Hamilton’s NXT UK Review 11.25.21

Quick Results
Jordan Devlin pinned Mark Andrews in 9:48 (***¼)
Isla Dawn pinned Aleah James in 4:20 (*¾)
Jinny pinned Angel Hayze in 2:37 (*)
Heritage Cup: Noam Dar beat Sam Gradwell by 2 falls to 1 at 2:54 of Round 4 to retain (***¼)

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We’re back at the BT Sport studio in London for what I believe is part of a new set of tapings… Andy Shepherd and Nigel McGuinness are on commentary.

Jordan Devlin vs. Mark Andrews
This one was set up last week after Devlin interrupted a brief Mandrews promo. Hope you weren’t out of the room when that was on… Flash Morgan Webster was apparently looking for something for Mark, but couldn’t find it as he shooed him to the ring.

Devlin’s waistlock takedown has Andrews on the mat from the off, as he focused Andrews lower back in the early going. Headscissors and a dropkick have Andrews ahead, with a monkey flip nearly spiking the Irishman ahead of a stinging slap.

A snap ‘rana leads to a two-count, but Devlin strikes back with chops, then with a Kitchen Sink knee, before an over-the-shoulder backbreaker resumed the earlier focus. Boot choking has Andrews through the ropes, while snapmares and elbow drops wore Andrews down some more.

Andrews counters another backbreaker into a satellite DDT, sparking a comeback with chops before the knee slide and leaping enziguiri had the Irishman down. The wheelbarrow Stomp 182 follows, before Andrews planted Devlin with a sitout powerbomb for a near-fall. Devlin avoids a superplex, then slingshotted into the ring with a cutter for a near-fall, before Andrews fought off a Spanish Fly off the top rope, bringing Devlin down with an avalanche reverse ‘rana.

A Code Red’s next for a near-fall before a shooting star press landed in Devlin’s knees for a near-fall. From there, Andrews hits back with Stundog Millionaire as things stayed even thorough a count-out tease. Back inside, a headbutt and the Devlinside looked to land Andrews heavily on his on his shoulder, and that’s the win. A good little TV match, but this felt a little rushed in the middle. ***¼

The assistant to the regional manager announces that Moustache Mountain will face Pretty Deadly for the tag titles in two weeks… and then we get a recap of Charlie Dempsey joining Teoman and Rohan Raja’s group. We then go backstage to a suspiciously-dramatically lit locker room as Gallus are upset about what happened, which means that we’re getting a trios feud between the two groups.

They recap Sam Gradwell being annoyed at Noam Dar last week… and then they insert a video from Twitter “earlier this week” of Dar and Sha partying too loud at what looked like the company hotel as they set up the main event tonight. Sam only wrestled last week as well…

That then goes to “now” as Gradwell’s annoyed that his match isn’t for the Heritage Cup. Sha’s got the trophy and some pens from Argos, while Johnny Saint’s been brought back, but he delegates as the assistant to the regional manager announces that it’s for the Heritage Cup.

Aleah James vs. Isla Dawn
So, what’s Isla going to steal here… especially since she’s brought her box of previously-pinched possessions?

Dawn takes James into the corner, then worked the wrist as Aleah countered back in kind. There’s dualling chants, surprisingly, as the pair went hold for hold, until James got pushed into the corner, then charged down out of it. A dropkick from Aleah sends Dawn outside, and apparently has her freaking out too…

Dawn hangs up James in the ropes, then came back with stomps, before a PK folded James up for a two-count. An Irish whip bounces Aleah back into the corner, but a second go leads to a floatover and a roll-up for a near-fall, before Dawn went back with a Cobra clutch. James breaks free and hits a series of forearms, as a crossbody gets a two-count… before an inside cradle nearly nicks the win.

James is sent into the corner as Dawn brings her down with a Fireman’s carry into a swinging sidewalk slam, and that’s Dawn’s self-imposed losing streak snapped. A very one-sided TV match. *¾

Post-match, Dawn goes to her box of goodies and gives Aleah her scrunchie back. Is this going to be the Isla Dawn redemption tour?

