WWE NXT UK Recap (1/7): Jordan Devlin Defends His Crusierweight Title Against A Debuting Ben Carter

By Joseph James

Thank you for reading our coverage of NXT UK, streaming on the WWE Network every Thursday at 3pm ET. Feel free to comment below, hit the "share" button, and join us every Wednesday for more NXT UK coverage!

Intro song.

Andy Shepherd and Nigel McGuinness welcome us to another edition of NXT UK from BTSport Studios. They tell us that the winner of our opening women's division contest will receive a future title opportunity at Kay Lee Ray. Jinny makes her way to the ring first, followed by her opponent, Piper Niven.

Jinny versus Piper Niven #1 Contender's Match

Jinny and Niven explodes out of their corners and meet in the center of the ring with stiff strikes. Niven stomps Jinny down into the corner, but Jinny manages to gain positioning and trap Niven in for an attack of her own. Flying crossbody by Niven connects...Jinny immediately rolls to the outside so Niven cannot make the cover. Niven follows Jinny and continues her assault. However, Jinny gets behind Niven and shoves her into the ring post. Niven barely beats the count back inside, which allows Jinny to mount her with a flurry of punches. Jinny with an arm-ringer, followed by a stiff elbow for a nearfall.

She locks Niven in an octopus. Niven turns it into a Samoan drop...both women are down. Joseph Conners walks out and suspiciously stands on the entrance path. Meanwhile Niven dodges a lariat and sends Jinny hard into the mat with a back suplex. Another crossbody...just a two count. Jinny goes to ringside again to the side of Joseph Conners. Niven goes for a summersault off the apron...Conners pushes Jinny out of the way and takes the attack himself. Jinny takes advantage by throwing Niven in the ring...Niven catches her but Conners recovers and trips Niven allowing Jinny to get the win via victory roll.

Jinny wins by pinfall to become #1 contender

Pretty Deadly cut a promo backstage on Gallus saying they know they are not wanted in the tag division. They seem pleased by getting under the tag champs skin.

Cut to Tyler Bate who reflects on his loss to A-Kid in the Heritage Cup tournament. He says that the lesson that he's learned is that as long as he gives it his all, and as long as he gives his best from a place of authenticity...then he is absolved of any pain from his losses. He ends by adding he needs to dig deeper into that persona so that everything can fall perfectly into place. The camera pans out to reveal that Sam Gradwell has been watching the promo from his phone and says that Bate just gave "terrible advice."

We now go to an edition of Noam Dar's "Supernova Sessions." He welcomes his guest, new NXT UK signee Ben Carter, revealing that Carter will be making his in-ring debut next week. Dar purposefully mispronounces Carter's name, then asks him why he decided to join the brand. Carter says he is here to face the very best this industry has to offer, and "everyone knows that starts right here in NXT UK." Jordan Devlin interrupts and asks Dar how could have Carter on his Supernova Sessions instead of him. "Noam...you are sharing a roster with the Irish Ace and you bring Ben Carter on ahead of me?"

Dar goes on to call Devlin an interim champion and not the REAL champ. Carter surprisingly takes the side of Devlin, stating that he believes Devlin to be the true holder of that belt, but then issues a challenge to Devlin on the spot. Devlin says if Carter is feeling confident enough...he should fight him tonight. Sid Scala appears and confirms that the bout is the new main event of the evening.

WALTER versus A-Kid is announced for the NXT UK championship is announced for next week.

NXT UK women's champion Kay Lee Ray addresses Jinny. She says that no matter how much she feel like she deserves to be the top dog...the title belongs to her.

Footage of Dave Mastiff's showdown with Saxon Huxley from three weeks ago is played. This plays into the second match of the night.

Dave Mastiff versus Saxon Huxley

Brawl to start. Mastiff catches Huxley with a stiff knee to the gut, then follows up with a huge senton. Huxley gets to his feet and hits Mastiff with a Lou Thez press. He follows up with a huge running elbow. Mastiff gets to his feet...Huxley rocks him with a running boot, then a running corner boot. He climbs to the top...flying lariat connects. Cover...Mastiff sneaks a shoulder out. Huxley keeps the big man grounded with a series of shoulder thrusts. Mastiff recovers and sends Huxley flying with a back body drop. Huge flurry of strikes, followed by a series of power moves. Mastiff goes for a German...Huxley blocks it but Mastiff surprises him with a huge lariat. Huxley rolls to the corner, which allows Mastiff to connect with the running cannonball for the win.

Dave Mastiff wins by pinfall

Preview for tomorrow's episode of WWE SmackDown.

A video package highlighting NXT UK champion WALTER's dominance over the division is played. It's cut with a vignette of A-Kid, who will be challenging WALTER for the gold on next week's show. A-Kid's huge victory over Tyler Bate is replayed, as well as his challenge to the Ring General. Speaking of Bate...he'll be facing Sam Gradwell on next week's show.

Main event time. Ben Carter is out first, followed by the champion Jordan Devlin. Here we go.

Jordan Devlin versus Ben Carter for the NXT Cruiserweight championship

Tie-up. Devlin forces Carter up on the ropes. The grapple gets more intense and Devlin just whips him into the mat with ease. Carter shows off his athleticism to break free of a wristlock but Devlin shows his resiliency by keeping it locked on. Carter manages to snag on a headlock, which Devlin finds it difficult to break free from. The hold is broken and the pace picks up...Carter lands a flush dropkick that sends the champ to ringside. Carter goes for a running elbow...Devlin catches him with a uranagi and a standing moonsault in succession. Snapmare and legdrop by Devlin. He dodges a punch and nails Carter over the back with an axe-handle. Carter makes several attempts to regain the momentum but the Irish Ace slows his pace with an elbow to the back. Carter with a roll-up out of nowhere...Devlin kicks out...Carter with another one...Devlin rolls through and slams Carter hard. Carter capitalizes off a counter and hits a springboard dropkick. He goes to the top...Devlin hits a big haymaker out of nowhere. Devlin chases Carter back inside and delivers a brutal brainbuster for a nearfall. Standing uppercut from Devlin. Both men try a flying crossbody, but end up colliding so hard they're both out of commission for a moment. They get tot their feet at the same time...a nice sequence of strikes...Carter ends up on the apron...he dumps Devlin to the outside, then moonsaults into a final cut. Back in the ring...twisting suplex NEARLY wins Carter the title. He climbs for a Phoenix Splash...Devlin moves and catches Carter with a Spanish-Fly. Devlin goes for the Devlin-side but Carter counters it into a code red! ONLY TWO! Carter goes for another springboard maneuver...Devlin catches him in a Texas Cloverleaf...Carter is in trouble...he somehow gets to the ropes. Devlin finally connects with the Devlin-side to retain.

Jordan Devlin wins by pinfall to retain the NXT cruiserweight championship

Afterwards Devlin yells into the camera saying that his open challenge is still on, and that any man under 205 is able to step up to him. Carter slowly begins recovering, looking distraught at losing his first ever matchup in WWE.

That's the show friends.

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