Amid a day of change for WWE’s presence in Europe, more WWE NXT UK wrestlers have been moved to the alumni section of WWE.com with some confirming their release.
PWInsider.com first listed several of the names that includes Trent Seven, Xia Brookside and several others.
Brookside, Sam Gradwell and Kenny Williams all confirmed their releases on social media.
For what it’s worth, there are some wrestlers who are still listed as active on WWE.com (Rohan Raja, Joseph Conners) but are no longer with the organization.
It’s unclear what the status of some of these new additions are. Some shared that they were released, others tweeted farewells, and others have yet to reveal their status.
Here’s the current list of confirmed releases via social:
Sam Gradwell
Kenny Williams
Xia Brookside
Mark Andrews
Wild Boar
Primate
Flash Morgan Webster
Here is the rest of the list, some of which have tweeted farewells while others have yet to say anything:
Amir Jordan
Dani Luna
Dave Mastiff
Emilia McKenzie
Nina Samuels
Rohan Raja
Sha Samuels
Sid Scala
Trent Seven
Ashton Smith
Jack Starz
T-Bone
Teoman
Amale
Eddie Dennis
Saxton Huxley
Many of the wrestlers shared thanks and acknowledgements on social media throughout Thursday.
WWE announced the impending creation of NXT Europe in 2023 with NXT UK “ending in its current form and serve as the foundation for a bigger, better NXT Europe.” Two TV tapings were canceled recently and the group will go on hiatus after next month’s World Collide special.
Several NXT UK stars like Tyler Bate, Blair Davenport and Gallus appeared on NXT Tuesday night to set up the Worlds Collide event which was yet to be announced at that point.
It’s unknown at this point whether WWE will look to re-sign any of the talent listed above once NXT Europe launches and if they revive a TV show when they do.
NXT United Kingdom title tournament first-round match: Joe Coffey defeated Mark Andrews (7:40)
Both wrestlers cut in-set promos on their way to the ring. Coffey said it would be good to have two Gallus boys on top. Andrews said he had been in the original title tournament and would win this time.
Coffey blocked Andrews’ offense early on (including an arm drag, a hurricanrana, and a body press attempt) and then finally slammed him. Andrews hit a top rope hurricanrana but quickly got thwarted again.
Coffey locked in a full nelson and they ended up in a backslide battle. Andrews eventually hit a DDT. He hit a springboard crossbody for a near fall, but Coffey came back with an overhead belly-to-belly suplex.
Andrews hit the Stun Dog Millionaire but got caught with an uppercut just seconds later, followed by a spear in the corner and All the Best for the Bells for a Coffey victory.
– Backstage, Coffey celebrated his win.
Amale defeated Nina Samuels (6:31)
Amale started out strong and hit a number of running kicks and dropkicks to score a near fall early on. Samuels fought back and locked in a chinlock.
Samuels hit a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker, then started attacking Amale in the ropes. Amale moved out of the way when Samuels went for a dropkick in the ropes. Amale then scored another near fall with a bulldog, followed by a running kick in the corner and the Hopebreaker for the win.
– Backstage, Oliver Carter was asked about his injured knee. Trent Seven came up and gloated about Carter’s leg being bandaged and braced. Carter said the last time they were in the ring together, Carter & Ashton Smith made Seven & Tyler Bate ex-champions. Seven admitted to that and said that was the pivotal moment of his career — people got to see the real Trent Seven now and he would break Carter’s leg.
– Ilja Dragunov cut a pre-taped promo where he said he was curious to see who would take his place — but Dragunov also pointed out it was “his place.” Dragunov said he would be back and would recapture his title.
Chase U (Andre Chase & Bodhi Hayward w/ Thea Hail) defeated Eddie Dennis & Saxon Huxley (6:49)
Chase and Dennis started. Dennis took Chase down, then yelled at Huxley to pay attention and see how it was done. Chase then took Dennis down using the same hammerlock takeover. Chase made the crowd spell “Chase U” and he stomped away on Dennis.
Chase U tagged in and out in order to isolate Dennis. Denis tagged in Huxley, who accidentally hit Dennis on a double axe handle off the top. Huxley hit a Thesz Press on Chase and slammed him into the mat. Dennis took over, but Huxley blind-tagged himself in once more.
Huxley beat Chase from corner to post but then missed an elbow as Dennis kept screaming at him from the apron. Dennis and Hayward both tagged in and Hayward beat Dennis down with tackles and a big splash. Dennis managed to tag out, then Huxley hit a top rope clothesline on Hayward.
