NXT UK’s champion and challenger are in action!

Before their epic battle for the title, Walter and Ilja Dragunov do battle in a tag team match, with Wolfe and Pete Dunne by their sides! Plus, the Proper British Heavyweight and the Righteous Killer battle it out in the British Rounds Heritage Cup!

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• NXT UK Heritage Cup Tournament Opening Round: Dave Mastiff VS Joseph Conners; Mastiff wins and advances to the next round.
• Isla Dawn VS Piper Niven; Niven wins.
• Imperium VS Ilja Dragunov & Pete Dunne; Dragunov & Dunne win.

PLAY BY PLAY

NXT UK Heritage Cup Tournament Opening Round: Dave Mastiff VS Joseph Conners!

That’s right, the Bomber and the Righteous open things with this British Rounds battle! Who proves they are worthy of the semifinals?

The bell rings and the first of six three-minute rounds begins! Conners and Mastiff circle and Mastiff wants a handshake. Conners is not a good sport so he refuses. They tie up, Mastiff puts Conners in a corner but gives a break at the count of 3. They go again, go around and Conners puts Mastiff on the ropes. The ref calls for another break, Conners pushes Mastiff as he backs off. Mastiff and Conners go again, tie up and Conners waistlocks. Mastiff pries free, wrenches the arm to a wristlock, but Conners rolls and rolls and rolls, only for Mastiff to wrench him again. Conners grabs at hair but Mastiff twists the wrist. Conners wrenches, elbow breakers and wristlocks. Conners shifts to get a different angle but Mastiff arm-drags free hard! Conners backs away to a corner as the studio audience cheers.

Conners and Mastiff tie up again, go around, and Conners gets the wrench to a hammerlock. Mastiff slaps at Conners but Conners twists harder. Mastiff turns around, back drops Conners up and over but Conners holds onto the arm! Conners wants a sunset flip, Mastiff stays up to drop down! Conners avoids being squashed and manages to ghost pin Mastiff, TWO! Less than a minute and Conners wrenches to a lariat! Mastiff stays up so Conners lariats again! Conners wrenches, Mastiff reels him in for a proper back drop! And then a toss, to a DROPKICK! Cover, TWO! Thirty seconds left and Mastiff has Conners in a corner. Mastiff whips Conners corner to corner hard and Conners drops!

Mastiff brings him up but Conners throws body shots. Mastiff ROCKS Conners with a European Uppercut but 10 seconds left! Conners stays away and is saved by the bell!

Mastiff: 0; Conners: 0

The ref keeps the peace during the 20 second break. Conners is seething but the second round begins! The two circle with the new three minutes, then tie up. Mastiff headlocks, Conners throws body shots and powers out but Mastiff runs him over! Conners backs away to a corner as Mastiff eggs him on. Conners gets up, circles with Mastiff and gets the arm. Mastiff waistlocks against it but Conners pries free. Mastiff shifts to a headlock but Conners tries to power out. Mastiff holds on to snapmare Conners down, then speeds things up. Conners drops, comes up and RAMS into Mastiff! Conners runs but Mastiff runs him over! Cover, TWO! Mastiff keeps on Conners with a cording hold and some body shots. Conners tries to facelock in return but Mastiff cranks on the arm.

They fight for control, Mastiff arm-drags Conners down and still has the cording. Conners endures, kicks at Mastiff, but Mastiff cranks the arm and slaps Conners down. Conners is up with a minute left and he gets around to spin and whip Mastiff. Mastiff reverses, Conners goes up and over and then slides under, shove and Thesz Press, that Mastiff makes a POWERSLAM! Cover, TWO! Conners survives but Mastiff keeps on him! Mastiff CLUBS Conners on the back, brings him around for EuroUppers, but we’re under 20 seconds now! They’re on the ropes, the ref calls for the break but Conners SLAPS Mastiff! And SLAPS him again! Mastiff SLAPS Conners out of the ring! Less than 10 seconds, and Conners stays out until the end. Again, he is saved by the bell.

