It’s a four-match show on NXT UK this week, headlined by Trent Seven taking on Sam Gradwell.
Quick Results
Isla Dawn pinned Fallon Henley in 5:12 (**)
Dave Mastiff pinned Josh Morrell in 6:58 (**)
Emilia McKenzie pinned Nina Samuels in 4:58 (**)
Trent Seven pinned Sam Gradwell in 11:01 (**¾)
We’re back at the BT Sport studios in London, as we open with a recap of last week’s Heritage Cup match – complete with shots of Sha Samuels losing his mind and him being chased away by the roster wanting their winnings. Cue titles, cue Andy Shepherd and Nigel McGuinness on commentary,
Isla Dawn vs. Fallon Henley
A “set up via a pre-tape special…”
The opening lock-up’s swatted away… as was the second as Dawn seemed to go for a hair pull. She has more luck with a forearm, but Henley fights back in return, hitting a Judas-ish effect before she was caught in a front facelock. Henley gets out, sliding to the floor to hit a forearm as Dawn was in the ropes, before Dawn turned it around, throwing Henley into the corner. Dawn roughs up Henley in the corner ahead of a snapmare and an uppercut to the lower back, before a PK landed for a near-fall. Henley tries an O’Connor roll, but it’s blocked in the ropes as she ends up scoring a sunset flip for a near-fall. Dawn’s knee strike and throw down put the Scotswoman back ahead, while a straitjacket choke looked to cause some problems.
Henley manages to break in the corner, backing up before she threw Dawn aside… as the pair trade forearms. Pushing ahead, Henley takes Dawn into the ropes, but gets pulled down again before a head lock and a half-and-half nelson suplex got the win. An utterly flat, forgettable outing. **
Earlier this week, Sarray’s interviewed at the UK PC – in English and Japanese – with a travelling cast walking by. Including Meiko Satomura, who’s asked again for a title shot… and because she said please, Sarray gets her match.
They randomly replay the final moments of Amale beating Stevie Turner last week, complete with Blair Davenport’s golf claps. Amale’s watching it in a conference room and is asked about Blair’s commentary. I mean, there’s been better. Amale goes on the hunt for Blair, who was just next door… and it seems we’ve a match on the cards soon.
Josh Morrell vs. Dave Mastiff
Josh’s win a few weeks over Primate earns him a proper entrance here, right out of the Paul London books.
Morrell’s shoulders are entirely covered in tape as we get going with a side headlock from Mastiff… but Josh slips free and handwalks into the corner. Mastiff goes back to a wristlock as commentary ponders if Mastiff is going to build up Morrell like he did Jack Starz last year. That wristlock’s broken, by the way, before Morrell tried a side headlock… which is shot off as a shoulder tackle had him down. Mastiff blocks a monkey flip before he clubbed Morrell in the back ahead of a back suplex. Elbows keep Morrell down ahead of a dreaded nerve hold, which Morrell fought out of… flipping free for the hell of it as he then went up to the middle rope… and leapt into an overhead belly-to-belly suplex. It was a bad idea, and nearly cost him the match.
Elbows keep Morrell down, before he tried a sunset flip. Mastiff pulled him up, but the German suplex is flipped out of, while an elbow drop also missed before Morrell hit a corkscrew standing moonsault for a near-fall. A low dropkick takes Mastiff to the outside, where a Sasuke Special finally woke this crowd up. Mastiff’s rolled back inside, but he pancakes Morrell, then powerbombed him… before a Finlay roll nearly got the win. Cue shocked face from a move that he’s never won with before around these parts. Mastiff tries it again, then hit a back senton, and that’s your lot. Going one better than Primate, but still a struggle here. **
After the match, Morrell gets the respect fist bump as I get the feeling he’s going to the 50-50 club.
