Dave Meltzer is reporting that KUSHIDA and Trent Seven are among the latest names set to leave the company. This follows PWInsiderreporting that both are leaving the company. Both most recently wrestled for the company at their TV tapings this weekend and also wrestled at Final Resolution. KUSHIDA lost to Moose while Seven lost to Ace Austin.
In Monday’s Daily Update, Meltzer suggested that the relationship between TNA and NJPW has ‘cooled’, though may still work together as both air television on the same station, AXS TV.
“It appears formal relations with TNA and New Japan may also be done. Relations were said to have cooled when [Scott] D’Amore was gone,” he wrote. “But since both are on the same channel, one owned by TNA’s parent company, there are political reasons for a relationship for both sides.”
Among the other names leaving the company include Rhino, who had just been inducted into the TNA Hall of Fame, and ring announcer Jade Chung, the wife of TNA star Josh Alexander who is also expected to leave in February when his contract expires.
A new match has been made official for TNA Wrestling’s last major event of 2024.
Ace Austin vs. Trent Seven is the latest addition to the lineup for Final Resolution, a TNA+ special that’s being held at Center Stage in Atlanta this Friday. The main card has a start time of 8 p.m. Eastern.
With his tag partner Chris Bey recovering from a serious neck injury, Austin has become aligned with TNA Tag Team Champions The Hardys. They lost a trios match to Seven, Alex Hammerstone & Jake Something last month after Seven gave Austin a low blow.
A five-way match took place on Impact last week to determine Moose’s X-Division Championship challenger for Final Resolution. Austin and Seven were both participants but lost out to KUSHIDA.
The updated Final Resolution card is listed below:
TNA Final Resolution 2024 (Friday, December 13) —
TNA World Champion Nic Nemeth defends against AJ Francis
TNA Knockouts World Champion Masha Slamovich defends against Tasha Steelz
Tables match: TNA Tag Team Champions The Hardys (Matt & Jeff Hardy) defend against The System (Brian Myers & Eddie Edwards)
TNA X-Division Champion Moose defends against KUSHIDA
TNA World title number one contender’s match: Joe Hendry vs. Mike Santana vs. Steve Maclin vs. Josh Alexander
Jordynne Grace vs. Rosemary
Ace Austin vs. Trent Seven
Pre-show: Jonathan Gresham vs. Frankie Kazarian
Pre-show: Leon Slater vs. JDC (Johnny Dango Curtis)
A future shot at the X-Division title is on tap as part of tonight’s TNA Impact as “Speedball” Mike Bailey battles Trent Seven.
The two have been partners recently, but a recent tag team win against ABC with a unique stipulation earned them the opportunity for this match with the winner of tonight’s bout getting a shot at current champion Mustafa Ali at next month’s Against All Odds.
The Knockouts title will be on the line as Jordynne Grace defends against the returning Marti Belle while former Knockouts Champion Tasha Steelz will take on Jody Threat. Grace will be gunning for the eighth defense of her title against The Hex member.
TNA Tag Team Champions The System (Eddie Edwards & Brian Myers) will be in non-title action against “Broken” Matt Hardy & Ryan Nemeth as Hardy’s feud with the faction and pursuit of TNA World Champion Moose continues.
Our live coverage begins at 8:30 PM Eastern.
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Ryan Nemeth and “Broken” Matt Hardy defeated The System (Bryan Myers and Eddie Edwards) (with Alisha Edwards)
Eddie Edwards and Matt Hardy started the match, with Hardy having put most of the offense in. Bryan and Eddie kept Nemeth separated from Hardy with the help of Alisha Edwards. After this stretch, Nemeth escaped via a DDT to tag Matt Hardy in. Hardy displayed heavy offense and a great sense of ring awareness, even when Myers and Edwards isolated and picked at him. Matt Hardy tagged Ryan Nemeth in for the win.
Post-match, TNA World Champion Moose would join The System in a beatdown of Hardy and Nemeth before Nic Nemeth made a surprise interference, saving Ryan and Matt. It was a decent match, with everyone playing their role nicely. “Broken” Matt Hardy continues to be a great asset to TNA Wrestling since departing All Elite Wrestling.
– Backstage, The ABC members Chris Bey and Ace Austin set up a matchfor May 30 episode of TNA Impact
– Backstage segment featuring Santino Marella, Matt Hardy, Nic Nemeth, and Ryan Nemeth, Matt Hardy set to face Moose and the Nemeths set to face The System at Against All Odds
The Rascalz (Zachary Wentz and Trey Miguel) defeated Sinner & Saint (Travis Williams and Judas Icarus)
After some early offense, Sinner and Saint cornered Zachary Wentz until Trey Miguel evened the odds – twice. Despite some dastardly antics from Judas Icarus, The Rascalz were able to get the win via their finisher The Stop.
Post-match, Steve Maclin laid out The Rascalz. A short match, but both teams made the most of their time with some fine chemistry.
– SANTANA confronted Steve Maclin, setting up a match on the May 30 episode of TNA Impact
– Frankie Kazarian announced he has left the building after berating ring announcer Jade Chung
– Cody Deaner called out Jake Something, The Good Hands interrupted
Jake Something and Cody Deaner defeated The Good Hands (John Skyler and Jason Hotch)
After a brawl between Something and Deaner against The Good Hands, Santino Marella declared an impromptu tag team KFC Match. Deaner put in most of the offense, but Something evened the odds. While Deaner held his own against Jason Hotch, John Skyler would become an insurmountable obstacle. A weakened Cody Deaner made a hot tag to Jake Something, who took on both of The Good Hands. After Deaner whipped Skyler his way, something would win the match with Into the Void.
Excellent work by Deaner, and The Good Hands were proficient as conniving heels. Jake Something’s hot tag was properly executed, making every moment feel as impactful as it looked.
– Backstage Jordynne Grace promo ahead of match with Marti Belle and the upcoming Tasha Steelz
– Backstage segement featuring The System and Joe Hendry, Eddie Edwards and Joe Hendry set for match on May 30 episode of TNA Impact
Jordynne Grace (c) defeated Marti Belle (TNA Knockouts Championship)
The Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace started this match having her bells rung by Marti, who dominated most of this short match. Kicking out at one, Grace would win with a Juggernaut Driver.
Both women are powerhouses, but Jordynne Grace continues to be the star that TNA can rely on. This was an amazing short sprint. Post-match, Belle’s tag team partner Allysin Kay of The Hex delivered a beatdown on Jordynne Grace.