Xia Brookside is back with the assistant to the regional manager complaining about her lack of a title shot. Daddy’s apparently figured it out, but for next week, as we get another temper tantrum…

Trent Seven and Tyler Bate are excited they’ve got a date for their tag title match. They’re not going to let us down, they reckon… meanwhile Pretty Deadly are looking forward to beating them again.

We were meant to get Dani Luna vs. Angel Hayze… Hayze, who was back after beating Isla Dawn via DQ last month… except Dani’s not here. Jinny is instead, as she’s announced her business relationship with Joseph Conners is over. She’s looking to build back to another title shot.

Angel Hayze vs. Jinny
Jinny attacks the “little girl” from the off, snapmaring and stomping the Scotswoman early on. Knees to the side keep Hayze down, as a chinlock followed, while the crowd tried to revive the old Jinny chant. The Makeover followed out of the corner, and that’s an end to this squash. *

Nina Samuels Show time… she’s trying to interview Meiko Satomura at the Performance Center while Blair Davenport’s watching. Emilia McKenzie shuts it down…

Backstage, Sha Samuels is taping over the names of prior Heritage Cup winners, as that trophy’s being put on the line next.

They show a video package for the Rampage/Dragunov title match as Ilja’s not wearing a turtleneck for once. He says he sees himself as a symbol of endurance, while Rampage seemed peeved by the usual line of questioning, as he took umbrage at Ilja just being champion. Very good, pro wrestling 101 stuff this – and it’s got me looking forward to their match.

During the break, Mark Andrews is sore and waiting for Flash Morgan Webster coming out of the trainer’s room. Kenny Williams mouths off, which leads to Mandrews staring him down, and that’ll be a match soon no doubt.

Heritage Cup: Sam Gradwell vs. Noam Dar (c)
It’s a suddenly-made Heritage Cup match, but will that change catch Gradwell off guard?

Round 1: Dar gets a swig of something from Sha’s hip flask early on as we start with Dar backing into the ropes to while away the opening minute. Dar pulls at Gradwell’s mohawk as a headlock takedown followed, but Gradwell fought his way up and freed himself with a forearm. A slam has Dar down, before he went for the ear. Gradwell returns the favour, then took Dar down again, while a shot with the knee brace KO’d Dar… as a follow-up Samoan Driver gets Gradwell the lead at 2:42 of the round.

Sha’s screaming that Dar’s knocked out, so much so he couldn’t do much recovery between the rounds…

Round 2: Dar’s dropped to the mat, but suckers Gradwell with an inside cradle for a two-count… then got thrown with a front suplex. A back body drop keeps Dar down as Gradwell takes things outside, but Samuels distracts as Dar took over with a dropkick through the ropes, then rolled Gradwell back in for a back elbow. From there, a Nova Roller drops Gradwell to tie it up at 1:35 of the second round.

Round 3: Gradwell throws Dar down, but gets his bad knee kicked away as Dar looked to take the win. By the way, when did Dar “turn face,” or is this a Gallus-like turn with the crowd actually on his side? Grabbing the wrist, Dar wrenches away on Gradwell, then kicked him down for a two-count. Gradwell fights back with forearms, then with a double underhook suplex, before Dar pulled him down into a Champagne Super Knee Bar, going as far as to remove the knee brace as Gradwell held on for the end of the round.

Round 4: Gradwell throws aside his knee brace between rounds, and gets pounced on at the start. Boots take him into the ropes, where Sha Samuels throws the knee against the apron, as a diving forearm to the back of the head from Dar gets a near-fall. A slightly-obscured blade? Gradwell catches a back elbow and returns with a STO for a near-fall, before Dar kicked out the bad knee once more. Another head kick drops Gradwell, with Sha putting his leg on the ropes… but Gradwell’s up to catch Dar on the top rope… Sha throws in a scarf to hold Dar up there, saving him as another kick to the leg sets up Gradwell for another Champagne Super Knee Bar, forcing the stoppage with six seconds left. Yes, it ended 2-1 again, but at least they blitzed through it this time as Gradwell’s put back in his place. Sadly. ***¼

6.5

The final score: review Average

The 411

Another packed-solid episode as they seemed to restart the build for Jinny going for the women’s title - but otherwise we’re still dealing with the same old short-term stuff here.