November 28, 2018
Birmingham, England – NEC Birmingham
Commentary: Vic Joseph & Nigel McGuinness
Report by WWE.com
Quick Match Results
- Xia Brookside & Millie McKenzie defeated Charlie Morgan & Killer Kelly via spear by McKenzie on Morgan
- Eddie Dennis defeated Ashton Smith via Neck Stop Driver
- Joseph Connors defeated Saxton Huxley via DDT
- WWE UK Championship: Pete Dunne (c) defeated Jordan Devlin via fingers submission
- Joe Coffey vs. Tyler Bate ended in a No Contest after run-ins
- Ligero defeated Dan Moloney via springboard DDT
- Zack Gibson & James Drake defeated Amir Jordan & Kenny Williams via Ticket-To-Ride on Williams
- NXT UK Women’s Championship: Rhea Ripley defeated Toni Storm via the Riptide
Episode 1
Xia Brookside & Millie McKenzie defeated Charlie Morgan & Killer Kelly
In the wake of their spirited individual efforts in the NXT UK Women’s Championship Tournament, second-generation competitor Xia Brookside joined forces with 18-year-old Millie McKenzie against the intense combination of Charlie Morgan & Killer Kelly.
Just when it looked as if the Brookside was en route to deliver a top-rope attack on Morgan in the height of the hard-fought matchup, Kelly interfered on the apron. While Morgan was able to use this to throw Brookside into the ring post, the commotion left the referee distracted and opened the door for Suplex Millie to level Morgan with a spear and paved the way for Brookside to pick up the pin of her fallen opponent.
Eddie Dennis defeated Ashton Smith
After weeks of an aggressive war-of-words, Eddie Dennis battled Ashton Smith. Smith energized the matchup with his explosive offense which included a springboard dropkick, hurling himself over the top rope at his opponent and landing the leg lariat off the top rope for the near fall.
But, the slower, methodical style of the former Headmaster would ultimately win out. In the end, Dennis managed to get ahold of his opponent during their scuffle on the top rope and hurled him into the opposite turnbuckle with the Severn Bridge before hitting the Neck Stop Driver for the victory.
Joseph Connors defeated Saxton Huxley
After Saxton Huxley brushed off a tag attempt by his partner Joseph Connors and cost the tandem their match against Flash Morgan Webster & Mark Andrews in a recent episode of NXT UK, Connors unleashed a post-match assault on his now-former partner.
As a result, the two competitors would square off one-on-one. Though Huxley’s aggression indeed proved his claim that the beatdown he suffered had awoken something within him, Connors ultimately used his power to overcome the slightly bigger Huxley and emerge victorious from the brutal back-and-forth brawl by planting his adversary into the canvas face-first for the three-count.
WWE UK Championship
Pete Dunne (c) defeated Jordan Devlin
Looking to rebrand NXT UK as “NXT Ireland: Featuring the United Kingdom,” Jordan Devlin stepped up to challenge Birmingham’s hometown hero Pete Dunne, the reigning WWE United Kingdom Champion for over 500 days.
Both competitors suffered a hard blow early in the contest, as Devlin leveled the titleholder with an earth-shattering forearm and Dunne answered back with a vicious lariat. It wasn’t long before the sadistic Dunne began to focus on punishing his opponent’s arms and fingers. Devlin would not be dissuaded, though, roaring back with a backstabber and his trademark standing moonsault. But, the intense Dunne welcomed the pain, using Devlin’s strikes to fire himself up and take down his opponent with a brutal forearm, setting the stage for an attack that included a series of devastating kicks, an explosive snap German suplex and a painful armbar submission.
With Dunne’s back clearly in agony, however, Devlin dragged The BruiserWeight into a backdrop driver for the near-fall. Still, despite Devlin hitting his first Spanish Fly of the night, Dunne immediately answered with the brutal submission maneuver that nearly made Devlin tap out.
Outside the ring, after planting Dunne into the steel ring steps face-first, Devlin unleashed an unbelievable second Spanish Fly off those same steps and onto the hard ringside floor.
Back in the ring, Devlin then countered Dunne’s vicious attack with a beautiful inverted hurricanrana for another near-fall. Dunne answered back with a mid-air forearm and the Bitter End. But, when the fight reached the apron, Devlin mercilessly hurled Dunne back, spine-first, into the ring post, before delivering a deviating third Spanish Fly off the top rope. Perhaps sensing victory, Devlin removed Dunne’s mouthguard and hit a devastating superkick, but still couldn’t close out the resilient titleholder.
