By Laurence Gibbons, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@Gibbonsgob)
NXT UK TV
Taped in London, England at BT Sport Studios
Streamed January 6, 2022 on WWE Network and Peacock
The broadcast team was Andy Shepherd and Nigel McGuinness Ashton Smith and Oliver Carter made their entrance to kick off the show. Symbiosis entered the BT Sport Studios…
1. Ashton Smith and Oliver Carter vs. “Symbiosis” Primate and Tyson T-Bone (w/Eddie Dennis) in an opening round match in the NXT UK Tag Team Championship No.1 Contender Tournament. Primate took Carter to the corner and then controlled him with a wrist lock. Carter acrobatically found a way out and tagged in Smith. Smith and Carter worked quick tags to continue to dominate Primate. Primate gouged the eye of Smith to allow him to tag in T-Bone. T-Bone failed to fare any better than his partner and fell victim to Smith and Carter’s teamwork.
Smith hoisted Primate onto his shoulders but Eddie Dennis slid into the ring. With the referee distracted, Primate and T-Bone took control of Smith.
Primate hit a Pop-up powerbomb which T-Bone followed up with a penalty kick. T-Bone used his brute strength to manhandle Smith. Primate hit a spear which T-Bone followed with a splash but Smith kicked out. Smith finally tagged Carter in who hit a double top rope dropkick on both his opponents. Carter nearly won it with a springboard moonsault. Smith tagged in and T-Bone took Carter out on the outside. Smith fought both men off until Carter returned and took T-Bone out. Smith and Carter hit the doomsday cutter for the win.
Ashton Smith and Oliver Carter defeated “Symbiosis” Primate & Tyson T-Bone in 09:40 to advance to the next round.
Gibbons’ Opinion: This was a fun match to kick off NXT UK’s 2022. It was bookended by Smith and Carter’s dominance and they deserved to progress. I was surprised Dennis didn’t play more of a role in preventing his team from losing. They’ll take on the victor of Die Familie vs. Jack Starz and Dave Mastiff, which is set for next week.
Pretty Deadly cut a promo complaining about the winner of the tag team tournament jumping in front of them in the queue for a title shot… A vignette aired for Ilja Dragunov showing the importance of his family in inspiring his NXT UK Championship reign…
Noam Dar allowed Sha Samuels to select how he would beat A-Kid in their upcoming NXT UK Heritage Cup Championship match. Samuels chose his 11/1 odds bet of beating him in the fourth round… Xia Brookside made her entrance…
2. Xia Brookside vs. Myla Grace. Grace put the wrist lock on but Brookside made it to the rope and demanded she release the hold. Grace put the hold back on but Brookside pulled the hair. Brookside sulked about her arm hurting. Grace stayed on top with a dropkick and a number of strikes.
Brookside turned the tide of the bout with a stiff kick. She hit the double knees on the ropes and threw a kicking tantrum on the back of Grace. Brookside now worked the arm of Grace with the hammerlock. Grace rallied and sent Brookside to the corner. She hit the 619 to the stomach in the corner and went to the top rope. Brookside pulled Grace off the top rope and hit the Broken Wings backstabber for the victory.
Xia Brookside defeated Myla Grace in 3:50.
After the bell, Brookside taunted the NXT UK crowd…
Gibbons’ Opinion: This was a good development in Brookside’s heel persona. I like that she has incorporated her tantrums into a move. Her mid-match sulking is comical. Grace looked decent in her second match with NXT UK and was good cannon fodder in building up Brookside.
Jack Starz and Dave Mastiff cut a promo ahead of their match with Die Familie next week…
Amale arrived at the BT Sport Studios and was praised by Angel Hayze for her recent emotional video. Jinny arrived and said she thought Jinny was pathetic before leaving to get in her ‘limo’. Stevie Turner claimed Jinny had a point which provoked Amale to push her to the wall…
We got the announcement that Walter would make his final NXT UK appearance against Nathan Frazer. Walter said Frazer was the future of the brand but that he wasn’t impressed and that Frazer was ‘taking the absolute piss’ out of the sport of professional wrestling…
Blair Davenport made her entrance for her NXT UK Championship opportunity. The champion Meiko Satomura made her entrance…
3. Meiko Satomura vs. Blair Davenport for the NXT UK Women’s Championship. Satomura landed a kick to the thigh forcing Davenport to retreat to her corner. Davenport challenged Satomura to a test of strength which she seemed to be winning until Satomura took her down with a judo toss. Satomura put the head scissors on but Davenport escaped. Satomura worked the arm and wrist to control the challenger.
Davenport rolled out of the wrist lock but again retreated to her corner. Satomura rained kicks down on her. Davenport sprung to the top rope. Satomura kicked her off and she fell to the outside. Back in the ring, Satomura treated Davenport to a flurry of kicks to the back, chest and head. Davenport now retreated to the outside.
As Satomura came to get Davenport she caught her with a kick to the jaw and hit the DDT from the apron. Davenport attacked Satomura with knee strikes before hanging her on the ropes and hitting a dropkick. Davenport punished the champion with a rear chinlock. Davenport sent Satomura into the ropes but the champion came back with a spinning kick.
The two women traded stiff strikes. Satomura hit a suplex and looked for the STF. Davenport reversed the hold into a Fujiwara armbar. Davenport went for the Falcon Arrow but Satomura countered with a DDT. The “Final Boss” hit the cartwheel heel kick. Davenport caught Satomura’s next kick and put her in the STF. Davenport hit the running knee on the ropes but Satomura rolled out the ring. Davenport hit the double stomp from the top turnbuckle.
Davenport went for a kick but Satomura hit the Death Valley Bomb. Satomura hit a second Death Valley Bomb but Davenport kicked out from the pin. Satomura went for Scorpio Rising but Davenport evaded and hit the B-Trigger. Satomura kicked out. Davenport went for the sitout pinbut Satomura reversed it for the win.
Meiko Satomura defeated Blair Davenport in 12:59 to retain the NXT UK Women’s Championship.
After the bell, Davenport attacked Satomura and hit two knee strikes before lifting the championship above her head…
Gibbons’ Opinion: What a super match. Satomura’s title reign continues. I had a feeling Davenport would win this. A new champion seemed inevitable especially when Davenport kicked out of the second Death Valley Bomb. Davenport’s constant retreating told the story that she may have bitten off more than she could chew with Satomura. Satomura’s victory solidified this. But the post-match attack seems to set up a rematch. It’ll be interesting to see how long Satomura keeps hold of the championship. I’ve witnessed Satomura live in front of the small crowd at the BT Sport Studios. If this is the swansong of her career she deserves to have a title match in front of a jam-packed arena. I hope it comes this year along with a NXT UK PPV – or premiere event as I think we are being conditioned to call them.
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