Dennis yelled at Huxley that Dennis was the star and told Huxley to get out of the ring. Huxley walked up the entranceway as Chase U hit a double-team flatliner on Dennis to pick up the victory.
After the match, Dennis kept yelling at Huxley, who took him out with a powerbomb. Huxley celebrated with Chase U and shook Andre Chase’s hand.
– A very good video on the upcoming Heritage Cup rematch between Noam Dar and Mark Coffey aired. Both men were confident they would pick up the victory. The match airs next week. Also next week, both semifinal matches in the NXT United Kingdom Championship tournament take place.
NXT United Kingdom title tournament first-round match: Tyler Bate defeated Kenny Williams (13:19)
Both men cut in-set promos. Williams said he would win the title, while Bate said he would win and crush Trent Seven’s dreams.
They traded wristlocks early on and Bate rolled Williams up for a two count. They traded slaps and Bate was aggressive in his offense, but Williams poked him in the eye.
Bate picked Williams up with a bridge off of a test of strength. He then went for a dive, but Williams evaded it and hit a back elbow off the top. They ended up at ringside and Bate picked up Williams for an airplane spin. Williams grabbed the ring post, then threw Bate into the barricades to take over the match.
After some more back and forth, Bate picked Williams up for another airplane spin in the ring, which left both men dizzy until Bate hit a lariat. They traded offense until Bate threw Williams out of the ring and followed with a huge plancha.
Back in the ring, Bate hit a bridging German suplex. Bate went for the Tyler Driver ’97, but Williams escaped it and rolled Bate up for a near fall. Williams went for a backspring elbow from the rope, but Bate caught him in another German suplex, hit a lariat, and then the Tyler Driver ’97 to pick up the win and advance in the tournament.
Final Thoughts —
A strong show with good matches and very few angles/promos, which probably is more than just a bit of foreshadowing that the future of this show looks bleak.
WWE spoiled the results of the tournament recently when Tyler Bate appeared as champion on NXT 2.0 to call out Bron Breakker for the Worlds Collide show that was announced today.
WWE also cut a number of NXT UK wrestlers today, ranging from some who were injured or not featured recently (Flash Morgan Webster, Dani Luna, Ashton Smith) to some who were prominently on this show as part of the title tournament (Mark Andrews), some who were part of stables or ongoing (title) storylines (Rohan Raja, Sha Samuels, Emilia McKenzie, Amir Jordan), and some who were mostly used in the mid-card (Wild Boar, Primate, Dave Mastiff, Jack Starz, Nina Samuels). It will be very interesting to see where NXT Europe is headed and if any of the talent that was released today will be brought back or where the focus of this new brand will lie.
On the off chance any of the released wrestlers read this: Thank you for your hard work and some great and entertaining matches over the years — and all the best for your future. The UK/European indie scene will certainly be better off for it in the long-term, with the possible influx of great talent becoming available shortly.
Next Week —
NXT United Kingdom title tournament semifinal match: Tyler Bate vs. Joe Coffey
NXT United Kingdom title tournament semifinal match: Trent Seven vs. Oliver Carter
NXT UK Heritage Cup Champion Mark Coffey defends against Noam Dar
Wrestling Observer Live with Bryan Alvarez and Mike Sempervive is back with tons to talk about including CM Punk’s promo on Hangman Page Wednesday and what that’s all about, Punk vs. Moxley for both belts next week on the show, full Dynamite recap, NXT UK wrapping up, the G-1 finals, the Tokyo Dome moving back to one night, and tons more. A fun show as always so check it out~!
On the same day that WWE announced the upcoming launch of NXT Europe, several NXT UK wrestlers have departed the company.
Mark Andrews, Flash Morgan Webster, Wild Boar, and Primate revealed on Thursday that they’ve been released by WWE. Dave Mastiff, Jack Starz, Emilia McKenzie, Ashton Smith, Nina Samuels, Dani Luna, Sha Samuels, Rohan Raja, and Amir Jordan also tweeted farewells to the company.
After six great years with WWE, my time with the company has now come to an end.
“As of today WWE and I have come to terms with the terms of my release,” Webster tweeted. “I want to thank them for all the opportunities they gave me over last 5 years and looking after me through injury. Excited to see what’s next See you all soon.”
“As of today I am no longer under contract with WWE,” Boar wrote. “It’s been a wild experience and I’m thankful for everything it’s afforded me – I am excited for what’s next and I am BUZZING to get back in that ring and GO!”