Sha Samuels is in the PC doling out the winnings, including one for wally in LJ Cleary that’s never been seen before. Even the camera crew’s getting their payday as Sha’s left penniless and in tears… and without any food or drink on the table. Someone stole Benno’s gimmick. Two hours later, Johnny Saint’s finally rocked up for his winnings, but Sha runs off…
Earlier this week, Brooks Jensen & Josh Briggs are having their photos taken with the NXT UK tag titles… and agree to face the “best tag team in the UK.” That match is against Mark Andrews and Wild Boar next week, for those keeping track…
Nina Samuels vs. Emilia McKenzie
Straight out of the EVE dark matches and into the BT Sports studio, this one…
The opening lock-up sees Nina take things to the corner, breaking with a shoulder charge as McKenzie booted free. A leaping ‘rana has Samuels down, ahead of more shoulder charges before Nina tried a sunset flip out of the corner for a near-fall. McKenzie’s back with kicks to Nina in the corner, only to get blindsided, with Samuels hooking McKenzie in the ropes for good measure. More stretching followed in the ropes, as Nina maintained the upperhand, throwing McKenzie around ahead of kicks in the corner. McKenzie’s lifted up top for a slap, but Samuels took too long to follow up as Emilia snapped, throwing her to the outside… then brought her back in for a hairmare.
Another hairmare throws Samuels down ahead of a twisting neckbreaker for a near-fall, but McKenzie misses a charge into the corner and almost lost via roll-up. In return, McKenzie shot out with a German suplex and a spear, and that’s it. **
We’ve a head-to-head piece as Andy Shepherd moderates a chat between Ilja Dragunov and Wolfgang ahead of their match next week. IT’S ALL ABOUT RESPECT. Wolfgang mentions he was at the first UK Championship tournament, and he respects Ilja for beating a guy nobody thought could be beaten. Ilja said he chose Wolfgang because nobody gave him credit, and man, I can’t wait to see them respect the everloving hell out of each other next week.
And no, I’ve not forgotten that time Ilja was made a member of Gallus as a meme…
Next week, as even the hype music sounds super downbeat: Brooks Jensen & Josh Briggs defend the NXT UK tag titles against Mark Andrews and Wild Boar… Blair Davenport faces Amale… plus Ilja Dragunov defends the NXT UK tile against Wolfgang.
Sam Gradwell vs. Trent Seven
Trent’s beaten Gradwell on this show before, in May 2021…
Trent throws his towel at Gradwell at the bell, but gets sent outside for a wild tope to start. Gradwell followed, throwing Trent into the guard rails as Trent tried to run away. Gradwell pulls him out of the ring and slammed him on the floor, giving him time to tie-up his knee brace.
Back in the ring, Gradwell’s caught with a backfist on the apron, then a Seven Star lariat to knock him back to the floor. Gradwell makes it back inside, but took a Dragon suplex for a near-fall before Trent declared himself “British Strong Style,” doing the old Pete Dunne pose as he kicked Gradwell. Gradwell fights back but gets chopped before he replied with some elbows. He fakes Trent out into a butterfly suplex, before a back body drop out of the corner and a clothesline took Trent outside. A diving forearm off the apron keeps Trent down, but Gradwell taking too long to follow-up due to his knee allowed Trent to sneak back into the ring and dive out again.
Another chop from Gradwell subdued Trent as Gradwell looked to superplex Trent back in… but he’s shoved down as Gradwell’s knee came into play again. He shook it off to hit some more chops ahead of a superplex for a near-fall, as Trent rolled outside for respite. Trent walks out, but Gradwell chased him back to the ring, only to get thrown knee-first into the ring steps. Returning to the ring, Trent pulls off Gradwell’s knee brace as he went for a Figure Four… Gradwell pulls the beard to try and break it, but Trent held firm as Gradwell rolled the hold… forcing Trent to the ropes for a break. A snap STO from Gradwell nearly caused the upset, but Trent’s up at two, before he raked Gradwell’s eyes to get out of a Fireman’s carry.
From there, a chop block and a Seven Star lariat drew a near-fall, before Trent grabbed Gradwell’s knee brace… to pull him up for a knee brace lariat. Gradwell ducks it and hit a lariat of his own for a near-fall, before he teased using the lariat himself. The referee disarms Gradwell, allowing Trent to punt Gradwell low before he won with the Seven Star. This was decent enough, but my word that they could have done with the soundboard crowd to liven things up. **¾
Post-match, Trent went for a Sharpshooter, but Tyler Bate ran out through the crowd and chased Trent through the crowd. That woke the crowd up, as Trent looked shocked.
The fact that they didn’t promote anything on this card with a defacto “main event” graphic says it all. Feeling like the fifth hour of a marathon taping, NXT UK is an increasingly tough, low-energy show to watch, with the soundboard and GIF crowds of the empty arena shows being more energised as it feels like there’s increasing numbers of those waiting for this to get the Old Yeller treatment.