– Santino Marella called Jonathan Gresham’s cell phone who didn’t answer
Tasha Steels defeated Jodi Threat (w/Dani Luna and Lars Frederikson)
Jodi had the initial offense on Tasha, but she soon recovered and dominated the next stretch. Steels would then use a Backstabber to Threat on the apron. Frederickson and Luna advised Threat to end the match while she had the upper hand, but she didn’t listen, leading Steelz to get the win. High on emotion, her adrenaline cost her the match.
Jodi Threat and Tasha Steelz meshed well together, and the storyline inclusion of Luna and Fredrikson furthered the storyline between them.
– PCO yells backstage, wondering where Steph De Lander is
– Rich Swann and AJ Francishinted at challenging for mystery titles for the May 30 episode of TNA Impact
Trent Seven defeated “Speedball” Mike Bailey (Number One Contender Opportunity for the X-Division Championship match at Against All Odds)
Challenging each other for the opportunity to challenge Mustafa Ali for the X-Division Championship, Bailey and Seven were evenly matched in the early goings. Mike Bailey delivered an awesome moonsault from the top rope to Seven on the floor and followed it up with a missile dropkick in the ring. The chops to each man’s chest were as gnarly as one would expect. Bailey and Seven would then trade back chops after Bailey mistakenly initiated it with Seven’s back. X-Division Champion Mustafa Ali and his security team entered the arena as spectators. Seven nearly had the match won with a Seated Scoopslam, to which Ali applauded from the outside. Bailey, aiming to hit Trent Seven, would instead accidentally kick Ali, incapacitating him. Trent used a series of Seven Star Lariats to no avail. Ali would try to interfere but was pulled away by his security, but Champagne Singh would cost Bailey the match. Trent Seven would win the match with a Birminghammer, setting him up for the X-Division Championship match against Mustafa Ali at Against All Odds.
Despite never facing each other before this point, Bailey and Seven worked well together as though they had wrestled one another for years. The back chop spot followed by the sportsmanship was a nice touch. Bailey’s fast-paced style contrasted well with Seven’s hard-hitting moves and veteran instincts, creating an air of unpredictability. The inclusion of Mustafa Ali heightened the stakes, distracting Bailey in a few instances. The interferences were a bit much, but the stakes were high and the action was incredible in this main event.
An anything goes Monsters Ball match will headline tonight’s TNA Impact as PCO will take on Kon.
The two have been feuding for several months with the latest chapter being Kon costing PCO the Digital Media title in his challenge of champion Crazzy Steve.
TNA Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace and top contender Steph De Lander will sign the contract for their title match at this month’s Rebellion. Matt Cardona will accompany SDL tonight so anything could happen.
TNA World Champion Moose will take on Trent Seven in a non-title match as Seven & Mike Bailey prepare to challenge Moose’s System teammates Brian Myers & Eddie Edwards for the TNA Tag Team titles at Rebellion.
Former tag champions ABC (Chris Bey & Ace Austin) will take on First Class (AJ Francis & Rich Swann).
The aforementioned Digital Media title will be on the line as Crazzy Steve defends against Laredo Kid.
Our live coverage will begin at 8:30 PM Eastern.
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iMPACT! opened with Hammerstone and Josh Alexander beating the hell out of one another with Alexander being busted open as security attempted to intervene but weren’t very successful. Tommy Dreamer then made his way to ringside to calm Alexander down and asked him to head to the back before turning his attention to Hammerstone who was now in the ring.
Dreamer entered the ring and told Hammerstone that they were in front of the best fans in the world and that Hammerstone was in TNA Wrestling because of him. Dreamer told Hammerstone that there was too much going on tonight for them to be brawling before Rebellion.
Dreamer told Hammerstone to head to the back but as Tommy was heading out of the ring, Hammerstone nailed him from behind before locking in him the Torture Rack. Alexander returned to ringside to save Dreamer and then made the announcement that at Rebellion, they would battle in a Last Man Standing match.
Crazzy Steve defeated Laredo Kid by disqualification to retain the Digital Media title
After some quick back and forth action in the first few moments, Steve started playing mind games and was able to gain some momentum. Kid attempted a comeback but Steve’s aggressive ground game was enough to keep his momentum going before locking Kid in a submission.
Kid would finally mount a comeback and after some near falls, nailed Steve with a Michinoku Driver in the corner. Kid attempted to follow up by heading to the top rope but was Steve was able to knock him down into a tree of woe and then followed up with a diving attack in the corner.
Steve refused to let up on his aggressive tactics and after getting a near fall of his own, focused on tearing the mask off of Kid. Kid finally snapped and after landing some major blows to Steve, refused to let up in the corner and shoved the referee when he was told to back off forcing a disqualification.
– It was announced that Against All Odds this year would take place at Cicero Stadium in Chicago, Illinois on Friday, June 14th with tickets going on sale on Saturday, April 20th.
– Backstage, Alex Shelley apologized to Chris Sabin and KUSHIDA for wanting to do things on his own and stated that Time Machine was much greater as a unit. Sabin and KUSHIDA accepted his apology and agreed with him.
First Cla$$ (AJ Francis & Rich Swann) defeated ABC (Ace Austin & Chris Bey)
Austin and Swann started the match but before they locked up, Swann quickly tagged out to Francis.
Francis attempted a test of strength but Bey side stepped and soon used his quickness to gain some early momentum. Francis would capitalize and Swann was tagged back in but Austin was quickly able to tag out to Bey as well and it became all ABC.
Bey attempted to land a dive over the top rope to Francis on the floor but AJ caught him. Austin was able to make the save but this only angered Francis as he quickly recovered and we saw both members of ABC down and out as we headed to commercial.
We’re back from commercial and Francis is laying a beating on Austin inside of the ring. Austin managed to persevere and both Francis and Austin made tags to their partners. After some quick offense by ABC, Francis managed to catch both of them at the same time before planting them down hard to the canvas.
Swann attempted a 450 on Austin but failed and ABC started capitalizing when Francis attempted a double suplex on both Austin and Bey but instead found himself on the receiving end of a death valley driver.
ABC attempted an assisted Art of Finesse on Swann but Bey was met with a neckbreaker instead. Swann then rolled up Austin and with a handful of tights, scored the 1-2-3 for his team.
After the match, Joe Hendry appeared with a mic in hand. Hendry recited verses from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air theme song before referring to Francis as Uncle Phil in which the crowd started chanting. Hendry then stated that he spoke to Santino Marella and announced that it would be Hendy and Swann at Rebellion.
