The NXT UK Women’s Championship is on the line!

The Scary Queen of Scots defends her NXT UK Women’s Championship, but her past with Piper Niven might come back to haunt her! Will Piper prove she still has KLR’s number?

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• Walter VS Saxon Huxley; Walter wins.
• The Hunt VS Pretty Deadly; Pretty Deadly wins.
• NXT UK Women’s Championship: Kay Lee Ray VS Piper Niven; KLR wins and retains the NXT UK Women’s Championship.

PLAY BY PLAY

WWE and NXT UK mourn the loss of Road Warrior Animal, Joe Laurinaitis

Sid Scala talks with the NXT UK Heritage Cup Tournament participants.

“Gentlemen, this is a big deal for BT Sports, a big deal for NXT UK.” The draw is coming, so please have some decorum and respect. Noam Dar takes out his phone but Alexander Wolfe slaps it right out of his hands! Scala keeps things civil but Joseph Conners and Trent Seven start pushing. Flash Morgan Webster and Dave Mastiff share a little laugh as Dar picks his phone back up. It turns out it was Mama Dar. Scala tells A-Kid and Wolfe to stop arguing, Conners gets involved so he gets told to shut it, too. The drawing is coming, but will the fighting start tonight?

Walter VS Saxon Huxley!

The Ring General knows the Moscow Madman is watching closely as he takes on a different kind of madness. Will Huxley unleash all of his pent up frenzy on the NXT UK Champion?

The bell rings and Huxley goes to boot but Walter gets around! Walter sleeper holds, Huxley snapmares out and goes after Walter with fists! Walter hits back with big European Uppercuts and a hip toss! Huxley staggers up, Walter clotheslines him out of the ring! Huxley is furious, Walter eggs him on but Walter forearms Huxley back down! Huxley fires up but still gets hit out of the ring! The ref counts, Walter eggs Huxley on and Huxley grows furious! Huxley takes it out on the steel steps! Huxley has the top half, the ref tells him to drop ’em! Huxley obeys, gets up and brawls with Walter at the ropes! The ref counts, Walter spins Huxley to club but Huxley catches the arm! Huxley ROCKS Walter with a right, Huxley is in and he BOOTS Walter! Walter wobbles so Huxley BOOTS again!

Huxley runs but Walter HURDLES! Walter runs into a SCOOP SLAM! Huxley fires up, runs to the corner to go up top, but Walter is up. FLYING CLOTHESLINE! Cover, TWO! Huxley stays fired up as he drops an elbow on Walter’s chest, then drops an elbow on Walter’s back! Walter bails out, Huxley pursues and comes around the way, for a BIG Thesz Press! The ref starts the ring count as Huxley rains down right hands. Huxley lets off to refresh the count at 6. Huxley hurries after Walter again but Walter dodges the boot! Huxley is stuck on the barriers, Walter CHOPS him! Walter wraps on the sleeper hold but Huxley shoulder breakers free! Huxley RAMS Walter into steel steps and gets back in the ring at 7!

Huxley goes back out and runs at Walter again, but Walter scoops and SLAMS him down! And KICKS him hard on the back! The ring count returns but Walter refreshes the count himself now. Walter CHOPS Huxley, and BACK SUPLEXES him across the barriers! And then he gives Huxley an APRON BOMB!! Huxley falls in a heap, the ref checks on him while Walter gets in the ring! Huxley is somehow okay to continue but the ring count returns again. Walter lets the count climb to 5, and Huxley has not moved. It keeps going, Walter eggs Huxley on, and Huxley revives at 7! Huxley is in at 9!! Walter wrenches, CHOPS and CHOPS Huxley! Walter toys with Huxley, Huxley SLAPS Walter!

Huxley fires off more shots, but Walter gets the sleeper hold! Huxley fades, Walter GERMAN SUPLEXES him! Walter toys with Huxley, stomps him hard, then stands him up to CHOP again! Walter hoists Huxley up top, climbs up to join him, and underhooks for a SUPER BUTTERFLY SUPLEX!! Huxley is down in the middle of the ring but Walter dares him to rise! Huxley somehow sits up, grits his teeth as he stands up, and Walter CHOPS him on the back! And then the WALTER BOMB!! Cover, Walter wins!

