WWE’s newest brand is ready for their very 1st live Takeover event from Blackpool, England!
The festivities kicked off with a 30 minute preshow hosted by regular NXTUK announcers Nigel McGuinness and Vic Joseph.
Takeover: Blackpool
NXT UK Tag Team Titles: Mustache Mountain (Trent Seven & Tyler Bate) vs Grizzled Young Veterans (Zack Gibson & James Drake)
This match will determine the inaugural NXT UK Tag Champions. Mustache Mountain have to be considered the favorites as they’ve been building blocks for not only the UK tag division but the entire UK brand. They even had brief run with the NXT tag Titles last year. Gibson and Drake can’t be taken lightly though as they’ve held tag titles together in other promotions.
Bate and Gibson, the 2 winners of the 1st two UK tournaments, start the match against one another. Lots of technical mat work and reversals to start the match. The UK crowd is incredibly vocal and firmly on the side of Mustache Mountain.
Frequent tag and fast technical maneuvers made up the early parts of the match, but after some double teaming outside of the ring the heels have now isolated Trent Seven. They send Seven to the outside again, but Bate stops them from doing too much damage. It’s not entirely clear how it happened, but Seven’s head appears to be bleeding. The match continues though, and Drake and Gibson continue to have their way with the veteran.
Seven finally makes the hot tag to Bate who comes in swinging. Middle rope upercut to Gibson. Helicopter spin to Drake. Then, young Tyler Bate hoists BOTH men up on his shoulders for a double spin! With the heels on the outside, Bate hits a standing shooting star from the apron. Mustache Mountain pays homage to the British Bulldogs with a diving headbutt for the 1st nearfall of the match.
Fast back and forth action leads to the heels hitting a Helter Skelter and a 450 splash for a nearfall of their own. Gibson gets Shankly Gates locked into Trent Seven. Bate tries to break up the hold, but Drake locks him into a simultaneous Shankly Gates. The fan favorites seem in trouble of tapping, but Bate’s strength allows him to bring up both holds.
Bate tries to climb the ropes but gets caught by Gibson. With Bate sitting atop Gibson’s shoulders, Drake flies through the ropes and takes him out. Seven tries to follow this with a suicide dive but gets hit with a dropkick. Drake and Gibson then throw Seven back into the ring and hit Ticket to Mayhem to score the victory and claim the titles.
Winners and 1st ever NXT UK Tag Champions: Zack Gibson and James Drake
Fantastic match from some of the biggest stars of the fledgling NXT UK brand.
“Kiwi Buzzsaw” Travis Banks vs “Irish Ace” Jordan Devlin
Before the match footage is shown from earlier in the day of Devlin attacking Banks in the lobby of the venue. We’re told that Banks has been medically cleared to compete, but that he won’t be 100%. Devlin doesn’t even make it all the way down the ramp before a frustrated Banks begins his attack. Unfortunately, Travis is indeed showing signs of injury already, and Devlin takes advantage of the weakness to do more damage outside of the ring before the bell even rings.
Devlin grabs a mic and begins bragging about not having a match, but assistant to the general manager Sid Scala hits the ramp and says that there will be a match. Lights out… FINN BALOR!
Jordan Devlin vs Finn Balor
Balor in the ring face to face with a young man he trained, and the protege dares to slap his teacher. Finn immediately fires back and takes charge, but Devlin slips out of the ring and evades. Devlin takes charge long enough to stand center ring and mock Balor’s outstrechted arm pose. The two Irishmen who know each other extremely well trade control of the match often.
At this point I must apologize for not keeping up with every move as I’m enjoying watching it too much to divert my attention to the keyboard.
After multiple failed attempts, Balor finally hits the Coup de Gras on Devlin for the victory.
Winner: Finn Balor
Teacher and student, both of similar size and style, put on a show that simply must be seen with your own eyes.
Luke Menzies, a former rugby player who has been seen competing on NXT before, is shown in the audience.
No DQ Match: “Bomber” Dave Mastiff vs Eddie Dennis
The match starts with both men trading fists center ring. The trading of blows continues outside the ring until Mastiff tosses Dennis into the ring steps. Big Dave picks up those steps and places them inside the ring, but Dennis takes charge with a “Singapore Cane” (known in regular WWE as a kendo stick). Mastiff eventually gets his hands on the cane and returns the favor with some stiff strikes of his own.
Mastiff tries for a crossbody, gets caught by Dennis and then back dropped onto the steel steps. Dennis takes the ring announcers chair but doesn’t get a chance to use it. The next weapon of choice is a table, which Dennis sets up in the corner. Mastiff makes a comeback and drops his opponent onto an exposed area of the floor that Dennis himself removed the pads from earlier.