Devlin then flipped from the top rope at Dunne, but it would prove his undoing. As he descended, Dunne locked in a triangle submission out of nowhere. And, just as Devlin was about to reach the ropes, Dunne flipped him over and back away from the ropes, to rip into the fingers, before bending back the hand to make Devlin finally submit.
Episode 2
Joe Coffey vs. Tyler Bate ended in a No Contest
After tasting weeks of defeat, Sid Scala went to NXT UK General Manager Johnny Saint for an opportunity and walked out of the GM’s office with a future match against Joe Coffey. However, still not medically cleared this week, Scala instead emerged to introduce Coffey’s replacement opponent, Tyler Bate – just weeks after The Coffey Brothers and Wolfgang attacked Moustache Mountain backstage.
Though Bate’s explosive office proved effective against Coffey early on, the distraction by emerging Mark Coffey and Wolfgang allowed the Iron King to take change with a brutal offense. The former U.K. Champion manage to regain momentum, but another distraction by Mark quickly brought the advantage back to his brother.
This continued interference soon brought Trent Seven to the ringside to rally his partner, and Bate would do just that, disorienting Joe with an airplane spin and wheel kick combination.
But, when Bate attempted his Tyler Driver 97 finishing maneuver, Mark Coffey and Wolfgang charged the ring, with Bate’s equalizer Trent Seven leaping in seconds later. As the bell rang and all hell broke loose, the numbers quickly started to work against Moustache Mountain. That was until WWE U.K. Champion Pete Dunne charged the squared circle and allowed British Strong Style to clear the ring.
Ligero defeated Dan Moloney
Bouncing back from a tough loss to Jordan Devlin several episodes ago, Ligero took on Dan Moloney. Though Moloney would demonstrate immense power and aggression throughout, the Leeds Luchadore took advantage of his opponent’s missed leg drop from the ropes to hit a beautiful somersault senton over the ropes and onto the ringside floor before finishing off his opponent with the springboard DDT.
Zack Gibson & James Drake defeated Amir Jordan & Kenny Williams
Amidst promise of the coming NXT UK Tag Team Titles, Amir Jordan & Kenny Williams teamed up for the second time on NXT UK against running mates Zack Gibson & James Drake.
Despite demonstrating both explosiveness and resilience in a very tough combination, in the end, The Bhangra Bad Boy and the Lucky-In fell short when Williams was treated to Ticket-To-Ride, a maneuver that gave Gibson & Drake the big win.
NXT UK Women’s Championship
Rhea Ripley defeated Toni Storm
After fighting their way through two hard-fought matches a piece in the NXT UK Women’s Championship Tournament, Toni Storm and Rhea Ripley squared off in the Finals to crown the first-ever NXT Women’s Champion.
Though Storm started the contest out with an aggressive attack on Ripley that quickly moved outside the ring, the momentum changed in a hurry when she missed her mark and went changing into the ring barricade. Then, in a key moment, Ripley countered her opponent’s attack on the ring apron with a brutal backdrop that sent Storm crashing onto the ring apron, spine-first. Even though her back was clearly in pain, the rocking competitor heroically shook off the referee’s inquiries on whether she could continue and barely beat the 10-count back into the ring. However, the damage had been done.
Ripley refused to relent, and though the resilient Storm fought back, The Mosh Pit Kid was able to unleash an absolutely punishing assault, specifically targeting her opponent’s injured back with ruthless aggression which included locking in her modified Cloverleaf that utilized the arms. Ignoring the pain, Storm delivered three snap German suplexes, before miraculously bridging with her injured back to pick up the near fall.
Ripley fired back, catching Storm with a major dropkick as her opponent was coming off the ropes. Though Storm was able to evade her opponent and sent her charging into the rope post, her Storm Zero attempt was stalled when Ripley countered and tossed her over the top rope and crashing to the ringside floor, adding still more punishment to her lower back.
In the height of the action, the determined Storm thwarted Ripley’s Riptide attempt and looked to finally hit the Storm Zero. But, in a heartbreaking moment, her injured back prevented her from executing her finishing maneuver and opened the door for Ripley to hit the Riptide for the three-count. Rhea Ripley is the first-ever NXT UK Women’s Champion!
And with the NXT UK locker room looking on, Ripley showed uncharacteristic respect to Storm before accepting the NXT UK Women’s Championship from COO Triple H and General Manager Johnny Saint.