Mastiff: 0; Conners: 0

Another 20 second rest, and we begin again! Conners rushes Mastiff with haymakers so Mastiff gives back forearms! Mastiff ROCKS Conners, Conners is in the ropes but the ref wants Mastiff to stay back. Mastiff grabs at Conners but he finally lets off. The ref calls for a KNOCKOUT!?

Winner: Dave Mastiff, by Knockout; advances to the semifinals

Mastiff still wants to show respect but the ref has the medic check on Conners first. Conners tried to throw hands with the Bomber and he couldn’t keep up. Will the Proper British Heavyweight steamroll his way to the Heritage Cup?

NXT UK hears from Jordan Devlin.

“So I’ve been a pro-wrestler now for 18 years. That’s two-thirds of my life I dedicated to this sport. That’s 18 years of grafting, struggling and sacrificing to prove that I’m the best in the world at what I do. That’s exactly what I did this year at Worlds Collide in Houston.” The Irish Ace won the NXT Cruiserweight Championship, and still holds his copy of the belt. Every sacrifice he had made was all worth it. Just put it down to bad luck for things to turn out how they have, with the world freezing.

But it was on WWE’s The Bump that Devlin saw William Regal’s announcement to “have a glorified #1 contender’s tournament for MY championship. But it gets worse. Because I started to notice there was a change in the branding.” It became “Interim NXT Cruiserweight Champion,” then just, “THE NXT Cruiserweight Champion.” Devlin started to wonder if they thought he wouldn’t notice. Devlin makes it clear he is “not one of these little stooges you see running in ‘Property of Performance Center’ T-shirts. Jordan Devlin is the property of absolutely no one!” He is the self-made, pound-for-pound, absolutely best pro-wrestler on this PLANET!

“This goes out to every man under 205 on the roster! See this here? This belongs to me! Until you tap me out, until you pin my shoulders to the mat, that little replica title over there doesn’t mean a thing!” He has the REAL Cruiserweight Championship of the world, and if you want it back, send someone to come take it from him! The Irish Ace is ready to fight and prove who is the real champion of Cruiserweight wrestling! Will Santos Escobar have something to say about that?

NXT UK Media catches up with Oliver Carter.

How is he doing being back? But Ashton Smith is there, too! Why is he wearing the NXT UK shirt? Looking a little too tasty. Says the guy who’s dressed more like Pretty Deadly. Hey, now! Don’t insult him. You know how he feels about them. Speaking of, they were talking to Eddie Dennis. The best part, Carter is facing Dennis next week! And he’s always wanted to hit a headmaster in the head. #ReadyAndForward! #AlwaysForward! But will Carter really be ready for the Welsh Dragon’s own return to the ring?

Isla Dawn VS Piper Niven!

It was pretty clear last week, that while Kay Lee Ray is NXT UK Women’s Division Enemy #1, there’s not a lot of love in the locker room. The Witch Witch of Scotland and Piper the Viper brawled within the giant brawl that closed the show, who finishes the fight here tonight?

The bell rings and Isla circles with Piper. They tie up, go around, and Piper gets the arm to pull on the wrist and elbow. Isla stays up, Piper wrenches to the wristlock but Isla rolls and spins to get the wrench. Piper powers through to get the knuckle lock and she twists the wrist. Piper and Isla lock up, Isla rolls back to wrench the wrists. Isla brings Piper to her knees and stomps the hands! Isla goes for a top wristlock but Piper powers it around and whips Isla to a corner. Isla goes up, under, and comes back to headlock. Isla throws EuroUppers over and over then headlocks again. Piper powers up and pries free to get the top wristlock. Piper wrangles Isla to the mat and then shifts to an armlock. Isla moves around, sits up but Piper shifts to a cobra clutch!