Primate confirmed his release in a post on Instagram:
Very thankful to @WWE for allowing me to entertain thousands every week. This is just a road bump for me and I solely believe that. I have a chip to prove and I'm going to do everything I can so I can get back to where I belong. I'll be back! 💪🏽 pic.twitter.com/mGpPXup97G
NXT Europe will be launching in 2023. WWE told Slam Wrestling that NXT UK will “end in its current form and serve as the foundation for a bigger, better NXT Europe.”
WWE will be expanding into more international markets beginning next year.
Update —
WWE has clarified that NXT UK will form the foundation of NXT Europe beginning in 2023.
“NXT UK will end in its current form and serve as the foundation for a bigger, better NXT Europe,” WWE stated to Slam Wrestling.
Original —
WWE officially announced the creation of NXT Europe on Thursday. The final NXT UK show will be Worlds Collide on September 4, the day before Clash at the Castle and the day of AEW All Out. Worlds Collide will air beginning at 4 p.m Eastern time while All Out will begin later that night.
Following Worlds Collide, NXT UK will then go on hiatus before NXT Europe launches in 2023.
“Following the success of our live events and talent identification efforts throughout all of, we believe this is the perfect time to expand NXT beyond the UK,” said Shawn Michaels, WWE Vice President of Talent Development Creative.
Michaels was also interviewed by Fox News about NXT’s expansion into Europe.
“So some of it, like everything with the WWE and NXT, that pipeline is always fluid. It’s going to be one of those situations where we’re going to have a lot of representation going into Worlds Collide,” he continued. “It’s what NXT has always been and that is to be a pipeline for the WWE in support of RAW and SmackDown. That process is going to continue. We’re going to use the UK talent that we can to go into Worlds Collide and keep that representation out there for as long as we can. And as we move things over here in the process, we’ll make all those decisions in 2023 about who’s a part of NXT Europe and who continues to stay here in NXT in hopes of getting a main roster call up.”
Michaels continued to comment on possible events for NXT Europe across the continent.
“I remember all the times we went to Germany it was off the charts, just fantastic. But I don’t know. I would love to kind of go to Venice, Italy, but that’s just me,” he said. “But look with WWE and NXT, we just want to go and represent our brand across the world. I certainly have some favorite places I would like to go. Look, I think Paris, France would be pretty cool.”
“This has been a goal of Hunter’s for quite some time, and I think clearly with what has gone on recently with him taking on creative, he felt that now would be a great time to have the ability to do that. NXT UK was one of the first steps in that process.”
Michaels also spoke about what Worlds Collide means for the NXT UK brand.
“It’s sort of a pseudo-final event for NXT UK at Worlds Collide,’ he explained. “I’m just excited that we’re growing it. A lot of things we have talked about in the past, now they’re finally happening and this talent’s gonna have the opportunity to enjoy the fruits of all their hard work.”
“NXT UK has so much European talent as it is, so it’s only fitting we grow that brand to cover Europe. WWE is a global entity, and NXT is obviously a huge part of that,” he continued.
“Being able to help them and be part of that process is really one of the most enjoyable things I’ve ever gotten to do in my entire life.”
Several NXT UK wrestlers appeared on NXT on Tuesday, building up angles for Worlds Collide. NXT UK Champion Tyler Bate got involved in a faceoff with NXT Champion Bron Breakker to close the show.
Worlds collided at WWE NXT Heatwave, as NXT United Kingdom Champion Tyler Bate appeared and confronted NXT Champion Bron Breakker in the show-closing segment.
Bate, whose title win has yet to air on NXT UK television, appeared after Breakker’s successful title defense against JD McDonagh in the Heatwave main event. There was no physicality in the angle, but both champions raised their titles as they stared each other down to close the show.
A tournament to crown a new NXT United Kingdom Champion began airing on last week’s NXT UK show after Ilja Dragunov vacated the title due to injury.
Three of the eight competitors in that tournament appeared on Tuesday’s Heatwave show — Bate, Joe Coffey, and Wolfgang.
While not announced, it was strongly hinted on commentary that an NXT vs. NXT UK: Worlds Collide show is on the horizon, which jibes with a report that WWE is planning to run an NXT premium live event on the same day as AEW All Out on Sunday, September 4.
Bate, Gallus (Joe Coffey, Mark Coffey, Wolfgang), and Blair Davenport all appeared at Heatwave, with a Gallus vs. Josh Briggs and Brooks Jensen NXT UK Tag Team title match announced for next week’s NXT episode.
Blair Davenport appeared on Tuesday’s WWE NXT Heatwave show, another NXT UK star showing up on the main NXT brand.
Davenport appeared in a backstage segment with Indi Hartwell. Hartwell was reading a message, hinted to be from Dexter Lumis, when Davenport appeared and took the card out of Hartwell’s hands.
