Trent Seven is set for action on next week’s NXT UK.
WWE has announced that Seven vs. Eddie Dennis will take place on NXT UK next Thursday. The match was made official following a confrontation between Seven and Dennis on this week’s episode.
Dennis interrupted Seven during a backstage segment where he was speaking to the media on this week’s NXT UK. Dennis listed off matches that Seven has lost and asked him how it feels to always be the bridesmaid but never the bride. Seven then reminded Dennis of when he smashed Dennis’ shoulder into “about 150,000 pieces” when he gave him a Birminghammer off the announce table and through another table in their Steel Corners Street Fight last year.
Dennis defeated Seven when they faced off at NXT UK TakeOver: Blackpool II in January 2020. Seven then defeated Dennis in a Steel Corners Street Fight on NXT UK in February of that year. The Steel Corners Street Fight was a match that had exposed turnbuckles.
Nathan Frazer vs. Kenny Williams has also been announced for next Thursday’s NXT UK. Plus, WWE has set up a match between Lewis Howley and Mark Andrews for the episode. If Andrews wins, Subculture (Andrews & Flash Morgan Webster) will get a shot at Pretty Deadly’s (Howley & Sam Stoker) NXT UK Tag Team titles.
This week’s NXT UK featured a Heritage Cup title match
Emilia McKenzie defeated Isla Dawn (6:10)
They started off hard hitting. McKenzie hit a few dropkicks followed by a back suplex. Dawn got back on offense and threw McKenzie to ringside, hitting her with a running soccer kick from the apron. Back in the ring, McKenzie went for her rolling spear from the top rope, but Dawn stopped her with a knee. Seconds later, McKenzie hit a spear for a near fall.
Dawn hit a high kick and went for a cover, but went into some kind of trance which allowed McKenzie to go for an armbar. Dawn turned it into a cover attempt, but McKenzie escaped and hit a German suplex, followed by running double knees for the pinfall victory.
— A video recapped WALTER’s post-match attack on Ilja Dragunov after the latter’s victory in last week’s triple threat match.
— Wolfgang and Mark Coffey were backstage talking about their friendly rivalry. Coffey said they were 1-1, but he had an idea and then walked away.
Heritage Cup Champion Tyler Bate (w/ Trent Seven) defeated Jack Starz two falls to one to retain (8:43)
Round 1
They traded holds early with Bate being in control more often. Starz ran wild by the end of the round and scored a near fall. They then traded dropkicks and Bate got a near fall as the round ended.
Round 2
Bate scored a pinfall early in the round at 0:37 to go up 1-0.
Round 3
Bate locked in a rolling cravat early. They traded running European uppercuts with Starz scoring a close near fall. Bate had Starz up for an airplane spin, but Starz escaped and got Bate up for one of his own. Bate went for a La Magistral cradle, but Starz turned the move around and scored a pin at 2:09 of the round to tie things up 1-1.
Round 4
Bate went for a rolling kick right away, but Starz caught him and locked in a Boston Crab. Bate eventually managed to escape and then hit a few strikes. He connected with a lariat, a rolling kick, and the Tyler Driver ’97 at 1:22 for the pinfall victory to win two falls to one.
Bate applauded Starz who sulked away and sat by the barricade. Mark Coffey, followed by Wolfgang, then came to the ring. He congratulated Bate, quickly slapped him, and rolled out of the ring. It looks like he wants a shot at the Heritage Cup.
— Tag Team Champions Pretty Deadly had a photo shoot when Sid Scala approached. He said giving Subculture a title shot wa a good idea and proposed a match for next week. Pretty Deadly declined and told him to make them earn it. Scala then made Howley vs. Mark Andrews for next week and if Andrews wins, Subculture gets a shot.
Meiko Satomura in-ring segment
The NXT UK Women’s Champion said she was very happy to have finally beaten Kay Lee Ray and that NXT UK was now her home. She was quickly interrupted by Nina Samuels who said she wanted to congratulate her and that Satomura needs more Nina Samuels in her life. She wants to become her first challenger.
Suddenly, she was attacked from behind by Amale who threw her into the barricade and the ring steps. She got into the ring and confronted the champion, telling her she would not congratulate her, but wanted to take the title off her. Satomura decked her with a stiff forearm and proclaimed, “No more talking. You get a match!” Amale smiled, while rubbing her jaw.
— in a clip from after last week, Rampage Brown was on a couch backstage. Joe Coffey entered and got down next to him. He smiled and said, “Well, that settled nothing”, referring to their ongoing match series. They both smiled and Coffey left.
— in a continuation from last week, the identity of Blair Davenport was revealed as the former Bea Priestley. She said she had wrestled all around the world and asked if we really thought she wouldn’t end up in the greatest women’s division in the world. Blair Davenport has arrived in NXT UK.
Aoife Valkyrie defeated Mila Smidt (3:44)
Smidt started wrestling around five years ago and has competed in the UK, France, Germany, Japan and all over Europe. She was trained, among others, by Tom LaRuffa.
She showed some promising amateur wrestling prowess, but Valkyrie managed to stop her. Valkyrie was mostly in control and hit the ledgop to the neck from the top for the pin and the win. Jinny came out during the finishing sequence of the match and stared Valkyrie down. They kept staring each other down after the match.
