By Laurence Gibbons, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@Gibbonsgob)
NXT UK TV
Taped in London, England at BT Sport Studios
Streamed May 13, 2021 on WWE Network and Peacock
Andy Shepherd and Nigel McGuinness were the broadcast team…
The show kicked off with the news that Xia Brookside would not be competing in the NXT UK Women’s Championship No 1. Contenders Gauntlet Match as a result of the attack by Amale, last week… Nathan Frazer made his entrance. Noam Dar’s entrance was also shown…
1. Noam Dar vs. Nathan Frazer in a Heritage Rules match.
Round 1: Dar put a wrist lock on Frazer to start the match. Frazer eventually escaped acrobatically. Frazer then acrobatically escaped from Dar’s leg scissors. As the bell rang to signal the end of the round, Dar hit a cheap uppercut.
Round 2: Dar hit another uppercut. Frazer hit back with one of his own. Frazer scored a roll-up pin to win the round in just under a minute.
Round Three: Frazer came out on the traps looking to capitalize on his lead, hitting a dropkick and a standing shooting star press. Sha Samuels came to ringside to shout encouragement for Dar. Frazer went to the top rope but was distracted by Samuels. Dar tried to pull Frazer from the turnbuckle but he was knocked to the mat. Frazer was about to jump from the top rope when the round ended.
Round Four: Dar reversed Frazer’s springboard neckbreaker into the Champagne Superkneebar to score the fall in just over one minute.
Round Five: The fifth round started at breakneck speed with both men looking to get the deciding fall. Samuels grabbed the leg of Frazer as he hit the rope. Dar hit the Nova Roller for the victory.
Noam Dar defeated Nathan Frazer by 2 rounds to 1 in 9:13.
Gibbons’ Opinion: This was a fun and fast-moving match to kick things off. The build to this had been short but decent. I enjoyed Samuels not starting at ringside but instead coming when Dar shouted for him. Samuels involvement should irk Frazer and will give him cause to want a rematch on fairer terms. It was good for Frazer to score a loss as he was in danger of being rammed down our throats. Dar also felt like he needed a victory to prevent him from becoming simply a comedy chat show host. This moves things on nicely.
Backstage, Rampage went looking for Joe Coffey but could only find Mark Coffey and Wolfgang. Brown told them to tell Joe he wanted a fight but Wolfgang said he’d face him instead…
A vignette aired for the NXT UK Tag Team Champions Pretty Deadly. They claimed they would be on top of the mountain for a long time…
Whilst Trent Seven was comforting Jack Starz, who was missing Piper Niven, Sam Gradwell provoked him until he slapped him. The two were separated by officials as they trash talked each other…
The camera went black and white as Mark Andrews made his entrance with the rest of his newly-formed Subculture stable…
2. Levi Muir vs. Mark Andrews (w/Dani Luna, Flash Morgan Webster). Andrews scored an early two count from a standing moonsault. Muir used his power to assert his dominance in the match. He put Andrews in the torture rack but the Welshman wriggled free. Muir hit the rope-assisted suplex for a close fall.
Muir went for the rope-assisted suplex again but Andrews reversed it into the Stundog Millionaire. Muir rolled to the outside but Andrews hit him with the Tope. Back in the ring, Andrews hit the shooting star press for the win.
Mark Andrews defeated Levi Muir in 4:32.
Gibbons’ Opinion: Subculture’s new entrance is pretty cool. It’s like a modern day twist on the NWO entrance effect. Muir looked good in this match. It was nice to see him get in a lot of offense. I’d like to see more of him. Making Muir look tough made this win all the more important. Andrews came into this match with a new entrance and ring gear and a clear desire to win.
Backstage, Amale demanded Sid Scala put her in the gauntlet match. Scala refused to reward her bad behaviour and said her next match would be against Xia Brookside when the latter is fit again…
We got a recap on Amir Jordan losing to Kenny Williams and being forced to leave NXT UK…
Sid Scala held a sit-down interview with A-Kid and Tyler Bate ahead of their Heritage Cup match next week. Bate said the Heritage Cup Champion didn’t have the experience to defeat him. A-Kid said he was in control because Bate was chasing him and his Cup. Bate said A-Kid failed to see the big picture…
Ilja Dragunov was announced as the guest on Noam Dar’s Supernova Sessions, next week…
Isla Dawn made her entrance. Emilia McKenzie made her way into the BT Sports Studio, signaling that it would be Dawn and McKenzie starting the gauntlet…
3. Isla Dawn vs. Emilia McKenzie vs. Dani Luna vs. Meiko Satomura vs. Jinny in a Gauntlet Match to decide the NXT UK Women’s Championship No 1. Contender. McKenzie took Dawn down for a quick two count. McKenzie controlled the start of the match with some mat-based grappling. McKenzie scored another close fall from her somersault spear. Dawn hit the high-angle backdrop driver to pick up the fall.
Emilia McKenzie was eliminated by Ilsa Dawn in 3:31.
Dani Luna rushed to the ring and hit a big boot on Dawn. Luna followed this up with a fallaway slam and an exploder suplex but Dawn kicked out. Luna missed the corner spear and Dawn rolled her up for the three count.
Dani Luna was eliminated by Isla Dawn in 1:45.
Meiko Satomura’s music hit to reveal she would be Xia Brookside’s mystery replacement. Dawn knocked Satomura off the apron as she tried to enter the ring. Dawn hit some forearms and sent Satomura into the ring. Satomura turned the tide in her favour with uppercuts and kicks.
Dawn hit two high-angle backdrop drivers and a running knee but Satomura kicked out at two. Satomura hit the cartwheel shin strike. Satomura locked on the armbar but when Dawn refused to quit she rolled into a pin to score the fall.
Isla Dawn was eliminated by Meiko Satomura in 3:30.
Jinny took her time entering the BT Sports Studio and allowed Satomura to get back to her feet. Jinny methodically picked at Satomura with a series of grapples. Jinny worked a number of pinning maneuvers to force Satomura to burn more energy. Jinny locked the headscissors on but Satomura found a way out.
Satomura landed multiple kicks to floor Jinny. Satomura locked the STF on but Jinny forced the rope break. Satomura had Jinny on her shoulders but Conners ran the distraction. Satomura kicked Conners in the ‘lower midsection’ and he dropped to the floor Satomura then hit Scorpion Rising for the win.
Jinny was eliminated by Meiko Satomura in 6:17.
Meiko Satomura defeated Isla Dawn, Emilia McKenzie, Dani Luna and Jinny to be named the No 1. contender to the NXT UK Women’s Championship.
Kay Lee Ray entered the ring and held her title aloft. She bowed at Satomura. When Satomura bowed in return, KLR kicked her in the face.
Gibbons’ Opinion: The slow gradual build to this match had been fantastic. Each woman had done something to earn their spot and it had a real feeling that anyone could win. Dawn has been presented much stronger to us in recent weeks and this stood as a good opportunity to continue this push. Her quick victory over McKenzie was huge to reflect the intent the powers that be have for her.
For McKenzie, it was a disappointing showing, especially as she lost clean. But, I’m pretty sure this is all part of the plan to give her something to prove. Luna looked good and was slightly more protected by losing to a roll-up. Satomura as the surprise entrant was fun. It will be interesting to see if KLR scores a second victory over Satomura, or if the legendary Japanese wrestler takes the title off her. On a whole, this match did very well to continue to put the women of NXT UK in the spotlight.
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