– Backstage, Santino Marella was met by Ash by Elegance and The Personal Concierge. They stated that Ash was ready for her Knockouts title match at Rebellion but instead of agreeing to make it happen, Marella left them hanging instead.
– Backstage, Mustafa Ali was with the Grizzled Young Vets. Ali vented that his match at Rebellion should not be taking place before Jake Something interrupted and stated that the match was indeed going to take place.
Jordynne Grace and Steph De Lander (w/Matt Cardona) in a Rebellion Contract Signing
Santino Marella was in the ring and introduced both De Lander and Grace to the ring. Marella welcomed both women but before anything more could be said, Cardona put over the King and Queen being present and stated that SDL was going to become the new Knockouts champion at Rebellion as De Lander signed the contract.
Grace then put over her own accomplishments before Cardona took offense to Jordynne’s claim about the Digital Media title. De Lander then stated that they didn’t have enough time to talk about all of her accomplishments but Grace countered by stating that she’s beaten her before, beaten her boyfriend before and beaten her boyfriend’s wife before. As both Cardona and De Lander started fuming, Grace followed up by calling Cardona a b****.
As Cardona was going nuts and the fans were chanting b****, Grace finally signed the contract. Grace and then De Lander shook hands but as the aggression was high, a brawl ensued and after Marella was knocked down and out, De Lander put Grace through a table before posing with the title.
– Backstage, Masha Slamovich was interrupted by The System and Eddie Edwards stated that her and Alisha could make a great tag team. Slamovich then gave them an answer in Russian and left as Eddie, Alisha and Brian Myers looked confused.
– A video promo aired focusing on Jonathan Gresham in a board room full of people, reflecting on the masks he wears in life.
Moose (w/The System) defeated Trent Seven (w/Mike Bailey) in a non-title match
Seven attempted to match power with Moose in the early moments but it wasn’t a great idea as several chops by Seven were met with one huge grounding chop by Moose.
Seven wouldn’t give up however and after landing multiple more chops, finally sent Moose off his feet with a DDT. Both men then exchanged blows back and forth but as Seven looked like he was ready to setup the Burning Hammer, he was met with a massive spear instead as Moose picked up the victory looking very strong going into Rebellion just nine days away.
After the match, The System entered the ring looking to do more damage but Mike Bailey entered the ring as well. Bailey was cornered quickly and after he managed to hold his own for a second or so, The System was on the attack. Before they could inflict too much damage, Time Machine hit the ring to make the save.
– Backstage, Santino Marella was interrupted by The System, who were angry about what just took place. Marella stated that The System would defend the world tag team titles next week against the Motor City Machine Guns and the winners would battle Speedball Mountain at Rebellion. Marella was then interrupted by Decay who stated they wanted their rematch for the Knockouts world tag team titles at Rebellion in which Marella agreed.
Jake Something defeated James Drake (w/Zack Gibson)
Something immediately used his power game to gain the early advantage but having Gibson out at ringside meant Drake could easily switch momentum at any given time which happened multiple times in the first few moments of the match.
After Something had Drake setup in the corner, he went to the opposite corner but Gibson grabbed his leg allowing Drake to land a running dropkick. Gibson then followed up by choking Something with his scarf as Drake distracted the referee.
This was enough to ignite Cody Deaner, who hit ringside to even up the odds. Deaner took out Gibson and Something followed up by nailing Drake with Into The Void the get the 1-2-3.
After the match, Mustafa Ali came down to the ring with a mic but was quickly quieted as Something dove to the outside over the top rope taking out his campaign before grabbing Ali himself.
The Grizzled Young Vets would recover however and nail Something with Grit Your Teeth. Deaner attempted to make the save but after he was taken out, Something was finished off as well as Ali and GYV proved to be too powerful.
PCO defeated Kon in a Monster’s Ball match
No food, no water, no light for the past 24 hours and it was the 58th Monster’s Ball about to create havoc here this week.
After both men started in what looked like a traditional wrestling match, they decided that was enough as PCO grabbed a kendo stick and Kon grabbed a steel chair. Kon gained early momentum as PCO’s kendo stick was no match. Kon found himself on the outside of the ring and PCO looked to capitalize with a dive through the ropes but was met head first with a garbage can instead.
Kon continued the momentum inside of the ring and after trapping PCO with a trashcan in the middle of the ring, Kon wrapped his arm in a steel chain and beat down on PCO trapped inside. Kon followed up by setting up a table ringside but before he could attempt to piledrive PCO through it, he was sent flying off of the ring apron.
PCO followed up with a somersault dive to the floor wiping out Kon and then set him up on the table that had been previously setup on the floor. PCO climbed to the top rope and as Kon laid helpless, PCO nailed him with a Deanimator.
Kon would once again make a comeback using a kendo stick but it was short lived. After he climbed to the top rope, PCO sent him flying through a table to the floor below. PCO then setup a bridged ladder from the ring apron to a ladder setup at ringside and had a wicked finish in mind but after he setup Kon and climbed to the top rope, he crashed and burned hard through the ladder instead.
Kon capitalized and that magical black bag appeared as both men were back in the ring. Kon dumped out thumbtacks everywhere including the mouth of PCO before applying a chinlock to the French Canadian Frankenstein. PCO spit out the tacks and soon started to gain the final advantage he needed.
After dumping tacks over the body of a grounded Kon, PCO looked to finish him off. PCO climbed to the top rope and with a massive PCOsault, scored the victory in the 58th edition of Monster’s Ball.
Final Thoughts:
We’re nine days away from Rebellion and it will be interesting to see who walks out with gold that night.
Steph De Lander looked strong tonight and seeing her put Jordynne Grace through that table makes me believe she can knock the Juggernaut off of the mountain and become Queen of the Knockouts division.
The same can be said with regards to Speedball Mountain as Trent Seven stood his ground with Moose tonight and with The System battling MCMG next week with the titles on the line, Speedball Mountain will have an opportunity to simply watch on and create a game plan.
Speaking of Moose, he’s looking more powerful and dominant than ever before and I honestly don’t think at this point that even Nick Nemeth will be able to change that. You add the fact that Moose has got The System by his side and I’m predicting now, #AndSTILL at Rebellion.
Solid show by TNA Wrestling tonight and I’m looking forward to the go-home edition next week!
Next Week:
The System defend the world tag team titles against the Motor City Machine Guns
Hammerstone will be in action
Nic Nemeth will share his final thoughts going into Rebellion
TNA Wrestling announced that Trent Seven is unable to make it to Las Vegas for tonight’s Hard to Kill pay-per-view and has been replaced by Laredo Kid.