Isla kicks and flails, fights up and pulls hair but the ref reprimands. Piper thrashes Isla around, spins her out and reels her in for a shoulder ram! Then the cobra clutch is back on! Isla endures, tries to push back but Piper cranks on the hold. Isla grabs at hair, Piper ripcords her out but Isla rolls to roll Piper up! TWO, Isla runs but Piper runs her over! Piper TOSSES Isla across the way and Isla scrambles to ropes! Piper is after her again with another TOSS! And a back senton, but she misses as Isla moves! Isla walks into Piper’s headbutt, then Piper whips Isla to run her over again! Piper whips Isla again, and this time headbutts her down! Piper whips again, Isla hurdles and EuroUppers to the back! Isla clubs away on Piper, brings her to her knees and then clubs her to the mat!

Isla drags Piper up for more, but Piper throws body shots back. Piper backs Isla down, whips and throws Isla, but Isla dropkicks! Piper comes back with the SPLASH! Cover, TWO!! Isla survives but Piper clubs her and throws forearms. Isla hits back but Piper clubs her again! And again and again! Piper brings Isla around, scoop, but Isla slips out to kick legs out! Isla mule kicks, KICKS and KICKS and KICKS! Piper stays up but Isla BUZZSAWS, only for Piper to block! Isla powers through to RAM Piper into the mat! Cover, TWO!! Piper survives but Isla clubs away on her more! Isla stomps Piper then drags her back up. Piper blocks the whip, Isla throws forearms, but Piper whips Isla to a corner! Piper runs in, Isla dodges and Piper hits buckles!

Isla goes to the far side, Piper hurries over but Isla leaps for a METEORA! But she tumbles away! She has to hurry back to the cover, TWO!! Piper survives but Isla is on her again! Isla drags Piper up, dragon sleepers with the behind the back hold! Isla definitely learned that from mentor, Aleister Black! Piper flails, slaps at Isla, fights up to her feet, and throws elbows to get Isla off her! Piper reels Isla in, DANGEROUS SAIDO! Isla ends up in the corner, Piper CANNONBALLS! Piper drags Isla back up, scoops, MICHINOKU DRIVER! Cover, Piper wins!

Winner: Piper Niven, by pinfall

The Viper Piper Driver finishes Isla off, yet Isla seems to smile. Is this just the beginning of a rivalry between these two Scottish lass kickers?

NXT UK Media catches up with Kenny Williams.

The Lucky Yin is the wild card in the Heritage Cup, but how is he preparing for Trent Seven? “This is the best facility in the UK.” Kenny is training as hard as he can and has Amir Jordan helping him. He has never been more prepared in his life! Amir has Kenny push the weight sled and motivates him as the future Heritage Cup champion! He’s got this! Woo!

NXT UK gives an update on Flash Morgan Webster.

After being attacked backstage, The Modfather is under medical care and is not cleared to compete. Will we find out who attacked him? Is it the same culprit that attacked Mark Andrews earlier this year?

NXT UK hears from Trent Seven.

“Of course I’m confident in my abilities. However, there’s no denying the fact that I have never in my entire life, done a Rounds match.” Is that going to be a negative? A positive? Is he going to be so enthusiastic and tear the house down? Hopefully. But he will give it his all. “The crows feet might be getting a little bit bigger. The wrinkles might be getting a little bit deeper. And maybe there’s a few more miles on the ol’ clunker. Maybe the depth of those lines and those extra miles, maybe that’s the little thing that I’ve got that will make the difference.” This old dog can learn new tricks. Seven has a chance to be the first ever person to raise the cup. This isn’t the one he will chase. He has to write his own name on that trophy. He needs that trophy. Seven and Williams are the final opening round match, who makes it to the semifinals?

Imperium VS Ilja Dragunov & Pete Dunne!

The Ring General still has his Dresden Hatchet Man with him, and they are trying to cut down the Moscow Madman before he can challenge for the championship! But will the Bruiserweight make all the difference in this battle?