Davenport made her NXT UK debut in 2021 following a lengthy run in STARDOM, plus a stint in NJPW as Will Ospreay’s second as a member of United Empire.
In a pair of unsuccessful title challenges, Davenport faced NXT UK Women’s Champion Meiko Satomura on episodes that aired in January and February of this year.
In her most recent match, Davenport went to a no-contest with Isla Dawn in an NXT UK Women’s title number one contender’s match on the August 4 episode of NXT UK.
Davenport joins Gallus’s Joe Coffey, Mark Coffey, and Wolfgang of Gallus as members of the NXT UK roster that made appearances at Heatwave.
NXT UK canceled its next two sets of television tapings and this has led to “a lot of uneasiness” felt amongst the crew.
BT Sport Studios is said to have been unavailable for the tapings due to football/soccer coverage. Dave Meltzer noted in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that talent on the brand are concerned that the shows weren’t moved to a different venue.
“There is a lot of uneasiness within the NXT U.K. crew. The next two sets of television tapings were canceled on 8/9,” Meltzer wrote. “The reason given was that BT Sports Studios, where they tape, had to be used for football/soccer coverage. But as you can imagine with the talent how the reaction is, given you could tape somewhere else and shutting down tapings is never a good sign. Nobody really has been told anything”
Several NXT UK wrestlers are scheduled to travel to Florida to take part in NXT programming in the near future. Joe & Mark Coffey as well as Charlie Dempsey (son of William Regal) are expected to make the trip.
NXT United Kingdom Championship tournament first-round match: Oliver Carter defeated Charlie Dempsey (w/ Die Familie) (9:10)
Both men cut in-set promos on their way to the ring. Carter vowed that, despite not being 100 percent, he would win. Dempsey said he’d beat Carter because of Carter’s disrespect for Die Familie.
Carter attacked every member of Die Familie right away and focused on Dempsey. The referee quickly rang the bell and the match was on. Carter was in control and clotheslined Dempsey to the outside, then followed with a plancha.
Dempsey came back and launched Carter into the corner knee-first, then extensively worked over Carter’s previously injured knee. Carter briefly fought back, but Dempsey was relentless.
Dempsey hit a picture-perfect dragon suplex, but Carter got his second wind and staged a comeback. Carter escaped a painful half-crab and turned it into a roll-up for the pinfall victory.
Die Familie hit the ring, but Carter wisely fled up the entranceway and celebrated his win.
– Blair Davenport, Eliza Alexander, Amale, and Isla Dawn all came backstage screaming after last week’s main event. Referees separated them and Sid Scala screamed that neither of them would get a title shot.
– Scala asked Tyler Bate not to interfere in Trent Seven’s match tonight. Bate said he’d never do something like that, but he will get under Seven’s skin by becoming the new NXT UK Champion.
Eliza Alexander defeated Thea Hail (w/ Chase U) (4:11)
Alexander attacked but Hail immediately took over with some clumsy looking lucha offense. Alexander stopped her with a clothesline. Alexander worked Hail over while Hail showed some glimpses of hope in between.
Hail powered out of a Camel Clutch and went for a standing moonsault, but Alexander got her feet up. Alexander then hit a running knee and scored the win via pinfall.
– Nina Samuels crashed an interview segment with Amale. Amale said she would beat whoever it took to get an NXT UK Women’s Championship shot, whether it was Davenport, Dawn, Alexander, or Nina Samuels.
– Andre Chase gave a lecture backstage. Eddie Dennis interrupted and ridiculed him. Chase snapped and swore at him. Dennis mocked Bodhi Hayward, saying that Chase got some neanderthal and taught him to comb his hair. Chase said if Dennis thought it was easy having a protege, he should get one and pointed out Saxon Huxley, who sat in the back of the room eating roasted chicken.
Sam Gradwell defeated Teoman (5:41)
Gradwell beat Teoman up early and threw him to ringside. Rohan Raja got in Gradwell’s way when he went for a kick, allowing Teoman to pull Gradwell between the ring and apron and take over.
Gradwell still held his own and thwarted some nefarious tactics by Teoman and Raja. A little later, Raja pulled Gradwell from the top. The referee saw Raja and expelled him. Teoman argued with the ref, then grabbed Gradwell. Gradwell hit Teoman in the head with his knee brace, then hit his finish for the win.
– Scala congratulated Mark Coffey on winning the Heritage Cup. Noam Dar entered the office and demanded a rematch. Scala said he would try and make it happen.