— Kenny Williams compared himself to a cockroach, because they are the most resilient animals. He called out Nathan Frazer for next week.
— Trent Seven was talking to a journalist backstage when Eddie Dennis approached and rattled off his losses to A-Kid, Jordan Devlin and himself at TakeOver. Seven reminded him that after TakeOver, he gave Dennis a Burning Hammer through a table and smashed his shoulder “into 150,000 pieces.” Dennis skulked away. A graphic then announced a match between them next week
A-Kid pinned Jordan Devlin
They traded holds early with both escaping. They did an elaborate and very acrobatic sequence of spots that ended with Devlin throwing A-Kid to the outside. He further attacked him, but A-Kid made it back inside at nine. Devlin was in control, but A-Kid eventually got a near fall off a fisherman’s suplex.
They traded some more pins and A-Kid hit a suplex. He followed with a moonsault, but Devlin got his knees up. Devlin went for a standing moonsault of his own but A-Kid caught him with a triangle which Devlin quickly escaped. Devlin caught A-Kid with a spanish fly, but A-Kid came back and looked to lock in the umaplata but Devlin got a foot on the ropes. They traded strikes until A-Kid hit a superman punch and got a near fall.
A-Kid hit two German suplexes, but Devlin got a headbutt in before a third one. Devlin fell to ringside, but managed to snap the bottom rope into A-Kid’s face seconds later. He dropkicked the stairs into A-Kid’s knee and then dropped the Spaniard kneefirst onto them. Devlin went for Devlinside, but A-Kid jumped over him and turned it into a destroyer. Devlin locked in the cloverleaf on A-Kid’s injured knee, but A-Kid escaped and transitioned into an umaplata and then an armbar.
Devlin escaped once more and somehow bent A-Kid’s knee in a way that a knee was never intended to be bent as his foot was on the mat, parallel to his thigh. A-Kid immediately and furiously tapped and a number of referees and medical personnel stormed the ring to check on him as Devlin celebrated.
Final Thoughts:
This was a fun show with an excellent main event. The Heritage Cup match showed off Starz’s skills while the two women’s matches were fine but not spectacular. The show built to a number of matches in the future: Bate vs. Coffey, Satomura vs. Amale and Valkyrie vs. Jinny.
Next week:
Nathan Frazer vs. Kenny Williams
Lewis Howley vs. Mark Andrews with a future Tag Team title shot on the line
A pair of matches with NXT Breakout Tournament implications will take place on this week’s episode of 205 Live.
WWE has announced that two Breakout Tournament qualifying matches will air on 205 Live this Friday night. The qualifying matches are: Guru Raaj vs. Andre Chase (Harlem Bravado) and Desmond Troy vs. Joe Gacy.
“Just as it did during the Men’s and Women’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classics, 205 Live will make an exception to its typical 205-pound weight limit, and the prestigious NXT Breakout Tournament will instead take center stage,” WWE wrote.
Raaj wrestled at WWE Superstar Spectacle earlier this year and lost to Finn Balor. The event featured wrestlers from Raw, SmackDown, and NXT and spotlighted WWE’s Indian talent.
Chase and Gacy both formerly wrestled for EVOLVE and are making their WWE debuts in their qualifying matches. Troy (Denzel Dejournette) joined the WWE Performance Center in 2018 after having been an All-American amateur wrestler at Appalachian State University. Last year, he made appearances where he lost matches on NXT, Raw, SmackDown, and Main Event.
It was announced on this Tuesday’s NXT that the Breakout Tournament would be making its return. It will feature eight participants, with the winner getting a shot at the NXT title of their choosing. The tournament will begin on the Tuesday, July 13 episode of NXT.
The inaugural NXT Breakout Tournament took place in 2019 and was won by Jordan Myles (ACH). Cameron Grimes, Bronson Reed, Isaiah “Swerve” Scott, Dexter Lumis, Joaquin Wilde, Angel Garza, and Boa also took part in the tournament.
Following a teaser that aired on last week’s show, it was confirmed on this Thursday’s NXT UK episode that Priestley has signed with WWE. She’s now using “Blair Davenport” as her in-ring name.
Last week’s teaser showed a woman named Blair Davenport signing an NXT UK contract, but her face wasn’t revealed until today’s show. Priestley said in a video that aired on today’s NXT UK:
I have wrestled all around the world. I have sacrificed everything to get to where I am today. I have given up friends, I have given up family, to master what I do. Did you really think that I wouldn’t end up a part of the greatest women’s division on earth? Blair Davenport has arrived in NXT UK.
Priestley had her final match for Stardom this April, unsuccessfully challenging Utami Hayashishita for the World of Stardom Championship.
Priestley was also formerly part of the United Empire with Will Ospreay, The Great-O-Khan, and Jeff Cobb in NJPW. Priestley was written out of NJPW in an angle where she was given an OsCutter by Ospreay following his New Japan Cup finals win against Shingo Takagi this March.
In August 2020, Priestley was released by AEW. She hadn’t been able to wrestle for the promotion since March of that year due to travel restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Following a Xia Li roundhouse kick on Tuesday’s NXT, Mercedes Martinez was taken to the hospital for evaluation after the kick appeared to knock her out.
