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Csonka’s NXT UK Takeover: Cardiff 2019 Review
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Csonka’s NXT UK Takeover Cardiff 2019 Review
OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Noam Dar defeated Travis Banks @ 14:00 via pin [***½]
– Cesaro defeated Ilja Dragunov @ 12:30 via pin [****]
– NXT UK Tag Team Title Match: Mark Andrews & Flash Morgan Webster defeated Champions The Grizzled Young Veterans & Gallus @ 20:20 via pin [****¼]
– Last Man Standing Match: Joe Coffey defeated Mastiff @ 16:10 via being the last man standing [***¼]
– NXT UK Women’s Title Match: Kay Lee Ray defeated Champion Toni Storm @ 10:00 via pin [***]
– NXT UK Title Match: Champion WALTER defeated Tyler Bate @ 42:20 via pin [*****]
– Follow all of my reviews at this link.
– Nigel & Vic are on commentary.
Travis Banks vs. Noam Dar: They lock up and work to the ropes for the break. Lock up again and back to the ropes, with Dar shoving Banks. Dar looks to work the arm, but Banks makes the ropes and they work into counters and end in a standoff. Dar offers a handshake, looks to attack but Banks lays in kicks. Dar powders, and Banks follows with the apron PK. Back in and Banks covers for 2. Dar now crotches him on the ropes, and follows with a clothesline off the ropes for 2. Dar grounds the action, Banks fires back but Dar tosses him into the ropes and covers for 2 as Banks favors his arm. Dar follows with strikes, and then attacks the knee. Back to the arm he goes, Banks fires back but Dar cuts him off until Banks trips him up and follows with the corner dropkick and German for 2. Banks up top and the double stomp misses, and they work into counters as Dar follows with up kicks and into a submission until Banks cradles him for 2. Banks grounds things, but Dar makes the ropes. Dar attacks the knee and the fisherman’s buster follows for 2. Dar backs off and runs into a kick by Banks, but Dar counters slice of heaven into the ankle lock. he transitions to a knee bar and they trade grounded strikes. Dar trips up Banks and dropkicks him to the floor and slams him to the steps. Back in and the sliding D connects for 2. Dar follows with kicks, but Banks hits John Wooooooooooo. The double stomp follows for 2. Banks now hits the suicide dive. Dar fires back, but Banks hits slice of heaven on the floor. Back in and the top rope double stomp follows for 2. They trade strikes, kicks, and Dar connects with uppercuts until Banks levels him with a rolling forearm. The running knee strike follows, but Dar counters slice of heaven and the Nova roller finishes it. Noam Dar defeated Travis Banks @ 14:00 via pin [***½] This was a very good opening match with an invested crowd. It was also the best Dar match in some time.
– Cesaro is backstage, and is ready for his open challenge. Ilja Dragunov will answer it. Dragunov heads to the ring and says he is here and calls out Cesaro.
Cesaro vs. Ilja Dragunov: Dragunov attacks at the bell, but Cesaro battles back and follows with chops and a shoulder tackle. Dragunov cuts him off and then gets caught and they work into counters. They trade strikes, kicks by Dragunov follow and the senton follows for 1. Dragunov hits a clothesline, but Cesaro then tosses him to the floor. He follows him out and slams him off the barricade. Back in and Cesaro lays the boots to Dragunov and follows with a slam and leg drop for 2. Cesaro grounds the action, and then hits the belly to back suplex for 2. He stuns Dragunov off the ropes, and grounds things. Dragunov counters back, but Cesaro cuts off the 61-line into a big swing for 40-seconds. The crowd loves this. The crossface follows, Dragunov fights for the ropes but Cesaro rolls him back center ring. Dragunov counters into a cradle, and follows with 61-line. The clothesline follows, Cesaro battues back but Dragunov follows with a Saito suplex and suicide dive. Back in and Dragunov hits coast to coast for 2. He follows with chops, they trade and Dragunov lights him up until Cesaro hits a press slam gut buster for 2. The running uppercut follows for 2. Dragunov gets the desperation backslide for 2. The Blu-ray follows, Dragunov heads up top and the big senton connects for 2. Dragunov sets for torpedo Moscow, but Cesaro counters into the pop up uppercut and the Gotch finishes it. Cesaro defeated Ilja Dragunov @ 12:30 via pin [****] This was a great, hard-hitting and competitive match where Cesaro came of like a complete star and Dragunov lost nothing in loss. This Cesaro NXT UK run has so much potential.