There’s a lot of tension but the ref gets the teams to sort out. Wolfe and Dunne start and circle. They tie up, Wolfe gets inside to fireman’s carry but Dunne drags Wolfe down to an armlock! Dunne bends the arm around to a hammerlock and keeps it down with a leg as he gets the other arm! Dunne tortures the fingers, Wolfe gets up and around to headlock. Dunne powers out, drops down and hurdles, then drops down again to CLOBBER Wolfe! Wolfe scrambles away and tags in Walter! Walter and Dunne meet again after a long time from their UK Championship match. They tie up, Walter powers Dunne to a corner but Dunne pushes back! The ref has them break clean and the two circle again.

Walter and Dunne tie up, Walter headlocks and throws Dunne! Dunne pops right up and circles with Walter again. They tie up, Walter hip tosses Dunne down to an armlock. Dunne throws body shots but Walter shifts to a cording hold. Dunne kicks and scrapes at Walter but Walter wrenches and brings Dunne around for a standing armbar. Dunne endures, rolls, kips up and handsprings to break free and headscissor! Walter runs back at Dunne, into a takedown! Dunne wants the armbar, but goes for a short arm scissor instead! Walter endures, fights, moves around but Dunne cranks harder! Walter is frustrated but he clubs the legs. Dunne stomps Walter from that position, holds on as Walter moves around, but Walter dead lifts Dunne up! Dunne sunset flips through, TWO!

Dunne ducks a chop but Walter avoids the enziguri! Dunne handsprings back up and the two stare down. Ilja says he doesn’t want to wait any longer! Dunne shrugs and tags Ilja in! Champion and challenger circle, tie up and Walter headlock takeovers! Ilja fights back, cranks Walter back with the chinbar, but Walter sits up to trap an arm. Ilja fights, kicks around, gets up, and he powers out of the headlock, only for Walter to run him over! Ilja is back up, Walter headlocks again for another takeover! Ilja keeps his shoulders up, pushes Walter’s face, but Walter powers Ilja down. Walter smothers Ilja but Ilja fights his way back up. Ilja powers Walter to a corner, Walter turns it around and the ref calls for a break. Walter CHOPS Ilja as he lets off! Ilja SLAPS, Walter SLAPS, it’s a SLAP fight!

Walter headlocks to another takeover but Ilja keeps his shoulders up again. Ilja and Walter struggle against the other, Ilja throws forearms as he can. Ilja fights up, Walter grinds the headlock but Ilja powers out and ROCKS Walter at the ropes! Ilja runs, but leaps into Walter’s arms for a SLAM! Walter KICKS Ilja, CHOPS Dunne off the apron for good measure, then LEAPS for the seated senton! Ilja gasps from being squashed but Walter tags in Wolfe. Wolfe covers, TWO! Wolfe stomps Ilja, drags him up and bumps him off buckles. Wolfe throws EuroUpper after EuroUpper, then reels Ilja into a cobra clutch, for a BACKBREAKER! Cover, TWO! Wolfe drags Ilja back up for a chinbar and half nelson but Ilja endures. Ilja fights up, elbows out but Wolfe throws body shots.

Wolfe bumps Ilja off buckles, whips corner to corner just to YANK on the arm! Ilja clutches the shoulder while Wolfe talks trash. Wolfe brings Ilja up, whips and YANKS the arm again! Ilja flips inside-out from that one and Wolfe covers, TWO! Tag to Walter, Imperium drags Ilja up for a CHOP! Walter drags Ilja back up, scoop and slams him again, then tags Wolfe back in. Wolfe scrapes soles on Ilja’s face, brings Ilja up and yanks the arm. Ilja kicks back, spins through and spinning CHOPS! Back senton, but onto knees! ANARCHY SUPLEX! Cover, TWO!! Ilja lives and Wolfe is shocked! Wolfe waistlocks, drags Ilja up but Ilja fights off the German Suplex! Ilja arm-drags Wolfe off, Wolfe BOOTS but Ilja CHOPS! Ilja steps through, misses the kick and clotheslines collide!

