By Laurence Gibbons, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@Gibbonsgob)
NXT UK TV
Taped in London, England at BT Sport Studios
Streamed April 7, 2022 on WWE Network and Peacock
The broadcast team was Andy Shepherd and Nigel McGuinness…
The show began with a hype package for the NXT UK Championship match between Ilja Dragunov and Roderick Strong…
Primate made his entrance along with T-Bone led on chains by Eddie Dennis. Wild Boar made his way to the ring…
1. Primate (w/ Eddie Dennis, T-Bone) vs. Wild Boar. The two men exchanged heavy fists to kick off the match. The two then took turns whipping each other in the corner. Wild Boar hit a senton and a uranage slam to swing things his way. Boar was distracted by Dennis on the outside and went to grab him.
Primate came for Wild Boar but he read it and knocked him to the ground and took things back inside. Primate smashed Boar to the canvas and then stayed on top for a few moments.
Wild Boar fought back and got a couple of moves in the corner. T-Bone jumped on the apron distracting the referee. Eddie Dennis hit Wild Boar with his chain behind the referee’s back. Primate pinned Wild Boar from the chain shot to win the match.
Primate defeated Wild Boar in 3:47.
After the bell, Dennis, Primate and T-Bone beat and choked Wild Boar with the chain. Mark Andrews came out to make the save…
Gibbons’ Opinion: The purpose of this match was for Wild Boar to earn a shot at Dennis by beating Primate. By bringing the chain and using it Dennis proved there’s nothing he wouldn’t do to avoid a match with Boar. Andrews made the save to support his lifelong friend Wild Boar over his other long-term pal Dennis. It looks like we will get a tag match next. Before the impending Boar vs. Dennis encounter.
Sam Gradwell found maggots in his gear bag …
Die Familie cut an atmospheric promo from their luxury suite …
Dave Mastiff and Jack Starz had an altercation with the Coffey brothers in the weight room. Joe Coffey squared up to Mastiff. Mastiff drew attention to Mark Coffey being stuck under the weights as a result of Joe leaving him …
Wolfgang made his entrance with the rest of Gallus. Charlie Dempsey made his entrance with the rest of Die Familie…
2. Wolfgang vs. Charlie Dempsey (w/Rohan Raja). Raja slammed the canvas from the outside which distracted Wolfgang and allowed Dempsey to put the front face hook on. Dempsey modified the hold into a suplex.
Dempsey hit the ropes but Wolfgang caught him in an arm hold. Dempsey worked to escape, first by hitting a hip toss and then by bridging and rolling away but Wolfgang held on. Dempsey forced Wolfgang into the corner to force the break.
Dempsey rolled Wolfgang to the canvas with a kneebar. Dempsey wrestled Wolfgang on the mat for a while applying continuous pins and submissions. Wolfgang fought to his feet and hit a fireman carry on Dempsey. The two traded blows.
Wolfgang went for a spear but Dempsey hit the knee to the face. Dempsey locked on the toe and ankle hold and went for the face bar too. Wolfgang worked out with a caber toss.
Wolfgang went for the spear but Teoman’s eye flashed up on the screen. Raja jumped to the apron. Wolfgang hit the spear on Raja, opening himself up for Dempsey to hit the bridging suplex for the win.
Charlie Dempsey defeated Wolfgang in 7:20.
Gibbons’ Opinion: This was a fun and fast-paced contest. Dempsey didn’t look to mess around and instead focussed on trying to hit the suplex or lock on a submission to end things from the start. Wolfgang has a good mix of power and explosiveness and looked set to get the win. But – as ever – Die Familie used their numerical advantage. Looks like we will get Gallus vs. Die Familie in a six-man tag soon.
Meiko Satomura gave an interview in which she said despite being the NXT UK Women’s Champion because of Isla Dawn she didn’t have a title. She invited Dawn to meet her for a conversation next week…
Kenny Williams found a note on his locker that read ‘keep guessing cockroach…
Xia Brookside cut a promo with her new enforcer Eliza Alexander. She celebrated her ‘daddy’ linking her up with Alexander. Alexander said she would make her in-ring debut next week and that someone would get battered…
Sid Scala announced Moustache Mountain would defend their NXT UK Tag Team Championship against Smith & Carter in a two out of three falls match in a fortnight…
Wolfgang stormed into Gallus’s dressing room and demanded to know why the Coffey Brothers weren’t at ringside to help him against Die Familie. They apologized and said it wouldn’t happen again…
The Gallus Coffey Brothers vs. Jack Starz & Dave Mastiff and A-Kid vs. Teoman was officially announced for next week…
Roderick Strong made his entrance. NXT UK Champion Ilja Dragunov made his entrance along with new music and a fancy new ring jacket…
3. Ilja Dragunov vs. Roderick Strong for the NXT UK Championship. The two locked up to start the title match. Strong worked the wrist forcing Dragunov to the mat. Dragunov worked up to his feet and put the headlock on. Both men avoided the other as they looked to land a chop.
The two traded holds for a few moments. Strong landed a chop which Dragunov returned. They went chop for a chop. Dragunov hit a jumping knee and went for the diving corner headbutt but Strong moved out the way. Dragunov hit the ring post.
Strong picked apart the champion for a few moments with strikes and submissions. Dragunov tried to fight back and, although he landed some strikes, struggled to get to his feet. Strong stayed on top. He hit a massive backbreaker and then looked for the submission again.
Dragunov finally hit a chop to the knee of Strong. Dragunov targeted the knee for a few moments. When Strong refused to tap from a heel hook, Dragunov hit a massive forearm and nearly got a three count.
Dragunov hit a couple of German suplexes and went for the finish. Strong rolled out the ring and slammed Dragunov onto the steps when the champion came to get him. Strong sent Dragunov back inside and hit the side slam onto the top rope.
Strong went for a backbreaker but his knee gave way. Dragunov rained down strikes and chops. Strong railed with a jumping knee. Dragunov hit the diving headbutt for the victory.
Ilja Dragunov defeated Roderick Strong in to retain the NXT UK Championship in 14:40
Gibbons’ Opinion: This match was aggressive and brutal, as you’d expect from a Dragunov match. It started evenly but over time both men had moments on top and left the other with injured body parts. Dragunov suffered pain in the arm and Strong an injured knee. This was the ultimate deciding factor as Strong’s knee attack didn’t hit as hard as usual and he couldn’t follow up. It’ll be interesting to see where Dragunov goes from here as he’s beaten all the main contenders in NXT UK. Another U.S. star coming over would be interesting whilst NXT UK build up someone for Dragunov.
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