NXT United Kingdom Championship tournament first-round match: Trent Seven defeated Wolfgang (8:56)
Wolfgang started with a hip toss and an arm drag, then worked over Seven’s arm. Wolfgang hit a dropkick, but Seven threw him out of the ring. Wolfgang quickly took back over and threw Seven into the barricade. Wolfgang climbed the barricade, but Seven threw him down.
Back in the ring, Seven hit a DDT but Wolfgang countered an attempt at the Seven Star Lariat into a German suplex. Wolfgang hit another suplex for a near fall, then followed with an elevated gutbuster for another two count.
They battled on the top rope until Wolfgang threw Seven down and went for a Swanton Bomb, only for Seven to get his knees up. Seven then hit the Birminghammer for the win.
Final Thoughts —
A fun show. Oliver Carter vs. Charlie Dempsey was the best match on the episode, while Trent Seven vs. Wolfgang was a nice brawl between two powerhouses.
Teoman somehow has descended into the midcard. They told a nice story here, but he should not lose to people on the 50-50 level like Sam Gradwell.
Eliza Alexander vs. Thea Hail was another showcase of just how green the NXT 2.0 talent is, but I guess they need all the matches they can get.
Next Week —
NXT United Kingdom Championship tournament first-round match: Tyler Bate vs. Kenny Williams
NXT United Kingdom Championship tournament first-round match: Joe Coffey vs. Mark Andrews
Ilja Dragunov relinquishes NXT United Kingdom Championship
NXT United Kingdom Champion Ilja Dragunov came out on crutches and was wearing a walking boot. Dragunov said that — in his title defense against Wolfgang — he severely injured his ankle and was not medically cleared to compete. They showed the scene from the match where Dragunov landed badly on his foot.
Dragunov talked about never giving up and said the only man able to beat him was himself. Dragunov said he would not talk about his hard upbringing or hard work, as other people had similar fates and also worked hard. He said he left pieces of his soul in the ring and they were everywhere on the canvas.
Dragunov said he had to relinquish the title but would come back stronger and would get it back. He then placed the belt on the canvas and kissed it goodbye.
– Chase U toured London and eventually arrived at the NXT UK Performance Center, where Sha Samuels sat in front of the building. Andre Chase encouraged Bodhi Hayward to give Samuels a pep talk. The East End Bookie was not amused. He berated Hayward and told him he still had trunks and boots.
– Johnny Saint and Sid Scala were approached backstage and asked about the now-vacant NXT UK title. Scala said there would be an eight-man tournament to crown the new champion and they would announce the participants later tonight.
Oliver Carter defeated Rohan Raja (w/ Teoman and Charlie Dempsey) (5:25)
Carter started out strong, beating on Raja and clotheslining him to the outside. Charlie Dempsey distracted the referee while Teoman trapped Carter in the apron, where Raja could attack him.
Raja locked in an abdominal stretch, then kept dominating Carter. Carter came back and eventually hit a springboard moonsault. Raja threw Carter to the outside, but Carter turned the throw into a dive on the rest of Die Familie. He then hit a spinning heel kick on Raja in the corner for the victory.
After the match, Die Familie immediately attacked Carter. Dempsey put Carter in a half-crab/kneebar before officials pulled him off.
– Thea Hail was backstage talking about why she chose to go to Chase U. Eliza Alexander walked in, told her she went to the School of Hard Knocks, and said she was sick of Americans coming over (you and me both, Eliza) and taking opportunities from her. Alexander challenged Hail to a match and went off on Chase U, which greatly upset Hail.
– Die Familie was walking backstage and talking about taking out Carter. They were asked why they were happy, since Raja actually lost. Teoman sent his men away and said that the eye always had a plan and they actually won. Sam Gradwell walked up, said Teoman needed his men as backup, and said he would take Teoman out if they faced off in the ring alone.
Sha Samuels defeated Bodhi Hayward (w/ Andre Chase and Thea Hail) (4:45)
Samuels came out in ragged, grimy clothes and was begging fans for money with his hat. Hayward was disgusted with Samuels’ body odor.
Hayward threw Samuels around but fell for a fake test of strength and got kicked in the gut. Hayward threw Samuels to ringside, where Hail screamed at him with her megaphone. Back in the ring, Samuels took back over and beat down Hayward.
Samuels came off the second rope, but Hayward caught him with a power slam, then hit a number of tackles to the leg and shoulders. Hayward hit a big splash for a near fall.
Hayward missed a corner attack, hit his head on the turnbuckle, and got pinned after a spinebuster.
– Oliver Carter came out of the doctor’s room and said his leg was in bad shape. Sid Scala ran up to Carter and told him we was in the title tournament and his match was next week. Carter said he’d be ready as he limped away.
