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NXT UK TV REPORT (EP. 123)
NOVEMBER 26, 2020
STREAMED ON WWE NETWORK
REPORT BY CHAD KOENIG, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Commentary: Andy Shepherd, Nigel McGuinness
Note: This aired on Thanksgiving Day in the United States.
(1) JORDAN DEVLIN (c) vs. AMIR JORDAN
Devlin brings Jordan down early and applied a headlock. He started to work the arms before Jordan countered and smack-talked the champion. Devlin got up and circled him before upping the aggression and tossing Jordan around the mat. He scored a trio of near falls and worked the arm again all over the ring.
As Devlin cornered Jordan, he went to lay in a slap to his chest but Jordan escaped, laid in some strikes and tossed him to another corner. However, Devlin connected with a dropkick and brought the contender to the mat again. He hit a suplex for a two count. When they got up, Devlin wrenched his neck and hit a standing moonsault for another near fall. Devlin tossed Jordan out of the ring and beat him up a bit outside before tossing him back in.
Back in the ring, Devlin continued to work on the injured arm and shoulder of Jordan. Devlin mocked the “crowd” and drove his elbow into Jordan’s ribs. Jordan broke free and took down Devlin before sending him out of the ring. Jordan with the obligatory dive through the ropes here. He immediately tossed Devlin back in the ring and got a two count.
As Jordan went to the top rope, Devlin came at him and climbed on top for a Spanish Fly. Jordan countered his attack and slammed Devlin down for two. He went back to the top for a senton, but Devlin got his knees up, Devlin followed up with a modified Boston Crap for the win.
WINNER: Jordan at 9:41
(Koenig’s Analysis: A good match. Jordan hasn’t wrestled in eight months but showed no rust. This was Jordan’s best showing in my eyes as a singles competitor. I’m starting to notice two things that happened in this match that are constants on NXT UK matches. First, which I’ve actually called out many times, the through-the-ropes dive. But the other is someone climbing to the top rope and the competitor popping up front he dead and battling on top. Fine from time to time, but it’s getting repetitive here.)
-Rampage Brown in a video from earlier in the week working out in the gym. An interviewer came over to him and asked a cliche question before Saxon Huxley came over on the equipment next to him and just started repeating “Rampage Brown”. Obviously we will see those two soon.
-Noam Dar video package
-WWE TLC commercial
-Video from earlier this week. The Hunt were shown coming into the arena. Flash Morgan Webster and Mark Andres jumped them and were broken up by staff.
(2) ISLA DAWN vs. JINNY
Dawn took Jinny down for an early pinfall attempt in the opening minute. Jinny connected with a rolling Liger kick and cornered Dawn before laying in a series of kicks to the gut. Jinny applied an octopus, but Dawn made it to the rope. Here, Jinny did a cool looking double roll up to get her into the middle of the ring to apply a submission. Dawn broke out and after making it to her feet, she connected with some of her signature standing kicks. She hit the ropes and connected with double knees , followed by a dropkick for another pinfall attempt.
Dawn picked up her aggression, but that was halted with a knee to her face. Jinny got Dawn in a tarantula hold on the apron, before it was broken up by the ref. Dawn then went to the top and jumped, but Jinny rolled out of the way as Dawn hit the mat.
Jinny connected with a kick to the face after Dawn’s failed jump from the top. After that she got her into a chinlock submission to get the victory.
WINNER: JINNY at 5:00
-After the match, Jinny spoke that she hopes Niven was watching (albeit a little tricky to hear).
(Koenig’s Analysis: I have openly been critical of Dawn and several others in the women’s division, which really needs help after Toni Storm and Rhea Ripley left for WWE. However, Dawn really did a good job here. She showed more aggression and displayed her kicks more, which she is supposed to be “famous” for. I really went into this expecting to hate it, but I was pleasantly surprised. I hope Dawn keeps this up and I also would like to see a small video package on her, and emphasizing her kicks to sell them as being dangerous.)
-Sid Scala interviewed backstage earlier in the day. Alexander Wolfe knocks on the office door and Scala told him to come in. Wolfe stole an apple and said that he wants his match with Joe Coffey to have a stipulation. He said he doesn’t want Gallus at ringside. Scala obliged and agree, as long as Imperium are banned in return. Wolfe got upset, said “fine”, and tossed the apple to Scala.
