The Heritage Cup will decide who is the master of themselves!

For the third time, NXT UK will see A-Kid VS Tyler Bate! And once again, the Heritage Cup will be on the line! Who wins this instant classic tiebreaker?

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• Rampage Brown VS Wolfgang; Rampage wins.
• Xia Brookside VS Amale; Amale wins.
• NXT UK Heritage Cup Championship: A-Kid VS Tyler Bate w/ Trent Seven; Bate wins and becomes the new NXT UK Heritage Cup Champion.

PLAY BY PLAY

Rampage Brown VS Wolfgang!

While he wanted the Iron King of Gallus, Rampage is willing to take on the Last King of Scotland to bide his time. Will Wolfie give as good as he gets when brawling with Brown?

The bell rings the two approach. They circle, tie up, and go around. Wolfgang gets a cravat, cranks the neck, and snapmares to a cover. ONE as Rampage bridges up and cravats right back! Wolfgang throws Rampage off and the two start throwing hands! Wolfgang headlocks, Rampage powers out, things speed up and Rampage dropkicks Wolfgang down! BT Sports Studios likes that, and they like Rampage throwing EuroUppers! Wolfgang hits back, Rampage whips but Wolfgang reverses and dropkicks in return! Rampage checks his teeth, Wolfgang whips him hard corner to corner!

Wolfgang keeps on Rampage with haymakers, Rampage shoves back and then dodges the crossbody! Wolfgang hits buckles, Rampage BOOTS Wolfgang to the outside! Rampage goes out after Wolfgang, the brawling continues and the ref counts. Wolfgang fireman’s carries, Rampage throws elbows, but Wolfgang POSTS Rampage going backwards! Rampage falls over and clutches an arm, but Wolfgang refreshes the ring count. Rampage throws hands anyway! Wolfgang hits back, puts Rampage in the ring, and has him in a corner. Rampage kicks back, throws forearms with the good hand, but Wolfgang whips him into a corner, then scoops for a BACKBREAKER! Cover, TWO!

Wolfgang keeps cool and clamps onto Rampage with a seated cobra twist. Rampage resists so Wolfgang shifts to body scissors! Wolfgang squeezes, Rampage endures, but Wolfgang adds a chinbar! Rampage endures more, pries at the legs, but Wolfgang claws at a shoulder. Wolfgang squeezes tighter, CLUBS Rampage on the back, then clamps onto a shoulder again. Rampage digs elbows into Wolfgang’s knee! Rampage is free and he DECKS Wolfgang! Wolfgang throws body shots, Rampage throws a headbutt! They throw more forearms back and forth, Wolfgang headbutts the bad arm! Wolfgang hops up to SPLASH the standing Rampage! Cover, TWO!

Wolfgang watches as Rampage writhes. Wolfgang strikes the Gallus crossed-arm pose, and then gets Rampage up. Rampage fights the scoop, then fireman’s carries for a SAMOAN DROP! Both men are down, gasping for air, and BT Sports Studio rallies up. Wolfgang goes to a corner, Rampage is after him, but the bad arm makes the whip fail! Wolfgang runs and SPEARS Rampage down! Cover, TWO! Wolfgang is right back after the seated cobra twist! Rampage powers up to hip toss free! Rampage staggers into body shots! Wolfgang runs in but into a KNEE! Rampage POSTS Wolfgang, then runs to LARIAT!

Rampage drags Wolfgang back up, powers through the pain to gut wrench and DOCTOR BOMB!! Cover, Rampage wins!!

Winner: Rampage Brown, by pinfall

That was definitely a fight worthy of these two hulking heavyweights! But will Rampage be able to bounce back to get that rematch with Joe Coffey?

NXT UK Media catches up with Ashton Smith.

Smith gets a good workout in, but they ask how he’s finding being a new father on top of being a superstar? Smith says this has given him a new lease on life. Teoman comes over to congratulate Smith. Family is the most important thing. They’re their for you during the darkest times and in the happiest times. So just do Teoman a favor: Enjoy your time with your family. But uh, where’s Oliver Carter? He’s still not here? Isn’t he family? Teoman’s two-faced compliments are surely on Smith’s mind. What does the Babo of NXT UK have in store for Smith & Carter?

Aoife Valkyrie speaks.

