Hot on the heels of NXT Takeover Blackpool, there is no surprise that the hype had rolled over onto this edition of NXT UK. The show begins with a wonderful and powerful recap of the nights thrilling match ups and promises to continue the momentum as the NXT machine keeps rolling.
The main event advertised is a tag team match featuring Mark Andrews & Flash Morgan Webster v Fabian Aichner and Marcel Barthel.
The first match up is Ligero versus Saxon Huxley
This match is jagged and mis-stepped in places but there were moments of brilliance. I had to remind myself that NXT UK is a developmental roster and although the product itself is polished, the wrestlers are honing their craft.
These two didn’t gel though, they have two very different styles and they couldn’t seem to find a common ground. Huxley shows signs of a trademark heel. He has a slow, steady and methodical pace and when he lands an upper cut, boy does his opponent know about it.
Ligero is very showy and flashy and I really like this style of wrestling. There’s a lot of high flying, twists and turns, innovative reversals. He executes a well-timed Springboard DDT off the middle rope and then lands a really nice variation of a Stunner, a move he calls C4L (Crazy For Ligero) where he lands a Stunner as he jumps off the top rope. The last thirty seconds of this match showed the potential of Ligero and I’m excited to see what he does going forward, especially when paired with someone who’s style compliments his. As for Huxley, jury is still out for me.
The second match of the night is The White Witch, Isla Dawn versus The Fashionista, Jinny.
I absolutely love Isla Dawn’s look and gimmick. The lighting, the entrance, everything about it is fabulous but I’m not overly sold on her ability right now. Jinny showed more technical ability throughout the match. It dragged a little at times as there was a lot of joint manipulation, hammerlocks, and attempts to wear each other down. I look forward to a time where they have confidence to do more but Isla Dawn has a long way to go. But that’s not to say she doesn’t have promise. She delivered a nice high angle back drop which would have looked better if Jinny had sold it, but it still looked nice. I love that Jinny uses the X-Factor as her finisher. It’s a great move and needed re-establishing and bringing back into circulation.
Travis Banks video segment sees him calling our Jordan Devlin following his sneak attack at NXT Blackpool, which meant he was unable to compete. It Is quickly confirmed that the match will take place next week.
The third and final match is the main event tag team match; Mark Andrews & Flash Morgan Webster v Fabian Aichner and Marcel Barthel.
This match is just pure class from start to finish. Andrews is a genuine pleasure to watch. His gimmick is simple and catchy, his style is quick and high flying. He has this uncanny ability to pre-empt two moves head of what’s happening and has such an incredible intuition for match story telling. Webster is fluid and technically sound, especially when he delivers his Hurricanrana. One can’t help but notice he’s using two of Jeff Hardy’s moves’ Swanton Bomb and Whisper in the Wind but you know what? It’s great to see different interpretations of these moves.
Barthel and Aichner have tag team chemistry that some teams only dream of. Both teams deliver some incredible tandem offence. At one point Andrews and Webster jump, in tandem, over the top ropes, flipping over onto their opponents as the ‘NXT’ chants erupt from the audience.
Martel pulls out some great offence with a Brainbuster and the finisher he and Aichner deliver to close the match is incredible. They set up Andrews for a Powerbomb, spin him around, then European Uppercut Andrews inside out.
Standing flips, innovative reversals, high angel belly to back suplex, head scissors, suplex reversed into a stunner. As well as chops, drop kicks, elbows, powerhouse moves, showboating, this match had everything including some of the best technical wrestling this side of the Atlantic.
This week was the first week I’ve watched NXT UK but I tells ya, it won’t be my last. They all have incredible potential and I’m excited to see what the growth of this looks like, especially with the launch of the UK Performance Centre. Keep you eyes on British wrestling folks, it’s gonna be a hell of a year.
