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NXT UK TV REPORT (EP. 128)
DECEMBER 31, 2020
STREAMED ON WWE NETWORK
REPORT BY CHAD KOENIG, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Announcers: Andy Shepherd and Nigel McGuinness
-Nigel McGuiness is again at his home, which is decorated for Christmas. He’s wearing a fantastic “ugly sweater” of the Ultimate Warrior with a version of “Aude Lang Syne” playing that sounds like it could have been used in “Street Fighter II”. He introduced the matches of the show.
(1) GALLUS (c) vs. ONEY LORCAN & DANNY BURCH w/ Joe Coffey ringside – NON-TITLE MATCH – From NXT UK TV 2/13/20
(From initial review)
Mark Coffey and Danny Burch start the match but Wolfgang tagged himself in early on. Coffey tagged back in after Burch was held to the mat in a headlock and tossed to the corner. Coffey worked on the arm, but Burch was able to get the tag to Lorcan. Double-teaming ensued that concluded with a wishbone to Coffey. Burch put Coffey in the corner and he briefly slid under the ring as Wolfgang distracted Burch so Coffey could attack from behind, and connected with a great uppercut. Wolfgang got the tag in and grounded Burch with an armlock before he was able to get a tag to Lorcan, who came in with American uppercuts to both members of Gallus.
As Lorcan was going for an attack, Coffey held his trunks so Wolfgang was able to attack him. Coffey with the tag back in. Coffey laid in some knees and tagged Wolfgang back in. He hit the ropes and met Lorcan with a cross-body and two count. He kept Lorcan grounded and in holds for a minute before once again tagging in Coffey, who used the bottom rope to hurt Lorcan’s arm. Lorcan slid out of the ring and rolled back in, being met with a foot to the skull. Tag to Wolfgang who toyed with Lorcan a bit before he started to gain his energy and traded forearm strikes with Wolfgang before giving him an Alabama slam. Wolfgang went to the top rope but Lorcan moved out of the way and gave him time to tag in Burch who came in swinging. A tag was also made to Coffey. Burch took control of the match at this point.
From there, Burch tagged Lorcan back in after giving Coffey a massive head butt. They tried to set up Coffey for a double-team attempt but Wolfgang ran in in time to break it up. Lorcan and Coffey exchanged strikes to the chest and Lorcan hit a blockbuster before tagging Burch back in. Burch went to the top but Coffey took out his leg and made it over to tag in Wolfgang momentarily to set up a finisher. Coffey tagged back in but he countered Coffey into a cross face. Lorcan ran in and put Wolfgang in a single-leg crab for a double submission. Wolfgang tossed Lorcan onto his partner, breaking up both submission attempts. Wolfgang speared Lorcan outside of the ring and ran back over to his corner. Tag back in as a kick and slam combo finished Lorcan and Burch. After the match, Dragunov came down to the ring, made eyes with Coffey and the two started to battle. Of course, the other members of Gallus joined in and laid him out. The show ended with Gallus standing tall over Dragunov’s body.
WINNER: Gallus at 10:41
(Koenig’s Analysis: Not surprisingly, a great match with two stellar tag teams. It seems that the theme of this episode was to set up or advance storylines post-match. It was a pleasant change having a non-competing stable member, especially a heel, not interfere with the match at all.)
-Happy New Years wishes from some of the NXT UK roster aired, including A-Kid, Amir Jordan, Aleah James, Dave Mastiff, Kay Lee Ray, Mark Andrews, Ashton Smith, Amale, Gallus, Isla Dawn, Wild Boar and Noam Dar.
-Sam Gradwell talked about his 2020, and how wrestlers had to adapt to the global changes.
-A Pretty Deadly vignette aired of them mixing cocktails for New Years. None of them seemed to be very good until they tried a pink one named after themselves.
-More New Years wishes aired from Jinny, Ilja Dragunov, Kenny Williams, Primate, Dani Luna, Joseph Connors, Referee Chris Sharpe, Jack Starz, Nina Samuels, Saxon Huxley, Piper Niven, Levi Muir, Oliver Carter, Xia Brookside, Rampage Brown, Tyson T-Bone and Eddie Dennis.
-It was announced that Walter vs. Ilja Dragunov in a championship match and Jinny vs. Piper Niven in a #1 contender qualifier would happen in two weeks.
-A video package aired on the rivalry between Tyler Bate and Jordan Devlin aired ahead of their upcoming match.
(2) TYLER BATE vs. JORDAN DEVLIN – From NXT Takeover: Blackpool on 1/12/20)
They stare at each other after the bell as Bate took in the adulation of the crowd. Jordan then started to wrench Bate’s left arm. Bate reversed the maneuver and the two mirrored each other with attacks. Bate finally tossed Devlin into the ropes and military pressed Devlin out of the ring. He went for an obligatory dive over the ropes, but Devlin met him on the apron with a urinagi followed by a two count. Devlin continued to keep the lead over Bate, taunting him and getting a pair of near falls in. Bate eventually tossed Devlin over the ring post and successfully executed the obligatory ring dive. He rolled Devlin back in, went to the top rope, and was met with a codebreaker on his way down, giving Devlin another near fall.
Devlin again controlled the offense of the match by manipulating Bate’s legs and putting him a surfboard stretch, bending Bate in a way I didn’t think was humanly possible. When tossing him into the ropes, Bate snuck a roll up pinfall in before the two hit the ropes and crashed and burned from a double cross-body.
Bate caught his second wind here and tossed Devlin. He kipped up and pinned Devlin after a standing shooting star. Kick out again at two. He hoisted Devlin up and got him into a long airplane spin before launching him across the ring. Bate then hit a Brainbuster for two. Devlin somehow was able to to hook a suplex for a pinfall attempt of his own. Bate then bounced Devlin off the top rope, a move that Devlin reversed into a slingshot cutter. Both men ended up out of the ring.
As the two used the barricade to get back up, Devlin kneed Bate in the face to slide in, with Bate following at 9 and a half. They then exchanged forearms in the middle of the ring that quickly escalated into a full blown slug fest. Bate then went for a Tyler Driver that was reversed into a Spanish fly. The two were laid out flat on their backs.
As Bate lay stagnant, Devlin went to the top. Bate played possum and met him on the top rope. Devlin with an incredible Spanish fly into a Devlin Side for two. The two then brought the action again to the apron, with a headbutt knocking both of them silly. Devlin quickly pounced off the top and into a DDT. A Tyler Driver 97 ensued, but Devlin kicked out. A corkscrew from Bate was able to keep Devlin down this time, securing his victory in this terrific match.
WINNER: Bate at 22:17
(Koenig’s Analysis: What do you expect from these two? They are top shelf performers with great chemistry. The action was lightning quick. There were no lulls in the match and the moves made sense. This didn’t feel like a 22-minute long match. This entire pay per view was outstanding and this match was a highlight. Well done.)
-NEXT WEEK: Sprnva Sessions with Ben Carter
NOW CHECK OUT LAST WEEK’S REPORT: 12/24 NXT UK TV REPORT: Brosuirweights (Pete Dunne & Matt Riddle) vs. Mark Andres & “Flash” Morgan Webster
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