Mercedes and Jake Atlas were taking on Li and Boa in a tag team match. After taking a Li suplex, Martinez stood up and took the kick that connected flush with her jaw and ear. Martinez immediately dropped face-first and when Li went for the cover, Martinez’s shoulders were up off the mat and her right arm came up slowly and awkwardly to avoid the pin — reminiscent of when MMA fighters take similar damage.
Li then stood up and backed away as the referee checked Martinez off camera, calling the match off seconds later. Martinez’s mouth was also bloodied.
Fightful first reported that the 40-year-old was checked out backstage and that both talent and staff were told she was going to be evaluated at a hospital. As of Wednesday morning, there is no update as to her condition.
A title change headlined the final NXT episode before the Great American Bash.
Isaiah “Swerve” Scott defeated Bronson Reed in last night’s main event to win the NXT North American Championship. The match had been announced earlier in the show after Scott and his Hit Row stablemates confronted Reed during a backstage interview and challenged him to put his title on the line.
After involvement by Hit Row’s Top Dolla, Ashante “Thee” Adonis, and B-Fab, Scott hit a 450 splash to Reed’s back and pinned him to win the North American title. This is the first championship that Scott has held in WWE.
Reed, who has worked dark matches at main roster shows recently and appeared on Main Event last week, tweeted after losing the North American title: “My fans, my friends, my family. My wife. I failed you. I’m sorry. Now what? @WWENXT”
A new North American Champion was crowned in the main event of tonight’s NXT.
Isaiah “Swerve” Scott defeated Bronson Reed tonight to become the new NXT North American Champion. After getting help from his Hit Row stablemates Top Dolla, Ashante “Thee” Adonis, and B-Fab, Scott hit a 450 splash to Reed’s back and pinned him to win the North American title.
The Reed vs. Scott North American title match wasn’t announced in advance going into tonight’s show. It was made following a segment where Hit Row interrupted Reed as he was being interviewed backstage. Scott said that if Reed is the champion that he claims to be, Reed would defend the North American title against him tonight. Reed agreed to give Scott the match.
Reed had won the North American Championship from Johnny Gargano in a steel cage match last month. Reed and NXT Champion Karrion Kross have both recently wrestled in dark matches at WWE main roster shows and made their Main Event debuts on last week’s episode.
The NXT North American Championship is the first title that Scott has held in WWE.
Scott’s Hit Row stable was introduced after Top Dolla helped him defeat Leon Ruff in a falls count anywhere match on NXT last month.
Two new title matches have been made official for NXT Great American Bash.
NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell will defend their titles against Io Shirai & Zoey Stark at the Great American Bash next Tuesday. It’s also been announced that LA Knight will defend his Million Dollar Championship against Cameron Grimes at the Great American Bash. If Grimes loses, he’ll have to become Knight’s butler.
Shirai & Stark became the number one contenders to LeRae & Hartwell’s titles by defeating NXT Women’s Champion Raquel Gonzalez & Dakota Kai and Shotzi Blackheart & Ember Moon in a triple threat tag team match on NXT tonight. The finish of the match was Shirai pinning Kai after hitting a moonsault.
Knight defeated Grimes in a ladder match at NXT TakeOver: In Your House earlier this month to win the Million Dollar Championship. Knight is the first Million Dollar Champion since 2010.
Knight turned against “Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase and attacked him on the post-TakeOver: In Your House episode of NXT. Grimes then made the save for DiBiase. On tonight’s show, Grimes challenged Knight to a Million Dollar Championship match next Tuesday. Knight initially declined before adding the stipulation that Grimes will have to become his butler if he loses.
This is the second straight year that WWE has presented a special Great American Bash edition of NXT. Here’s the updated card for the episode:
Adam Cole vs. Kyle O’Reilly
NXT Tag Team Champions MSK defend against Tommaso Ciampa & Timothy Thatcher
NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell defend against Io Shirai & Zoey Stark
Million Dollar Champion LA Knight defends against Cameron Grimes
The second-ever NXT Breakout Tournament will kick off in two weeks.
WWE announced tonight that the 2021 Breakout Tournament will begin on the Tuesday, July 13 episode of NXT. Eight wrestlers will be taking part in the tournament. The winner will receive a shot at the NXT title of their choosing.
The inaugural Breakout Tournament took place in 2019 and featured eight wrestlers who were making their NXT TV debuts. Jordan Myles (ACH) defeated Cameron Grimes in the finals of the tournament.
NXT North American Champion Bronson Reed, Isaiah “Swerve” Scott, Dexter Lumis, Joaquin Wilde, Angel Garza, and Boa were the other six wrestlers who took part in the 2019 Breakout Tournament.
WWE hasn’t announce the participants for this year’s Breakout Tournament. Prior to tonight’s NXT, two Breakout Tournament qualifying matches were taped at the Capitol Wrestling Center. Guru Raaj, Andre Chase (Harlem Bravado), Desmond Troy, and Joe Gacy were featured in the matches. Those qualifying matches will be airing on 205 Live.
NXT’s final build to the Great American Bash takes place tonight.
NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell will be putting their titles on the line at the Great American Bash next Tuesday. Tonight, Io Shirai & Zoey Stark, Raquel Gonzalez & Dakota Kai, and Shotzi Blackheart & Ember Moon will face off in a triple threat match to determine their challengers.