Seven was set to tag with “Speedball” Mike Bailey in a four-way challenge for the TNA Tag Team titles. Kid will now team up with Bailey instead in an attempt to dethrone current titleholders ABC.
In a tweet, the promotion said Seven experienced travel issues. It’s unknown if he will still be part of the post-Hard to Kill TV taping.
The former WWE NXT UK star made a surprise appearance at last month’s Final Resolution, teaming with Bailey as a mystery partner and then signing a contract with the promotion.
Here’s the full card for tonight’s PPV (7 PM EST pre-show kickoff):
TNA World Champion Alex Shelley defends against Moose
Knockouts Champion Trinity defends against Jordynne Grace
Three-way match: X-Division Champion Chris Sabin defends against KUSHIDA and El Hijo del Vikingo
Four-way match: TNA Tag Team Champions Ace Austin & Chris Bey defend against The Rascalz (Trey Miguel & Zachary Wentz), The Grizzled Young Veterans (James Drake & Zack Gibson), and “Speedball” Mike Bailey & Laredo Kid
Knockouts Ultimate X match: Gisele Shaw vs. Xia Brookside vs. Jody Threat vs. Tasha Steelz vs. Alisha Edwards vs. Dani Luna
Josh Alexander vs. Alex Hammerstone
PCO vs. Dirty Dango
Pre-show match: Rich Swann vs. Steve Maclin
Pre-show match: Eric Young & Frankie Kazarian vs. Brian Myers & Eddie Edwards
Pre-show match: Digital Media Champion Tommy Dreamer defends against Crazzy Steve
Over the weekend, Trent Seven was revealed as the newest member of the TNA Wrestling roster.
The 42-year-old Seven made his Impact Wrestling debut at Final Resolution 2023, teaming with “Speedball” Mike Bailey in a victory over The Rascalz (Trey Miguel & Zachary Wentz). Seven was Bailey’s mystery partner for the match.
We’ve been speaking for a few weeks now. Kind of just piecing things together and making sure everything kind of worked out. Like I say, a lot of times in this industry and the entertainment industry, it’s about saying the right thing, being in the right place at the right time, doing the right stuff, looking the right way. There’s a lot of things that have to link up for these kind of things to happen, and that’s what it was. It was just the right place, right time, right decision. A million and 10 things lit up, evolving on the day and just kind of continuously evolving and luckily we got to deliver the fans with a real professional wrestling exciting secret. I just love it when wrestling happens like that.
Seven confirmed that we’ll still be seeing him appear in other promotions around the world despite signing with TNA.
Before signing with TNA, Seven wrestled for AEW twice in 2022 and for ROH once this year. Seven told Cultaholic that his experience in AEW/ROH was great. There was one point where he was “incredibly close” to signing a deal, but it didn’t happen:
There was one point where it was incredibly close to inking something, but sometimes things just don’t work out do they? Sometimes people are doing whatever they’re doing backstage. You know, you’re trying to plan a show [and] selling out Wembley. Sometimes some peoples’ names fall to the bottom of the thinking pile. But so be it, man. I couldn’t look back on the last 15 months and be prouder, I think. The way it’s worked out, the peaks and the troughs, the ups and the downs, the constant testing, the amount of people I’ve seen, the amount of countries I’ve been to. But now it feels like I’ve found a home.
Seven was previously a mainstay of the NXT UK roster in WWE. He was released by the company in August 2022. During his time in WWE, Seven had NXT UK and NXT Tag Team title reigns with Tyler Bate.
Impact Wrestling’s name change back to TNA officially goes into effect starting with the promotion’s Hard to Kill pay-per-view on Saturday, January 13.
After making a surprise appearance at Saturday’s Final Resolution, Trent Seven is officially part of the Impact/TNA Wrestling roster.
Seven joined with “Speedball” Mike Bailey to take on The Rascalz’s Trey Miguel & Zachary Wentz, picking up a victory in the impromptu match.
Afterward, Impact/TNA head Scott D’Amore went into the ring to cut a promo explaining how much he liked Seven in the past and while he couldn’t sign him then, someone was “dumb enough to let him go” so he could now. He then offered him a contract which Seven signed on Bailey’s back.
Since being released by WWE in the summer of 2022 after a long run with NXT UK, the 42-year-old UK native has been busy on the UK scene with OTT, RevPro, and others while also making his AEW debut a year ago.
Saturday marked his Impact in-ring debut although he has competed for both the TNA X-Division title and the Impact Digital Media title in other organizations.
Two-thirds of British Strong Style could be reunited at NXT No Mercy.
Butch posted to social media on Wednesday to say that he’s asked Tyler Bate to be in his corner when he challenges Noam Dar for the Heritage Cup on Saturday.
“I need a second at No Mercy Saturday. @noamdar is gonna have all of meta-four out there so I’ve asked an old mate to watch my back. Someone who knows Noam and Heritage Cup rules pretty well. BSS one night only Probably,” wrote Butch.
I need a second at No Mercy Saturday. @noamdar is gonna have all of meta-four out there so I’ve asked an old mate to watch my back. Someone who knows Noam and Heritage Cup rules pretty well.
Bate, Butch, and Trent Seven comprised British Strong Style in Progress and other promotions beginning in 2016 and reunited in NXT beginning in 2018. The group disbanded when Seven was released from the promotion in July 2022.
Butch earned the right to challenge Dar for the Heritage Cup after winning the Global Heritage Invitational tournament. He defeated Joe Coffey in the finals of the tournament last night on NXT.
Dar and Butch have faced each other just once previously in WWE. Butch, then wrestling as Pete Dunne, successfully defended the NXT UK Championship against Dar on the first edition of NXT UK on July 28, 2018. Dunne also defeated Dar on a SWE show in 2014 and then again for RevPro in 2016.
WWE NXT No Mercy 2023 lineup:
NXT Champion Carmelo Hayes defends against Ilja Dragunov
NXT North American Champion Dominik Mysterio defends against Trick Williams (Dragon Lee will be the special guest referee)
NXT Tag Team Champions Tony D’Angelo & Stacks defend against Bronco Nima & Lucien Price, The Creed Brothers, and Angel & Humberto in a fatal four-way match
NXT Heritage Cup Champion Noam Dar defends against Butch
Thursday’s ten-match Ring of Honor on HonorClub will hopefully begin the road to a card for this month’s Death Before Dishonor pay-per-view.
In the show’s featured match, former ROH Pure Champion Daniel Garcia will take on former ROH World Champion Christopher Daniels. Garcia has been in search of a match with current Pure Champion Katsuyori Shibata.