“I have it set in my head what success looks like. Now I know that failure is a part of success. If you learn from defeat, you haven’t really lost. This just means I Have to work harder now.” The Valkyrie rises up from falling down. “No one tells a bird how high they can soar. That’s up to me. A person can be as great as they want to be. You just have to keep looking to what’s next. For so long, I’ve looked inward. And now I’m ready to look forward.” She is finally ready to fly. What heights will she reach now that she’s spread her wings?

Gallus finds Rampage backstage.

Joe knows he and Rampage have unfinished business. But Joe will give Rampage time to heal up. When Rampage is ready, Joe will come find him. See you then. When and where will we get yet another brutal battle?

Xia Brookside VS Amale!

The young second generation superstar wanted to be in last week’s NXT UK Women’s Championship #1 Contender’s Gauntlet match, but a certain someone attacked her so badly, Brookside couldn’t compete until now. Will the French Hope regret trying to snake her way into the spotlight?

The bell rings and Xia rushes right at Amale, who runs to ropes for defense. Amale shouts about the ropebreak, the ref has Xia back off, and Amale tries to get a shot in, but Xia is ready! Xia CLUBS Amale back, whips her to a corner, but Amale reveres. Xia goes up and over and dropkicks back! Xia runs in and hops up to hit a monkey flip! Amale scrambles, Xia gets a leg and drags Amale to a cover, TWO! Xia keeps on Amale with a wrench, a YANK of the arm, and a CLUB of the shoulder! Xia KICKS the arm, YANKS the arm, and goes after the wrist. Amale shoves Xia to ropes, gets around and trips Xia up to drag her out, and RAM her into the apron!

The ref counts, Amale RAMS Xia into barriers! Amale seethes, drags Xia up and puts her in. Amale hurries after Xia but Xia headbutts low! Amale CLUBS and stomps Xia down! Amale scoops and SLAMS Xia, then drops an elbow! Cover, TWO! Xia grits her teeth and gets to a corner but Amale pushes her around. Xia kicks back, but Amale comes back with a mudhole stomp! The ref counts, Amale lets off, and goes side to side to BOOT WASH! Amale drags Xia to a cover, TWO! Xia isn’t done just yet and Amale is even angrier! Amale whips Xia into a corner then SPLASHES! Cover, ONE!! Xia is defiant, but Amale pushes her around again.

Xia headbutts low, but Amale whips her to a corner hard! Xia sits down, Amale smiles and mocks Xia’s dance moves. Xia throws body shots and forearms! Amale CLUBS her down, shoves her to a corner, and runs in, but Xia dodges! Xia dodges again and dropkicks Amale down! Fans rally with Xia as she whips. Amale reverses, but Xia tilt-o-whirl headscissors! Xia demands Amale get up, and then hits a NECKBREAKER! Cover, TWO! Xia grows frustrated, and she drags Amale up to reel her in. Amale wrenches, ROCKS Xia and NORTHERN LIGHTS! Bridging cover, TWO! Xia survives and Amale is beside herself!

Amale whips Xia to a corner again, runs in but Xia BOOTS her down! Xia hops up, but Amale YANKS her off the corner! Amale hauls Xia up, fisherman SPINEBUSTER! High stack, Amale wins!!

Winner: Amale, by pinfall

The French Hope should call herself the French FURY, because her rage is what won her this match! Will that same rage take Amale all the way to the women’s title?

NXT UK Media interviews Sha Samuels.

They want a quick word, but the East End Butcher couldn’t care less, he’s busy with a crossword puzzle. But in walks Nathan Frazer. Sha tells Frazer to “jog on, ya mug.” But Frazer just wants to say, Sha’s been making quite the habit of sticking his nose in Frazer’s business. Sha says Frazer doesn’t want to fight him, he couldn’t handle it. He’s intimidated by Sha! But if he wants to see Sha fight, go get a grown-up to fight him. Oh so you’re fighting Noam Dar’s battles now? Frazer snatches the newspaper away and tells him they’re going to have a match. Sha dares him to, and Frazer says he’ll go talk to Sid Scala right now! Frazer heads out, will he prove to Sha he belongs?

NXT UK presents an all new Supernova Sessions!

Noam Dar welcomes us “live from the Moon,” and can barely contain his excitement. Without further ado, the SNS debut of Ilja Dragunov! Ilja walks out on stage and Dar welcomes him to the guest chair while he gets the couch. Dar knows Iljia is a fan of the show, so this is something special just for him. Dar wants to make this a safe space so Ilja can work through his inner demons. This is now the Supernova Spa! Let the music and good vibes take him to his happy place. Whether that’s Serbia, the Gulag, wherever. This is where we are going to get deep into the problems on Ilja’s mind.