Winner: Walter, by pinfall

The Divine Beast of the Astral Plane gave the Ring General a battle to be sure, but this is why Walter is Imperium’s leader! Will Ilja Dragunov be able to put up an even greater fight when he and Walter finally face off?

NXT UK catches up with Huxley backstage.

Huxley spots Jack Starz. Starz says, “Better luck next time.” Huxley repeats, “Next time. Next time!” and storms off. Will the fallen opponents of Walter find redemption soon enough?

NXT UK reviews the rules of the Heritage Cup tournament.

All matches in this 8-man single elimination tournament are under British Rounds rules! That means every match will be contested in six three-minute rounds, with only 20 second breaks between the rounds. It will also be best 2-out-of-3 falls, and falls can be won by pinfall, submission or count-out. A round ends when someone scores a fall, and the entire match ends with one superstar scores their second. A disqualification or a knockout automatically ends the match. And if the match goes all the way to the end of the sixth round, the leader on falls wins.

Sid Scala stands in the ring with the Heritage Cup tournament participants.

The Assistant to the General Manager welcomes us to the official tournament bracket draw! He is joined with seven of the eight competitors, they and the wild card are represented by numbers. They will draw one through eight to see who is facing who first, but before that, welcome back the longest reigning NXT UK Champion ever, PETE DUNNE! Trent Seven applauds the loudest, but it’s really just him, A-Kid and Flash Morgan Webster anyway. Dunne makes his way out and stands with the field. “The Heritage Cup is for those who paved the way. The likes of William Regal, Johnny Saint, Mark “Rollerball” Rocco.” Dunne has made it his mission to show the world what British Wrestling is all about. Now it is time for these seven to do the same, and continue the tradition.

Scala draws #3, Joseph Conners. Then #1, Dave Mastiff! The Righteous Killer and the Bomber are the first match-up! Mastiff offers a handshake but Conners does not take it. Scala draws #4, the yet to be named wild card, and #7, Trent Seven! The Man from Moustache Mountain “shakes hands” with the invisible entrant and then mustache tweeze salutes Dunne. The next pairing is #5, the Modfather, and #8, A-Kid! And that of course leaves Dar and Wolfe, and Dar doesn’t need to see the drawing for it. Dar and Wolfe talk trash, Dar goes to hit Wolfe with the bag of balls but Dunne grabs his fingers! Dunne SNAPS the pinkie! Then Dunne whips Dar out to teach him a lesson in respect. But how much respect will there be when all these matches finally happen next week?

Dani Luna and Xia Brookside check in with Piper Niven.

Piper is getting ready, they just want to know if she needs anything. Piper’s good. No more mind games, they’re all ready to see the NEW NXT UK Women’s Champion!

The Hunt VS Pretty Deadly!

Wild Boar and Primate are truly uncaged animals ready to tear into whoever is put before them! Sam Stoker and Lewis Howley like to think of themselves as “tasty dishes,” but will they be on the menu tonight?

The teams sort out and Boar starts against Stoker. They tie up, Boar clamps right on with a wrench and shoulder grip then shifts to a headlock. Boar wrenches, yanks on the arm, and brings Stoker around. Boar clubs the arm, wrenches again but Stoker wrenches back. Boar wrenches and wrings Stoker out but Stoker handsprings through! Stoker comes back but Boar arm-drags him down! Boar covers, ONE, but Stoker is in the wrong corner! Boar tags Primate and Primate leaps to club the arm! Primate wrenches, clubs the arm, and yanks on it. Stoker throws forearms to get free and hurries to take in Howley! Primate trips Howley up and rains down fists! Howley kicks Primate away but Primate comes back, only to get a knee!

Howley bumps Primate off buckles, whips him corner to corner but Primate reverses hard! Howley bounces off buckles into a hip toss! Howley boots Primate away and throws Primate with a headlock takeover. Primate headscissors, Howley pops out but Primate whips him. Howley hurdles but wastes time posing and turns around into a back elbow! Primate scoops Howley to slam him, then tags in Boar. Primate back suplexes Boar for a back senton! Boar glares at Stoker, covers Howley, TWO! Boar keeps on Howley but Howley knees low. Howley whips but Boar reverses. Boar trips Howley up, waistlocks, but Stoker saves Howley from the German Suplex! Boar KICKS Howley’s arms, the ref is busy with him and doesn’t see Stoker hotshot Boar!