The bracket for the NXT UK Championship tournament is:
Left side of the bracket —
Oliver Carter vs. Charlie Dempsey
Wolfgang vs. Trent Seven
Right side of the bracket —
Tyler Bate vs. Kenny Williams
Joe Coffey vs. Mark Andrews
NXT UK Women’s Championship number one contender’s match: Blair Davenport vs. Isla Dawn ended in a no contest (7:15)
This was originally supposed to be Meiko Satomura defending the NXT UK Women’s Championship against Sarray, but Blair Davenport came out and said Satomura and Sarray were “experiencing some difficulties” (I don’t think the match was ever taped at the previous set of tapings).
Davenport talked about how she would have been champion if not for her leg injury. Sid Scala entered and told Davenport to go to the back. Eventually, Amale, Eliza Alexander, and Isla Dawn all came out and bickered. Scala then made Davenport vs. Dawn as a number one contender’s match.
Davenport dominated briefly. Dawn quickly took over before getting stopped with a kick to the gut. They went back and forth, then Dawn scored a near fall off a running kick to the chest. She locked in a chinbar, which Davenport eventually countered into a small package.
Davenport followed up with a dropkick to the back of Dawn’s head for a near fall. Dawn hit a head kick and backdrop driver for a two count of her own. Dawn hit a top rope double knee and looked to have the match won, but Alexander pulled her out of the ring mid-pin.
Amale then was in the ring and hit Davenport with a kick. Dawn took out Amale, Alexander took out Dawn, and then all four women brawled in the ring and were eventually separated by the officials.
Final Thoughts —
Though it didn’t have a finish, the main event was a good match and had a good brawl at the end. The opener was fine, and Oliver Carter especially looked good. Bodhi Hayward and most of the NXT 2.0 wrestlers should not be on my television screen on Thursdays, but I guess it is what it is. Guys like him need to be on all the Florida Loop house shows going forward.
Ilja Dragunov’s injury sucks and I hope he recovers and comes back strong. The tournament matches that were announced all should be good to great.
Next Week —
NXT UK Championship tournament first-round match: Wolfgang vs. Trent Seven
NXT UK Championship tournament first-round match: Oliver Carter vs. Charlie Dempsey
A tournament to crown the next NXT United Kingdom Champion will begin airing next week.
Today’s NXT UK opened with the announcement that Ilja Dragunov has to vacate the NXT Championship due to injury. It was later revealed that an eight-man tournament for the vacant title will begin on next Thursday’s NXT UK episode.
The bracket for the tournament is:
Left side of the bracket —
Oliver Carter vs. Charlie Dempsey
Wolfgang vs. Trent Seven
Right side of the bracket —
Tyler Bate vs. Kenny Williams
Joe Coffey vs. Mark Andrews
Carter vs. Dempsey and Wolfgang vs. Seven will air next Thursday (August 11). Bate vs. Williams and Coffey vs. Andrews will then air the following week (August 18).
Dragunov, who was on crutches and wearing a protective boot on his foot, opened today’s NXT UK by addressing the crowd. Dragunov announced that he suffered a severe ankle injury during his title defense against Wolfgang last week, and the NXT UK medical team won’t clear him to compete. Dragunov said no one knows how long it will be until he’ll be able to recover, so he has to relinquish the NXT UK title.
Dragunov left the title belt in the ring, vowing that he’ll come back stronger and become champion again.
NXT UK Tag Team Champions Josh Briggs & Brooks Jensen defeated Mark Andrews & Wild Boar to retain their titles (9:05)
Jensen and Boar started with Boar outwrestling the bigger man. Boar and Andrews double-teamed Jensen until he made the tag to Briggs. The champs came back with a suplex into a powerslam on Andrews.
After being worked over for a few minutes, Andrews turned a double-team powerbomb into a Stun Dog Millionaire and tagged in Boar, who ran wild and scored a number of near falls on Briggs. Andrews and Boar hit a dropkick/German suplex combo on Jensen, followed by a frog splash by Boar for a near fall.
Briggs had Andrews up for a long delayed vertical suplex, but Andrews hit another Stun Dog Millionaire. But Andrews missed a Shooting Star Press when Briggs moved. Briggs and Jensen then hit their awkward high/low combination finisher for the win.
The teams shook hands following the match.
– After running in on Trent Seven last week, Tyler Bate was backstage and grabbed a camera. Bate said he had loved Seven like a brother but now was coming to “get” him.