An NXT Tag Team title match between MSK and Tommaso Ciampa & Timothy Thatcher has been made official for the Great American Bash. The two teams will take part in a face-to-face segment tonight.
Mercedes Martinez will team with Jake Atlas tonight as they take on Tian Sha’s Xia Li & Boa in a mixed tag team match. Cameron Grimes will also be in action tonight.
Plus, NXT will follow up on last week’s debut of the Diamond Mine. Roderick Strong, Tyler Rust, and Hideki Suzuki are part of the faction and are being managed by Malcolm Bivens. Strong attacked NXT Cruiserweight Champion Kushida at the end of last week’s show.
Our live coverage begins at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
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Io Shirai & Zoey Stark defeated Raquel Gonzalez & Dakota Kai vs. Shotzi Blackheart & Ember Moon in a triple threat number one contender’s tag team match
Shirai pinned Kai to win the match, earning Shiari and Stark a title shot at the NXT Women’s Tag Team Championship against The Way at The Great American Bash.
One wrestler from each of the three teams in the ring at once, so three wrestlers were legal at a time.
The match breaks down into a melee with everybody involved, leading to a parade a dives before a commercial break. All the babyfaces flew. Shirai with an Asai moonsault, Blackheart did a tope suicida, Moon off the middle rope with a somersault senton, and Stark springboarded into a flying cross body.
Gonzalez looked to be dominate after a commercial break, but Shirai and Blackheart fought back and tagged out. Stark, Moon and Kai traded near falls after tagging in. Stark and Shirai teamed up to target Kai. Shirai springboarded into a missile dropkick for another near fall. Blackheart broke up the pin with a senton. Blackheart & Moon with momentum on their side were in control.
Blackheart applied cattle mutilation on Kai, but Gonzalez was able to make a save. Babyfaces ganged up on Gonzalez. She was seemingly out out of the way for a tower of doom spot. Gonzalez jumped back in to break up the tower of doom. Gonzalez ragdolled and mowed down the babyfaces. Shirai was finally able to cut off Gonzalez.
Kai off the top rope with double foot stomp on Blackheart. Kai then turned around into a double knee strike from Shirai. Kai countered a crossface, and she superkicked Shirai. Kai could not capitalize, and Shirai struck with a butterfly backbreaker. Gonzalez again jumped in for a save. This time Gonzalez covered Kai, taking the proverbial bullet for her. Shirai with a moonsault press on Gonzalez & Kai.
Blackheart with a senton bomb on Gonzalez. Stark with a modified GTS on Blackheart. Eclipse by Moon on Stark. Got To Kick from Kai to Moon. Kai countered Shirai for a roll up that netted a two count. Kai was then dropped by a plam strike, and Shirai executed a moonsault press. Gonzalez was not there to make a save this time. Shirai then covered Kai for the deciding pinfall.
To the back! Johnny Gargano attacked NXT Champion Karrion Kross, and there was a pull-apart brawl. Lots of screaming, as Kross was very upset by this sneak attack.
A video package retrospective looked back on the Breakout Tournament from 2019. In 2021, the Breakout Tournament returns in two weeks time on NXT.
NXT North American Champion Bronson Reed was backstage when McKenzie Mitchell asked him about the tournament. Reed was in the tourney in 2019. So was Isaiah “Swerve” Scott. He interrupted Reed, and Scott was flanked by Hit Row. Scott challenged Reed to a title match tonight. Reed accpeted the challenge, setting the stage for a North American title match.
NXT Champion brawls with The Way
NXT Champ Karrion Kross stormed to the ring, and he dared Johnny Gargano to face him. Gargano confronted Kross, setting up a grudge match. This was also a distraction by Gargano as Austin Theory ran in to attack Kross. Despite the sneak attack, Kross easily fought off Theory.
Kross then went after Gargano, and Kross attempted to bash Gargano with the ring steps. Officials poured out for a pull-apart. They pried Kross away from Gargano. As security held back Kross, Gargano with a cheap shot superkicked Kross. Even the security team took a bump on that one. Superkick, indeed.
Gargano and Theory feld the scene. Kross told Samoa Joe he was doing a helluva job. Not sure who are the protagonists here, but it was pandemonium nonetheless. During a commercial break, Gargano and Theory did the Earl Hebner gimmick of speeding away from the building in a waiting vechile.
Roderick Strong (with The Diamond Mine) defeated Asher Hale
Strong submitted Hale in a short match. First match for the Diamond Mine on NXT stable since they debuted together last week. In winning Strong looked… well, very strong.
In Strong’s corner were Malcom Bivens, Tyler Rust and Hideki Suzuki. This was a showcase match for Strong, who has slightly changed his look. He is still great in the ring. Also great to finally see Bivens in a featured role. He was very vocal at ringside.
Bivens in a promo after the match declared that Diamond Mine is “open for business, and this is just the beginning, baby!”
Up next was another enhancement match like this was an episode of Superstars from the 1990s.
Cameron Grimes defeated Ari Sterling
Grimes pinned Sterling after a Cave In. Fun match while it lasted.
Sterling got to shine getting some offense on Grimes, including a wicked springboard moonsault where he jumped from inside the ring over the ropes. Grimes fought back, but Sterling continued to look strong. Sterling missed a 450 splash, and Grimes struck with a Cave In. Grimes then covered Sterling for a pinfall.