– Cesaro teases the post match attack, but they embrace.
– Arian Street & Miss Linda are in attendance.
NXT UK Tag Team Champions The Grizzled Young Veterans vs. Gallus vs. Mark Andrews & Flash Morgan Webster: Gibson and Andrews begin, with Gibson grounding the action. He starts going for covers, but Andrews counters out and gets grounded again. Drake in and Andrews follows with arm drags, kicks, and tags in Flash for double teams and Andrews covers for 2. Wolfgang tags in and Drake powders. Andrews follows with a dropkick, and it breaks down into a six-way stand off. Coffey tags in and Andrews hits RANA, runs wild and he and Flash follow with dives. Back in and Flash hits the moonsault press until Wolfgang makes the save. Drake tags in and the champions take control. He takes Flash to the floor, and the champions follow with double teams in the floor. Back in and Gibson follows with a slam for 2. Drake tags back in and hits a back breaker for 2. He grounds the action, Coffey tags in and Flash fires back, Gibson tags in and Flash gets the tag. Andrews runs wild with strike sand chops, The enziguri follows and Coffey cuts him off until Andrews hits the double PELE. Dives follow from Flash & Andrews, back in and they isolate Gibson as Drake makes the save. Flash flies in with a cannonball, double teams follow until Coffey cuts them off. Wolfgang joins n for double teams and the cove gets 2. They isolate Andrews, Flash takes out Coifey, poison RANA by Andrews follows and that gets 2. Andrews heads up top, but Gibson crotches him and it breaks down. Coffey heads up with Andrews and Andrews knocks him off onto the pie and then follows with a shooting star press onto the pile. Back in and Andrews hits stundog millionaire, swanton by Flash follows for 2. The champions cut off Andrews, and hit helter skeltor and the 450 for 2. Drake tags in and Flash takes out Gibson and Gallus is back in, Wolfgang and Coffey run wild as Wolfgang spears Andrews. Coffey follows with an assisted dive with Wolfgang’s help. They isolate Andrews, and the enziguri/powerslam combo follows until Flash makes the save. Gallus attacks him and it completely breaks down, destroyer by Andrews, and the champions hit a suicide doomsday on the floor onto Wolfgang. The champions come face to face with Andrews & Flash, and they brawl. Stundog millionaire by Andrews, Flash hits the 450 and Gibson pulls out the ref. They take out Andrews, and the champions hit ticket to mayhem on Flash, Drake takes out Gallus but Andrews hits a shooting star press and we have NEW champions! Mark Andrews & Flash Morgan Webster defeated Champions The Grizzled Young Veterans & Gallus @ 20:20 via pin [****¼] This was really great overall, with Mark Andrews & Flash Morgan Webster being great babyfaces, and the crowd being really into their possible title win and reacting huge to them finally overcoming and winning. There were some really great teases and near falls down the stretch and the title change was the right call. Gallus were fine here as the bullies, but were really the afterthought in the match. But this actually came off much better than I had anticipated. Hopefully, we get a Grizzled Young Veterans vs. new champions match soon.
Last Man Standing Match: Mastiff vs. Joe Coffey: They start on the floor and then brawl into the ring. Both men start attacking the injuries of the other from their previous meeting and Joe gets slammed to the corner and the TOP ROPE BUCKLE breaks off the post. Mastiff now beats on Joe with the buckle and grinds the, metal part into his face. Joe battles back with a Saito, but Mastiff pops up and hits a nasty looking German as Joe spills to the floor. Mastiff follows him out, but Joe gets a pool cue and attacks to cut him off. He spears him to the barricade, pulls out a table, but Mastiff fires back. He gets a cricket bat and they continue to brawl. Bat shots by Mastiff, but Joe spears him through the table on the floor. Mastiff fights back and hits a German on the floor, gets the chain Joe brought out and starts using it to attack Joe. Mastiff gets out another table, props it up against the barricade and they fight over the chain until Mastiff cannonballs Joe through the table. The ref counts, Mastiff is up and so is Joe. They brawl into the crowd, as Mastiff follows with chair shots. Joe cuts him off with a rolling lariat, and they then get chairs and charge at each other for the double down. Mastiff stalks Joe, and tosses him into the commentary table. Mastiff dismantles the table, clearing it off and lays Joe on it follows him up. Mastiff follows with a Finlay roll onto the table, and both men are down. They get back to their feet and climb up into the pre-show set, and brawl. They tease a suplex, and then fall off the set and through a table. The ref starts the count, and Joe makes it to his feet to pick up the win. Joe Coffey defeated Mastiff @ 16:10 via being the last man standing [***¼] Last man standing matches can be really hit or miss, but this was an overall good and hard-hitting plunder brawl and they improvised well around the broken rope.
