WWE NXT UK Results (3/26): Devlin Defends Against Banks, Competitors Declare For Battle Royal Match
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A video package hyping Jordan Devlin's return to the NXT UK brand for the first time since he won the Cruiserweight championship at Worlds Collide. Devlin will be defending the gold against rival Travis Banks in the evening's main event.
Intro song. (Dusted by Astroid Boys)
Nigel McGuinness and Andy Shepard welcomes us to NXT UK from Coventry, England. Imperium's Marcel Barthel and Fabian Aichner make their way to the ring for our opening tag contest. They'll be taking on Ashton Smith and Oliver Carter.
Imperium versus Ashton Smith/Oliver Carter
Carter and Barthel begin. He brings Carter down with a wristlock, then applies a headlock and brings him to the mat. He transitions into a knee-wrench, yanking hard on his ankle. Carter breaks free but Barthel snapmares him and hits a PK to the back. Carter fires back with a superkick...Aichner blindly tags in and arm-drags Carter to retake control for Imperium. Smith comes in and rams Aichner with a shoulder block. Aichner goes to the arm but Smith picks him up for a sidewalk slam. Tandem offense from Oliver and Carter get an early nearfall. Carter dumps Barthel over the ropes and follows up by hitting a spin heel kick on Aichner. Barthel grabs at Carter's foot when going for a springboard maneuver and he falls to the mat hard. This gives Imperium the advantage once again. Barthel traps him in the corner and slaps him repeatedly over the chest. Crowd boos. Stereo dropkicks from Imperium...they pose for the fans, which is answered by another chorus of boos.
Aichner targets the head/neck of Carter setting him up for his team's finisher. Carter battles to his feet and breaks Aichner's grip...he makes the hot tag to Smith. Smith runs through both Aichner and Barthel with lariats. Jumping lariat to Aichner, followed by a back body drop to Barthel. Falcon arrow for two. Jumping thrust kick by Smith...Carter back in...Smith back drops his partner, who turns it into a 450 in mid-air for another two count. Imperium sets up for the powerbomb/uppercut...Smith pushes away Barthel and Carter frankensteiners Aichner...CLOSE TWO. Imperium creates separation between Smith and Carter...they hit their finisher for the win.
Imperium win by pinfall
Promo from Gallus. They talk about entering the number one contender's battle royal to earn a future title shot at WALTER. They're also playing poker.
Commercial for Stone Cold Steve Austin's Broken Skull Sessions, specifically the recent Bret Hart interview.
Moustache Mountain are chatting backstage. They've both been entered into the Battle Royal as well. "May the best man win," says Seven. Cut to Alexander Wolfe who promises to make sure the "mat stays sacred" by winning the Battle Royal for his team.
Ashton Smith and Oliver Carter are interviewed following their loss. Pretty Deadly interrupt them...they argue but nothing physical happens. They both also mention being in the Battle Royal matchup.
Women's division action is next. Nina Samuels makes her way to the ring first. She'll be taking on Aoife Valkyrie.
Nina Samuels versus Aoife Valkyrie
Tie-up. Valkyrie grabs a headlock. Samuels headstands over and poses for the crowd. Second tie-up and Valkyrie gains the advantage again. She brings Samuels down...Samuels shows off her technical prowess and grabs Valkyrie with her legs...now Valkyrie headstands out. Quick roll-up from Valkyrie...only two. Nice sequence of chain wrestling and pin attempts...Samuels uses the ropes to block a backslide, then whips Valkyrie neck first into the middle rope. She ties Valkyrie up and yanks on her legs...Indian death-lock...Valkyrie counters into a pin...Samuels kicks out. Valkyrie lands several kicks on Samuels, then takes her down with a headscissor. Running enziguri and running blockbuster in succession from Valkyrie. She climbs to the top...Samuels rolls out of the ring to avoid the strike but Valkyrie bounces off the ropes and hits a catapult dropkick through the ropes. She throws Samuels back inside...Samuels goes to the apron and lands a roundhouse. Slingshot splash by Samuels. She slaps Valkyrie hard across the face...Valkyrie snaps back with an elbow and a spinning back kick. Valkyrie to the top...flying headscissor kick. It's over.
Aoife Valkyrie wins by pinfall
Flashback to last week's episode when Piper Niven ran off women's champion Kay Lee Ray after she assaulted another member of the women's division. Niven says in an interview that she's not going to let KLR destroy anyone else the same way she did to Toni Storm. She challenges her to a tag match for next week's show.