The Kingdom’s Maria Kanellis-Bennett will return to in-ring action for the first time since her WWE days as she teams with Mike Bennett & Matt Taven against The Infantry (Shawn Dean & Carlie Bravo) and Trish Adora.
In a Proving Ground match, ROH Women’s Champion Athena will face Seleziya Sparx.
The show will feature a six-way “mayhem” match featuring Shane Taylor vs. Josh Woods vs. Brian Cage vs. Willie Mack vs. Dalton Castle vs. Trent Seven, who is making his ROH debut.
After unsuccessfully defeating ROH World Champion Claudio Castagnoli last Friday on AEW Rampage, Komander will look to rally against Gringo Loco.
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We’re in the FirstOntario Centre in Hamilton, Ontario for this week’s edition of Ring of Honor TV. Ian Riccaboni and Caprice Coleman were on the call.
Komander (w/Alex Abrahantes) defeated Gringo Loco
This started off a bit clunky but rounded off into a fun lucha-style opener.
Komander took control with an acrobatic armdrag, but Loco handsprung out of a second one. Loco evaded a Komander corner charge and hit an alley-oop into the corner. Komander used the ropes to hit another armdrag to take Loco down, but Loco caught him with a torture rack slam for a nearfall. After some jockeying for position, Komander took Loco down with a headscissors.
Loco sent Komander to the apron, but Komander caught him with a boot before vaulting off of Loco’s shoulders. Komander sent Loco to the floor with a wheelbarrow armdrag before hitting a tornillo to the floor. Komander sent Loco into the ring and went to the top, but Loco cut him off. They fought for position before Loco hit the one-man Spanish Fly. Loco sent Komander into the ropes and popped him up, but Komander caught him with a cutter on the way down.
Loco caught Komander in an electric chair on the floor, then powerbombed him into the barricade. Back in the ring, Loco hit a double jump cutter for a nearfall. Loco brought Komander up in an electric chair on the top rope, but Komander fought his way free. With Loco caught on the ropes, Komander hit a step-up rana. Komander followed Loco to the floor with a double-jump splash. Komander then hit a springboard Phoenix Splash for the win.
– Backstage, Lexy Nair was with Lee Moriarty & Big Bill. Big Bill said that they were going to squash their opponents tonight – The Boys – like bugs, then win some gold around here.
Daniel Garcia defeated Christopher Daniels
Commentary noted that Daniels’ eye had finally healed after having a bruise in the white of his eyes for months. Garcia hit his dance, leading to Daniels breaking out the Curry Man dance. What ever happened to that guy? Anyway, after Daniels sent Garcia into the turnbuckles a few times, Garcia vaulted Daniels to the floor to cut him off.
Garcia cut off a Daniels comeback, dropping down and catching Daniels in an STF. Daniels got the ropes, but Garcia stomped on Daniels’ knee when breaking the hold. Daniels caught Garcia with a Blue Thunder Bomb. Daniels fired up, dropping Garcia with a big back body drop. Daniels took Garcia to the top rope, then brought him down with an Iconoclasm for a nearfall.
Garcia and Daniels traded forearms before Daniels caught him with an STO. Daniels went for the Angel’s Wings, but Garcia fought out of that and a uranage. Daniels hit the Angel’s Wings, but Garcia rolled to the floor. Daniels went and got him, but Garcia kicked the ropes into Daniels’ face. Garcia hit a gutbuster to score the win.
– Backstage, Lexy Nair interviewed Willie Mack, who will be in a Six Man Scramble match for $25,000. Mack talked about all the things he wanted to do with the money.
Gates Of Agony (Bishop Kaun & Toa Liona) (w/Prince Nana) defeated Action Andretti & Darius Martin
Kaun overpowered Andretti to start, but Andretti used his speed to take Kaun down with a dropkick. Andretti hit a corkscrew splash for a nearfall before tagging in Martin. Liona tagged in, but Andretti and Martin used double dropkicks to send both Liona and Kaun out of the ring. Prince Nana took Martin out of the ring. Andretti went for a dive onto Liona, but Liona caught him and sent him into the barricade.
The Embassy clubbered on Andretti in the corner. Andretti hit a back elbow on Kaun and made the tag out to Martin. Martin fired up on Liona, but Liona hit a pop-up Samoan Drop. Kaun and Liona hit a tag team combo in the corner, but Andretti broke up the pin. Andretti got caught by Liona, but Martin dove into both to send Liona down. Kaun got the knees up on a springboard 450 splash for a nearfall.
Andretti hit a Spanish Fly, but Nana got on the apron to distract the referee. Andretti tried fighting off both Liona and Kaun, but they caught him with their tandem slam to score the win.
The Righteous (Dutch & Vincent) & Stu Grayson defeated Macrae Martin, Rip Impact & Zak Patterson
The Righteous team got a jump start from the Code of Honor. Grayson hit a spinning uranage to Impact before they hit a triple-team slam for the quick win. Vincent and Dutch never removed their entrance gear.
Big Bill & Lee Moriarty defeated The Boys (Brandon & Brent)
Big Bill looked fantastic here, throwing the Boys around like ragdolls.
Moriarty started with Brent, using his technical skills to control the match. A misdirection with a tag allowed the Boys to double-team Moriarty for a nearfall. Moriarty got a tag out to Big Bill, who neither Boy wanted to fight. Brent got on Brandon’s shoulders, only leading to Big Bill booting them down. Bill sent Brandon flying on a tornado DDT attempt, squashing him with a splash before booting Brent down.
Bill tagged Moriarty in, but Brent tagged in and ran wild. Both Boys hit dives on Moriarty, but Bill caught Brandon and chokeslammed him on the apron. Moriarty hit a leg lariat on Brent to score the win.
ROH Women’s World Title Proving Ground Match: Athena defeated Seleziya Sparx
Sparx got a little bit of offense here and looked good.
Seleziya Sparx is a former member of the House of Truth, returning after nine years away. Athena dropkicked Sparx on the Code of Honor. Sparx caught Athena on a crossbody and hit a body slam. Sparx ran wild, hitting a lariat for a one-count. Athena caught Sparx with an exploder suplex. Athena drilled Sparx in the corner with a forearm before hitting a knockout elbow to score the win.
After the match, Athena jumped Sparx and sent her face-first into the belt.
