Csonka Ranks The WWE UK Championship Tournament Matches

So I lied yesterday when I said that the takeaways column was going to be my final look back at the WWE UK Championship Tournament. I thought that I would go back, and rank the matches from worst to first, creating a play list or sorts if you don’t have four hours to invest into the entire thing. Enjoy, share your personal rankings if you wish and have a good time.

15. From Night One – Sam Gradwell defeated Saxon Huxley @ 6:12 via pin [**]: This was only ok, Gradwell looked good, but Huxley came off as not ready to me. The good news is that Saxon Huxley earned a new cult following as Jesus Christ.

14. From Night One – Joseph Conners defeated James Drake @ 7:20 via pin [**½]: This was another match I’d call fine/solid, it was solid throughout but never got out of second gear. I kept waiting for the pacing or intensity to really pick up and it never did. Conners felt like someone WWE was in love with and tried to push here, but he never connected with me.

13. From Night One – Jordan Devlin defeated Danny Burch @ 9:25 via pin [**½]: This was a solid match, Devlin was set as a heel here, but Burch impressed me more. The finish was unfortunate from a flow stand point, but ended up working as they wanted Devlin to be a heel. It was an odd match, but somehow worked to get Burch over more than his entire WWE developmental run, and Devlin came off well as the heel. Burch should get another look, and Devlin looks positioned well as a secondary heel to Dunne.

12. From Night One – Pete Dunne defeated Roy Johnson @ 8:00 via pin [**¾]: Dunne is so very good, coming off as on a completely different level than Johnson. They gave Johnson a lot, but Dunne shined and was easily the right call as the winner.

11. From Night One – Trent Seven defeated H.C. Dyer @ 5:30 via pin [**¾]: Pretty good stuff to kick things off, they used the time well and it was enjoyable. Seven works and carries himself like a star; Dye had a good look, bumped well and seemed solid overall.

10. From Night One – Wolfgang defeated Tyson T-Bone @ 6:35 via pin [***]: At this part of the show, his was the best match on night one, with a completely different feel and vibe from the other matches. It also had a wonderful sense of urgency and intensity, just two dudes throwing bombs and trying to kick the shit out of each other.

9. From Night One – Mark Andrews defeated Dan Moloney @ 6:00 via pin [***]: I’d call this a good match, clearly and wisely designed as a showcase for Andrews. Whether it’s on a UK show or 205 Live, Andrews was a great get for WWE. The worst part of Andrews’ TNA run wasn’t that they just didn’t use him, at all, but it was that while under TNA contract, they allowed him to work for other companies and got to tear the house down and they were too blind to see his skills.

8. From Night Two – Quarterfinal Match: Mark Andrews defeated Joseph Conners @ 8:40 via pin [***]: This was another good match, with the right guy winning and more energy and sense of urgency as we get deeper into the tournament. I am really happy to see Andrews getting this chance. Conners was better here than on night one.

7. From Night Two – Quarterfinal Match: Tyler Bate defeated Jordan Devlin @ 6:20 via pin [***]: This was a good match, worked at a great pace, with Devlin looking much better than on night one and Bate impressing again. He has amazing poise for being 19-years old, a ton of charisma and a great star presence. Again, they made great use of their time.

6. From Night Two – Semifinal Match: Tyler Bate defeated Wolfgang @ 6:10 via pin [***]: They used the time well, This was short, which was fine, because they set it up well, with commentary noting that Wolfgang was hurt (broken nose and his knee); Bate got the definitive win, surviving the bigger man and looking good again; Bate having to beat the monster Wolfgang, and then suffering a beat down, made him a loveable and supremely sympathetic babyface.

5. From Night Two – Quarterfinal Match: Pete Dunne defeated Sam Gradwell @ 5:10 via pin [***]: This was a good match with great aggression, playing off of yesterday’s angle. The work and finish also made perfect sense, playing into the back injury. They used the time extremely well, and made for a great start to the show.

4. From Night Two – Quarterfinal Match: Wolfgang defeated Trent Seven @ 7:15 via pin [***½]: This was a very good match, with a surprising winner and different vibe than the previous matches. They are allowing these guys to open up more, as hoped/expected, and the energy in the ring is great. Wolfgang has been a pleasant surprise in this tournament, and has delivered. This was tremendously fun, and Wolfgang brings something different to the table, which I am enjoying.

3. From Night One – Tyler Bate defeated Tucker @ 10:45 via pin [***½]: This was a very good main event, the best match on night one; they worked at a great clip, it had good intensity as you felt as if both guys were desperate to win, and they had a strong closing stretch with some very well done near falls. They got to open up more here, and it led to a stronger match.