Howley dropkicks Boar down, Primate protests but Pretty Deadly gets away with mugging Boar! Stoker tags in, he throws big forearms on Boar and then gives him a back suplex! Cover, TWO! Stoker headlocks and rains down rights right on Boar’s head! Boar grabs at Stoker but Stoker stomps him. Stoker is after the arm, chinbars Boar, but Boar endures and fights up. Stoker knees low, tags Howley in and they mug Boar more. Howley stomps a pretty mudhole in, then throws EuroUppers. Boar pushes back but gets pushed into the corner. Stoker tags in, Howley holds Boar for Stoker to back elbow! Stoker rolls off Howley’s back to then taunt Primate, and the ref has to keep Primate back. Boar blocks a kick and BOMBS Stoker! Cover, TWO!! Stoker survives, Boar hurries but Stoker anchors his feet.

Stoker drags Boar away, tags Howley, and Howley drops elbows all over Boar! Cover, TWO! Primate is chomping at the bit but Howley has Boar in a half nelson chinbar. Howley thrashes Boar around, brings him to a knee and cranks harder. Howley shifts to a keylock, Boar fights back and pulls hair. Howley clubs Boar down, stalks Boar to a corner and headbutts him! To think he’d use the money maker. Howley whips, Boar reverses but Howley goes up and crossbodies! Boar rolls it through, TWO! Howley BLASTS Boar with the EuroUpper! Stoker tags in, throws EuroUppers of his own, and then swings haymakers. Boar counter punches and ROCKS Stoker, then hits Howley! Boar runs but Stoker catches him for a FALCON ARROW!

Tag to Howley, Howley is up top, and he drops the elbow, onto boots! Stoker tags as Boar cradles Howley, but Boar slips away! Stoker keeps Boar from Primate but Boar boots him away! Hot tag to Primate! Primate rallies on Pretty Deadly, DOUBLE CHOPS Stoker and EXPLODERS! Primate hits Howley in one corner, runs and hits Stoker in the other, repeat! Stoker wings, Primate gets under and leaps to CLOBBER Stoker! Primate DIVES onto Howley! Primate springboard ax handles Stoker! Tag to Boar, the Hunt take two corners but Howley saves Stoker. Primate crossbodies himself and Howley out of the ring! Boar DIVING HEADBUTTS! Cover, TWO!! Stoker survives, Primate runs at Howley but Howley RAMS him into barriers!

Howley sees Stoker in the corner and Boar running at him! Howley “tags” but the ref stops everything because this isn’t their corner! Boar rolls Stoker up during the argument but Howley keeps the ref distracted! Boar would’ve won by now!! Boar lets up to RAM into Howley! Stoker clobbers Boar and rolls him up, Pretty Deadly wins!!

Winners: Pretty Deadly, by pinfall

That was pretty smart from Stoker and Howley! They snatched victory from the jaws of The Hunt, but will they head after the NXT UK Tag Team Championships soon enough?

Wait, what’s this? Eddie Dennis is on stage and he waves Pretty Deadly over. The Headmaster discusses something with Stoker and Howley that we cannot hear over the music. Pretty Deadly don’t seem upset by what he says. Is the Welsh Dragon thinking of helping Stoker and Howley reach the gold?

NXT UK finds The Hunt backstage.

Boar and Primate are naturally upset over the loss, but they come across South Wales Subculture. It’s okay, guys, you’ve been through worse. Something’s gonna break soon, so chins up, yeah? Hunt calm down but still head off. SWSC shrug and also head on, and now we spot Sid Scala talking with Pete Dunne. Scala is very upset about how things went with the drawing. Dar and Wolfe aren’t the only match-up with a lot of tension, and they need to get this out of the way. Next week might not be soon enough, so how can they maintain order? Dunne offers to referee the match. Okay then! Dunne will be the special guest referee for Dar VS Wolfe as the very first match of the Heritage Cup! Will Dunne keep things as civil as possible between the Scottish Supernova and Dresden Hatchet Man?