New Million Dollar Champion LA Knight interrupted Grimes’ celebration. Knight said nobody gave a damn about Grimes. Then why is Knight trolling him if nobody gives a damn? Anyway, Knight went on to call Grimes a “natural born loser.”
Grimes proceeded to cut a promo on Knight, and Grimes challenged Knight to a match next week for the Million Dollar title. Knight at first declined the offer, until Knight added another stipulation. Knight would put the belt on the line, but if Grimes loses, then Grimes has to become Knight’s butler. Looks like the match is on for The Great American Bash.
The NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions — Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell — confronted their challengers. Io Shirai & Zoey Stark were being intervied backstage when they were interrupted by LeRae & Hartwell. LeRae warned Stark that Shirai is a sore loser, teasing Shirai would turn on Stark when they lost. Shirai shot back at LeRae to say LeRae had naver beaten her, and Shirai vowed her and Stark would win the titles. “We’ll see about that,” LeRae exclaimed, and she stormed off with Hartwell in tow.
Kyle O’Reilly and Adam Cole face-to-face
Cool Kyle comes to the ring for a monologue. He was actually cutting a really great promo, but this is WWE so somebody seemingly always has to interrupt promos like this. Out comes Adam Cole. They are joined by Samoa Joe.
Cole and O’Reilly cutting promos on each other seemed like old hat at first, but business picked up when Cole insulted O’Reilly wife. O’Reilly was overcome with rage at Cole mentioning his wife. They were about to brawl when Joe stepped in between them. Joe said not now, but Cole would not listen.
Cole charged at O’Reilly, and they go to the mat. O’Reilly catches Cole in heel hook, and Cole screamed in pain. Cole begged Joe to stop O’Reilly. Much like Cole ignored Joe, then Joe in turn ignored Cole’s pleas. Joe left the ring with Cole still pleading for mercy as O’Reilly cranked on the hold. Finally, Joe ordered the security team to break up the fight.
Tian Sha vignetted highlighted the faction before their upcoming mixed tag match tonight.
Hit Row bumped up Swerve ahead of his title challeneg later on.
The charging battery is now above 70%.
Xia Li & Boa defeated Mercedes Martinez & Jake Atlas in a mixed tag team match
Li & Boa won after a referee stoppage. Martinez was rocked by a kick, and the match ended soon thereafter. The ref stopped the bout, ruling Li & Boa as the winners.
The match started with a wild brawl. Of course, the men and women only faced off against each other as per usual in a WWE mixed tag. Mei Ying watched from her throne at the top the stage. Martinez yelled at her before a commercial break.
Li hit Martinez with a roundhouse kick at one point. Martinez went down like she was knocked silly, and Li went for a cover. Martinez got her shoulder up, but she looked out of it. The referee backed Li away, and Martinez rolled out of the ring. Off camera, the ref checked on Martinez, and then the ref stopped the match.
MSK face off with Timothy Thatcher & Tommaso Ciampa
Everyone brought a steel folding chair to the ring, and they had a literal sit down. There was tension, but things seems rather cordial at first. They soon grew angry with each other. Honestly, I had trouble with my television feed during this segment. When things cleared up, the two teams were no longer seated. They were in each other’s faces.
MSK wanted the challengers to put some respect on their name. Lee was cut a great promo, and Carter then slapped Thatcher. “Toothless Timmy”, as Ciampa called him, was incensed by the slap. Thatcher lunnged at Carter, but Ciampa held Thatcher back. Ciampa told MSK to bring their pride and their titles next week at GAB. Ciampa vowed he and Thatcher will take both. This week MSK got a free shot on Thatcher, but Ciampa said next week they would not be so lucky.
General Manager William Regal was being interviewed by McKenzie Mitchell when Regal was approached by Sarray. She wanted a match against Toni Storm, and Regal basically said he would consider it.
Johnny Gargano did not leave the property despite speeding off in a SUV earlier in the show. Gargano instead stayed around to attack Karrion Kross in the parking lot. Kross was leaving in his car when Gargano attacked him, seemingly leaving Kross laid out on the ground. Gargano was gloating when Kross caught him in a Kross Jacket sleeper, and Gargano was choked out by Kross. Samoa Joe would later step in to pick up Gargano like a child in trouble as recess. Joe remarked to Gargano that he possibly pushed Kross to far.
Great American Bash lineup for next Tuesday on NXT:
NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell defend against Io Shirai & Zoey Stark
LA Knight defends the Million Dollar Championship against Cameron Grimes (if Grimes loses, then he becomes Knight’s butler)
NXT Tag Team Champions MSK defend against Tommoso Ciampa & Timothy Thatcher
Cole-O’Reilly II
Isaiah “Swerve” Scott (with Hit Row) defeated NXT North American Champion Bronson Reed to win the title
Scott pinned Reed to win the title after interference by Hit Row. Really good match, even despite the distraction at the end. The finish was very WWE, but it allowed Reed to save face. Scott becoming a champ is also really great for nis new faction. They continue to get over.
Reed displayed his power at the outset, and Reed manhandled Scott. There was a spot before the commercial break that must be seen to be truly appreciated. Scott went for a sunset flip off the ring apron. Reed countered by squishing Scott with a sit-out splash on the apron.
