SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
NXT UK TV REPORT (EP. 100)
JUNE 18, 2020
STREAMED ON WWE NETWORK
REPORT BY CHAD KOENIG, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Hosted By: Andy Shepherd (from home).
This week’s theme is NXT UK’s Most Brilliant: Tyler Bate vs. Pete Dunne at NXT Takeover: Chicago. This was the only match featured on this episode and was filled with interviews of people discussing the match.
-Shepherd gave a brief history of the match and how Bate became the inaugural champion in 2017, and that Dunne eyed the prize and how it led to the match in discussion.
-Shepard is shown on a zoom meeting with the two competitors. He asked what it was like to go into the ring with such a good friend. Both agreed that it was easier being familiar with each other, and made for a great match. Bate mentioned that neither of them thought that the match would go down in legend as much as it has.
-Shepherd interviews Ryan Satin, who was a backstage commentator. He asked what he, as an American, thought of these “unknown” wrestlers coming into America. Satin said that he was excited and saw something special in Bate.
-WWEShop.com commercial
-Undertaker: The Last Ride commercial
-A brief historical video on Dunne and Bate
-Shepherd hosting another zoom meeting- this time with NXT UK wrestlers Wolfgang, Mark Andrews, and Trent Seven who, along with Bate and Dunne, were considered the “original five” of the brand. He asked Seven if he was jealous as he could have been in the picture instead of those two. He and Wolfgang agreed that he was happy that it brough attention to the brand and to British wrestling as a whole. Andrews similarly said that that the match launched NXT UK and that it was the measuring stick of all matches to follow.
-Shawn Michaels interviewed by Shepherd. he said that he was familiar with and excited about the 16 competitors in the inaugural tournament for the title. Michaels said that he had so much respect to these wrestlers who could do things that he himself could never do. William Regal was also interviewed and noted his excitement that NXT UK was going to be featured in a Takeover. Michales then said that “it was the night that everything changed” for the brand.
-A video package on the buildup to the match.
-Smackdown commercial featuring the return of Firefly Funhouse
(1) TYLER BATE (c) vs. PETE DUNNE
From NXT Takeover: Chicago
-The match featured picture in picture throughout of Dunne and Bate reflecting on the match.
They lock up and Dunne grounded Bate immediately. They demonstrated some signature British mat wrestling until Dunne got him in head scissors. Bate escaped with a headstand. They circled a bit and Dunne brought him back to the mat, while he stood over him working his wrist. Bate kicked him in the head and Dunne rolled outside. Bate followed and was immediately met with a forearm. Dunne grabbed the fingers and attempted to snap them before Bate clocked him in the head and laid him out on the mat outside of the ring. Dunne dropped him onto the apron with a painful looking reverse suplex. Dunne rolled back in.
Dunne continued the joint manipulation and bent back each finger while Bate jus t laid there. As Dunne taunted him, Bate executed an outstanding exploder suplex. Dunne got tossed into the corner and Bate connected with a pair of running uppercuts. While Bate ran for the third one, Dunne followed behind and dropkicked Bate. Bate would then suplex Dunne for two. Bate backed into a corner to charge at Dunne, however he was caught in a lightning-fast triangle choke. He broke out and got Dunne on his shoulders for the fastest airplane spin that Ive ever seen. A two count followed and both men rested for a moment before Bate hit him with a quick suplex that Dunne crisply landed on his feet to. Bate slingshot off of the top rope and Dunne connected with a forearm as he was coming down. Dunne hit him with a driver for two. When they made it up to their feet, they exchanged quick fists to the face. One straight left knocked Dunne to the mat. Bate then hit the ropes and laid Dunne out again with a lariat.
After a moment of taking in the adoration, Bate but Dunne up for a Tyler Driver 97 that he countered. He hoisted Bate up and Bate countered with a DDT, stunning Dunne as he rolled out of the ring. Bate sprinted to the middle rope to springboard on to Dunne outside before rolling him back into the ring and going to the top rope. A two count followed after a corkscrew. Dunne rolled out of the ring. Bate was getting upset so he went to dive on him from the ring. Bate came down to a hard forearm. Dunne rolled him into the ring and connected with a Bitter End, winning Dunne his first major championship.
WINNER: Dunne at 15:48
(Koenig’s Analysis: In the picture-in-picture, Dunne mentioned that the moment that the crowd starting chanting “UK” during the match that it was surreal. He mentioned that in the UK, their matches were often coined as “American wrestling”, and the British crowds would chant “USA”, even though they were fighting British style. The crowd in the arena realized that they were watching something special here and that it was different. It was argued to be the show-stealing match of the night. There’s a reason why- this match was fantastic. It told a great story, was hard-hitting, and demonstrated moves not before seen by this crowd. Highly recommended.)
-The match ended with Bate saying that he got cocky and made a mistake that cost him the championship and that will always be a thorn in his side. Dunne explained how the championship changed his life.
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