Wolfe forearms, Ilja ENZIGURIS! Both men are down and the audience fires up! Hot tags to Walter and Dunne! The Bruiserweight ROCKS Walter, hits a big corner enziguri, then goes up to missile dropkick the leg! Walter stays up but hobbles, and he elbows Dunne’s waistlock away. Dunne side steps, REBOUND GERMANS! And he STOMPS the hands! BUZZSAW! Cover, TWO!! Dunne stays on Walter with a BOOT! And DANIELSON STOMPS! To an ARMBAR! Walter clasps hands but Dunne is after the fingers! Walter turns over, Dunne resists the cover so Walter just STOMPS him down! Walter drags Dunne up, runs, but Dunne swats his clothesline away! Dunne CHOPS and CHOPS and CHOPS! Walter is in the corner, Dunne whips but Walter reverses.

Dunne goes up and over but Walter gets under, to come back with a SHOTGUN DROPKICK! Dunne gets blasted to the other corner! Both Dunne and Walter are down but crawling. Hot tags to Wolfe and Ilja! Ilja swings, misses but comes back with a LARIAT! Wolfe ends up in a corner, Ilja runs in to KNEE him down! Ilja goes up top fast to FLYING KNEE DROP! Wolfe flounders, Ilja fires up, but Wolfe fights off the suplex. Wolfe uppercuts, runs but Ilja goes Matrix to avoid the boot! Ilja steps through, KNEES and then Gotch lifts for the SLAM! Cover with a bridge, TWO!! Wolfe survives but Ilja keeps that fire burning! Ilja goes back up top, leaps, but has to roll through sa Wolfe moves. Wolfe comes back, CALF KICK! Wolfe suplexes but Ilja slips out and shoves.

Wolfe EuroUppers, Ilja 6-1-LINES!! The Constantine Special hits! Cover, TWO!! The audience fires up as both men are down again. Walter and Dunne return, Ilja rises and stalks Wolfe. Ilja reels Wolfe in, Wolfe fights off the Gotch suplex but Dunne tags in. Ilja dodges Wolfe, Ilja and Dunne combine KNEE and ENZIGURI! Dunne drags Wolfe out, X-PLEX! Dunne DECKS Walter while Ilja hits the SUPER SENTON! Cover, TWO!?! Wolfe survives but Dunne keeps his focus. Dunne STOMPS the hands, Wolfe ducks the buzzsaw to shove and BOOT Dunne back! Wolfe drags Dunne up, Dunne grabs ropes, but Walter uses his lengthy limbs to get a tag! Walter CHOPS Dunne, Wolfe GERMAN SUPLEXES! Walter is up top, and LEAPS, into a TRIANGLE HOLD!!

Ilja intercepts Wolfe and clubs him over and over! Dunne elbows Walter, Walter dead lifts Dunne as Wolfe drags Ilja down! Wolfe has a rear naked choke, Walter POWERBOMBS Dunne onto Ilja and Wolfe!! The Ring General’s soldier becomes a part of the casualties! Everyone is down, Wolfe flops out of the ring. Dunne and Walter rise, the old rivals still wanting to fight! Walter eggs Dunne on as he kicks at him. Dunne gets up, Walter swings but into an enziguri! Dunne goes out, Ilja tags in, Dunne MOONSAULTS Wolfe down! Ilja rises up, aims at Walter, COAST2COAST into a CHOP!!! Walter gives Ilja the WALTER BOMB!! High stack, but Dunne drags Walter off! Wolfe returns but Dunne dumps him out! Dunne goes out with Wolfe, Walter drags Ilja back up. GERMAN SUPLEX!! Cover, TWO!?! Ilja survives and Walter is furious!