The tide turned during the commercial break. Scott gained the upper hand, and Scott leapt off the apron with a missile dropkick on the floor. Scott with a near fall after using the ropes for an assisted German suplex.
Scott caught Reed with a flatliner for another close near fall. Reed countered Scott’s signature kick, and they trade strikes. Scott rolled through seemingly going for another flatliner, but Reed with a counter to deliver a Spicolli Driver. That led into a double down.
Reed with a Dusty Rhodes tribute by using a bionic elbow. Scott is mowed over with a belly splash. Reed signals for his tsunami finisher as he climbed the turnbuckles. Top Dolla caused a distraction at ringside, diverting the referee’s attention. Ashante “Thee” Adonis then interfered by pulling Reed off the turnbuckles. Reed retaliated by throwing Top Dolla through the plexiglass barricade. Adonis is also tossed over the barricade as well.
Scott catches Reed trying to get back into the ring, and Scott nailed him with a kick. Scott followed up with a 450 splash, and Scott hooked a leg while covering Reed for a pinfall. Scott becomes the new NXT North American Champion.
On this week’s episode of Fox Sports’ Out of Character with Ryan Satin podcast, Samoa Joe detailed his return to NXT and his new role with the brand.
Joe was released by WWE during a round of roster cuts this April but made his return to the company earlier this month. He’s now working as an enforcer-like authority figure in NXT. When asked by Satin what his first thoughts were when he was released, Joe spoke about being informed of his release by John Laurinaitis and then getting a call from Paul “Triple H” Levesque just hours later:
It was weird. Johnny called me and I thought it was a rare call from Johnny. ‘Hey, what’s up Johnny, how you doing?’ He told me, ‘Hey, listen, we’re going to have to release you from your contract.’ I was just like, ‘Okay, cool.’ ‘Joe, you know we think the world of you and we’d love to work with you again.’ And I was like, ‘Alright, absolutely Johnny.’
And honestly, I did have a bit of understanding. Obviously at the time, dealing with injuries, coming back, getting ready to get my rehabilitation going and all that stuff. We’re in a pandemic. All this other stuff. So, I got it. It wasn’t unexpected, but at the same time I was relatively calm about it. I’ve kind of been in this situation before. A younger me probably would have been really, really freaked out. But, I mean at this point you just roll/pivot. That’s really all there is to it when it comes to life in general. That’s kind of the mantra I’ve kept. At that point I think I was already kind of in the works and setting up the next framework for whatever else I was going to do. A few hours later I get a call from Hunter and it pretty much all kind of changed.
I had sent some company farewell texts, just to people to say, ‘Hey, look, pleasure working with you.’ Some genuine people that I really, really enjoyed working with. Just some general like, ‘Hey, thanks and I’m sure we’ll talk down the road at some point’ or something like that. I got a text back, ‘Hey, give me a minute, I’m getting out of a meeting.’ We had a brief conversation which was essentially like, ‘Give us a little bit of time. I’ll work out a package and we’ll be talking soon.’ I said, ‘Alright, that’s totally fine. I have no problem with that.’ It led to my return back to NXT.
Joe said that, in addition to his on-screen role in NXT, he’s working in the talent scouting department and doing a few more administrative things here and there behind the scenes. Joe said it’s a very nice understanding that he and Levesque have come to and he’s very excited about it.
Prior to being released in April, Joe had been working as a color commentator on Raw. He hasn’t wrestled since February 2020 due to concussion issues. When asked by Satin if he’s still working toward a return to the ring, Joe said: “Absolutely. We’ll just say yes. We’ll leave it at that.”
Joe named Karrion Kross, Pete Dunne, WALTER, Adam Cole, Roderick Strong, Kyle O’Reilly, and Bronson Reed as opponents he’d like to face if he could wrestle in NXT.
Top UK indie promotion Revolution Pro announced Sunday that British Women’s Champion Jamie Hayter was offered a tryout for WWE NXT UK and thus, they are vacating the title.
Their upcoming July 4th event at Marylebone, London’s Cockpit will see Zoe Lucas vs. Gisele Shaw for the vacant title. Hayter was set to defend against Skye Smitson at the event which necessitated the change as she is getting a tryout as well.
The 26-year-old Hayter (seen above) has been with RevPro since 2015 in addition to Pro Wrestling Eve and Stardom. She’s made an NXT UK appearance before, losing to Piper Niven on a January 2020 episode of the show.
She also worked two AEW Dynamite dates in 2019, losing to Britt Baker on the fourth-ever show and teaming with Emi Sakura in a win over Riho and Shanna two episodes later.
The 30-year-old Smitson has been a pro since 2016 and was unsuccessful in wresting the title away from Hayter on two recent RevPro shows.
Even as WWE bid adieu to fourteen talents on Friday, the machine keeps on rolling with some name changes for four of their recent signees that are working out at the Performance Center.
Harlem Bravado will now be Andre Chase: Bravado signed a developmental deal earlier this year. He’s worked in ROH, EVOLVE, Chikara and other indies as a singles wrestler and tag team wrestler.
Drew Kasper will now be Brutus Creed: Signed earlier this year, the 2020 graduate of Otterbein University is a two-time All-American wrestler.
Jacob Kasper will now be Julius Creed: Brother of Drew, Jacob was a standout amateur wrestler at Duke University and was signed in the fall of 2020.
