Meiko Satomura’s latest defence of the NXT UK Women’s title sees her take on Jinny in this week’s main event.
Quick Results
Rampage Brown pinned Flash Morgan Webster in 7:13 (***)
Angel Hayze defeated Isla Dawn via disqualification in 2:17 (DUD)
Meiko Satomura pinned Jinny in 12:45 to retain the NXT UK Women’s Championship (***¼)
We’re back in the BT Sport Studios in London, with the distanced, masked fans… once we get past the show-opening video of Jinny saying she’ll reach her destiny today, and Meiko Satomura saying she won’t. We’re still getting used to the rejected-Trent-Seven-theme that’s now opening this show… Andy Shepherd and Nigel McGuinness are on the call as ever.
Rampage Brown vs. Flash Morgan Webster
It’s the match they set up last week with the happy slap – and they actually recap Flash Morgan’s happy slap adventures here.
Commentary tries to tie Rampage Brown to Survivor Series with a remark that’s just left there to hang in the air as Flash was sent outside. Flash tries to do the stick-and-run thing, but Rampage puts on the brakes, only to get caught with an enziguiri that took him outside. A pop-up slam from Rampage takes Flash down, as does a POUNCE into the corner, then a suplex throw as Webster was just getting mauled. A press slam followed as Webster rolled onto the apron for safety, then a Saito suplex that flipped Flash inside out. Eventually, Flash gets some offence in, countering a Doctor Bomb into a guillotine, but Rampage charges him into the corner to break it up, only to get caught in a tornado DDT-like facebuster.
A big dropkick cracks Rampage in the corner, while a flying ‘rana took Rampage outside, where Webster went for a tope… it’s just about caught as Rampage tries to post him, only for Webster to push free. Flash follows with another flying tornado DDT, this time landing, but the search for a count-out ends with Rampage getting back into the ring. The Shadows Over Malice senton bomb crashes into Rampage as he got back into the ring, with a bicycle knee following as Webster was managing to maintain some sustained offence. Another slap fires up Rampage though, who clotheslined Flash back to the mat, before a Doctor Bomb got the win. A fun TV match, with Flash being a virtual tackling dummy in the first half, recovering to the point where a win was on the cards… but in the end, a shutout as Flash continues to be the underdog here. ***
Meiko Satomura’s staring at her belt…
They recap how Tyler Bate lost the Heritage Cup last week (via an errant towel throwing from Trent Seven). Then it’s to an interview with Tyler Bate, which Trent instantly interrupts with a grovelling apology. Tyler quickly forgives him, they hug, as Trent tells us he’s added the pair of them into the tag title contender’s match next week, and given Pretty Deadly were out there last week, I think you can guess where this is going.
The assistant to the regional manager is in his office getting interrupted again. Xia Brookside, this time. She wants a NXT UK Women’s title shot, but she’s laughed off, as she then complained “it’s not fair.” Xia literally “phones her daddy” to whine. Oh man… I was going to write that as a gag, but they… just… did it.
Angel Hayze vs. Isla Dawn
It’s a NXT UK debut for Hayze, who’s probably going to have something stolen from her tonight…
Dawn sent Hayze into the ropes, meeting her with a kick, before a second go around saw a sunset flip from Hayze. Isla tries to punch it away, but has more luck with a slam… deadlift Hayze back up for a fallaway slam, before kicks kept Angel in the corner. A back suplex drops Hayze, who then had her hair pulled… and that’s a DQ because she didn’t break the count. I feel harsh, but doing this finish on a two-minute squash? DUD.
Dawn hits a fireman’s carry into a side slam after the bell, and apparently doesn’t leave with any trinkets as she’s now lost three on the spin. Rivalling Xia Brookside, is it?
They show a collage of A-Kid on Spanish media. Sam Gradwell’s watching it on his phone, and seems to have his nose put out of joint. They’ll be facing off in a week or two, no doubt.
Flash Morgan’s licking his wounds backstage… he’s interrupted by Stevie Turner who talks her way into a match with Dani Luna. You know how the booking around here goes. Every. Single. Time.
Ilja Dragunov’s out for an in-ring promo, and it really is turtleneck jumper weather these days. He can’t find the words to describe his comeback story, as he tells us how his son’s happy his father’s a champion. Ilja turns it into a motivational speech, telling everyone to focus on their strengths as no weakness is relevant if you do that… he wants “next-level” competitors to build a legacy, and put over A-Kid as just that, before Rampage Brown interrupted, just as Ilja said his final line. Rampage noted he and Dragunov had some unfinished business, then issued a challenge… and that’ll be at some point down the line, especially since Rampage clotheslined Dragunov and posed with the title.
Meiko Satomura is walking… and is interrupted by Jinny and Blair Davenport. Looks like Blair’s angling to be the next one in line for a shot. It didn’t feel like they were wanting to go to war, seconds before the ringwalks…
Teoman’s having dinner with Rohan Raja again. The feud with Gallus continues, and Teoman’s not worried about it…
Next week: we’ve the four-way tag match to crown new contenders – Symbiosis vs. Moustache Mountain vs. Carter/Smith vs. Starz/Mastiff.
Earlier this week, Nathan Frazer’s watching Mark Andrews stuff on the Network when Subculture walk into the canteen. Nathan’s a little star struck, and you can guess what match they make here.
NXT UK Women’s Championship: Jinny vs. Meiko Satomura (c)
In what was Jinny’s third title shot (I was surprised it was that low, to be honest), Meiko stings Jinny with kicks to the legs early on, before rolling in with a wristlock.
Jinny countered out with an armbar, then grabbed a front facelock, only for Meiko to kick free and hit a headlock takedown. Headscissors get Jinny free, as she then took Meiko to the ropes, and lost out on a battle of strikes. That dead leg’s giving Jinny issues, but a Dragon screw has Meiko down..
Satomura recovers, eventually handing a cartwheel kneedrop for a two-count as it was back to a side headlock, only for Jinny to take it to the corner as she threw Satomura across the ring. A springboard from Meiko’s kicked away as Jinny kept control, rolling Satomura with a half crab, before a rope break meant it was back to Jinny trying to give Meiko dead legs. Satomura strikes back with a flurry of kicks and shots to take Jinny back to the ropes, following with a spinning heel kick. Mid kicks rock Jinny, who then took a cartwheel knee to the back of the head for a two-count. Heading back up top, Meiko’s caught in the buckles and gets spiked with a Makeover facebuster for a near-fall, before it’s back to the half crab.
Commentary’s shouting at us again as Meiko clawed her way to the ropes, then avoided a rolling Koppo Kick before another trip up top finally sees Satomura land a frog splash. Jinny kicks out at two from that, then got to the ropes from a STF, before Joseph Conners popped up onto the apron to distract. A Stunner on the apron from Stone Cold McKenzie gets rid of him quickly, but Jinny’s back with a Koppo kick for a two-count, before a Pele kick catches Jinny. From there, Meiko lands a death valley driver for a near-fall, before the Scorpio Rising kick clipped Jinny, with another death valley driver making sure. Credit to them for not finishing on the kick, but given they’d already set up Blair Davenport as the next contender, the winner here seemed pretty clear cut. ***¼
It is what it is. It’s not awful TV by any stretch of the imagination, but we’re very much entrenched in the land of scattergun segments and “in one week, out for three” patterns when it comes to seeing folks wrestle. At worst, NXT UK’s good for one decent TV match a week, but it’s a familiar gripe – without any tentpoles to aim for, like a Takeover, “our brand” is just going to keep on trundling on.