– There was a press conference with NXT UK Women’s Champion Meiko Satomura and her next challenger Sarray. They spoke in Japanese and Sarray then said in English that she was the sunrise and Satomura was the sunset. Satomura said no one could beat her.
They posed for a photo and Satomura stared at Sarray, which slightly flustered her.
Blair Davenport defeated Amale (5:47)
Amale dropped Davenport early with a double palm strike and head kick, but Davenport avoided a running kick to the corner. Davenport followed up with a slam and beat up Amale at ringside.
Davenport missed a stomp off the turnbuckles and it looked like her previously injured ankle was still causing her issues. She still scored a near fall, but Amale came back with a suplex and face wash in the corner. Amale went for the Hopebreaker, but Davenport countered into a roll-up. Davenport then followed up with a knee to the face and the Falcon Arrow for the pinfall victory.
– Oliver Carter was at Die Familie’s dinner table and did a voiceover with a German accent, just as Teoman usually does. He then switched to his own accent and started upsetting the table decoration. Carter wrote a letter to Die Familie and told them that Rohan Raja was next. Teoman then read the letter and was furious.
– People were still cashing their bets with Sha Samuels. As he had no money left, Samuels paid people with his shoes and various track jackets. He was distraught and half naked by the end.
– A segment announced NXT 2.0’s Chase U would make their NXT UK debut next week. Oliver Carter vs. Rohan Raja also was made official for next Thursday’s episode.
NXT UK Champion Ilja Dragunov defeated Wolfgang to retain his title (15:57)
Wolfgang backed Dragunov into a corner but let him out without any further attack. Dragunov took Wolfgang down with a side headlock but could not take him off his feet with tackles, while Wolfgang put Dragunov down with ease.
A few minutes into the match, Dragunov’s back gave out and he was also bleeding from the elbow. Dragunov went for a running kick, but Wolfgang caught him and slammed him into the corner.
Wolfgang worked over the champion’s back with submission attempts. Dragunov went for a bridge, dodging another attack and collapsing once more. Dragunov fought back, but his back kept giving him major problems.
After a failed attempt, Dragunov finally hit a flying head kick and a knee in the corner. He seemed to have injured his ankle in addition to his back. Dragunov hit a number of elbows and a senton, which did his back no favors.
Wolfgang survived a number of clotheslines, then hit one of his own for a near fall. He hit a Torture Rack into a backbreaker for another two count. Dragunov came back with a falling punch that almost had Wolfgang knocked out, but Wolfgang still kicked out of the subsequent pin.
Dragunov hit a top rope senton that may have injured him more than Wolfgang. He went for Torpedo Moscow, but Wolfgang countered it and hit a caveman toss suplex for another near fall. Wolfgang went for a vaulting spear, but Dragunov kicked him in the face.
Dragunov then deadlifted Wolfgang for a huge slam and followed with Torpedo Moscow for the pinfall victory and successful title defense.
The two competitors shook hands after the match.
Final Thoughts —
The main event was fantastic and Dragunov’s selling of his back was as good as Bryan Danielson’s selling of his head on last night’s AEW Dynamite. Hard-hitting and brutal with great psychology. Go out of your way to watch this one if you can.
Davenport looked strong in her comeback and the tag team match also was fun, mostly due to the big man/little man dynamic and Andrews & Boar, even though Briggs & Jensen didn’t look out of place.
Next Week —
NXT UK Women’s Champion Meiko Satomura defends against Sarray
The NXT UK Women’s Championship will be on the line next week.
Meiko Satomura will defend against Sarray on the August 4 edition of NXT UK. Clips from a press conference for the match aired on this week’s show.
“Ms. Satomura is recognized by everyone in Japan and around the world,” Sarray said. “But I’m not going to stay down forever. Next week, I will definitely be the NXT UK Women’s Champion.”
“Everyone tries to beat me but no one can beat me,” said Satomura. “Sarray has the ability to challenge me but I will remain the strongest until someone beats me.”
Oliver Carter vs. Rohan Raja was also announced for next week’s show. Andre Chase and Chase U are scheduled to appear as well.
The announced lineup for the August 4 edition of NXT UK is as follows:
NXT UK Women’s Champion Meiko Satomura defends against Sarray
The show opened with a recap of Mark Coffey winning the NXT UK Heritage Cup from Noam Dar last week.
Isla Dawn defeated Fallon Henley (5:13)
They traded offense early until Henley slid out of the ring and hit Dawn in the jaw. Dawn came back with a knee to the face in the corner and a running soccer kick to the chest.
Henley briefly ran wild but got dropped into the ropes, kicked in the head, and hit with a half-and-half slam, which gave Dawn the win.