Dennis tries to pick up Bomber to put him through the table, but doesn’t have enough strength left. They trade few blows before a German release suplex and a cannonball through the table are enough for the win.
Winner and still undefeated: Dave Mastiff
Not a bad big man battle establishes Bomber Dave as a force to be reckoned with on the brand.
A new ad for Fighting With My Family is shown followed by a shot of MYC veterans Kay Lee Ray and Jazzy Gabert in the audience.
NXT UK Women’s Title: Rhea Ripley(c) vs Toni Storm
Ripley charges in with a knee, but Storm answers with a flurry of forearm strikes. Ripley slips out of the ring and gets caught with a suicide dive. Storm tosses Ripley back into the ring, but gets a kick in the head while trying to climb back in herself.
Ripley now stomping Toni in the corner and then locks her up center ring and tries to wear her down. Storm eventually fights out, but the comeback doesn’t last long. The powerhouse Ripley uses her strength to remain in control until a desperation head butt from Storm leaves both women on the mat.
Now back on their feet the women are trading fierce blows center ring. Storm hits 2 German suplexes, but the champ fights out before she can hit a 3rd. Toni makes her first attempt at hitting Storm Zero, but Ripley fights out. Ripley now has an inverted clover leaf locked in, but Storm reverses into an ankle lock.
The champion hits the Riptide, but Storm kicks out. Ripley taunts Toni while hitting a series of clotheslines. Storm uses another headbuut to break free and hit Storm Zero, but Rhea kicks out. Storm counters out of another Riptide to hit a 2nd Storm Zero and score the victory.
Winner and new NXT UK Women’s Champion: Toni Storm
Another hard fought match between the top two stars of the UK women’s division.
An ad for the network special airing after Takeover all about announcer Nigel McGuinness’ legendary 20 year career. Charlotte Flair is shown watching in the audience.
WWE UK Title: “Bruiserweight” Pete Dunne(c) vs “Iron King” Joe Coffey
The match starts with a stare down and a tie up before Dunne starts going for joint manipulation. With Coffey tied up in a figure four Dunne applies pressure to the ankle. Coffey breaks free and they go for a bit of a reset.
After a bit of back and forth, the champ locks in a Regal stretch, but the challenger makes it to the rope. Coffey picks up Dunne in a suplex position, but Dunne uses knees to the head to transition into another submission attempt. Now outside the ring Coffey slams the champion onto the ramp and then retreats to the ring to attack Dunne when he tries to enter.
Dunne tries a little “got your nose” with his opponent before falling victim to a belly to belly suplex. He quickly recovers though and makes a strong comeback. The champ hits a moonsault from the middle rope onto Coffey on the outside. Back inside the ring Coffey makes a comeback and hits a power bomb for a 2 count.
The Iron King has Dunne in a Boston crab. Dunne tries to reach the rope and Coffey kicks him in the head. The champ appears to be out, but comes back to life just in time to reach the ropes and break the hold. They trade a brutal series of headbutts center ring until they’re each on the mat. Dunne tries for several submission holds while Coffey uses his size and strength to prevent them from being completely locked in.
Dunne hits the Bitter End for a 2 count. Coffey rolls himself to the outside to recover. Dunne tries to climb the ropes but gets caught and power bombed onto the apron. Both men nearly get counted out but make it back in the ring at the count of 9.
Back in the ring Coffey is punching and kicking a prone champ. Dunne manages escape and deliver some kicks of his own. Big discus lariat from the challenger scores a nearfall. Coffey tries for another clothesline but gets caught in an armbar by the champ. Somehow Coffey manages to climb the ropes WITH Dunne still attached and send both men crashing to the mat.
Coffey tries to hit the Bitter End but Dunne reverses into a DDT and follows it up with a Bitter End of his own. The challenger escapes before he can be pinned though. Both men on top of the ropes, but before they can do whatever they had planned they fall in separate directions. Both men appear to be ok and the match continues.
Coffey again climbs the ropes followed by Dunne and this time they both go crashing to the outside potentially hitting the barrier. Back inside Dunne hits another Bitter End but when it’s still not enough he quickly transitions into a submission and finally makes Coffey tap.
Winner and still WWE UK Champion: Pete Dunne
A very different style of match from the previous ones on the show, but very exciting in its own way. This was perhaps the closest anyone has come to dethroning Dunne, but his historic 600+ day reign continues.
As Dunne celebrates post match, new music hits and new superstar Walter walks out on stage. The crowd goes nuts as Walter walks to the ring and stares down Pete Dunne. Joe Coffey tries to jump back into the ring, but Walter kicks him out. We end with Walter and Dunne staring each other down. I think we have our next challenger to the UK title.
Coming up in two weeks: NXT Takeover Phoenix and Royal Rumble
