By Laurence Gibbons, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@Gibbonsgob)
NXT UK TV
Taped in London, England at BT Sport Studios
Streamed August 26, 2021 on WWE Network and Peacock
The show kicked off with highlights of Ilja Dragunov’s victory over Walter at NXT TakeOver 36 to win the NXT UK Championship… Andy Shepherd and Nigel McGuinness were the broadcast team…
Aoife Valkyrie made her entrance but was blindsided by Jinny. Jinny tried to throw Valkyrie into the shark cage at ringside but she reversed the move. Valkyrie sent Joseph Conners into the cage and locked the door. Valkyrie beat Jinny on the outside before sending her into the ring so the referee could start the match…
1. Aoife Valkyrie vs. Jinny in a no-DQ match (with Joseph Conners locked in a shark cage). Valkyrie continued her assault on Jinny until the “Fashionista” ducked and pulled the top rope down. Valkyrie went over the rope and Jinny grabbed a chair and unleashed multiple chair shots. Jinny stayed on top with the help of the chair. Jinny charged at Valkyrie but she moved out of the way and Jinny hit the barricade. Valkyrie sent Jinny into the tech area and hit her with a laptop across the back.
Valkyrie dumped the contents of a trash can on Jinny and launched it into her. Valkyrie continued to dominate Jinny and sent her back to the ringside area. Conners screamed encouragement to Jinny but it did little to help as Valkyrie sent her into the steps. Valkyrie set up a table and went for a suplex but Jinny reversed and sent her into the barricade.
Jinny took the action inside the ring and rained strikes to the face of Valkyrie. Jinny attempted to throw Valkyrie over the rope and through the table but Valkyrie held onto the top rope. Jinny kicked her to the outside and went for the suplex through the table, but this time Valkyrie reversed it and hit a suplex on the outside. Valkyrie rolled Jinny on the table and went for a leg drop but Jinny evaded and Valkyrie went through the table. Jinny hit the rolling Liger kick in the ring and went for a pin. Valkyrie kicked out at two.
Jinny grabbed a chair and locked it on Valkyrie’s ankle but she kicked her with her free leg. Valkyrie went to the top rope. Jinny joined her and Valkyrie hit the sunset bomb. Valkyrie injured her knee in the process. Medical staff entered the ring to check on her but cleared her to continue. Jinny grabbed a chair and Valkyrie hit the spin kick to send the chair into her face – ala Rob Van Dam. Valkyrie hit multiple chair shots to Jinny’s back. Valkyrie hit the modified Michinoku Driver for the win.
Aoife Valkyrie defeated Jinny in 14:29.
Gibbons’ Opinion: This was such a fun opener to the show. I was really pleased Jinny and Valkyrie were given a decent amount of time to tell the story they did. They really made the most of the no-DQ rules by bringing a decent amount of weapons into the match. It made sense for Valkyrie to get the win to prove that Jinny can’t get the better of her without the help of Conners.
Backstage, Amale attempted to confront Meiko Satomura and demand a rematch against her but Emilia McKenzie stood in front of her. Amale said if she had to go through McKenzie to get to Satomura that was fine by her…
Ilja Dragunov celebrated his newly won NXT UK Championship with a vignette… Oliver Carter made his entrance flanked by Ashton Smith…
2. Oliver Carter (w/ Ashton Smith) vs. Kenny Williams in a Heritage Cup No.1 Contender tournament first-round match.
Round One: Williams worked the headlock to control the start of the round. After a minute, Carter went to work his way out but Williams grabbed his hair. This enraged Carter who acrobatically turned the match in his favor. Carter held the shoulder lock but Williams again grabbed the hair. Carter ended the round on top but couldn’t score a fall.
Round Two: Williams aggressively came out the corner and landed big strikes to the back of Carter. Williams tied Carter’s hair to the top rope. Williams retreated to allow Carter to get free. Carter hit a big kick and sent Williams into the rope. Williams ducked under Carter and rolled him up to win the round.