NXT UK also has news on the Heritage Cup wild card!

To determine who is the eighth and final man in the tournament, a Triple Threat will be held! Three superstars yet to be named will have their shot at history! Who wins to get in and take on Trent Seven?

NXT UK Women’s Championship: Kay Lee Ray VS Piper Niven!

These two were best friends at one time, but that feels like another life now. KLR brutalized and broke Toni Storm, but can she stop the rise of the Scottish Viper?

Introductions are made, the belt is raised, and this heated and highly anticipated title main event begins!

Piper and KLR circle, tie up, and go around before they separate. KLR smirks but Piper keeps her cool. They tie up again, go around again, and Piper pushes KLR to a corner! KLR bails out to keep things on her pace, and a ring count begins. KLR walks up the steel steps and tells Piper to stay back. The ring count is at 5 before KLR gets back in. KLR and Piper circle again, KLR kicks low and wrenches the arm. KLR digs her shoulder into the elbow then hits the shoulder breaker. KLR grinds on the arm, brings Piper to a knee, but Piper endures as KLR double wristlocks. Piper fights up, scoops but KLR kicks and keeps on the hold. KLR RAMS Piper into buckles, then wrenches the arm again, for another shoulder breaker! KLR clubs away on the arm, Piper endures again but KLR pulls hair.

The ref reprimands, KLR lets off and wrenches again. KLR has the double wristlock back, then whips Piper at a corner, but Piper reverses to send KLR into buckles! KLR comes back, rolls and gets the leg, and stays out of Piper’s reach. But Piper boots KLR away and runs KLR over! Piper drags KLR up, hip tosses her across the way, and then storms over. Piper hip tosses KLR hard again! KLR scrambles to a corner, clutching her back. Piper has KLR for a scoop, but KLR slips out the back. Piper headbutts KLR first! KLR flounders, Piper is back on her with a cobra clutch. KLR endures now as Piper leans on the hold. KLR fights up and pulls hair. They end up on the ropes, KLR tries to snapmare free but Piper keeps hold on to throw KLR!

Piper still has the cobra clutch, body scissors, but KLR endures. KLR kicks, flails, reaches for ropes, but Piper holds on tight. Piper turns KLR from the ropes but KLR fights the hold off. KLR kicks and elbows Piper’s leg and cranks on a toehold. Piper sits up, grabs at KLR but KLR punches away on the knee! Piper uses her other leg to roll KLR but KLR uses that to get the legs tired up. KLR taunts Piper as she gets the chin for this modified STF. KLR lets up on that to then SNAP LOCK the legs! Piper crawls to the corner but KLR stomps the bad leg. KLR drags Piper up, Piper hits back with body shots and hip tosses KLR OUT of the ring! Piper rests in the ring while KLR stirs on the outside. Piper goes out to fetch KLR now, brings her up and the ring count begins.

Piper whips, KLR reverses and SUPERKICKS! KLR drags Piper up, uses the apron for the TORNADO DDT to the floor!! Both women are down as the ring count reaches 4 but KLR gets in at 5. KLR goes back out to go after Piper again. KLR drags Piper up and bumps her off steel steps! KLR then runs side to side, but Piper moves and KLR knees steel!! KLR clutches her leg, the ref wants to check but KLR refuses. KLR slowly gets up, using the barriers. Piper does the same but KLR can barely stand on that leg. Piper goes after KLR but the ref keeps her back. The ref checks on KLR, KLR tries but still can’t stand on the leg. The ref calls for medics but KLR insists she can do this. Piper is frustrated and she bangs on the barriers.

The medics arrive to check on the knee, Piper cries. It seems Piper is conflicted between wanting to win a title and hoping her former friend is okay. The medics help KLR up and to the back. Piper follows behind, saying she can take the title later. KLR gets offended and SLAPS Piper! KLR says Piper is never taking the title! Piper SLAPS KLR back!! And puts her in the ring!! This match is continuing?! KLR grabs at ropes but Piper rains down furious fists from all sides! Piper grabs the bad leg, and figures if KLR wants to continue, this is fair game! Piper cranks on the leg and tries to turn KLR for the Boston Crab! KLR reaches, crawls, and gets the ropebreak! The ref counts, Piper lets go at 4! KLR crawls to the corner, works on her leg, and manages a SUPERKICK!! Piper is down, KLR climbs up top!?!

