By Laurence Gibbons, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@Gibbonsgob)
NXT UK TV
Taped in London, England at BT Sport Studios
Streamed October 28, 2021 on WWE Network and Peacock
The began with a hype package for Tyler Bate defending his Heritage Cup Championship against Noam Dar in the main event…
Andy Shepherd and Nigel McGuinness were the broadcast team and welcomed us to the BT Sport Studios…
Mark Coffey made his entrance flanked by Wolfgang. Rohan Raja made his entrance accompanied by Teoman…
1. Mark Coffey (w/Wolfgang) vs. Rohan Raja (w/Teoman). Coffey used his strength and technical abilities to control the opening few moments of the match. Raja eventually managed to leapfrog Coffey’s advances and go to town on the arm of Coffey. Raja dodged Coffey as he charged him, sending the Scot shoulder first into the ring post.
Raja stayed in control and kept a focus on the left arm of Coffey. Coffey eventually escaped from an arm hook and hit a forearm to Raja. The two men traded forearms which favoured Coffey and he swung the match back his way. Coffey hit a top rope bulldog which scored a close two count. A desperate Raja hit a sit-out driver for a two of his own. Raja followed this with a backstabber for another close fall. Coffey hit an Enzuigiri for the victory.
Mark Coffey defeated Rohan Raja in 5:56.
After the bell, Teoman and Raja attacked Coffey and Wolfgang and rained down an assault until officials came out and split it up.
Gibbons’ Opinion: This was built as a showdown between two ‘families’ as Teoman and Rohan Raja looked to get retribution for Wolgang eliminating “The Babo” from the Heritage Cup No.1 Contender tournament. It looks like Teoman will have to wait a bit longer for retribution as, despite a good showing, Raja failed to get the job done. The beatdown at the end suggests things are anything but over between these two teams. A tag team grudge match looks like it’s on the cards.
We saw Tyler Bate working out with Trent Seven in anticipation on the main event…
We got the news from Sid Scala that Symbiosis, Ashton Smith & Oliver Carter and Jack Starz & Dave Mastiff would meet in a triple threat No.1 Contender’s match for the Tag Team Championship…
Backstage, Charlie Dempsey gave an interview ahead of his match later in the show when Mark Coffey and Wolfgang interrupted him asking if he’d seen Teoman. Dempsey commented to camera that it was twice now that they have ruined his interview segments…
Myla Grace made her entrance. Amale made her entrance…
2. Myla Grace vs. Amale. Amale slapped Grace to the mat and trash talked her in French. She sent Grace to the corner and locked on a headlock. As Amale went for a big boot, Grace performed the splits to dodge and attempted a roll up. She charged at Amale in the corner but “The French Hope” hit a devastating forearm. Amale hit a swinging neckbreaker but Grace kicked out at one.
Amale knocked Grace down and locked on a chin lock. As she held Grace in the hold, Blair Davenport appeared at the entrance ramp. Grace worked out and hit a rolling head scissors followed by a Tiger kick. Grace rolled up Amale but she kicked out at two. Amale hit the Hope Breaker for the win.
Amale defeated Myla Grace in 3:49.
Gibbons’ Opinion: Myla Grace is from Belfast and was making her debut in NXT UK. Amale has had recent losses to Meiko Satomura and Emilia McKenzie and was coming into this match promising to show she was better than her record reflects. As a result, I was expecting a squash match against Grace, who may or may not be fully signed to NXT UK. What we got was better than that. Good offense from Grace but Amale still looked like the star. Looks like we might get Davenport vs. Amale soon.
Aleah James was giving an interview about picking up her first win last week and how it had taken her a year. Nina Samuels interrupted and said she conducts the interviews around here. James asked if there was a problem and said she wasn’t doing this and walked off…
Flash Morgan Webster attempted to slap Rampage Brown in the locker room but he grabbed his arm. Rampage said if Webster wanted a match he just had to ask. Webster looked at the camera and said ‘got him’… Charlie Dempsey made his entrance…
3. Danny Jones vs. Charlie Dempsey. Dempsey took Jones down straight away. Jones worked to his feet and into a collar and elbow tie up. Dempsey bent backwards and put on an ankle lock. Dempsey hit a suplex and a couple of upper cuts. Jones tied Dempsey up in a bow and arrow hold. Dempsey worked out into a sugar hold. The two men looked to get a hold of each other.
Dempsey put on a double wrist lock and transitioned to a standing arm bar. Jones looked to grab Dempsey but he again bent backwards and snapped him into the corner. Dempsey hit another impressive suplex and then locked on a standing gromit. Dempsey held Jones in a long standing headlock until Jones fought out.