Round Three: Williams rolled to the outside as the round started and allowed the referee to count. Williams came into the ring just before the 10. Carter took control with a number of kicks. Carter drew things level with a pin after a scissors kick.
Round Four: Carter took Williams down and hit a moonsault. Williams kicked out at two and attacked the leg of Carter. Carter superkicked Williams out of the ring but was feeling the effects on his leg. Williams grabbed a metal water bottle and removed the turnbuckle pad. As the referee removed the turnbuckle pad, Williams hit Carter with the bottle and scored the deciding fall.
Kenny Williams defeated Oliver Carter 2 rounds to 1 in 8.27 to advance in the tournament.
Gibbons’ Opinion: I fully expected Williams to get the win here as I can see him going all the way to the final. He seems to have a never-ending number of ways to cheat. It was entertaining when he tied the hair of Carter to the rope and the final bottle shot looked brutal. I half thought this would end 2-0, so it was good that Carter got a fall and was as in this match as he was.
Nina Samuels demanded a match from Sid Scala. He said she could face Blair Davenport next week. Samuels said that was great but when the door closed we heard her scream no… Isla Dawn did some witchcraft in a wood and buried a lock of Dani Luna’s hair…
A hype package aired for Teoman vs. Nathan Frazer in the Heritage Cup No.1 Contender tournament opening round match, which will take place next week… Joe Coffey entered the BT Sports Studio. Rampage Brown made his entrance.
3. Joe Coffey vs. Rampage Brown in a Knockout or Submission match. The two locked up and gestured for control. Coffey took Rampage to the corner and released the hold at the referee’s count. Rampage took advantage and headbutted Coffey. They locked up again and wrestled to the ropes and onto the apron. Both men charged each other and Coffey sent Rampage to the outside. Coffey hit the dropkick from the apron and sent Rampage over the barricade. Coffey dived over the barricade and hit a heel kick on Rampage. They brawled across the BT Sports Studio. Rampage sent Coffey back to the ringside area and dove from the empty crowd area onto Coffey.
Back in the ring, Coffey looked to knock Rampage out with some stiff punches. Rampage caught the left hand and stamped on it to try and take his punch out of action. Rampage went to isolate the arm but Coffey wriggled out and locked on a Boston crab. Rampage made it to the rope and wretched the arm of Coffey over the top rope. Coffey removed the turnbuckle pads and sent Rampage into the exposed steel. Coffey hit a succession of German suplexes. Rampage rolled to the outside. As Coffey tried to drag him back in, Rampage pulled him to the outside.
Rampage sent Coffey into the ring post headfirst and then wrapped his arm around it over and over. Brown hit a headbutt in the ring and followed it up with a powerslam. Coffey fought back and hit a moonsault. The match broke down into a pure fist fight with both men desperate to finish things. Coffey hit Best of the Bells and Glasgow Send Off but it wasn’t enough to knock out Rampage. Brown fought back and hit the Dr Bomb. Brown hit a second Dr Bomb and punched Coffey on the mat until the referee declared a knockout.
Rampage Brown defeated Joe Coffey via knockout in 19:57.
Gibbons’ Opinion: The referee wore a black shirt and gloves from the outset of this match to reflect how brutal it was likely to be. This was as heavy-hitting as you would have expected. Rampage Brown’s strategy was clear, take out the hand of Coffey and prevent a knockout. Not only did he do that but he weakened Coffey down enough to beat him with the knockout.
These two were supposed to go one-on-on a while back in an unofficial No.1 Contender Match for the NXT UK Championship. Ilja Dragunov interjected himself in the match and went on to win and take the title from Walter. Now Rampage Brown has come out on top, you can expect him to be first in line for a shot at Dragunov. When SummerSlam drew to a close at 5am UK time on Sunday morning, I felt it could have benefited from a few matches outside the realm of the traditional wrestling match. NXT UK gave us three matches all with stipulations and it made for a really fun hour.
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