By Laurence Gibbons, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@Gibbonsgob)
NXT UK TV
Taped in London, England at BT Sport Studios
Streamed June 10, 2021 on WWE Network and Peacock
Andy Shepherd and Nigel McGuinness were the broadcast team…
The show started with a hype package focussing on the headline NXT UK Women’s Championship match between Kay Lee Ray and Meiko Satomura…
Walter made his return to the BT Sports Studio with the NXT UK Championship he has held for almost 800 days over his shoulder. The “Ring General” said he had defended the title twice in a week across two different continents. He boasted that the title was now one of the most prestigious in the world. Walter said his aim was, and always will be, to restore the honour to the sport of professional wrestling. He added he would always be the champion…
Gibbons’ Opinion: Was that is? I was expecting Walter to demand a challenger, or someone to request a shot at him. This felt like a promo that could have been done weeks ago via a mobile phone. It’s good to have Walter back though.
A vignette aired for Subculture with Dani Luna and Flash Morgan Webster announcing they would take on Jinny and Joseph Conners in mixed tag action next week…
Saxton Huxley made his erratic entrance. Jordan Devlin made his entrance…
1. Saxton Huxley vs. Jordan Devlin. Huxley missed a big boot and a clothesline attempt, allowing Devlin to score a couple of strikes in the corner. Huxley locked on the headlock, before hitting a shoulder charge and a scoop slam. With the action on the outside, Huxley sent Devlin over the barrier and beat on him to stay in control.
Huxley picked apart “The Irish Ace” until Devlin racked his eyes. Devlin followed this up with a cutter. Devlin stomped on Huxley to fully turn the tide of the contest. Devlin went for Devlin Side but Huxley reversed it into a slam and scored a close two count. As Huxley looked to put Devlin away, “The Irish Ace” hit the Devlin Side for the win.
Jordan Devlin defeated Saxon Huxley in 6:27.
Gibbons’ Opinion: It was good to see Huxley control this match in the same way that he did against Trent Seven recently. These matches have elevated him despite him losing them both. He offers something different. Devlin looked decent and it was sensible to remind us of his ring work before he makes demands on Supernova Sessions, next week.
Pretty Deadly entered the BT Sports Studio to signal they would be working as guest commentators for the next match…
In Sid Scala’s office, Mark Coffey and Wolfgang argued about who could down a pint quicker when Sam Gradwell entered and apologised for interrupting their ‘pointless natter about nothing in particular’. Scala said Coffey and Wolfgang would have singles matches. Wolfgang ‘bagsied’ Gradwell…
In the ring, we saw Dan Moloney and Andy Wild. Symbiosis made their entrance…
2. Andy Wild and Dan Moloney vs. “Symbiosis” T-Bone and Primate (w/Eddie Dennis). Moloney and Primate locked up whilst Pretty Deadly bragged about being invited to visit The Queen at Buckingham Palace. Wild tagged in and took out Primate with a shoulder charge, forcing him to tag in T-Bone.
Wild shoulder charged T-Bone but failed to knock him down. Wild managed to take T-Bone down to the mat with a headlock and tagged Moloney back in. Moloney attempted a crossbody but T-Bone caught him and dropped him across his thigh. T-Bone and Primate both worked the back of Moloney whilst Eddie Dennis smirked at ringside.
Wild finally scored the hot tag but was double-teamed by both members of Symbiosis. Wild hit a belly-to-belly on Primate and scored a close fall. Primate hit a huge spear and T-Bone hit the powerslam. Primate hit the diving headbutt for the win.
“Symbiosis” T-Bone and Primate defeated Andy Wild and Dan Moloney in 6:09.
Gibbons’ Opinion: Pretty Deadly were entertaining as heels on commentary bragging about their looks and previous victory over Primate. They also helped add some interest in the match and its potential implications for the NXT UK Tag Championships. It was nice to get another look at Wild and see Moloney, who hasn’t been on NXT UK for a while. Overall, it was a good victory for Symbiosis and will probably be the first seed in growing to a title match for them.
Teoman cut a promo on Oliver Carter saying that he and Ashton Smith weren’t family…
We got confirmation of Sam Gradwell vs. Wolfgang and Joseph Conners and Jinny vs. Subculture for next week…
Meiko Satomura made her entrance. Kay Lee Ray made her entrance with the title she has held for 649 days…
3. Kay Lee Ray vs. Meiko Satomura in a NXT UK Women’s Championship match. Satomura ducked under KLR’s attempted lunge and went to work with a succession of devastating kicks to the leg. KLR immediately looked for the Gory Bomb but the challenger avoided it and sent her to the outside. Satomura sent KLR back into the ring but as she returned herself KLR hit the superkick.
This did little to slow the attack of Satomura who remained on top. KLR pulled the hair of Satomura to momentarily take control. But as KLR looked for a submission, Satomura reversed it into one of her own. KLR escaped to the outside. She returned to the ring with a vicious knee drop to Satomura. The champion controlled the challenger with submissions and strikes. KLR struggled to get Satomura up for the Gory Bomb. She eventually settled for a roll-up that scored a two-count.
Satomura reversed another attempted Gory Bomb from KLR into the DDT. KLR took a move from Satomura’s toolkit with a Death Valley Bomb. Satomura then hit KLR’s finisher the Gory Bomb on her. The two traded kicks and strikes. Satomura scored a close two count from the cartwheel knee strike. KLR threw three successive superkicks at Satomura but they each failed to keep her down. Satomura hit the Death Valley Bomb for an extremely close two count.
KLR finally floored Satomura with a fourth superkick and followed it with the Gory Bomb and a senton. Satomura still kicked out from the resulting pin attempt. Frustrated, KLR grabbed her title and headed for the locker room. Satomura blocked her and hit a Death Valley Bomb on the outside. Satomura struggled to get KLR back in the ring which allowed the champion to hit the Gory Bomb on the apron.
Both women went to the top rope and Satomura hit the sunset bomb for another close fall. Satomura hit a kick and went for a pin but KLR reversed it into a head scissors. Satomura hit another Death Valley Bomb and followed it with Scorpion Rising for the win.
Meiko Satomura defeated Kay Lee Ray in 18:25 to win the NXT UK Women’s Championship.
Gibbons’ Opinion: Kay Lee Ray has had a terrific title run of almost two years. Over that time, the women’s division has been elevated dramatically. This epic bout was a worthy reflection of what it should take to defeat a champion as dominant as KLR has been.
I loved their first match but this was on a whole different level. It was good to see KLR constantly look for the Gory Bomb but never hit it clean in the ring. Likewise, it was cool that Satomura only hit her finisher once – and it finished the match. It felt fresh to have a title match that didn’t involve multiple kick outs of finishers.
Satomura, at 41, is an absolute legend of women’s wrestling and deserves to have this crowning moment at the top of the division. I’d like to see her defend the title regularly. This does now give both women a win over each other so I’d anticipate KLR will demand a third and final match. This could offer KLR total redemption and if she wins that she really could be NXT UK’s ‘forever champion’. My weekly audio review of NXT UK will be available later today for Dot Net Members.
Be the first to comment