Dempsey hit the double underhook suplex and then folded over into a submission, he then rolled over and hit the move again. This time he put Jones in the hammerlock and into the crossface chicken wing, forcing him to tap out.
Charlie Dempsey defeated Danny Jones in 4:57.
Gibbons Opinion: Dempsey moves so quickly from hold to hold and move to move. If what he is looking to lock on doesn’t work straight away, he has another answer. His matches are really fun. Partly because of Dempsey’s unique style and partly listening to McGuinness try and keep up with naming all the holds. McGuinness is also great in Dempsey’s matches at referencing which British wrestling legends Dempsey is borrowing moves from.
We got a hype package ahead of the NXT UK Women’s Championship bout between Meiko Satomura and Jinny set for next week. This was a really nice package that helped create more anticipation for this match…
We saw a vignette for Isla Dawn that reflected on her collecting ‘trinkets’ from Dani Luna and Emilia McKenzie in her recent matches with them and from Jinny in her dressing room. She hinted that she needed one more charm to complete her ritual…
Noam Dar made his way into the BT Sport Studios for his Heritage Cup Championship opportunity. Tyler Bate made his way to the ring…
4. Tyler Bate (w/Trent Seven) vs. Noam Dar (w/Sha Samuels) in a Heritage Cup Rules match for the NXT UK Heritage Cup Championship.
Round One: Dar took Bate down first but couldn’t get a proper hold on Bate who wriggled free. Dar targeted the arm and wrist of Bate but again the champion managed to break free. The round ended with both men daring the other to take a shot at the other.
Round Two: Bate took Dar down with an ankle lock and added the extra pain of his knee to the back. Dar applied a shoulder lock and worked it into a headlock. Both men looked to put a hold on, but the other managed to get out before a full hold was applied. Bate started an Airplane Spin but Dar racked the mouth. The round ended with both men jostling for a hold.
Round Three: Dar sent Bate to the outside and then into the steel steps. He sent Bate into the ring and hit the Nova Roller to score the first fall.
Round Four: Bate failed to come out of his corner so Dar went and got him. He rained down stomp after stomp to the knee of Bate. Bate fought Dar off enough to hit a top rope uppercut, followed by a suplex and running shooting star press. Dar sent him into the ropes but Bate hit his rebound lariat and Tyler Driver to score a fall.
Round Five: Dar went for a kick but Bate caught the leg and sent him to the corner. Bate unleashed a flurry of punches in the corner. Bate went to the middle rope but Dar grabbed his legs and pulled him off. Dar hit the running forearm for a close two count. Bate went for the Birming Hammer but Sha Samuels leapt to the apron to distract the referee. Dar racked the eyes and hit the back elbow. Dar went for a Tyler Driver but Bate reversed and locked on Dar’s Champagne Super Knee Bar. Dar held on and the seconds of the round ticked down.
Round Six: Both men came flying out the traps and gave all they had with strikes. Dar hit the knee and went to the top rope. Bate came and got him for a top rope exploder suplex. Dar rolled to the outside. Bate hit the dive through ropes and sent Dar back in the ring. Dar rolled through the ring and outside. Bate leaped over the ropes and took out Dar and Samuels.
Bate went for a rebound lariat but Dar caught him and locked on the Champagne Super Knee Bar. Pretty Deadly came out and fought with Trent Seven. Seven inadvertently threw the towel in whilst grappling with Pretty Deadly. The referee saw this as Seven throwing in the towel due to Bate being in too much pain and awarded the fall to Dar.
Noam Dar defeated Tyler Bate 2 rounds to 1 in 14:45 to win the NXT UK Heritage Cup Championship.
Gibbons’ Opinion: Wow. Lots to unpack here. Firstly, what a fantastic match that evolved and developed nicely over all six rounds. Secondly, having been in the WWE system since 2016, this is Noam Dar’s first title. It has been well earned as he went through the grueling Heritage Cup tournament to get here. Dar warned Bate that his focus on Trent Seven and being in a tag team meant he was in danger of overlooking him. Although Bate wasn’t distracted, it was the NXT UK Tag Team Champions Pretty Deadly and the skirmish with Seven that cost him his championship. I love that the throwing in of the towel continues to be a thing that plays a role in Seven and Bate’s story. Bate will probably accept losing this title and it will surely set up another crack at the Tag Team Championships. But, if Bate and Seven fail to win them we may see Bate finally feel he’s had enough of his old mentor.
Be the first to comment