Avery Taylor will now be Jacy Jayne: Taylor is another EVOLVE alum who was inked earlier this year.
WWE recently applied for trademarks for all four names.
Bravado, Drew Kasper and Taylor were part of the most recent Performance Center class that started this year that included Parker Boudreaux, Bronson Rechsteiner, Taya Valkyrie and others.
– The Heritage Cup will be on the line on next week’s episode of NXT UK.
WWE has announced that Tyler Bate will defend his Heritage Cup Championship against Jack Starz on NXT UK next Thursday. It will be Bate’s first defense of the Heritage Cup since defeating A-Kid to become champion last month.
On last week’s NXT UK, video aired of Bate and Starz training together in a ring at the UK Performance Center. Bate said he’s watched Starz over the last few weeks and has been impressed by him. Bate offered Starz a Heritage Cup Championship match, but Starz said he wanted to feel like he’s earned the title shot.
Bate said he thinks Starz has earned it and told him the offer was on the table. Dave Mastiff was also at the Performance Center and told Starz that he’s earned it and shouldn’t turn down the opportunity.
A video package hyping up the Heritage Cup Championship match for next Thursday then aired this week. Bate said Starz’s work ethic is unparalleled and he’s well-respected. Bate said that’s why he chose to face Starz in his first Heritage Cup Championship defense.
Starz called Bate one of the best wrestlers in the world and reflected on being backstage when Bate became the inaugural WWE United Kingdom Champion in 2017. Starz claimed that he had more tryouts than anyone else in WWE history but was repeatedly told no. Starz said he refused to give up. Starz said all of his hard work will pay off next week.
Here’s the full list of what’s been announced for next Thursday’s NXT UK:
Heritage Cup Champion Tyler Bate defends against Jack Starz
A-Kid vs. Jordan Devlin
NXT UK Women’s Champion Meiko Satomura will appear
– A video also aired on this week’s NXT UK hyping that a wrestler named “Blair Davenport” is coming to the brand. An unidentified woman was shown signing an NXT UK contract in the video. When she’ll be debuting wasn’t revealed.
WWE filed a trademark for the name Blair Davenport last month.
The big hosses clashed right away, with Samuels getting the better of things. He eventually went for the Butcher’s Hook, but Coffey broke the hold. Coffey hit a few shoulder blocks and a bulldog off the second turnbuckle for a near fall, followed by a slam for another one.
After some more back and forth, Coffey stunned Samuels with an enzuigiri, then followed up with a diving European uppercut for the pinfall victory.
– Rampage Brown warmed up backstage.
– Emilia McKenzie was happy about Meiko Satomura winning the NXT UK Women’s Championship and said she was proud to call Satomura a friend. The lights flickered as Isla Dawn slowly crept into the frame. McKenzie said she didn’t know where Dawn crept under from, but they had unfinished business. Dawn laughed. Still better than Alexa Bliss being creepy.
– At the NXT UK Performance Center, someone named “Mila” (I believe Mila Smidt from France, who had a tryout in Germany back in 2018) was interviewed about her first week of training here. The lights turned out and Aoife Valkyrie stormed into the ring. Valkyrie started running the ropes and doing flips. Mila watched and Jinny walked up.
Jinny called Mila pathetic for watching someone else train, especially someone who watched others from a distance and didn’t know who was watching her. Mila said she’d like to face Valkyrie and thought she could beat her, “just like Meiko did.” Jinny told her to look at the floor and not her and didn’t care for what Mila thought.
– Video from after last week’s show aired. Subculture celebrated their victory backstage until Pretty Deadly walked up. The two teams had words and it looks like we’ll get an NXT UK Tag Team title match between them soon.
Stevie Turner defeated Laura Di Matteo (4:13)
This was Laura Di Matteo’s first match on NXT UK. The Italy native made her debut in 2015 as a product of the PROGRESS wrestling school and spent a good portion of her career in the UK, wrestling for PROGRESS and Pro Wrestling: EVE, as well as some other groups.
Di Matteo also appeared in Germany for wXw and the German Wrestling Federation, where she is the current Women’s Champion. Di Matteo has wrestled across Europe in France, Italy, Spain, Austria and other countries.
Turner locked in a cravat early but Di Matteo countered. Turner came back and choked Di Matteo on the ropes, then kicked her repeatedly. Turner locked in a straightjacket choke. Di Matteo fought back but was quickly stopped again. Turner then hit a cool looking rope-assisted flatliner for the win.
– Mark Coffey and Wolfgang talked about them each winning a singles match lately. Joe Coffey was warming up for his match later tonight.
– Nathan Frazer was working out at the UK PC when Kenny Williams interrupted and called him out.
– A video aired featuring an NXT UK branded briefcase on a table. A woman in a robe approached, unlocked it, and took some papers labeled “NXT UK confidential” out of it. She looked through them, then signed what appears to have been a contract. The signature line read “Blair Davenport.” It is unknown who this new signee is, but WWE filed a trademark for the name last month.
– A video aired focusing on next week’s NXT UK Heritage Cup Championship match between Tyler Bate and Jack Starz. Bate said Starz’s work ethic is unparalleled and he’s well-respected. Bate said that’s why he chose Starz as his first challenger.
