The air date for this week’s NXT UK is June 9th so needless to say it was going to be a nice show. This was more about the stories than the in-ring quality but it was still a fun ride this week. So without further ado here’s this week’s Power Rankings!
Honorable Mention: Ashton Smith. We got a recap of the tag title win last week and saw Smith and Carter greeted with cheers as they came back through the curtain after their match but the highlight was footage of Smith coming home and him showing his very young daughter, still using a pacifier the championship belt. We got his quote about her writing his eulogy one day over it and he said “Daddy’s a WWE Champion” This hit me like a Sam Gradwell (who also happened to be the first person to hug Carter backstage) forearm shot right in the feels and brought the Dad in me out.
5. Wolfgang and Damon Kemp. Kemp was in the gym benching when Wolfgang told him they’d have to train “The Scottish Way”. Kemp couldn’t eben understand what he said but followed along. Wolfy then took Kemp to a pub where they sat outside at a picnic table and did “rounds” of pints. Kemp said “I can get used to the Scottish Way” and we saw the camera view and audio get progressively wavier and more unsteady as they downed pint after pint. Kemp started to cry that emotional, drunk cry and told Wolfgang how much he appreciated him. Wolfgang said they were “only” 5 rounds in as Kemp ran to throw up over the gate of the pub. “I can get used to this Irish thing” a very inebriated Kemp said as Wolfgang corrected him and they stumbled away with Wolfy holding Kemp up and we got a Looney Tunes like dark circle closing in around them to fade out. I love Wolfgang so much when he’s not with Gallus. I know this is probably a 1 off but bring Wolfy stateside and have him lure Kemp away from Strong. He deserves that bigger stage.
4. Eliza Alexander. Amale fought valiantly against Brookside’s back up but ultimately fell victim to the numbers game. At one point Alexander sent Amale to the outside and mimed checking her watch as the ref counted which made a small pocket of fans chant “Who stole your watch?!” and that got a chuckle out of me. Amale pump kicked Alexander in the corner and did the same to Xia on the apron sending her to the floor. Alexander ran at her as Brookside fell but Amale tried for a roll-up that just got a 2 count. Alexander then hit a running, sliding knee to a kneeling Amale for the win. Does Amale get somebody better than Angel Hayze to even the odds? Or do we get a, so far unseen in the almost year I’ve been covering NXT UK cage match to keep Alexander or Brookside out of the equation? Either one works for me.
3. T-Bone and Primate. I didn’t call them Symbiosis because after this episode I’m not sure that’s there name anymore. Symbiosis means a mutually beneficial relationship between two different organisms living in close physical association. Commentary pointed out that hadn’t been the case thus far with the duo and their manager Eddie Dennis. Nigel and Andy pointed out that they’ve had some wins but nothing significant and they weren’t even in consideration for the tag title triple threat last week. They made quick work of Tate Mayfairs and Oli Blake tonight though, winning with a powerslam and headbutt combo. After the match though as Dennis came in to celebrate they laid waste to him with the same powerslam/headbutt combination as the crowd chanted “You deserve it!” I’m sure Wild Boar was somewhere with his morse code looking smile ear to ear thinking the exact same thing. Do we get Boar realigning with Primate and T-Bone added to the fold to clash with another trio, perhaps Die Famile, a reformed Gallus or Dennis and a new duo he convinces to stand in front of him? We shall see. But there is potential here for sure.
2. Mark Andrews. He and Kenny Williams opened the show with the match of the night. In the Linkin Park song “Heavy” Kiiara says “You say that I’m paranoid. But I’m pretty sure the world is out to get me.” and “The Scum of the Earth” continued to show he agrees with that assesment as he ducked outside and examined both under the ring and the crowd as soon as the bell rang. He demanded the ref “do (his) job” and check the crowd too but Andrews got right on the attack. Still bitter about being taken out of action with a shoulder injury by Williams looked to take out Williams’ leg with a 619 to Kenny’s leg betweek the ropes and a dragon screw leg whip with the leg still caught in the ropes. Williams recovered and sent Andrews shoulder first into the post on the apron and then wrenched his arm down to the canvas while still on the apron. Williams continued working over the injured shoulder with a variety of offensive maneuvers but Andrews turned a suplex attempt into a Stundog Millionaire but it wasn’t enough. He tried for another later on but Williams recognized it and held himself up, sending Andrews crashing to the mat empty-handed. Williams hit a rebound lariat for 2 followed by him wrenching Andrews off the top rope and snapping his arm over the top rope but “The Masked Bozo” took his hood off to now reveal more clearly than ever Tiger Turan allowing Andrews to roll Williams up for the 3 and a small measure of revenge. After the match the paranoid Williams threw a fit and argued with fans at ringside.
1. Meiko Satomura. On the eve of the 1 year anniversary of “The Final Boss” becoming NXT UK Women’s Champion Satomura faced her toughest opponent yet when she squared off with Diamond Mine’s Ivy Nile. Nile was 12-0 in singles action coming into this match and while the contest only went a shade over 10 minutes she took the fight to “The Final Boss” landing a fallaway slam and following it up bu taunting the champ by doing push-ups on the back of a prone Satomura. Nile then hit the same Natural Selection-esque reverse flipping DDT off the 2nd rope that she used to put away Nina Samuels but Meiko kicked out at 2. Satomura hit a ddt and cartwheel kick for a 2 count of her own. Pressure may make diamonds but it didn’t make gold for Nile tonight as she had Satomura locked in the Dragon Sleeper Nile’s been using to put everyone out but the savvy veteran Satomura was able to roll backwards and cover Nile with her hands still clasped behind her back foe her 9th successful defense. I’m still not sure whi takes the belt from Meiko but I feel that McKenzie match coming. This was a solid showing for both women and the finish was a good way to give Nile her first loss without making her look weak or having to resort to a less clean finish.
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