KLR aims at Piper, SWANTON BOMB!! Cover, TWO!! Piper still lives and KLR is beside herself. KLR slaps her leg and tells herself she’s still got this. KLR stands, Piper follows, but KLR hobbles over. KLR facelocks, wrenches but Piper catches the forearm to sweep the leg! And drop a SENTON! Cover, TWO!! Piper is losing her cool as she and KLR sit up again. Piper slaps the cobwebs out of her head, but KLR CHOPS back! KLR mule kicks but it was her own bad leg! KLR goes down, Piper stomps away on the bad leg! The ref counts as KLR has the ropebreak but Piper drags KLR out of the corner. A buckle pad comes loose! Piper has the leg again! KLR endures the three-quarter Crab!

KLR has her shoulders down as she kicks with the good leg, TWO! Piper scoops KLR, KLR slips out again and tries the Gory Especial, but her leg won’t let her keep Piper up! Piper turns KLR around for a scoop, and MICHINOKU DRIVER!! Cover, ROPEBREAK!! KLR survives and Piper can’t believe it! Piper clubs KLR in frustration, then drags her by the bad leg. KLR is in the drop zone, Piper climbs up, VADER BOMB onto knees!! But KLR takes just as much damage as she would’ve without that! KLR gets back to a corner, the ref says the match can end but KLR refuses. PIper runs in, CANNONBALL, into the bare buckle!!! KLR covers, KLR wins!!!

Winner: Kay Lee Ray, by pinfall (still NXT UK Women’s Champion)

The Scary Queen of Scots was in trouble but she found a way to turn it all around! She still has her throne atop the NXT UK Women’s Division, but the Spoiled Princess watches from the shadows. Will KLR be able to stay standing as champion for much longer?

My Thoughts:

What a great episode! There was a lot of great stuff to really propel the return of NXT UK here. Walter VS Huxley was so good, I really like how this and the Walter VS Ridge Holland we were shown a couple weeks ago show that Walter is totally willing to make these other big ‘n’ tall wrestlers look good. But of course Walter wins, he’s going into a title match with Dragunov at some point. I feel like Walter VS Dragunov could come very close to TakeOver: Cardiff territory, given how great both men were on that night. We also got a tag match out of The Hunt and Pretty Deadly, and I find it curious that Eddie Dennis was talking to Stoker and Howley and that SWSC talked with The Hunt. The Hunt were on the scene when Mark Andrews was “attacked” and taken out before the pandemic, I have a feeling that will come up at some point. Dennis might be trying to form a faction with Pretty Deadly, even though that combination doesn’t really match up.

The drawing for the Heritage Cup was a good segment, but I am surprised the mystery man wasn’t already decided. That Triple Threat next week will be great, regardless of who is in it. I wonder if Tyler Bate makes a return to NXT UK through that, gets in and then has to face his mentor and tag partner, Trent Seven. That feels like the best possible story just for the fact this is how they’re doing this. All the matches are great, and I like the story they’re cooking up with Dar and Wolfe. Imperium is all about business, so not only do they not like wrestlers like Fandango having laughs, but they probably don’t like wrestlers who are a lot of flash and charisma like Dar. Dunne being the ref for that is going to be great, too, and could even branch off into Dunne’s first rivalry back in NXT UK.

The NXT UK Women’s Championship match was so good! It was practically TakeOver levels, especially with the story they put into it with KLR fighting through leg pain and finding a way to use a bare buckle. I’m honestly surprised KLR retains and I’m intrigued by how Jinny was there. Jinny was Heel, she probably will still be Heel, I would really love for NXT UK to use Heel VS Heel here. And then you can go any direction. Jinny winning removes Toni Storm’s ban from the title, and that rivalry was great so seeing it again wouldn’t be so bad. But at the same time, KLR can still have more matches with more women on the roster, such as Aoife Valkyrie who has been on her own rise.

My Score: 8.6/10