– Sarray came to the UK Performance Center and talked about how much she enjoyed the United Kingdom. She encountered Meiko Satomura and asked her about a match once more. Satomura agreed and told Sarray to be prepared.
– Amale confronted Blair Davenport and told Davenport she would not get under her skin. Amale said she would save all of her anger for Davenport in the ring.
Dave Mastiff defeated Josh Morrell (7:00)
Morrell escaped a headlock by walking on his hands backwards. He continued to show is agility and athletic ability, but Mastiff used his power to keep Morrell at bay.
Mastiff hit an overhead belly-to-belly suplex for a near fall. Morrell evaded Mastiff, then hit a standing corkscrew senton, followed by a running moonsault over the top rope to the outside.
Morrell kicked out of a powerbomb and Finlay Roll, which shocked Mastiff. Mastiff followed with another Finlay Roll and a senton for the victory.
Mastiff helped Morrell up after the match and showed his appreciation.
– In an East End Bookie segment, Sha Samuels had to pay out all the winning bets for Noam Dar’s loss to Mark Coffey from last week. A long line of talent and staff came to collect.
Samuels said he could not afford food or drink and they had to win the Heritage Cup back. After Dar left, Samuels fell asleep and one final person came to collect: NXT UK General Manager Johnny Saint. Samuels said he had some more money in the back, then ran away.
– NXT UK Tag Team Champions Josh Briggs & Brooks Jensen were at a photo shoot and accepted a challenge from Mark Andrews & Wild Boar for a title match.
Emilia McKenzie defeated Nina Samuels (5:00)
Samuels attacked in the corner, but McKenzie came back with a hurricanrana off the turnbuckles. Samuels then came back with some nefarious tactics.
McKenzie eventually hit a German suplex and spear for the win.
– Andy Shepherd sat down with the NXT United Kingdom Champion (Ilja Dragunov) and his next challenger (Wolfgang). They talked about why they respect each other and Dragunov called Wolfgang one of the best wrestlers on the brand.
Dragunov said Wolfgang is part of a group — but it will be different when he faces Dragunov alone. Wolfgang said he’ll lift the responsibility of being champion off Dragunov’s shoulders. They had a staredown to end the segment.
Trent Seven defeated Sam Gradwell (11:02)
Seven threw his towel in Gradwell’s face and attacked him, but Gradwell turned things around, hit a dive on Seven, then beat him up around ringside. Seven came back with a clothesline on the apron that sent Gradwell back to ringside.
Once back in the ring, they traded strikes and Gradwell hit a butterfly suplex. They fought some more at ringside and Seven hit a dive through the ropes, which injured Gradwell’s knee.
Seven briefly teased walking out but eventually returned to the ring and locked in a Figure Four leglock. Gradwell eventually reversed. Seven hit the Seven Star Lariat, but Gradwell kicked out of the subsequent pin.
Seven went to hit Gradwell with his own knee brace, but Gradwell evaded the shot. Gradwell grabbed the brace and looked to hit Seven with it, but the referee grabbed it away from him at the last second. Seven used the distraction to hit a low blow and another Seven Star Lariat for the win.
Seven went to attack Gradwell’s knee after the match, but Tyler Bate ran in to make the save as Seven fled to the entrance.
Final Thoughts —
A fun show. The main event between Seven and Gradwell was good, plus Morrell looked impressive in his loss to Mastiff. The two other matches were also fine.
The Sha Samuels segment was hilarious and the Dragunov/Wolfgang sit-down generated some interest in their title match next week.
Next Week —
NXT United Kingdom Champion Ilja Dragunov defends against Wolfgang
NXT UK Tag Team Champions Josh Briggs & Brooks Jensen defend against Mark Andrews & Wild Boar
The NXT UK Tag Team Championships will be on the line next week.
It was announced on Thursday’s episode that Brooks Jensen and Josh Briggs will put their titles on the line against Mark Andrews & Wild Boar on the show.
During the July 21 episode, Briggs and Jensen were taking part in a photo shoot backstage when they announced they have accepted the challenge from Andrews and Boar.
Blair Davenport vs. Amale was also announced for next week. Davenport was on commentary during Amale’s match last week and was critical of the French wrestler’s performance.
It was previously announced that NXT UK Champion Ilja Dragunov will defend against Wolfgang next week as well.
The announced lineup for the July 28 edition of NXT UK is as follows:
NXT UK Champion Ilja Dragunov defends against Wolfgang
NXT UK Tag Brooks Jensen & Josh Briggs defend against Mark Andrews & Wild Boar