Dar has his own spa robe. He has one for Ilja, too. Well, wait, where is it? They have the dino print. He likes dinos, right? Anyway, what are we to do with Ilja? Ilja asks Dar what that is. Buddha teaches us that holding onto anger is like drinking poison, hoping another person suffers. Dar asks where the rage started. Where did the demons come from? Was it the brutal loss to Walter? Just let it out, man. Ilja is glad Dar knows him so well. Dar is right. Ilja lost something in that match. Not just the chance at the championship, but there’s this pain. Ilja felt it for weeks after. Every person that’s stood in his way was in his path of destruction. Dar wants Ilja to take a deep breath.

Ilja promises he’s not that person anymore. He’s not? No. Ilja’s sitting here telling Dar he isn’t angry. Breaking Dave Mastiff’s nose isn’t related? Ilja knows what he does has consequences. So he’s learned? Well Dar wants Ilja to leave here with another lesson. Dar has a gift to help Ilja continue his process. Whenever it is Ilja goes to Russia or Germany or whatever, and you start feeling all angry, just grab little Lenny the therapy dog (stuffed animal) here, pet him, count to ten if you know how to count that high, and go to your happy place. Ilja says he wants to leave a few words with Dar. This is so funny, huh? Dar is funny. Like a clown! And this is the circus!

Ilja wants Dar to know what his position is in this brand: violence. If Dar invites Ilja here just to trigger him, Ilja can still hurt him very, very, badly. This is what Dar was talking about! Ilja is in denial. Looking at him, Ilja is jut a fake! This is a persona! Dar is real, Ilja. Dar sees the scared little boy in Ilja. Ilja is scared of Walter, and he’s scared of Dar, too! And he should be, because Dar’s magic left foot will send Ilja to another dimension! Ilja would love to see him try. Dar is not a clown, Ilja’s the clown. Play that funky music! Ilja leaves without taking Lenny, but then comes back to take him after all. Will Ilja take Dar up on the offer to get in the ring?

NXT UK Media caught up with Sam Gradwell.

The Thunderstorm has the cameras follow him as he storms into Sid Scala’s office. “Sid, I think you know that this has to be one of the most hazardous work environments in the entire United Kingdom. Last week, I was viciously assaulted in the work place by Trent Seven.” Sam won’t press charges, but he wants payback! He wants to rattle Seven’s jowls, wobble the kidneys, and singe off that mustache! How about that? Sid says he will talk to Johnny Saint, and Sam says he better. In a minute, yogurt! Sid makes a call, will Seven and Gradwell battle it out in the ring one more time?

Sid Scala has an announcement!

The Assistant GM of NXT UK has huge matches straight from Johnny Saint! First, Noam Dar VS Ilja Dragunov will happen! And so will the huge rematch of Joe Coffey VS Rampage Brown! Both are in two weeks, get ready for quite the start to the Summer!

NXT UK Heritage Cup Championship: A-Kid VS Tyler Bate w/ Trent Seven!

February 2020 went to The Big Strong Boy. December 2020 went to The Spanish Ace. Now, in May of 2021, we will see who is the better man, and worthy of carrying this cup into the future! This tiebreaker is about more than just being one-up in the series! Who raises the cup overhead as the banner of British and European tradition?

The introductions are made, the cup is raised, and the clock starts ticking on history in the making!

Round one begins, AK and Bate circle and BT Sports Studio fires up already. The two feel out the grapple, tie up collar ‘n’ elbow, and Bate hits a wristlock takedown! AK headscissors, Bate kips free and the two stand off. They go again, feeling out the grapple. They tie up, AK waistlocks, half nelsons and snapmares, but Bate rolls to wristlock. AK rolls, bridges, and throws Bate down to cover. Bate headscissors but AK kips free and the fans cheer again. Seven coaches Bate as he and AK circle again. They tie up with knuckle locks this time, and Bate rolls to wrench and wrangle AK to the floor. AK endures the twist of the wrist, gets to his feet, but Bate spins to wrangle him again!

AK keeps cool as we’re at 90 seconds. AK kips up, wrenches through, but Bate rolls and arm-drags. AK holds on to keep on the wrist! AK grinds the arm, gets a chinbar, but Bate fights up. Bate rolls, hops up and monkey flips, but AK still holds on! Under a minute now and AK has the wristlock. Bate fights up, AK wrenches to keep him down. but Bate rolls and snapmares, only for AK to keep hold. Bate tries again, but AK wrangles Bate down! Bate kips up, AK wrenches, and we’re at 10 seconds as Bate uses ropes to get around and pry free. Bate whips, AK handsprings, and that’s the round!