2. From Night Two – Semifinal Match: Pete Dunne defeated Mark Andrews @ 10:55 via pin [****¼]: Dunne attacks, super aggressive early and slamming Andrews. He grounds him right away, stomping on the neck and looking to pick apart the flippy boy. Andrews hits a cool arm drag and follows with a sweet looking dive. Duune to the floor, attacks the hand of Andrews and looks to stomp on it on the steps, but Andrews hits a RANA as Dunne stands on the steps. Back in the ring, Dunne attacks the arm with kicks and looks extremely pissed off as he does. Dunne gives no fucks as he once again stomps away at the neck of Andrews. Andrews avoids the corner slam, gets a sunset flip, rolls through and into the double stomp. Charging knees by Andrews, into the northern lights and then the standing moonsault, but does an extra rotation, landing on his back onto Dunne, covering for 2. Springboard RANA by Andrews, running shooting star press gets 2 for Andrews. Dunne takes a powder on the floor, Andrews goes for a moonsault, caught and Dunne kills him with a dump suplex onto the apron. PETE DUNNE GIVES NO FUCKS! Dunne follows with another dump suplex onto the ramp. Andrews beats the count, Dunne stomps the ever-living shit out of Andrews for having the audacity to come back into the ring. Andrews counters the X-plex into the stunner. Andrews slowly makes his way up top, Dunne cuts him off, follows him up and they trade strikes and Andrews sends him to the mat, but the shooting star eats knees, Dunne rolls him up for 2 for a great near fall. Andrews counters the bitter end, but then springboards into a forearm strike. Andrews with a counter into a RANA, crowd’s going wild; Andrews up top again, Dunn moves and hits a German into the buckles and then the X-plex and then the bitter end connects, Andrews is done. This was the best match of the tournament so far, with both guys going full throttle and coming away looking like stars. Dunne is a badass, and had to use everything at his disposal to finally put away the underdog, Andrews. He comes offr as a string secondary face to Bate. Beautiful stuff.

1. From Night Two – WWE UK Championship Tournament Finals: Tyler Bate defeated Pete Dunne @ 15:20 via pin [****½]: Bate’s shoulder is taped up, thanks to Dunne’s attack. During the pre-match announcements, Regal is there holding the title belt, looking like he wants to murder Dunne. Bate is 19, Dunne is 23. The added on story, on top of the injury, is that Dunne trained Bate once upon a time. We got a lock up and a surprising clean break from Dunne. Bate does so many little things well, especially for his age. His in ring positioning, looking to work on offense, but also keeping the left side (injured side) away from Dunne. Dunne looked to attack the arm, but Bate with a slick counter exchange, and then a dropkick for separation. The crowd loves Bate, who shoots in for a single leg and looks to work the ankle. They roll to the floor, Dunne quickly attacks the arm and shoulder and then they throw bombs, with Bate knocking Dunne to the floor. Back in and Dunne attacks the arm and beats down Bate in the corner. Bate manages to counter Dunne and posts him, fighting back with the jab and then a springboard uppercut and then an XPLODER for the near fall. Bate looks for the Tyler driver, but was too injured, allowing Dunne to again attack the arm. Bate counters the bitter end with a cradle for 2. Airplane spin by Bate follows, dead lifts him back up and continues to spin Dunne, and covers for 2. Dunne locks in a triangle choke, working on that left arm once again. Bate powers out and POWERBOMBS Dunne out of complete desperation. Bate can’t follow up as he holds onto the arm, Dunne rolls to the floor and Bate hits a fucking Fosbury flop! Back in and Bate hit the 450, but Dunne kicks out on a great near fall. Sweet Christ. Dunne then hits the bitter end, but Bate kicks out! He’s pissed now, locks in the kimura and Bate struggles for the ropes. He rolls, but Dunne keeps the hold. Dunne relentlessly cranks on the arm, Bate to his feet as Dunne hangs onto him, Bate then hits the dead lift into the brainbuster for another great near fall. Bate kooks to pop his shoulder back in, they trade vicious strikes, and Bate fires up, hits the big kick and then a rolling kick. Tyler Driver 97! 1…2…3! Tyler Bate defeated Pete Dunne @ 15:20 via pin [****½] They let these guys go out there to deliver a star-making performance; if Bate had lost, due to the angle and high-quality match, he was still a made man. But this was a clear effort to make a star out of him, and with all they had done with Dunne, he is also a star coming out of this, performing as a top notch heel and delivering in two awesome matches. I can be picky when it comes to selling, but outside of the two big powerup spots, Bate sold the arm and shoulder very well, and those power up/desperation spots added to and did not take away from the match. While I have hope, I cannot predict the future. If WWE chooses to move on with this in some way, they created two top stars on one night. That’ a credit to both performers and the company.