Starz talked about Bate being one of the best in the world and how he was backstage in 2017 when Bate won the WWE United Kingdom Championship. They showed pictures of Starz in the ring celebrating with Bate. Starz said he initially felt unworthy and was still scratching and clawing to get a spot when Bate won the title.
Starz talked about coming up through the “summer camp circuit” (an annual six-week summer tour through various English summer camps with daily shows by All Star Wrestling, the UK’s oldest remaining promotion run by Brian Dixon) like many British wrestling legends had. Starz said he was proud of it.
Starz claimed that he had more tryouts than anyone else in WWE history and was told time and time again that he was not what they were looking for, but he refused to give up. Starz said his hard work would pay off when he faces Bate.
Teoman defeated Oliver Carter by submission (7:03)
A promo by Carter aired during his entrance. Carter talked about his partner Ashton Smith not being here because of family issues.
Teoman and Carter traded holds early, then avoided each other. Teoman slapped Carter, but he came back and ran wild for a bit. Carter threw Teoman into the steps outside, but Teoman played possum and evaded a kick. Teoman then took over once back in the ring.
Teoman went for the crossface but transitioned into a Fujiwara armbar that Carter broke on the ropes. Carter evaded a handspring back elbow and hit a quebrada instead. Carter got a near fall off a superkick, then followed with a scissors kick for another one. Teoman came back and hit a tornado DDT off the turnbuckles for a near fall, then immediately transitioned into the crossbar on the kickout for the submission victory.
Teoman locked in the crossface once more after the match until Rohan Raja ran to the ring and faced off with Teoman, who asked him in German if Raja wanted to punch him. Teoman backed away and almost left the ring, but then turned around and pointed to his eye. Raja then attacked Carter, pounded on him, and gave him a Codebreaker. Teoman and Raja then left together.
– Ilja Dragunov warmed up for the main event.
– A-Kid talked about losing his Heritage Cup Championship to Tyler Bate but said that defeat is part of every champion. He said Jordan Devlin became cruel after losing his Cruiserweight Championship and he would teach Devlin to respect defeat when they face off next week.
Ilja Dragunov defeated Rampage Brown and Joe Coffey in a triple threat match (16:16)
This was a tremendous hoss fight, so I’ll just list some of the highlights. Coffey paired off with both opponents early on, then got taken out briefly as Brown powerslammed Dragunov. Coffey hit an overhead belly-to-belly on Brown before Dragunov got back into the mix. Brown threw Dragunov into a German suplex by Coffey. Coffey had Brown in a Boston Crab when Dragunov returned from ringside and started punching Coffey, who held on. He then hit a running kick to break the hold.
Brown hit a double back suplex on both men. Dragunov hit a bridging Gotch-lift German suplex on Coffey. Brown hit a fireman’s carry drop on Coffey, then Dragunov followed with a senton. Brown gave Dragunov a spinebuster onto Coffey. Dragunov nailed Brown with the Konstantin Special.
Dragunov hit a Coast-to-Coast top rope dropkick on Brown, then Coffey nailed him with a Glasgow Sendoff that smashed Dragunov into Brown for good measure. Coffey hit a double-jump crossbody off the top to both opponents on the outside.
Coffey got a near fall on Dragunov after a missile dropkick from the top. Coffey nailed Dragunov with All the Best for the Bells, but Brown speared Coffey through the ropes and they fought on the outside. Dragunov had some sort of injury to his midsection and collapsed, but he willed himself to beat on Brown and hit two German suplexes on him. Brown then double German suplexed Dragunov and Coffey. Coffey dropped Brown with an electric chair.
Dragunov hit Torpedo Moscow on Coffey as he was in the middle of hitting All the Best for the Bells on Brown. Brown then hit the Doctor Bomb on Coffey, but Dragunov broke up the pin. Dragunov then hit a springboard Torpedo Moscow off the second turnbuckle on Brown to gain the hard-earned victory.
Dragunov celebrated his victory before NXT United Kingdom Champion WALTER entered the ring. He nodded at Dragunov approvingly, asking him in German if he had his eyes on the title. WALTER then slapped him down hard, applied a choke, yanked Dragunov off his feet, and proceeded to choke him out, just as he had done in their legendary bout last year.
WALTER urged a semi-conscious Dragunov to look at the belt before posing over the fallen Russian with his foot on Dragunov’s chest.
Final Thoughts —
Another strong show. Mark Coffey vs. Sha Samuels was a fun brawl. Stevie Turner also looked good in her outing with Laura Di Matteo, who I hope we will see more of in the future. Teoman turning Rohan Raja to his side is intriguing as he slowly builds his NXT UK version of his previous EZEL stable. Those two against Oliver Carter & Ashton Smith will also be good.
They also really built up Jack Starz as a challenger for Tyler Bate’s Heritage Cup next week. The NXT UK video packages are so effective and great — it’s a shame they are seen by so few people.
The main event was a tremendous “mean guy match” between three hosses. As strong style as it gets in WWE with some super hard-hitting action. It is now certain that we will get a WALTER vs. Ilja Dragunov rematch, hopefully in front of fans, who will scream, gasp, and cry bloody tears of joy once this epic encounter goes down one more time.
Next Week —
NXT UK Heritage Cup Champion Tyler Bate defends against Jack Starz
A-Kid vs. Jordan Devlin
NXT UK Women’s Champion Meiko Satomura will address the NXT UK Universe
