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NXT UK TV REPORT
OCTOBER 3, 2019
STREAMED ON WWE NETWORK
REPORT BY CHAD KOENIG, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Note: This was the first week of NXT UK streaming on Thursdays after being moved from Wednesdays.
-Opened with fans chanting “NXT”. They went right to the first match.
(1) PIPER NIVEN vs. ISLA DAWN
The match started with some arm holds before the much more powerful Niven tossed Dawn to the mat, holding her for a moment before a 2 count. They made their way back to their feet and Dawn took down Niven and countered with an arm bar. She held it until Niven powered her way back to her feet. Niven gained control again and the two continued with various arm holds. Dawn escaped after a couple of hard knees to the gut, with Niven countering with a clothesline. The action started to pickup, even though it was still slow, as the 2 made it back to the ground. Niven held Dawn in a straitjacket. After attempting to escape the hold, she lifted Niven with a surprising suplex. A knee to Niven’s face gave her another pinfall and kickout. They made it to opposite corners and Niven was once again taken down- this time with a running double knee. Niven made it back to her feet and scored the winning pinfall after a head butt and Michinoku driver.
WINNER: in 7:15
(Koenig’s Analysis: Before the 2two touched, it sounded like the fans were chanting “Isla”, but from what I heard, was announced saying “The NXT UK universe is behind Piper Niven in this matchup”. A slow match full of arm holds, but picked up in the final couple of minutes- once Dawn landed that impressive suplex.)
-Radzi Chinyangana was seen in a backstage segment interviewing Ilja Dragunov as he was leaving the training doctor’s office, obviously showing pain in his shoulder. He told him that was “not medically cleared to fight tonight”. Alexander Wolfe stepped in from the side, saying that he would take his place tonight and that he should “think about his future”.
-Smackdown commercial featuring the return of The Rock.
-Video package for next week’s return of The Hunt.
-Radzi Chinyangana was shown again in a backstage segment. This time with Piper Niven. She stated that she wanted a shot at the NXT UK Women’s Championship before being interrupted by Jinny stating the same about herself. Jazzy then attacked Piper from behind and the duo took Niven down for a beating.
(2) ALEXANDER WOLFE vs. SAXTON HUXLEY
Wolfe almost immediately took Huxley to the mat. They made it back to their feet and hit the ropes a bit before Huxley took Wolfe down to the ground with a headlock, followed by an armbar. They make it back up again and were separated by the ref right before Wolfe delivered a kick to the face as Huxley was adjusting his knee pad. As Huxley was on the ground, Wolfe continued to pound away. He lifted him back up and looked to deliver a suplex that was blocked twice. Wolfe brought him back down again with another armbar. Back to their feet, Wolfe struck with a vicious uppercut and suplex. He tortured the knee of Huxley and kept the action on the mat. As Huxley fought back, they made it to their feet. That was short-lived as Wolfe continued to do damage to the ankle and knee. Wolfe held Huxley in a chinlock for the better part of a minute. As he worked the weakened Huxley up, he took him down again with another knee to the chest. They battle back up but Huxley walked into a step-up enziguri. As Wolfe hit the ropes, he was welcomed with a quick Lou Thesz press. Uppercuts and punches were traded. Wolfe grabbed Huxley’s leg, but he countered with a dropkick. Wolfe wasn’t letting himself be bested so he gained his footing, executed a big boot and finally a powerbomb for the 3.
WINNER: Alexander Wolfe in 7:22
(Koenig’s Analysis: Good match. Wolfe is a star. The members of Imperium are taking the wrestling world by storm. With their seemingly inevitable use as regulars on NXT, I hope they are somehow kept on both brands… if that’s possible.)
-Ashton Smith is being interviewed in front of a black dropcloth with just a boom mic. He is asked about how he would be coming back after his recent defeat by Jordan Devlin. As he started to answer, The Grizzled Young Veterans interrupt from behind and mock him and the cheap setup. Zack Gibson joked about it being one of those “podcasts that nobody listens to”. They tore into him about his win/loss record and Smith rebutted with a jab at how they have lost their previous 2 tag team championship matches, and then again by telling them that they talk about being locker room leaders, but that nobody follows them.
-WWE Hell In A Cell commercial featuring Firefly Funhouse and The Fiend.
-Match seemingly about to start, with Mike Bird walking down to the ring. Jack Starz’ intro hit and he was dragged out the arm by Gallus. As they walk to the ring, Mark Coffey says that Mike Bird is a legend of and the “Godfather of Scottish wrestling”. (I think he meant “grandfather”). The crowd cheers for him as they point out that he trained the current NXT UK Tag Team Champions- Webster & Andrews. They extend their arm to the legend and attack him. The champions run in to help their mentor and are met with an attack from behind by Joe Coffey, with the rest of Gallus joining in. The 3 of them stood tall in the riddle of the ring and touched fists.
(3) NXT UK Women’s Champion KAY LEE RAY vs. TEGAN NOX (Non- Title Match)
– Match started with a lockup and them hitting the ropes. They exchanged slaps and then hit the mat before Ray rolled out of the ring for a moment. After rolling back in, Nox went to the top rope for a high cross that connected for the 2. Ray tried to walk back up the ramp but Nox wasn’t having that. She held her in a headlock and marched her back into the ring. Ray countered when Nox put her up on her shoulders and went right to attacking Nox’s previously injured knee. They exchanged slaps again before Ray grounded her into a neck crank that she countered into a roll up for 2. Ray tooled with Nox around the ring, focusing on furthering damage to her knee. After forcing Ray to the corner and kicking the knee for a bit, she struck with a front- face suplex for another 2. Nox rolled out of the way after Ray went to the top for a failed swanton bomb. Ray dove shoulder first into the post as Nox held her knee, giving her time to get to the other corner and writhe in pain over the damage that was done. They make it back to their feet after a short rest and exchange strikes. Nox got several forearms in on Ray and tripped her to the canvas. Nox fired up again and kicked Ray to the back of the skull before slowly climbing to the top rope and surprisingly hitting a Molly-Go-Round before a failed pin attempt. Back to their feet, Nox struck an impressive superkick and went for the pin. Back up, Ray hit a DDT and then went into an immediate guillotine, attempting to make Nox tap. Nox powered herself back up, chest to chest with Ray, and drove her into the mat with a modified spinebuster. Ray perked her head right up and returned to the guillotine. Nox rolled to the bottom rope while Ray remained deep in the hold. The 2 hit the ropes and Nox gained a 2 count after a chokeslam. She went to the top once again and was crotched when Ray came up and struck the rope. The 2 exchanged moves until Nox executed a successful destroyer into a pinfall. Another 2 count. Nox got yet another pinfall attempt after hitting a shiniest wizard, but Ray hooked the wrong leg and Ray’s foot made it to the bottom rope. After the 2 separated, Ray made it to the outside ring apron and positioned herself at the ring post. Nox attempted to kick Ray but she moved out of the way in time for Nox to drive her knee right into the post. Ray rolled back into the ring and finished off Nox with a gory bomb.
WINNER: KAY LEE RAY in 13:40
(Koenig’s Ananlysis: Lots of action in a traditional face/ heel match, which is getting less and less traditional these days. Not too many high spots. I like that. Good storytelling. I enjoyed.)
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