We’re back this week with a proper NXT UK. No replays of past matches. No alternate commentary. Like a great movie this was Certified Fresh action from across the pond. So let’s jump right into it with the Power Rankings:
Honorable Mention: A-Kid, Nathan Frazer and Rampage Brown: All 3 laid claim to being the next contender to Dragunov’s NXT UK Championship and they’ll meet next week in a triple threat to sort that out.
5: Blair Davenport: Despite being suspended for her attack on Sid Scala Davenport showed up and took out an already defeated Stevie Turner before issuing a warning to Scala that bad things will keep happening if she’s not reinstated. Davenport is doing her best to steal Kenny Williams’ nickname and I’m enjoying it.
4: Emelia McKenzie: Meiko Satomura’s top student once again toppled a former challenger to Meiko by beating Stevie Turner after a German Suplex followed by running double knees. With McKenzie taking out challenger after challenger this feels destined to lead to a student v. teacher clash for the belt down the road and that should be great!
3: Kenny Williams: He lost in the Heritage Cup #1 Contender’s tournament but cemented a place in my heart. Williams’ lone fall came after he faked an injury only to roll up Dar as he came charging in despite the ref backing him off. That wasn’t his only dirty tactic though as he also grabbed Dar’s hair to avoid being shot off a headlock attempt, stomped the foot (which every MMA fan knows is legal but frowned upon) and grabbed a handful of tights to try to get a pin. The best spot of this whole match may have been both Dar and Williams throwing simultaneous shots after the bell to end round 1 and solidify what garbage they both are. In the end he couldn’t out-dirty the man who sent him down his dirty path but he tried his hardest.
2: Noam Dar: The dastardly Dar robbed the “Scum of the Earth” Kenny Williams of advancing to the finals of the Heritage Cup #1 Contender’s Tournament by hitting him with his Nova Roller kick after Sha Samuels appeared from under the apron and grabbed Williams to distract him. Earlier in the match Dar got the first fall after locking in the knee bar following an attempt to “Eddie Guerrero” Williams by tossing him his own steel bottle and pretending to be hit with it. This match was so much fun and what makes NXT UK feel unique. We saw two shady characters pulling out whatever they could to try to get a cheap win but ultimately Dar came out on top.
1: Pretty Deadly: Howley and Stoker do a “Sideplate check” before the match but we’re doing one after and yes, they’re still there! Pretty Deadly showed they went to a school for people and not ants by once again using their pretty big brains to get the win. After a match that saw Pretty Deadly kick out of a high-low, miss their back launch attack from the corner and brawl around the outside to a “This is awesome!” chant from the invisible crowd Mark Coffey went to whip Howley off the ropes for a cross body but Stoker tied up Howley by his waist to avoid it and allow them to hit the Spilled Milk for their fifth successful defense of the tag team titles. Based on a backstage interview earlier in the night another clash with Mustache Mountain seems to be coming up for their sixth defense and I cannot wait!
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