Tony Nese (w/Mark Sterling) vs. JD Drake
On his way to the ring, Nese took to the mic to insult Drake’s weight. Nese offered a group workout, but Drake took the mic to say that he wouldn’t eat any of Canada’s food anyway. Mark Briscoe came to the ring with a mic in his hand. He said that after talking with Tony Khan, Briscoe has been added to the match, making this a three-way dance. Riccaboni jumped the gun on commentary, saying that Briscoe was the third man in the match before Briscoe added himself to the match.
Mark Briscoe defeated Tony Nese (w/ Mark Sterling) & JD Drake
Briscoe ran wild on both of his opponents before hitting a chair-assisted dive to the floor. Nese moved out of the way of a Froggy Bow, with Drake dropping Briscoe with a lariat. Nese and Drake teamed up on Briscoe, even while disagreeing on how to do it. Briscoe fired up but walked into a Bossman Slam from Drake. Nese broke up the pin, starting an argument between the two. But Briscoe fired up on both of them, hitting a uranage on Drake.
Nese cut Briscoe off on the top rope, but Drake sent Nese to the mat. Briscoe cut Drake off, leading to Nese hitting a sunset flip powerbomb. Briscoe hit the Froggy Bow, but Nese tried to steal the pin. Briscoe cut him off and hit the Jay Driller on Nese to win.
– We got a video package recapping Eddie Kingston and his NJPW Strong title victory on July 5th. Kingston says that due to his entry in this year’s G1 Climax, he won’t be able to be at Death Before Dishonor. He says that Claudio Castagnoli isn’t off the hook. Kingston challenges Mark Briscoe to go for the World Title at Death Before Dishonor and win it.
– We cut to Renee Paquette backstage with Mark Briscoe. Renee said that Tony Khan would give Briscoe the title shot if he wanted it. Briscoe accepted the title shot, saying that he wanted to follow in his brother Jay’s footsteps. Claudio Castagnoli entered the frame and told Briscoe not to listen to Eddie Kingston. He said that he had to show Eddie Kingston his limits and that he will show Briscoe his limits as well. Castagnoli offered a handshake, which Briscoe accepted, and told him not to get his hopes up.
– The match is official for Death Before Dishonor for July 21st. Claudio Castagnoli will defend the ROH World Championship against Mark Briscoe. A fine piece of business here.
Diamante defeated Vanessa Kraven
Diamante cut down Kraven at the knee, but Kraven hit a barge attack. Kraven sent Diamante out of the ring with a fallaway slam. Kraven followed Diamante to the floor and hit chops but chopped the post. Back in the ring, Diamante hit a drop-toe hold into the turnbuckle before hitting the hesitation dropkick for a nearfall. Diamante hit a wheelbarrow stunner and a Code Red for the win.
Six Man Mayhem Match: Brian Cage defeated Shane Taylor, Willie Mack, Dalton Castle, Trent Seven, Josh Woods
This was a good bit of fun. A nice, turn-your-brain-off scramble.
We got a Pier Six brawl to start. In the ring, Woods and Seven traded chops before Seven dropped him with a DDT. Mack took Seven down with a running kick. Mack hit a standing moonsault before Taylor dropped him with a headbutt. Cage caught Taylor with a superkick and a tornado DDT. Meanwhile, Castle kept getting fired out of the ring. Woods hit a suplex on Cage before Castle finally sent someone else to the floor.
We got a big strike flurry from everyone before Taylor dropped Castle with a rope-hung stunner. Seven hit the Seven Star Lariat on Taylor, but Woods caught Seven with a Doctor Bomb. There were moves aplenty as everyone hopped in the pool and hit their moves. Cage grabbed Seven and hit an inside-out superplex to everyone on the floor, but Mack caught Cage with a dive of his own. Mack hit a frog splash on Cage, but Nana grabbed Cage’s boot and put it on the ropes.
Seven hit a Sidewinder Slam on Mack for a nearfall. Mack recovered and hit Stunners on everyone in sight, but Cage caught him with a tights-assisted roll-up for the win and the $25,000.
Maria Kanellis-Bennett & The Kingdom (Matt Taven & Mike Bennett) vs. The Infantry (Carlie Bravo & Shawn Dean) & Trish Adora
On the ramp, Maria noted that unfortunately, she was not cleared to compete. She introduced her replacement, Leyla Hirsch.
The Kingdom & Leyla Hirsch defeated The Infantry & Trish Adora
Bennett and Dean traded chops to start. Dean took control with armdrags and chops before tagging in Bravo. Taven tagged in but got caught with a double team from the Infantry. Taven tagged Hirsch in, forcing Adora to come in. Adora used her technical skill to handle Hirsch, but Hirsch used a German suplex to take control. Hirsch avoided the Lariat Tubman, but Adora caught her with a short-range lariat.
Bravo tagged in and ran wild on the opposing men. He hit a misdirection neckbreaker on Bennett for a nearfall. Dean tagged in and hit a tag team uranage for a nearfall that got broken up by Taven. Bennett tagged out to Hirsch, but Adora beat her to the punch and sent Bennett to the floor. Dean hit a huge dive to Bennett on the floor, but Taven cut off Bravo and hit a dive onto all three men on the floor. Maria and Mike Bennett ran interference, allowing Hirsch to catch Adora in an armbar to score the win.
After the match, Lexy Nair met up with Hirsch in the back. Hirsch said the Kingdom needed someone legit, and that she was here to stay in ROH.
Continuing his push toward what he hopes is a shot at the Pure title, former champion Daniel Garcia will take on former Ring of Honor World Champion Christopher Daniels on this week’s ROH on HonorClub TV.
Garcia will be looking to extend a three-match win streak in ROH as he pursues a first-time-ever bout with reigning Pure Champion Katsuyori Shibata at this month’s Death Before Dishonor pay-per-view. Garcia held the title for three months before losing it to Wheeler Yuta.
This will be the second time Daniels and Garcia have wrestled and the first in one of the Tony Khan-owned companies.
Maria Kanellis-Bennett will join The Kingdom’s Mike Bennett & Matt Taven in trios action against The Infantry (Shawn Dean & Carlie Bravo) and Trish Adora. The former Impact Knockouts Champion hasn’t been in the ring since a WWE Raw mixed tag team match in July 2019.
Trent Seven will make his return to the Khan companies and his ROH debut in a six-way that will also feature Shane Taylor, Josh Woods, Brian Cage, Willie Mack and Dalton Castle.
ROH Women’s Champion Athena will face Seleziya Sparx in a Proving Ground non-title bout.
