By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
NXT UK Television
Taped April 6 in Brooklyn, New York at Brooklyn Pier 12
Aired on May 1, 2019 on WWE Network
The NXT UK opening aired… The broadcast team of Vic Joseph and Nigel McGuinness hyped the main event while the live crowd chanted NXT…
1. Travis Banks vs. Mansoor. Mansoor acted cocky during his entrance and got some heat. Banks took Mansoor down and performed a nice running dropkick. A short time later, Banks tripped Mansoor in the corner and caught him with another running dropkick. Banks sent Mansoor to ringside and caught him with a kick from the apron, then followed up with a suicide dive under the middle rope. Back inside the ring, Mansoor caught Banks with a wicked cutter style move and got a near fall. Banks came back and performed the Kiwi Crusher for the win…
Travis Banks defeated Mansoor.
Powell’s POV: A good showcase win for Banks. The Axxess crowd was livelier for this match than they were for the main event of the show I covered two weeks ago. That said, I’m looking forward to seeing the newer footage taped in the UK, presumably starting next week.
Xia Brookside was featured in a video filmed at the UK Performance Center. She said she didn’t get it when she faced Rhea Ripley last time, but she’s still training and moving forward…
A video package aired for Ilja Dragunov, who was listed as coming soon…
Powell’s POV: Brookside is very likable and the video did a good job of capturing her perky personality. I don’t know much about Dragunov aside from the fact that he’s a Russian born wrestler who made a name for himself in Germany’s WXW.
Nina Samuels was shown seated in a chair with her name on the back. She had a rose in her hand and spoke into a mirror about going from choir girl to leading lady, and the highest role one can play is champion. She said the role is currently occupied by Toni Storm. She plucked a petal from the rose. She said Storm is not a leading lady, then plucked off another petal. Samuels said the Nina Samuels show is about to begin…
2. Piper Niven vs. Reina Gonzalez. Gonzalez came out with a bull rope while McGuinness spoke about her lariat and compared her to Blackjack Mulligan (I thought she was going for Stan Hansen). Niven sold back pain when she tried to pick up Gonzalez. Late in the match, Niven performed a cross body block, then followed up with a senton for a two count. Niven performed a Michinoku Driver and scored the clean pin…
Piper Niven defeated Reina Gonzalez.
Powell’s POV: It’s nice to see Niven in NXT UK. She had a good showing in the Mae Young Classic and she’s a nice addition to the UK roster.
Kenny Williams and Amir Jordan spoke backstage. Williams spoke about how they’ve had doubters and even doubted themselves, but they realize that hard work pays off. Williams said they traveled the same roads as the NXT UK Tag Champions to get to where they are. He asked how you can lead a locker room you know nothing about. Jordan said James Drake and Zack Gibson decided they didn’t belong in the same locker room, but they also got themselves counted out because they realized they are at the same level. Williams spoke about taking the NXT UK Tag Titles in Glasgow, and he said something about making a call…
Gallus members Wolfgang, Joe Coffey, and Mark Coffey were shown in Glasgow, Scotland. They spoke about being home and how starting next week they would fight on their own turf. They said Glasgow is their home and their kingdom…
The broadcast team confirmed Zack Gibson and James Drake vs. Amir Jordan and Kenny Williams for the NXT UK Tag Titles as the main event of next week’s show…
3. WWE UK Champion Walter vs. Jordan Devlin in a non-title match. Fans chanted “Walter’s gonna kill you.” Devlin threw some early chops. When Walter no-sold, Devlin fled to ringside. A “Walter” chant broke out. Once Devlin was back inside the ring, Walter leapfrogged him and then caught him with a big boot. Walter remained on the offensive for a bit, then performed a double underhook suplex. Devlin rolled to ringside. Walter followed and tossed Devlin over the middle rope and back into the ring.
Devlin threw a kick and Walter sold it by falling to the mat. Devlin went on the offensive and targeted Walter’s knee. Walter bled from the mouth while locked in a single leg crab. Walter reached the ropes to break the hold. Walter blasted Devlin with a chop that fired up the crowd. Walter went for a running kick in the corner, but Devlin avoided it and threw a kick at Walter’s leg. Walter placed him on the ropes and chopped him, then performed a German suplex for a near fall.
Both men went to ringside where Walter chopped Devlin, then picked him up and dropped him back first on the ring apron. Back inside the ring, Walter went for a powerbomb, but Devlin slipped out of it and rolled him up for a nice near fall. Walter chopped Devlin. The crowd chanted for one more and Walter obliged. Devlin came back with kicks and a headbutt. Walter grabbed him and performed a Saito suplex for a two count.
Walter went up top. Devlin cut him off with a kick. Devlin pulled Walter off the ropes and attempted a move that didn’t work out. Devlin came right back with a nice suplex for a near fall. Devlin grabbed the arm of Walter, who pulled him into a clothesline, then powerbombed and pinned him…
WWE UK Champion Walter defeated Jordan Devlin in a non-title match.
After the match, Pete Dunne headed to the ring with a microphone in his hand. Dunne entered the ring and looked at Walter and then the WWE UK Championship belt. A “Bruiserweight” chant broke out. “Give me my rematch,” Dunne said. Walter nodded in approval. Walter’s music played. Dunne went to the apron and continued to glare at Walter, who held up the title belt to close the show…
Powell’s POV: An entertaining main event. Walter continues to be positioned as a badass, but Devlin looked good while losing to a much larger opponent. The post match angle was brief and yet all it needed to be. Dunne did a very nice job of conveying intensity with his facial expression and I’m already looking forward to the rematch.
Overall, a solid, yet brief show that clocked in at just 43 minutes. The live crowd at Axxess was much better for this show than the Axxess crowd was for the show I reviewed two weeks ago. I thought they might drift away as the show went on as they did last time, but they were vocal during all three matches and especially during the main event. Granted, they weren’t as vocal as the hot UK crowds have been for the product, but at least they created a good atmosphere this time around. Haydn Gleed’s audio review of this episode will be available on Thursday for Dot Net Members.
Check below for the latest Pro Wrestling Boom Podcast with Jason Powell and guest Court Bauer discussing MLW’s future, pay-per-view possibilities, whether MLW talent could appear on the AAA event at MSG, Salina de la Renta serving as the executive producer for Saturday’s MLW Fusion television show on beIN Sports at 8CT/9ET, and more.
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