By Laurence Gibbons, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@Gibbonsgob)
NXT UK TV
Taped in London, England at BT Sport Studios
Streamed August 11, 2022 on WWE Network and Peacock
Oliver Carter made his entrance. Charlie Dempsey made his entrance flanked by the rest of Die Familie. As Die Familie posed in the ring, Carter attacked them from behind…
1. Oliver Carter vs. Charlie Dempsey (w/Teoman, Rohan Raja) in an NXT UK Championship tournament first-round match. Carter and Dempsey traded European uppercuts, forearms and kicks for the first minute of the match. Carter knocked Dempsey to the ropes and clotheslined him out the ring. Carter hit a crossbody from the ring onto Dempsey on the outside.
Carter brought Dempsey back in the ring but Dempsey sent him into the corner. Dempsey spent a solid 3-4 minutes beating the daylights out of Carter’s knee and leg. Submission after submission, Dempsey was dominate.
Carter tried to fight back but Dempsey hit a bridging suplex and nearly got the win. Dempsey continued to unleash pain with unique knee bars. He hit a knee bar to double arm suplex. Dempsey locked on the single-leg crab but Carter rolled into a pin and got the victory.
Oliver Carter defeated Charlie Dempsey in 9:10 to advance in the NXT UK Championship tournament.
Gibbons’ Opinion: Despite the odds, Carter has managed to come out on top against all three members of Die Familie for weeks. This victory over Dempsey proves he can do it when it really matters. He was absolutely battered by Dempsey but still got the win. Great match that reflects the future of this brand. The only thing I can see stopping Carter making the final of this tournament would be of Die Familie seek revenge.
Backstage, Tyler Bate said he was here to watch Trent Seven’s match against Wolfgang and would control his anger in a bid to meet him in the tournament…
2. Thea Hail (w/Andre Chase, Bodhi Haywood) vs. Eliza Alexander. Hail enjoyed the best of the first minute, hitting an unorthodox huracanrana and some nice dropkicks. Alexander eventually caught her speedy opponent and dropped her across the top rope. Alaexander controlled Hail for a while and locked on a Camel Clutch. Hail got to her feet and dropped Alexander off her back. Hail hit a forearm, step-up enzuigiri and rolling jaw breaker. Hail went for a standing moonsault but Alexander got her knees up. Alexander hit the running knee for the win.
Eliza Alexander defeated Thea Hail in 2:12.
Gibbons’ Opinion: This match was set after Alexander hit breaking point at the amount of U.S. stars coming to NXT UK and stealing her spot. I doubt this win will stop the NXT 2.0 talent sharing, but it will help to build up Alexander.
Amale refused to take part in the Nina Samuels Show…
Eddie Dennis called into question the integrity of Andre Chase and Chase U. Chase said Dennis underestimated how hard he had worked to mentor people and challenged him to take Saxon Huxley under his wing…
Teoman made his entrance with Rohan Raja. Sam Gradwell made his entrance…
3. Teoman (w/Rohan Raja) vs. Sam Gradwell. Both men traded strikes and attacks for the first few moments of the match. Teoman went for the Evil Eye but Gradwell reversed it into a Fireman Carry. Gradwell clotheslined Teoman out the ring. Teoman used the ring apron to trip up Gradwell. Teoman slams Gradwell onto the apron multiple times and takes things back inside. Teoman punishes Gradwell with a Camel Clutch.
Gradwell looks to fight back with a Fireman Carry but Teoman rakes his eyes. The referee schools Teoman, allowing Raja to hit a cheap shot on Gradwell. Teoman hit the Sliding Forearm Smash but it only gets a two. Teoman continues to soften up the neck. Gradwell fought back with a forearm and a butterfly suplex. Again, Raja interfered and pulled Gradwell off the top rope. The referee ejects Raja. Teoman missed a DDT and Gradwell hit the Michinoku Driver for the win.
Sam Gradwell defeated Teoman in 5:53.
Gibbons’ Opinion: What a stinker of a night for Die Familie. First the loss for Dempsey and now this. Two matches they seemed in control of lost. When Dempsey joined Die Familie it seemed like they could be a force to be reckoned with but at the moment they are little more than cannon fodder. Shame.
We got the announcement that Noam Dar would receive a chance to win back the NXT UK Heritage Cup Championship he lost to Mark Coffey…
4. Trent Seven vs. Wolfgang in an NXT UK Championship tournament first-round match. Both men took turns to back the other into the ropes from the collar and elbow tie up. Seven then tried to use the referee as a shield. Following some back and forth Wolfgang went for a bodyslam but Seven landed on his feet.
Seven sent Wolfgang into the rope but he came back and hit counter hip toss. Wolfgang worked the arm for a few minutes. Gradwell applied the wrist lock but Seven got to the rope. As the referee called for the break, Seven hit a cheap shot behind his back. Seven takes control with a number of strikes. He then sends Wolfgang to the outside and the two men brawl there for a while.
Back in the ring, Seven went for a Seven Star Lariat but Wolfgang evades and hits a suplex. Wolfgang hit a senton for a close two. Wolfgang goes for the vertical suplex but Seven lands on his feet and hit a dragon suplex.
Wolfgang hits a caber toss but Seven kicks out. Seven unleashes a number of chops. Wolfgang retaliates with a headbutt and goes for the senton. Seven gots the knees up and hits a spinning back fist and the Burning Hammer for the win.
Trent Seven defeated Wolfgang in 9:03 to advance in the NXT UK Championship tournament.
Gibbons’ Opinion: Well, that’s the first piece of the puzzle done. Seven is on his way to the semifinals. I fully expect Tyler Bate to get to the other semifinal on his side of the bracket. The bad night for Die Familie all but confirms they will spoil Oliver Carter’s chances at winning the tournament, which means it’ll almost certainly be Bate vs. Seven as the ultimate grudge match in the final. Triple H, if you have anything to do with the Cardiff weekend next month, get this match in front of that audience!
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