NXT UK
Date: December 5, 2018
Location: Plymouth Pavilions, Devon, England
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Nigel McGuinness
We’re finally out to the third set of tapings and the road to getting this down to one show a week continues. Last week saw the crowning of Rhea Ripley as the first ever NXT UK Women’s Champion, meaning we might be hearing something from the new champ. With some luck, she’ll live up to the expectations on her. Let’s get to it.
In memory of Dynamite Kid.
There’s also a crawler included offering condolences to Kid’s family.
Opening sequence.
Here are Wolfgang and the Coffey Brothers to get things going. Joe talks about being called ruthless, devious and underhanded. Whoever called them that is absolutely right because NXT UK is their kingdom. The three of them are Gallus and now they want British Strong Style. There are no more Big Strong Boys because now it’s all about Gallus. This brings out…Travis Banks, who was put on the shelf by the three of them back in Cambridge. Joe calls Travis in for a fight and Banks is stupid enough to go, meaning he earns that three on one beatdown. Moustache Mountain runs in for the save.
Fabian Aichner likes the idea of facing some of the British talent because he’s used to facing the best in the world.
Jordan Devlin is ready to earn another shot because he got so close last week. Picture the NXT UK roster like a deck of cards. He’s the ace and tonight, he’s facing the joker in Flash Morgan Webster. Just remember: ace trumps all.
Fabian Aichner vs. Mark Andrews
They shake hands to start and Andrews has to slip out of an early gorilla press. Andrews spins around his head into a headscissors to send Aichner outside, followed by a suicide dive. Back in and a backbreaker plants Andrews, banging up his back in the process.
Back up and Andrews slides on his knees to duck a clothesline and nails an enziguri. A standing Whisper in the Wind splash gets two, followed by Andrews flipping out of a suplex into a hurricanrana for two more. Andrews scores with a 619 to the ribs and a victory roll gets two. That’s enough for Aichner so he clotheslines the heck out of Andrews, only to get caught with the Stundog Millionaire.
Aichner catches a Blockbuster and reverses it into a brainbuster for two but takes too long setting up a double springboard moonsault. A very twisting DDT drops Aichner for another near fall but he moves before the shooting star can connect. They head outside with Aichner crushing Andrews’ head against the steps with a running knee for nine. Andrews is done so Aichner hits a helicopter bomb for the pin at 9:17.
Result: Fabian Aichner b. Mark Andrews – Helicopter bomb (9:17)
Video on Isla Dawn.
General Manager Johnny Saint has named Sid Scala as his assistant but Rhea Ripley comes in to interrupt them. She wants some suitable competition and grabs the much smaller Scala by the cheeks to mock him.
Isla Dawn vs. Nina Samuels
Dawn headlocks her down to start and then trips Nina down to make it even worse. That’s reversed into a chinlock as they’re certainly sticking with the mat work early on. A tilt-a-whirl backbreaker mixes things up and gives Nina two before it’s off to the required arm work. Isla comes back up with a hard belly to back suplex though and a running knee to the face, followed by something like a snap Jackhammer for the pin at 3:18.
Result: Isla Dawn b. Nina Samuels – Snap suplex Jackhammer (3:18)
Video on last week’s Women’s Title match. Ripley brags and Toni Storm says she’ll be back.
Tucker vs. Eddie Dennis
Dennis wastes no time in using the size and power, including a heck of a backbreaker for an early two. The cravate goes on and Dennis throws in some knees to the face for good measure. Tucker spins out and jumps to the top for a back elbow to Dennis’ jaw but gets blasted by a clothesline. The Severn Bridge sets up the Next Stop Driver for the pin on Tucker at 2:28.
Result: Eddie Dennis b. Tucker – Next Stop Driver (2:28)
Next week: Banks vs. Wolfgang.
Flash Morgan Webster vs. Jordan Devlin
They start with the battle over arm control with Morgan grabbing an armdrag into an armbar to take over. Devlin will have none of that though and Rock Bottoms him down, setting up a standing moonsault for two. A backbreaker gets the same and it’s off to a seated abdominal stretch. He even pulls on the leg and then drives an elbow into the ribs for some bonus pain.
Webster falls out to the floor for a bit before coming back in to rake the eyes and slap the face. A running knee to the face drops Devlin again and the pace picks up, including a running clothesline to Devlin. Webster gets two off a super hurricanrana but the Baba O’Reilly Buster is countered with a backdrop.
Devlin’s running knee in the corner sets up the pull into the snap overhead belly to belly for two and frustration is setting in. A hard headbutt to the chest puts Devlin on the floor and a Whisper in the Wind off the steps drops him again. Back in and Webster’s Swanton hits knees, setting up Ireland’s Call for the pin at 12:04.
Result: Jordan Devlin b. Flash Morgan Webster – Ireland’s Call (12:04)
Thomas Hall has been a wrestling fan for over thirty years and has seen over 50,000 wrestling matches. He has also been a wrestling reviewer since 2009 with over 5,000 full shows covered. You can find his work at kbwrestlingreviews.com, or check out his Amazon author page with 28 wrestling books. His latest book is the the Complete 1997 Monday Night Raw Reviews.
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