-WWE Smackdown commercial
(3) A-KID vs. TRENT SEVEN – Heritage Cup Final
Round One: They felt each other out for the bulk of this match with some basic tie ups and wrist locks. A-Kid grounded Seven at the halfway mark. A-Kid went for a surfboard that Seven countered out of. A-Kid worked Seven’s arms for the remainder of the round.
A-Kid: 0 Seven: 0
Round Two: Both men went right for a knuckle lock that Seven powered into a series of pinfall attempts. A-Kid bridged out and escaped, bringing both to their feet. A-Kid continued to weaken Seven’s arms back on the mat. A-Kid then got a one count on Seven as he pounced out and back onto his feet. The two locked up A-Kid went for a legbar. A-Kid held the leg until the bell rang, but in the last second, Seven clocked him in the jaw.
A-Kid: 0 Seven: 0
Round Three: A-Kid ran at Seven at kicked him in the face while he was still drinking water as the bell rang. Seven was forced to come out striking. A-Kid laid in a bevy of kicks to combat Seven’s hard strikes to his chest. Seven caught his leg and punched him in the mouth before A-Kid returned the favor with a Pele kick. A-Kid kicked Seven in the chest for a pair of pinfall attempts. The second one ending the match with 1:27 remaining.
A-Kid: 1 Seven: 0
Round Four: For the second round straight, A-Kid charged at the bell, this time getting a pinfall attempt early on. He got Seven in a headlock and held him down for over a minute. He changed that into an armbar that Seven attempted to counter, all the while A-Kid attempting to execute a triangle. Seven escaped and went for a lariat, but A-Kid countered and put Seven into a choke hold using his legs. Seven then reversed the hold, and in the final ten seconds, Seven was able to hoist him up and slam A-Kid down on his back.
A-Kid: 1 Seven: 0
Round Five: They started the round by grounding the action and escaping each other’s technical moves. Seven got a pinfall attempt in after connecting with a DDT. A-Kid crawled to his corner. Seven came over and put A-Kid across the top ropes to hoist him onto his shoulders. A-Kid elbowed his way out and went to spring onto Seven, but he walked over and chopped A-Kid, crotching him on the top ropes. Seven climbed on top to suplex him, but A-Kid countered a slam and got the pinfall, but the time ran out on the two count.
A-Kid: 1 Seven: 0
Round Six: Seven got a roll up for two in the first five seconds. A snapdragon suplex gave him an immediate second pinfall attempt. After that, A-Kid quickly got a roll-up for a two of his own. Obviously, they were up against the clock in this final round. Seven got a lariat in for yet another two count, followed by a Burning Hammer. He went for another pin here, but A-Kid slid his leg under the rope.
Seven pulled A-Kid up in this fast-paced match and connected with a Seven Star Lariat and pin. A-Kid kicked out. A-Kid took Seven down with his legs but with :27 on the clock, Seven reversed the hold into a pinfall of his own.
A-Kid: 1 Seven: 1
Sudden Death OT: They exchanged palm strikes to each others faces at the bell before both men collided after hitting the ropes. A-Kid slowly rolled to the apron and Seven followed. They climbed the ropes and battled on the apron, with Seven slamming A-Kid back first onto the floor. This was an incredible bump. Seven was first to make it back into the ring but A-Kid slid in at the last second. Seven walked over to the damaged A-Kid, lifted him and connected with a Seven Star lariat. He hoisted A-Kid on his shoulders but A-Kid escaped. Seven then got him to the mat again in an attempt to submit him. A-Kid countered with a submission of his own and as it looked like Seven would make it to the rope, A-Kid wrenched the veteran’s arm back enough to make him tap and to win the Heritage Cup.
A-Kid: 2 Seven: 1
WINNER: A-Kid in OT at 5:19
(Koenig’s Analysis: This was a fantastic British Rounds match that will give A-Kid a good feather in his cap. I’ve written for every match that A-Kid wrestled in NXT UK and his potential was there from the beginning. Beating Seven will make him a headliner going forward. I look forward to seeing his journey. The match told a great story of the young man beating the veteran. It was filled with drama and took you on a ride filled with amazing mat wrestling, as well as some high spots. Truly a tremendous match.)
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