By Laurence Gibbons, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@Gibbonsgob)
NXT UK TV
Taped in London, England at BT Sport Studios
Streamed March 18, 2021 on WWE Network
The show started with a hype package for the NXT UK Cruiserweight Championship match between Jordan Devlin and Trent Seven, featuring the weigh-in and confirmation Seven had dropped to 204 pounds…
Andy Shepherd and Nigel McGuinness welcomed us to the BT Sports Studio…
Nathan Frazer made his entrance whilst an interview about his name change from Ben Carter. Ashton Smith made his entrance.
1. Nathan Frazer vs. Ashton Smith. Both men locked up to start the in-ring action. Smith worked a number of quick wrist lock transitions but when he looked to capitalize with a German Suplex, Frazer landed on his feet and gestured for Smith to ‘bring it’. Frazer hit a crossbody but Smith rolled through and hit a massive brainbuster for a close two count. Moments later, Frazer hit a Coast-to-Coast Dropkick for a close two. Frazer hit the moonsault for the victory.
Nathan Frazer defeated Ashton Smith in 7:06.
Gibbons’ Opinion: This was a really enjoyable contest that made both men look good. Smith continues to look better each time we see him – as does Frazer actually.
Backstage, Ilja Dragunov was giving an interview backstage when he was interrupted by Sam Gradwell who jokingly said he’d beat him in any match from a contract on a pole to a no-DQ, Dragunov accepted the no-DQ match to Gradwell’s shock …
A vignette aired for Isla Dawn practicing her tarot card reading…
Shepherd announced that NXT UK Prelude will take place on the 8th of April, two days before WrestleMania. Johnny Saint revealed Tyler Bate and Noam Dar will have a Heritage Rules match at NXT UK Prelude with the winner getting a shot at the Heritage Cup…
We saw a hype package for Trent Seven, in which he bragged about managing to cut the weight for his Cruiserweight title shot…
Dani Luna made her entrance, followed by her opponent Meiko Satomura…
2. Dani Luna vs. Meiko Satomura. Satomura came out of the traps kicking before Luna took her down with a wrist lock. Satomura gained control with a couple of stiff knee shots to the midsection of Luna, followed by a judo toss. Satomura went to the top rope, but Luna kicked her off and followed this up by suplexing the Japanese legend back into the ring. Luna failed to build on this, and Satomura hit a bicycle kick and Scorpio Rising for the victory.
Meiko Satomura defeated Dani Luna in 6:04.
Gibbons’ Opinion: I said after Satomura’s debut that I’d like to see her tangle with Dani Luna at some point and this lived up to expectations. It had a great energy throughout. I really like how Satomura will go from static headlocks to huge bursts of kicks and suplexes. Luna had some decent offense. But she wasn’t presented on Satomura’s level which was sensible booking.
Jinny and Joseph Conners cut a quick promo. We saw a recap of Devlin winning the Cruiserweight title at World’s Collide over a year ago…
Walter entered the BT Sports Studio to make his announcement. Walter bragged about his dominance on the brand and being the longest-reigning NXT UK champion. He demanded Johnny Saint search the world over and find him a challenger. Rampage Brown interrupted the champion and said Saint didn’t need to carry out a search because he was here. Walter went to attack Brown, but he dodged and knocked the Austrian to the mat. Walter retreated holding his title high.
Gibbons’ Opinion: It was exciting and also long overdue when, last week, we were told we’d finally see Walter this week. Then he crops up on NXT in the US and it makes you feel a bit like his days in the UK are numbered. Could Brown be the man to dethrone him? It certainly looks that way. If he faces Brown prior to his expected match with Tommaso Ciampa, could we see him get involved? It does feel a little weird seeing Walter in the US on a Wednesday and then back in the UK on Thursday when there’s a global travel ban. More on that later.
In the NXT UK weight room, Xia Brookside made an irritated Nina Samuels fetch her weights, kettlebells and chalk and fill her water bottle up. When Samuels got lippy with Brookside, she kicked the chalk bucket and forced her to pick it up…
Kenny Williams informed Amir Jordan that they had a tag title match in a few weeks. Jordan begged him not to cheat during the match…
McGuinness revealed Johnny Saint had booked Walter vs. Rampage Brown for the NXT UK Championship at NXT UK Prelude. If Walter appears at NXT Takeover Stand & Deliver it would have to be the first night (April 7th) to make sense, so it looks like this will be a prelude to the title match with Rampage Brown (sorry, couldn’t resist)…
A streamlined Trent Seven made his entrance. Jordan Devlin made his entrance whilst the broadcast team recapped Devlin’s altercation with Santos Escobar, last night, in NXT – Devlin certainly made his way back to the UK quickly!
3. Jordan Devlin vs. Trent Seven for the NXT UK Cruiserweight Championship. Seven came flying out of the gate with chops in the corner before sending Devlin to the outside, where he dropped him on the ring barrier. Seven sent Devlin into the steps. He hit a massive Snapdragon Suplex on Devlin on the outside before rolling him back in the ring for a close two count. He continued to have the upperhand over the champion with a number of chops and slams, showing off his newfound speed. Devlin eventually managed to slow things down and stretch the back of Seven around the ring post. The champion worked a number of vicious strikes as he methodically picked apart Seven.
After a cut – seemingly for the TV broadcast but just masked by a fade to black on the Network – Seven momentarily swung the momentum in his favour. But he missed a top-rope somersault. Devlin locked in the Cloverleaf but Seven just made the rope break. Seven then locked on the Single-leg Boston Crab but Devlin quickly got to the rope. Seven countered the Devil Inside into the Seven Stars Lariat but Devlin kicked out at two. An Emerald Explosion from Devlin could only get him a two count.
Seven then hit the Burning Hammer but couldn’t cover Devlin quick enough and the delay meant Devlin could get his foot under the rope to break the count. Whilst the referee tried to separate the two men, Devlin gauged the eye of Seven. He followed this with Devil Inside but Seven unpredictably kicked out at two. Devlin then hit the 450 for the win.
Jordan Devlin defeated Trent Seven in 17:37 to retain the NXT UK Cruiserweight Championship.
Gibbons’ Opinion: I felt the build NXT UK had made to get us excited about Seven vs. Devlin was slightly squashed when the champion turned up in NXT in the U.S. last night to promote a future match with Escobar. There’s no way he was going to turn up in America on Wednesday and then lose in the UK on Thursday. Surely they could have waited a week.
Putting that aside, this was a brilliant match. Seven looked fantastic and it was great to see a challenger that had been on a real journey to warrant a title shot. The contest was perfectly weighted between Seven’s early onslaught and Devlin’s rally. The closing moments did make it seem like the outcome could go either way which proves how good these two are as it felt like a foregone conclusion before the match.
Finally, NXT UK has announced a special episode in NXT UK Prelude. This is already shaping up nicely and should give us a great title match between Walter and Rampage Brown. I’ve been banging on for weeks about NXT UK and Walter needing some direction and I am pleased we finally have it.
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