Csonka’s NXT UK Review 3.13.20 (Ep. 86)

Csonka’s NXT UK Review 3.13.20 (Ep. 86)

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Pretty Deadly defeated Gordon & Moloney @ 6:05 via pin [**½]
– Noam Dar defeated Ligero @ 6:10 via pin [**¾]
– Dani Luna vs. Amale went to a no contest @ 2:00 [NR]
– Finn Balor defeated Alexander Wolfe @ 8:25 via pin [**¾]

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– Nigel McGuinness & Andy Shepard are on commentary.

– Finn Balor arrives to kick of the show. He’s not here to boost ratings, he’s here for WALTER if he has the balls to face him. WALTER arrives and slowly heads to the ring, staring down Balor from the entranceway as Imperium arrives. Wolfe welcomes him to NXT UK, the domain of Imperium and they are here to give hi a proper welcome. They surround Balor, but Balor fights back and escapes.

– Piper Niven says she got involved with Toni vs. KLR because she and Toni are like sisters, and couldn’t allow KLR to cripple her. She looked at KLR and realized that she’ll have to do something about her.

– We get a Tyler Bate video package.

Pretty Deadly vs. Gordon & Moloney: Pretty Deadly attack and take control right away, isolating Moloney as they work quick tags and double teams. Moloney cuts off Howley and tags in Gordon. They work double teams and Gordon controls with strikes and a head scissors for 2. Howley battles back, Stoker distracts Gordon and he tags in as they lay the boots to Gordon. Quick tags follow as Pretty Deadly isolates Gordon, covering for 2. They continue the heat, working more double teams and grounding Gordon. Gordon slowly fires up to his feet, and tags in Moloney. Moloney runs wild until Howley cuts him off and Deadly Pretty finishes it. Pretty Deadly defeated Gordon & Moloney @ 6:05 via pin [**½] This was a perfectly solid opener, with Pretty Deadly picking up their first NXT UK win.

– Alexander Wolfe demands a match with Finn Balor. Jordan Devlin arrives, and he will defend his title in two weeks, against Travis banks. Devlin laughs this off.

– Gallus arrive and harasses Mastiff, Webster, & Andrews, setting up a trios match for next week.

Noam Dar vs. Ligero: Dar tries to stall, wanting no part of Ligero early on. Dar grabs at his mask, pissing Ligero off and then taking out his knee and dumping him. He works him over on the floor and back in, covers for 2. Dar delivers ground and pound, and starts attacking the arm of Ligero. He grounds Ligero, ripping at his mask and they then trade leg kicks until Ligero dumps him. He follows with a plancha, and back in, Ligero delivers strikes and kicks. The inverted DDT follows for 2. Dar counters back, but Ligero cradles him for 2. Dar pulls the arm bar. Ligero escapes and follows with the pop up right. Dar quickly cuts him off and Nova roller finishes it. Noam Dar defeated Ligero @ 6:10 via pin [**¾] This was another solid match that I had higher hopes for but never left first gear.

– Travis Banks says he will beat Devlin for the cruiserweight championship n two weeks.

Dani Luna vs. Amale: They lockup and Luna overpowers Amale to begin. Amale fires back to counter a slam, they work some slow motion exchanges until Luna hits a fall away slam. NXT UK Women’s champion Kay Lee ray arrives and attacks for the no contest. Dani Luna vs. Amale went to a no contest @ 2:00 [NR] Yup.

– Post match, KLR says the division belongs to her. Luna attacks, but quickly gets laid out by KLR.

– We get a video package for Aoife Valkyrie.

– NEXT WEEK: Gallus vs. Mastiff, Webster, & Andrews.

Finn Balor vs. Alexander Wolfe: Balor attacks, grounding Wolfe and taking early control. Wolfe fights to his feet, fires back and is cut off with a basement dropkick. He keeps Wolfe grounded, and then follows with kicks and strikes. Balor delivers chops, controlling with ease and covering for 2. Wolfe quickly cuts him off with a backbreaker and covers for 2. He grounds Balor, and Imperium arrives at ringside. Wolfe works the bear hug, Balor fires away and escapes. He starts to pick up the pace, taking control and connecting with a dropkick. He stares down and talks shit to WALTER, and just kicks the shit out of Wolfe. Sling blade follows, Aichner & Barthel try to attack and that allows Wolfe to hit a lariat. The ref boots Imperium to the back, Balor and Wolfe trade until Wolfe cradles him for 2. The German also gets 2. Balor counters back into an inverted DDT, Jon Wooooooooo and the coupe de grace; bloody Sunday finishes it. Finn Balor defeated Alexander Wolfe @ 8:25 via pin [**¾] Wolfe has been great in NXT UK, Balor has been great since coming back to NXT, unfortunately this was not great and felt like a big disappointment as Balor’s debut on the brand. It stayed in first gear, had no intensity, no sense of urgency, and just sort of existed.

The 411 on Wrestling Podcast returns to the 411 Podcasting Network for episode 98. On the show, 411’s Larry Csonka & Steve Cook review the latest episodes of NXT & AEW TV, look the Coronairus’ Impact on Wrestling, & preview the ROH weekend events. The show is approximately 105-minutes long.

* Intro
* The Coronairus’ Impact on Wrestling: 2:05
* AEW Dynamite (3.11.20) Review: 33:10
* NXT (3.11.20) Review: 58:40
* The Head to Head Comparison: 1.12.20
* ROH Weekend Preview: 1:18:42

* iTunes
* Spotify
* Stitcher
* Google Play

– End scene.

– Thanks for reading.

5.0

The final score: review Not So Good

The 411

This week’s episode of NXT UK was a completely flat and lifeless show. The promos had no fire to them, with people sounding bored, the matches had no energy and the crowd wasn’t up for anything, including Balor in his NXT UK debut and working in Dublin. It was a clunker of a show, and completely skippable.