How strong is #Bomber @DaveMastiff???
Well, he just BROKE THE RING with @Joe_Coffey's body! #LastManStanding #NXTUKTakeOver: Cardiff pic.twitter.com/qtaol3dO6V
— WWE (@WWE) August 31, 2019
– Tegan Nox is in attendance.
UK Women’s Champion Toni Storm vs. Kay Lee Ray: Ray powders and stalls to begin, playing some mind games. Storm then hits a suicide dive and they brawl at ringside. Storm lays in strikes, slams her to the barricade and back in, they trade strikes and Storm follows with a big forearm and lays in kicks. Ray fires back, laying in kicks and then chokes her out in the ropes. She follows with chops, and then grounds the action. The suplex follows for 2. Ray follows with slaps, Storm fires back and hits the superkick and clothesline. The German follows, and the clothesline connects. Ray fights back, countering Storm zero until Storm hits the code red for 2. Ray then cradles her for 2. Head butt by Storm and Storm zero follows for 2; she’s shocked. Ray fires back, hits the superkick and another. The Gory bomb connects and that gets 2. Ray takes her up top and follows with strikes. She heads up with her, they trade and Storm teases Storm zero but then flips over and hits the German off the ropes for 2. The suicide dive follows, back in and Ray hits a knee strike and then hits the run up senton to the floor, almost crashing and burning. Back in and they trade, Gory bomb into the ropes and then the Gory bomb proper follows for the win. Kay Lee Ray defeated Champion Toni Storm @ 10:00 via pin [***] This was good, but a bit disappointing with a flat finish that the crowd didn’t seem ready for.
UK Champion WALTER vs. Tyler Bate: No Imperium with WALTER. They lock up and work to the ropes, Bate fires away with leg kicks and they circle. Bate looks to work the arm, they work to the ropes and Bate follows with more leg kicks. WALTER starts to overpower Bate, but Bate fires up and he follows with a back elbow. WALTER backs him off, they trade and WALTER grounds the action. Bate looks to power up, but WALTER drags him back down. Bate again tries to get back to his feet, does, but WALTER hits a shoulder tackle, Bate counters back and hits a slam and knocks WALTER to the floor. Dropkicks follow, but WALTER fights back and slams Bate to the buckles until Bate hits a RANA and follows with the suicide dive, but WALTER catches him and follows with chops and then the apron bomb. He slams him to the barricade, and then powerbombs him to the post. Bate gets checked on by medical, and he refuses help and will continue. He rolls back in and WALTER lays the boots to him. The slam follows, and then lays in kicks. Bate is down, WALTER dares him to fight so Bate fires back and gets kicked in the face. WALTER grounds the action, bate tries to rally but WALTER lays in kicks to keep him grounded. Clubbing strikes follow, bate fights off the sleeper and lays in strikes and then collapses trying to slam WALTER. WALTER follows with a crossface, but Bate makes the ropes. WALTER follows with clubbing strikes in the ropes, and Bate spills to the floor. He rolls back in and WALTER grounds him, maintaining control. bate tries to power up, but WALTER keeps him grounded and hits the seated splash for 2. WALTER follows with kicks, and then thunderous chops. He lays the boots to bate, just toying with his victim. Bate fires back, but WALTER follow with more corner chops and then bend him over the top buckle. To the apron they go, WALTER looks for a powerbomb, but Bate fights it off and WALTER follows with strikes until Bate hits an XPLODER to the floor! bate slam him to the barricade, rolls him back in and follows with a trio of leg drops. Bate follows with uppercuts, knee strikes and the flying uppercut is met with a chop. WALTER follows with the crab, and then transition to a liontamer. He then locks on the crossface, Bate struggles and crawls but WALTER follows with elbows and then about bends him in half until Bate makes the ropes. They fight over a suplex, chops from WALTER and