Walter rises back up and eggs Ilja on. Walter KICKS Ilja down and talks more trash. Walter sits Ilja up just to SLAP him! Ilja gets up, Walter CHOPS him again! The only reason Ilja stays up as long as he does is because Walter has his arm! Walter stands Ilja back up to CHOP! Ilja SLAPS and SLAPS and SLAPS back! Walter SLAPS Ilja, Ilja rebounds to LARIAT!! Cover, Wolfe breaks it!! Dunne has Wolfe’s hands! Dunne has the fingers but WOlfe kicks free! WOlfe lifts, Dunne slips out to pump handle, BITTER END! Walter BOOTS Dunne down! Ilja BOOTS Walter! Ilja has the Gotch hold, Walter pries free and CHOPS again! Ilja wobbles, Walter goes for the sleeper hold but Ilja blocks it off! Ilja turns it around to CHOP and CHOP and CHOP and CHOP and CHOP Walter!

Ilja spins through, hammerlocks and KNEES, KNEES, KNEES! DOUBLE AX HANDLE! Ilja fires up, drags Walter in, GOTCH LIFT SUPLEX!! Ilja is ready, “UN! BE! SIEG! BAR!!” But Wolfe anchors his foot! Dunne grabs Wolfe’s fingers to SNAP them!! And then he whips Wolfe HARD into barriers! Ilja fights Walter off, leaps, but Walter grabs him for the sleeper! Ilja fights the hold off, Walter CHOPS him on the back, and hits a SNAP SLEEPER SUPLEX! But Ilja rises?! Ilja runs, TORPEDO MOSCOW!! Cover, Ilja and Dunne WIN!!

Winners: Ilja Dragunov & Pete Dunne, by pinfall

For the first time in the WWE, Walter has been pinned!! Does this signify the end of the Ring General’s reign?! Will NXT UK be UNBESIEGBAR?!

My Thoughts:

What a great episode, for the go-home to the title match! Opening with the British Rounds Heritage Cup match was definitely a sign this was going to be great. I all but called Mastiff VS Conners being a knockout decision, and Mastiff winning is big for him. Conners seems to always be on the receiving end of things, I wonder what he does in retaliation. Seven and Williams have great promos, though Seven’s is done better. As good as Williams is, I like the story being that Seven needs this. Tyler Bate was the inaugural champion, Pete Dunne was the second and longest reigning, the most Seven has had is a tag title reign with Bate that only lasted so long. Now, Seven VS Conners would’ve been great for desperation VS desperation, but maybe Seven having to find a way to overcome a mountain in Mastiff is an even more compelling match, given this has a time limit.

Niven VS Dawn was a great match, especially with the new aggression from both women, namely Isla. Piper gets a good win to rebound from losing to KLR, but we all know KLR VS Jinny is next. Maybe with Toni Storm sticking around in NXT America, Piper gets winner after KLR VS Jinny, and that still makes for good story and matches. I was surprised to see Jordan Devlin have a vignette. He had great fire as he finally pointed out he never lost his Cruiserweight title, that he wants after whoever is called champion in NXT America, and that he’s on his way back. For those keeping track, Devlin was named in the big #SpeakingOut chunk of UK wrestlers, but this story finally happening is a good sign that he was not found guilty. Devlin VS Escobar, Devlin VS Swerve, Devlin VS anyone right now is going to be great stuff.

And the main event was incredible! It was a tag match but it felt like it was for the UK Championship already! Everyone looked great given all the history between all four, and I was really surprised Dunne and Dragunov. I’m even more surprised it was Dragunov pinning Walter, not Wolfe. Or even Dunne pinning Wolfe just to keep things neutral between champion and challenger. But in the end, challenger pins champion ahead of the match, I have a bad feeling the math says Walter retains. I would love if NXT UK would do the opposite, because if not now with Ilja, then who could it be that dethrones Walter?

My Score: 8.4/10