By Laurence Gibbons, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@Gibbonsgob)
NXT UK TV
Taped in London, England at BT Sport Studios
Streamed April 15, 2021 on WWE Network and Peacock
Andy Shepherd and Nigel McGuinness were the broadcast team…
NXT UK kicked off with a highlight package from WrestleMania week including the most memorable moments from Prelude plus the involvements of former NXT UK superstars Pete Dunne, Rhea Ripley, Toni Storm, Grizzled Young Veterans, and Walter.
1. Saxton Huxley vs. Nathan Frazer. The in-ring action started with Huxley overpowering Frazer. Huxley continued to batter Frazer for the majority of the bout until he tried to put him on the top rope and allowed the high-flyer to get back into the match. Frazer sent Huxley to the outside and drove himself through the ropes and into Huxley, nearly smashing through the barricade. A top rope dropkick from Frazer put Huxley on the canvas and set him up for the Frogsplash for the victory.
Nathan Frazer defeated Saxton Huxley in 6:06.
Gibbons’ Opinion: This was a decent opening contest. Huxley is certainly trying to channel Brusier Brody, but the grunts he makes during the match reminds me more of tennis ace Serena Williams. It was nice to see Frazer have more of a challenge than we’ve seen him come up against and take a bit of a beating before winning. Watching him overcome more of a competitor certainly helped the push Frazer is on. We haven’t seen Huxley for a while and it was nice to see his character which stands out against a lot of the other NXT roster based on being classic grapplers.
Noam Dar and Sha Samuels cut a promo and announced they would be taking on Moustache Mountain next week…
On the set of Super Nova Sessions, Dar welcomed Gallus to the show. Mark Coffey said Gallus had been training hard during their time away. As Joe Coffey began to talk, Eddie Dennis interrupted and claimed Gallus had been avoiding him. Primate and T-Bone attacked Gallus and a brawl broke out between all six men…
Gibbons’ Opinion: A six-man tag between these lot should be pretty good. Gallus’s promos seem a bit stale but Eddie Dennis is great on the stick.
Moustache Mountain cut a promo about their match against Dar and Samuels and hyped the fact it was their first tag match in the BT Sports Studio …
Isla Dawn made her entrance whilst the broadcast team recapped her loss with Kay Lee Ray to Emilia McKenzie and Meiko Satomura in tag action last week. Emilia McKenzie made her entrance…
2. Isla Dawn vs. Emilia McKenzie. McKenzie worked the side headlock to take control of the early moments of the match. Dawn took her opponent down with a dropkick and sent her to the corner where she hit her with multiple kicks. Dawn went for her fisherman’s suplex but McKenzie reversed it into a roll-up for a two count.
MicKenzie hit her front flip over the turnbuckle to spear for another two. Dawn hit the Fisherman suplex for a close call of her own. McKenzie unleashed shoulder blocks on Dawn in the corner until the referee pulled them apart. Dawn used this as an opportunity to catch McKenzie with a kick and follow it up with her Half Nelson suplex Call Of The Quarters for the win.
Isla Dawn defeated Emilia McKenzie in 5:32.
Gibbons’ Opinion: This was an enjoyable quick TV match that did a good job in moving the story forward. It was a great decision to give Dawn the win over McKenzie as it will continue to make us take her more seriously. It won’t hurt McKenzie to lose so early into being back in NXT UK, especially as it was a slightly dirty loss.
Jinny mocked Dani Luna for wearing the same unwashed outfit in every match and said she would beat her next week in their match… Shepherd revealed Eddie Dennis would go one on one with Joe Coffey next week… We saw a recap of Aoife Valkyrie placing the feather to challenge Meiko Satomura last week. We then saw Satomura hand the feather back and accept the challenge…
3. Ashton Smith vs. Jack Starz (w/Piper Niven). Smith was on top for the beginning of this match, using his power to prevent Starz getting into the contest. Piper Niven shouted encouragement from ringside but it had little effect and Smith stayed in control. Smith sent Starz to the outside where he got a quick pep talk from Niven.
Smith methodically picked at Starz, taking him down with multiple uppercuts. Niven’s encouragement finally had an effect as he caught Smith with a roll-up for the win.
Jack Starz defeated Ashton Smith in 5:58.
Gibbons’ Opinion: There was a decent story told here of Smith being much more powerful and Starz struggling to get any offense. Smith was eventually too relaxed about getting the win and with Niven’s helpful words, Starz was able to steal a victory. Plucky underdog wins. Would have had more effect if it was against a more established member of the NXT UK roster but maybe that will come further down the line…
A hype package aired ahead of the grudge match between Amir Jordan and Kenny Williams showing the break-up of their team that led to this main event fight…
Kenny Williams entered first. Amir Jordan ran to the ring and begged the referee to ring the bell to start the match…
4. Kenny Williams vs. Amir Jordan. Jordan aggressively took the match to Williams, hitting him with multiple strikes and sending him to the outside. Williams charged at Jordan but hit the ring steps. Back in the ring, there was a nice bit of back and forth before Williams sent Jordan to the outside. Williams ripped the protective tape off the shoulder of Jordan and attacked the body part with strikes and submissions. Williams scored a close two count from a massive clothesline. Williams forced Jordan to kick out from first a couple of forearm smashes and then a standing dropkick.
The Scotsman continued to work the shoulder of his former partner. Jordan turned the tide and hit a neckbreaker for a two. He followed this up with a Senton for another close fall. Williams hit a Less Kellett Lariat and both men collapsed to the canvas, exhausted.
Jordan sent Williams into the referee and went for the mule kick but Jordan saw it coming and hit a superkick for a two. Williams sent Jordan into the exposed turnbuckle and hit the Satellite DDT for the win.
Kenny Williams defeated Amir Jordan in 11:29.
Gibbons’ Opinion: This was a really physical match with both men showing very visible welts. I wasn’t totally sold on the rivalry going into the match but they won me over from Jordan’s entrance and kept me entertained throughout.
I liked this aggression from Jordan. He’s been a bit too happy-go-lucky for my liking in the past so I enjoyed having more of an intensity about him. Both men worked a fast-paced and combative match. Nice win for Williams who could be built up nicely as a proper heel.
This was an enjoyable and whirlwind episode of NXT UK. There was no involvement of the hottest star in NXT UK Walter which was fine but if WWE want this to be a must watch show I feel the inclusion of the United Kingdom Champion in each episode is a must. My weekly NXT UK audio reviews are available exclusively for Dot Net Members.
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