bate then counters into a suplex. Hw follow with strikes, uppercuts, clotheslines, and the rolling Liger kick. The XPLODER follows and both men are down. Bate kips up and hits the running shooting star press for 2. The Tyler driver is countered, uppercuts by WALTER and they trade until WALTER counters the Tyler driver again. John Woooooooooo by WALTER but Bate counter the powerbomb into a code red for a GREAT near fall. Bate slowly heads up top and WALTER rolls to the apron. Bate follows with strikes from the top, WALTER follows him up and Bate teases a suplex to the floor but WALTER follows with clubbing strikes and chops. WALTER heads up top, but Bate cuts him off with a head butt and follows him up and snaps the fingers in an ode to Dunne. The avalanche XPLODER follows for another GREAT near fall. thy trade strikes from their knees, Bate then attacks the leg and is cut off with strikes from WALTER. Bate fires up with strikes, but is dropped with chops. but Bate says not today mate and keeps coming and hits bang and bop. WALTER fires back as they fight from the mat, back fist by Bate and WALTER now lays in a flurry until Bate attacks the knees until WALTER takes him out with a suplex for 2. Bate counters the powerbomb and hits the airplane spin. He takes WALTER up top and HITS THE BURNING HAMMER in an ode to Seven, but is slow to cover and WALTER rolls to the floor. Bate now follows with a suicide dive and then rolls back in and follows with the tope con hello! Back in and Bate hits the dead lift German for 2. The Tyler driver is countered into a northern lights but Bate powers up and hits it anyway and covers for a tremendous near fall. Bate follows with the spiral tap and that gets 2. bate follows with strikes, working over WALTER in the corner, and WALTER finally kicks his face off and locks in the choke. Bate fights and powers up with WALTER on his back, and slams him to the mat to escape. WALTER grabs the choke again, Bate again tries to fight out and kicks off the ropes and over. WALTER grabs the choke again, but Bate pulls him to the apron and follows with elbows until WALTER hits a chop and half and half suplex onto the apron. Back in and WALTER heads up top and the top rope splash only gets 2! The half and half follows and Bate again kicks out! WALTER is pissed, slaps Bate and the powerbomb gets 1! WALTER is fucking shocked. He follows with chops and a huge lariat to finally pout Bate away. Champion WALTER defeated Tyler Bate @ 42:20 via pin [*****] They had a great angle coming into this match, and just kept it simple to play off of that. They did callbacks to the Bate injury angle, WALTER was the perfect bully bate an equally amazing resilient babyfaces. Bate with odes to Dunne & Seven, who WALTER brutalized and beat, were beautiful little touches that really added to the story and match as a whole. The work was absolutely top notch, the drama spectacular, and the crowd was amazing and added a ton to this. The closing stretch was scintillating, dramatic, and really out it over the top for me. This was everything I wanted and more as they delivered a certified MOTY contender.
– Bate gets a standing ovation following the match as Dunne & Seven arrive to console him in what almost felt like a curtain call/farewell for the trio in NXT UK.
The 411 on Wrestling Podcast returns to the 411 Podcasting Network for episode 46. On the show, the good brother, Jeremy Lambert, joins 411’s Larry Csonka and the guys will breakdown and preview the huge weekend of events, including NJPW Royal Quest, NXT UK Takeover Cardiff, & AEW All Out. The show is approximately 117-minutes long.
* Intro
* NJPW Royal Quest Preview: 3:45
* NXT UK Takeover Cardiff Preview/Cesaro Possibly to NXT UK: 24:45
* AEW All Out Preview: 44:00
* Big Show Related Announcement: 1:48:30
You can subscribe and listen to the 411 on Wrestling Podcast via the above player on Transistor, or on the following platforms:
* iTunes
* Spotify
* Stitcher
* Google Play
– End scene.
– Thanks for reading.