Flash Morgan Webster gives an update on Mark Andrews. He says he's not a hundred percent on when Andrews can return, but he promises to gain revenge on whoever it was that attacked him last week. He's also declared himself for the Battle Royal.
A-Kid is out for our next matchup. He's taking on the Scottish Nova Noam Darm.
A-Kid versus Noam Dar
They grapple...Dar uses leverage to bring Kid to the mat...Kid shows off his athleticism and traps Dar in a headscissor. Dar breaks free and snags on a headlock. Dar begins trash talking Kid...Kid goes for a huge roundhouse but Dar ducks it and plays to the crowd. They reset. Kid applies the headlock this time. He grabs the wrist and transitions to an octopus hold. Nice sequence of chain wrestling..neither man able to gain the advantage...quick series of pin atempts...Dar jumps up and tries the shin kick but Kid evades and smiles as Dar is obviously frustrated. Dar traps Kid in the ropes and goes for a draping DDT...he opts to put him down, then boots him in the face. Stomps from Dar. Kid builds some momentum and dropkicks Dar out of the ring. He goes for a top rope moonsault...Dar jumps back in and applies an armbar to Kid...Kid counters into a triangle but Dar manages to turn it into a kneebar. Kid shows his ground wrestling skill to escape. Dar hits a clear low-blow but the referee either didn't see it or thought he connected to the leg. Dar hits the Nova Roller. That'll do it.
Noam Dar wins by pinfall
Afterwards Dar declares himself for the Battle Royal and promises that he will be the next NXT UK champion.
Vignette highlighting WALTER's dominance over the NXT UK division since he arrived at Takeover Blackpool.
Dave Mastiff, Kassius Ohno, and Ilja Dragunov are the next competitors to declare themselves in the Battle Royal. The match will take place on next week's NXT UK show.
Main event time. The Kiwi Buzzsaw Travis Banks is out first. The cruiserweight champion, Jordan Devlin is second. Here we go.
Jordan Devlin versus Travis Banks for the NXT Cruiserweight championship
Tie-up. Both men aggressively push for position. Crowd is split...Banks brings Devlin down but after a nice ground sequence they both get to their feet and reset. Devlin applies a wristlock...Banks counters and whips Devlin down. He grabs the arm...snapmare and crucifix pin from Banks...two count. Another quick pin...another two. Devlin slides to the outside to regroup. Banks tries to grab Devlin through the ropes but the Irish Ace pulls his head over the ropes. Banks somehow retakes control and rocks Devlin. He goes for the suicide dive...DEVLIN AVOIDS IT AND BANKS COLLIDES HARD INTO THE BARRICADE. Referee begins to count...Devlin goes out after him and throws him in the ring. Backsuplex/backbreaker from Devlin. He hits a running kitchen sink knee into Banks' gut, then wears him down with a submission.Banks tries to build up a head of steam...Devlin slows him down with a Spanish-Fly for a nearfall.
Devlin lowers his knee pads and drives them into Banks' face. Elbow strike dazes Banks...Devlin chokes him with his boot in the corner. Banks sees an opening...he chops Devlin into the corner. He sets up for a suplex...Devlin reverses into a jawbreaker. He grabs Banks arm for the Devlin-side...Banks fires up and asks Devlin to kick him...Devlin drops him with a uranagi...standing moonsault but Banks gets his knees up! Running forearm from Banks. He drives a knee that sends Devlin into the corner, then follows up with a cannonball. Huge stiff kicks by Banks...Devlin catches the last attempt and sends him into the mat. Banks bounces back up and hits a shining wizard. Pump kick sends Devlin to the outside...suicide dive from Banks connects! He throws Devlin inside and climbs...missile dropkick! Cover...Devlin JUST kicks out. Devlin has slice of heaven scouted...lethal combination drops Banks...back and forth pin attempts...roundhouse from Devlin...headbutt by Banks...HUGE HEADBUTT BY DEVLIN. Both men are down. Loud NXT chants from the crowd.
Devlin gets tied up in the tree-of-woe. Banks limbs for a double-stomp...he lands it for a nearfall. Banks climbs again...Devlin rocks him with an enziguri...slingshot cutter! Banks shows his resilience by kicking out. Devlin quickly to the top...moonsault misses...Banks hits a huge lariat and the slice of heaven. He goes for the Kiwi Crusher...Devlin counters and rolls him up...he graps the ropes for extra leverage...GOT EM!
Jordan Devlin wins by pinfall to retain the NXT Cruiserweight championship
Commentary compliments both men on an excellent main event. After highlights are shown Devlin celebrates and blows a kiss to Banks from the entrance path. Banks looks distraught.
That's the show friends.