Here’s the ten-match lineup:
The Righteous (Vincent & Dutch) and Stu Grayson vs. Zak Patterson, Macrae Martin & Rip Impact
Diamante vs. Vanessa Kraven
ROH Women’s Champion Athena vs. Seleziya Sparx in a Proving Ground match
Daniel Garcia vs. Christopher Daniels
The Kingdom (Mike Bennett, Matt Taven & Maria Kanellis-Bennett) vs. The Infantry (Shawn Dean & Carlie Bravo) and Trish Adora
JD Drake vs. Tony Nese
Lee Moriarty & Big Bill vs. The Boys (Brent & Brandon Tate)
Komander vs. Gringo Loco
Gates of Agony vs. Action Andretti & Darius Martin
Shane Taylor vs. Josh Woods vs. Brian Cage vs. Willie Mack vs. Dalton Castle vs. Trent Seven
Former WWE NXT UK Tag Team Champion Trent Seven made his AEW debut on Friday’s Rampage, challenging Orange Cassidy for the AEW All-Atlantic title.
Seven was the surprise challenger for Cassidy on behalf of Kip Sabian. Cassidy and Sabian have been feuding for several weeks, but Sabian turned down the opportunity to face Cassidy due to an injury caused by Dustin Rhodes in Wednesday’s Dynamite Diamond battle royal. Cassidy then suggested Sabian come up with someone to face him Friday.
The 41-year-old and Cassidy had a competitive match that Cassidy eventually won with an Orange Punch followed by the Beach Break for the pin. Sabian and Seven attacked Cassidy after the match which brought out Rhodes to make the save.
Seven was part of the August 2022 releases that were done as part of WWE dissolving NXT UK in favor of the soon-to-be launched NXT Europe in 2023.
This was Seven’s fifth match in the last few months after being off for several months following the release.
It’s unknown if AEW has signed to him to any kind of contract.
NXT United Kingdom Championship tournament semifinals: Trent Seven defeated Oliver Carter (9:15)
Seven mocked Carter’s knee injury early on and went to attack the knee, but Carter quickly threw him out of the ring and followed up with a dive. Carter held his knee on impact.
Back in the ring, Seven hit a dragon screw through the ropes on Carter as he was still on the apron on the outside. Seven went on to work over the knee, leading to Carter screaming in pain. Seven hit a kneebreaker and held onto the leg, but Carter managed to turn another attempt into a sunset flip for a near fall.
Carter eventually hit a springboard moonsault for another near fall. Seven came back with an Emerald Frosion for a near fall of his own before Carter countered a Seven Star Lariat attempt into a forearm smash and followed with a missile dropkick from the top.
Carter followed up with an axe kick and scored another close two count. He went for a corner attack but collapsed during the spring. Carter still caught Seven in a small package and almost had the match won. Seven then locked in a Figure Four leglock, which Carter valiantly fought to escape from but eventually succumbed to the pain and tapped out.
NXT United Kingdom Championship tournament semifinals: Tyler Bate defeated Joe Coffey (12:00)
They traded holds and counters early with neither man being able to gain the advantage. After trading shoulder blocks, Bate took down Coffey with a dropkick. Coffey hit the Glasgow Sendoff in the corner and got a near fall off the move.
Shortly after, Coffey locked in a bear hug. Bate fought out but actually found himself on the receiving end of a giant swing. They traded punches and Bate hit a right hook just as Coffey hit a combination of body shots. Bate followed with a spinning European uppercut and running Shooting Star Press for another near fall.
Coffey hit an overhead belly-to-belly suplex for a near fall, then caught Bate as he came off the ropes and hit a nasty German suplex before locking in a Boston Crab.
Bate crawled toward the ropes, but Coffey pulled him back to the center of the ring. Bate finally managed to escape by spinning out of the move and landing some up-kicks. Bate evaded the Glasgow Sendoff but still got caught with the double-jump reverse crossbody. He rolled through though and scored another two count. They traded lariats and Coffey actually hit All the Best for the Bells as Bate was bouncing off the ropes with his slingshot lariat.
Both men were down, so Coffey failed to go for a cover. Bate then hit a rolling koppu kick and went for the Tyler Driver ’97, which Coffey countered with a back body drop. Bate landed on his feet, hit a forearm, and caught Coffey in a backslide for the victory.
Bate will face his former Moustache Mountain partner Seven in the finals for the vacant NXT UK Championship.
Seven came out after the match and teased getting into the ring but then chickened out. He shouted at Bate from ringside as — in a throwback to the days of World of Sport — a granny in the front row berated Seven.
– A video recapped the wild women’s division brawl from three weeks ago. Sid Scala announced a four-way elimination match between Blair Davenport, Isla Dawn, Amale, and Eliza Alexander for next week. The winner will be the new number one contender to the NXT UK Women’s Championship.
– A video looked at last week’s announcement that NXT UK will go on hiatus and be expanded to NXT Europe in 2023. They had lots of social media and news clippings covering that announcement and Nigel McGuinness said he was excited for it.
NXT UK Heritage Cup Championship match: Noam Dar defeated Mark Coffey to win the title (17:29)
Round One
Dar went for a roll-up 30 seconds in and scored a two count. They mostly fought for position for the rest of the round, with Coffey hitting an uppercut and locking in an armbar as the round ended.
Round Two
Dar went for an armbar right away, but Coffey made it to his feet and locked in one of his own. Coffey worked Dar’s arm over some more. Coffey got a two count off of a roll-up, then missed an elbow from the ropes. Dar hit a diving forearm and scored a near fall of his own.
Round Three
Coffey started out strong with a clothesline, a forearm, and a back body drop. Dar came back with a leg kick and spinning back elbow for another near fall. Coffey hit a sliding forearm to the side of the jaw and pinned Dar to take the lead. Dar looked to be knocked out. Coffey 1-0
Round Four
Dar struggled to his feet but still was wobbly. Coffey went for a full nelson, but Dar backed him into the ropes to break the hold. Dar still looked out on his feet but hit a few desperation forearms. Coffey went to the second turnbuckle for an attack, but Dar stumbled between the ropes and fell to ringside. The referee checked on Dar and told Coffey to back off.
Dar repeatedly collapsed whenever Coffey was going for another attack, prompting the referee to stop Coffey. Dar then suddenly went for a flash pin and got a near fall. Dar then locked in the kneebar and Coffey tapped. Dar 1-1
Round Five
Coffey went to the ropes again but thought better of it and hit a bulldog instead. Coffey went for the Gator lock, but Dar rolled out of it and transitioned into an armbar, which Coffey turned into a roll-up.
They briefly battled on the top rope, but Dar slid out from under Coffey and kicked his leg out. Dar locked in the kneebar once more with 20 seconds left in the round. Coffey fought to escape and finally did just as the round ended.
