Hamilton’s NXT UK Review 06.16.22

Quick Results
Tiger Turan defeated Josh Morrell via referee stoppage in 3:03 (NR)
Lash Legend pinned Myla Grace in 4:34 (½*)
Damon Kemp & Wolfgang pinned Sha Samuels & Noam Dar in 12:41 (**¾)

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Once more, we’re live via tape from the BT Sport Studios in London… Nigel McGuinness and Andy Shepherd providing commentary.

Tiger Turan vs. Josh Morrell
Tiger Turan’s been around a bit, mostly peeking in during Kenny Williams’ matches…

We open with a lock-up as Turan works the wrist, taking Morrell down in a hammerlock before he kept hold of the wrist amid a monkey flip. An arm whip took Morrell down after he’d managed to create an opening, as did a shoulder tackle, before Turan cartwheeled in for a suplex.

Morrell misses a clothesline as he tried to swat away a headstand… then ate a crossbody off the top for a near-fall. Morrell stays down after the kick-out, but despite the ref holding up the X it takes a while for the message to get through for the bell to go as the match was waved off due to injury.

Blair Davenport announces her return via a video package – it’s very similar to her introductory packages. They don’t say when she’ll be back…

Myla Grace vs. Lash Legend
Grace gets the remnants of an entrance as she’s being thrown to the proverbial wolves this week…

After shoving Grace away at the bell, Legend runs into a boot in the corner… Lash sits down on a sunset flip, but Grace peels herself off the mat to kick out, before Lash dumped her across the top rope. Grace is frozen on the ropes as Lash charged her off with an uppercut to the floor.

Myla leaps off the top, but she’s caught as Legend bounced her between the ropes ahead of a standing fallaway slam. It gets a delayed two-count, before a press slam on Grace led to her being let down for a forearm. Lash stretches Grace over a knee from there, but Myla manages to flip free eventually and mount a comeback of sorts. Some tiltawhirl headscissors, erm, move Legend, who then ate a 619 to the lower back, then a tornado DDT.

Legend kicks out at two from that, before she put Myla away with a big boot. Not good. NXT getting house shows back will help increase reps, because you really shouldn’t be developing solely in front of the cameras in front of idiots like me who overanalyse your every move. ½*

Sarray’s coming to NXT UK next week. You what? In this gimmick? Are you sure…

That’s followed by the news of Josh Briggs, Brooks Jensen and Fallon Henley joining them… Briggs and Jensen want a shot at the NXT UK tag titles, so you’ve got that to look forward to.

Sha Samuels & Noam Dar vs. Wolfgang & Damon Kemp
They’ve been building this one up throughout this set of tapings, with Damon Kemp being the proverbial pain in the arse for Sha and Dar. We get a recap Kemp and Wolfgang’s piss up montage from last week, complete with the distorted audio and video, and the Morecambe and Wise-ish funny walk…

Kemp swarms Sha to start, rolling him down and taking his back. To no reaction. Sha fights free and tagged himself out. Dar had no better luck, needing to break via the ropes before Kemp spun him with endless gutwrenches ahead of the suplex. Tags bring us to Wolfgang and Sha, as Wolfgang worked the wrist. Oh God, commentary’s doing the TAG thing here, as Kemp came in for a front facelock on Sha after he’d nearly thrown Sha into the corner.

Wolfgang’s back as they work over Sha’s arm, but Sha’s able to force Kemp into his own corner as Dar tagged in. A side headlock’s clung onto, but Kemp pushed free and charge down Dar, who replied with some kicks… only to get caught and flung overhead by the rookie.

Dar’s back elbow knocked Kemp down for a one-count, while Sha tagged back in for an uppercut to Kemp’s lower leg. Quick tags see Sha and Dar swap over for a double-team suplex, which gets a two-count, while a slam from Sha set up for a punt to the back. Dar’s back for a chinlock on Kemp, who powered out… but couldn’t quite make the tag out, as Dar booted Wolfgang off the apron.

An overhead belly-to-belly bought Kemp some time, but Sha tagged back in to splash him in the corner… just as Wolfgang was getting back in position. Kemp counters a double-team suplex and breaks free, then charged through Dar as Wolfgang got the hot tag in and boxed Sha into the corner.

A trip up top sees Wolfgang hit a double sledge to Sha, then a slam and a back senton, before that slam and… a pose. Noam Dar tries to intervene, but Kemp wallops him with a forearm so he could join in the old Gallus pose. O-kay… Dar breaks up the pin as Wolfgang nearly won with a spear tackle, before Sha tried his luck with an inside cradle.

Wolfgang’s thrown into the corner as Dar tagged back in, knocking Kemp off the apron as some double-teaming led to a Michinoku driver from Sha for a near-fall. A Butcher’s Hook from Sha’s escaped as Wolfgang tagged out to Kemp, who hauls Sha with a German suplex… Dar saves things and distracts the ref, allowing Sha to rake the eyes, only for Wolfgang to trip Sha with a scarf, allowing Kemp to win with a powerslam. **¾

After the match, Sha charged back into the ring to get him some more, only to get speared down by Wolfgang.

Next: Trent Seven’s out to address the NXT UK crowd after he and Tyler Bate lost the tag titles a few weeks back.

Next week: Nina Samuels vs. Sarray… plus Ashton Smith & Oliver Carter defend the NXT UK tag team titles against Josh Briggs & Brookes Jensen.

Our main event segment sees Trent Seven with his own entrance video come out, towel around his neck. Trent’s asked for time to explain his mindset, saying he genuinely didn’t know what was going to happen if/when he lost the tag titles. Apparently he doesn’t feel like how he used to, and he’s made a decision on his future. Except Trent wants to tell Tyler Bate to his face, so out comes his tag team partner, sans music.

Trent talks about his, Tyler (“and the other one”)’s shared time as British Strong Style… through to Moustache Mountain winning the NXT UK tag titles… and of course, winning the proper NXT tag titles at Royal Albert Hall. Having been there for it, that feels like a lifetime ago. Trent’s voice starts to break as he thanked Tyler for being part of “the ride,” before the “one sweet” and hug ended with Trent dropping to a knee and blow blowing Tyler.

Those “Moustache Mountain” chants quickly evaporated, and were replaced with “you sold out” chants. Sold out for what, exactly? Trent declared in the gravelliest of voices, “I never needed you,” then proceeded to drop Tyler with a Birming-Hammer as he left Tyler laying with a towel draped over him.

5.0

The final score: review Not So Good

The 411

When the line-up for this was posted, I had my worries… and they were borne out. The abrupt ending to the opening match continues this show’s spotty history with injury stoppages, which does make you wonder… and based on this set of tapings, the run-outs for “full fat” NXT talent hasn’t been a hit, but they’re going to keep trying to make NXT UK part of developmental.