UK and they delivered with the match. I know I’m bordering on fanboying, but every time I see Dragunov I can’t get over the intensity, pace and power that he puts into every hold, move or strike. He had it on the independent scene in the UK before NXT UK, and if you get the chance watch Dragunov against Pete Dunne from the Progress show at Wembley Arena last year, but he seems to have turned it up even more as part of NXT UK.
If I had to choose two people right now from NXT UK to go to NXT it would be Draganov and Tyler Bate. Walter has been damaged by the last couple of weeks on the “main roster” but I digress. They are building towards Walter vs. Joe Coffey for Takeover and we had a brief preview of it with Coffey getting the better of it, putting credibility on the Iron Man for the title match. It wasn’t a match that I would recommend you go out of your way to see, but if you watch NXT UK regularly it was a satisfying conclusion to what’s been happening over the last couple of weeks. With the count-out finish, nobody came out on top and now they will all pair off with their respective feuds.
Overall, an above average episode of NXT UK but nothing more. Two good matches with Dar vs. Smith and the main event, and a match that was better than expected involving Jinny against Piper Niven. The low point of the show for me is the fact they have gone back to doing exactly the same thing with Eddie Dennis, which wasn’t working before his injury and it doesn’t look they have abandoned that tactic now he’s back. It’s a shame as the guy is a great talker and if they stop putting him a position to make goofy faces and hokey poses and make him a more intelligent conniving heel then they would have the best of Dennis in the ring and on the mic.
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