Round Six
They traded holds early and Coffey powered out of a guillotine attempt. Coffey hit a baseball slide that sent Dar out of the ring and Coffey quickly rolled him back inside. Suddenly, Sha Samuels hopped the barricades behind Coffey and rammed Coffey’s head into the ring post. As Coffey stumbled back into the ring, Dar hit the Nova Roller to win the round, the match, and the NXT UK Heritage Cup. Dar wins 2-1
Dar and Samuels hugged after the match and celebrated in the ring with the Heritage Cup. Thus concludes the penultimate episode of NXT UK.
Final Thoughts —
Wrestling wise, this was a tremendous show with three good-to-great matches. It’s painfully clear though that these episodes merely exist to finalize the ongoing stories and air matches that had already been taped. Besides the announcement of the women’s four-way next week, there were no angles, backstage segments, interviews, or anything else to build for the future, of which we know doesn’t exist for the brand.
If you saw NXT 2.0 this Tuesday, you also know who wins the four-way next week. And, of course, we also know the result of the tournament final. Both matches nonetheless will probably be very good.
Next Week —
NXT United Kingdom Championship tournament finals: Tyler Bate vs. Trent Seven
NXT UK Women’s Championship number one contender’s four-way elimination match: Blair Davenport vs. Isla Dawn vs. Amale vs. Eliza Alexander
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
Hayze used her speed and agility early on, but she got stopped with a basement dropkick and the returning Davenport took over. Hayze briefly came back and scored a two count off a botched slingblade.
Davenport hit a dropkick from the second turnbuckle, then turned a guillotine into a Northern Lights suplex. Davenport followed up with a Falcon Arrow for the pinfall victory.
After the match, Davenport declared that she’s back and vowed that she will crush dreams.
– Kenny Williams was in Sid Scala’s office when Tiger Turan walked in and they had words. They will have a match next week — and Williams vowed to unmask Turan.
– Noam Dar and Sha Samuels walked into the UK Performance Center, where Mark Coffey was training. They had words and Coffey challenged Dar to a match for the Heritage Cup Championship. Samuels gave 1 in 100 odds to Coffey winning and bet a stack of his own money. A lot of wrestlers and trainers then wanted in on the bet.
Fallon Henley defeated Emilia McKenzie (8:32)
McKenzie used grappling and submission techniques early, but Henley escaped. Henley came back with some power moves. McKenzie hit a swinging neckbreaker for a two count.
They traded pinfall attempts and McKenzie locked in a modified Cobra Clutch. Henley looked to have tweaked her knee when she jumped over McKenzie, who took advantage of the injury, hit a spear to the leg, and worked the leg over.
Henley then countered an attack into a sunset flip for the surprise victory. McKenzie looked upset but still shook Henley’s hand.
– Oliver Carter talked about Ashton Smith’s recovery from injury. Die Familie entered and Teoman greeted Carter in German. All three tried to persuade Carter to join them and told him that it would be in his best interest. They left and Carter looked like he was thinking.
– Sarray trained at the UK Performance Center. Xia Brookside and Eliza Alexander walked up and talked down to her. Meiko Satomura and Emilia McKenzie then walked into the frame and Satomura told the two heels that they talk too much. Satomura said that — if Brookside and Alexander wanted to step into the ring — she and Sarray would teach them a lesson. McKenzie briefly looked taken aback that Satomura would team with Sarray instead of her.
Wolfgang defeated Sha Samuels (10:20)
Wolfgang used his power early on to manhandle Samuels. Samuels finally outsmarted the bigger man and worked over his left arm. Wolfgang’s shoulder gave out on a suplex attempt and Samuels dropped him with a lariat.
Samuels applied a number of submissions on the injured shoulder, then hit a spinebuster as Wolfgang came off the top rope and was distracted by Noam Dar on the apron.
Wolfgang turned the match around when he got his knees up as Samuels came off the ropes. He dropped Dar with a big boot, then vaulted over the top rope and hit a spear on Samuels for the win.
Trent Seven in-ring promo
Seven came out dressed like a proper douche.
Since turning against Tyler Bate, Seven said he’s heard the question “Why, Trent? Why?” Seven said he had some visual aids. He brought up a picture of him low-blowing Bate, calling it a work of art.
Seven said it was the most important moment in British sports as he saved the industry. Seven said he was the center of attention now and took credit for having the most fans in BT Sport Studios since NXT UK started taping there.
Seven said Bate had lost his killer instinct and would not come back to face him. He said Bate was a weak little boy and would never be back — while Seven was British Strong Style and Moustache Mountain.
As Seven left, he got into it with a fan at ringside. Security told the fan to calm down, but the fan jumped the rail and Seven kicked him in the groin as security held the fan back.
Final Thoughts —
An average show with not a lot of great in-ring action. Wolfgang vs. Samuels was fine (as is to be expected with those two), Davenport’s return was a glorified squash, and Henley looked wooden at times. They are continuing to set up a slow-burn program between Satomura and McKenzie down the line it seems.
Trent Seven’s promo was the best thing on the show.
Next Week —
Kenny Williams vs. Tiger Turan
Meiko Satomura & Sarray vs. Xia Brookside & Eliza Alexander
In Two Weeks —
NXT UK Heritage Cup Champion Noam Dar defends against Mark Coffey
On next week’s NXT UK, Trent Seven will address Moustache Mountain’s Tag Team title loss for the first time
WWE has announced that Seven will “address the NXT Universe” on next Thursday’s NXT UK episode. Seven, who had been teasing on NXT UK television that he would retire if Moustache Mountain lost their titles, will reveal what’s next for him.
Issues between Seven & Tyler Bate that had been building for months led to them dropping the NXT UK Tag Team titles last week. Oliver Carter & Ashton Smith defeated Seven & Bate and Die Familie (Teoman & Rohan Raja) in a triple threat match to become the new NXT UK Tag Team Champions.
Leading into last week’s title match, Bate had been upset with Seven for repeatedly cheating to win their matches. Seven tried to cheat again by using an NXT Tag Team title belt as a weapon, but Bate stopped him from doing so. As Bate & Seven argued, Carter hit a dive on Bate. Smith then rolled up Seven to win the titles.
Seven walked off after the match and told Bate that he was “done.”
Moustache Mountain had been NXT UK Tag Team Champions since last December.
Next Thursday’s NXT UK will also feature a tag team match with Wolfgang & Damon Kemp facing Noam Dar & Sha Samuels.