A-Kid: 0; Bate: 0

BT Sports Studio likes the exchange as both men cool off. Round two starts and they step right to each other. They feel things out, tie up and AK headlocks to a takeover fast! Bate kicks to get around, rolls AK to a cover, ONE! AK grinds the headlock, Bate fights up, and Bate throws body shots. Bate powers AK away, gets around to snapmare him, but AK has the arm again! Bate arm-drags, AK still holds on! Bate kips up, arm-drags again but AK just stays on the arm! Bate handstands and uses legs to kick free! The two stand off and fans cheer. The two circle again, knuckle lock, and AK rolls to wrench and pick a leg for a takedown!

AK gets the headlock again but Bate headscissors as we hit 90 seconds. AK kicks and flails but Bate holds tight this time. Bate pushes up to get leverage, then lets off. AK moves around, turns Bate over, kips free and has the legs locked up! AK wants the arms, headbutts Bate in the back, to get CATTLE MUTILATION! Bate endures as we’re under a minute, but AK shifts to a motorcycle stretch. Seven rallies up, Bate fights up but AK keeps the hold on! Bate keeps trying, we’re at 30 seconds as the two fight for control. Bate turns things around, they go around, and AK turns things right back! But Bate flips to kangaroo kick free again!

Ten seconds, they circle again, tie up and AK headlocks, but Bate powers out! AK holds ropes to stop himself, and the round is over!

A-Kid: 0; Bate: 0

Bate smiles as he and AK again cool off and refresh. Seven is confident Bate can figure this one out, and it’s time for round three! AK and Bate take a little more time circling now, Bate trying to bait with a leg. AK lets it be, prefers to go for an arm. They tie up, AK gets around but Bate pries the waistlock. AK tries a chinbar but Bate brushes that off. Bate wrenches, uses his forehead to get leverage on the arm, and then gets a hammerlock. AK rolls out and kips up to wrench back. Bate rolls, drops to roll again then gets a headlock. AK powers out, Bate goes up and under and baits AK into knuckle locks that he turns into a waistlock. Leg bait, leap frog, slide under but AK drops onto a sleeper!

Bate snapmares, AK bridges to snapmare back! Bate does it back, snapmare! AK bridges, Bate backslides! ONE and AK powers his way to a BOW ‘N’ ARROW! Bate pops to a cover fast, ONE! AK gets the leg again, Bate boots him away! AK comes back with a basement forearm! Cover, TWO! Bate takes that shot but gets up and we’re already at a minute in the round! Bate pushes AK to ropes, the ref calls for the break, and Bate lets off, but AK ROCKS him! Bate ROCKS AK back! AK bails out, Bate waits for him, and AK returns. They circle, feel things out, and AK waistlocks to GERMAN SUPLEX! AK holds on but Bate throws elbows!

Bate fights up as we hit 30 seconds, and he bucks the O’Conner Roll off! Bate skips Bop to BANG AK in the head! Fake out to then mule kick! Bate runs at AK, AK hip tosses Bate and himself out of the ring! We’re under 10 seconds, Seven coaches Bate up, but the round is over!

A-Kid: 0; Bate: 0

We’re at the presumed halfway point and there’s still no score! Bate and AK refresh as fast as they can, and we’re on to round four! Bate rushes AK to EuroUpper! AK fights the exploder, Bate throws body shots and big hands! AK hits back, this is a brawl! Bate CLUBS AK, runs but into a KANGAROO KICK! AK steadies himself, gets a leg, but Bate holds him off. AK still gets a FISHERMAN SUPELX! Bridging cover, TWO!! So close and yet so far! Bate gets up in a corner, boots back, KNEES AK, hops up and leaps but into a backslide! TWO!! Bate gets up, AK gets a leg but Bate rolls through! High stack, TWO, but into a dead lift! AIRPLANE SPIN!

But AK stops it short with a SLEEPER HOLD! AK is a backpack, Bate stays on his feet but is fading! Bate claws at AK as we’re under 90 seconds! AK lets him go to PENALTY KICK! Cover, TWO!! Bate survives but AK is right back on the sleeper! Bate fights up, AK is a backpack again, but Bate RAMS AK back into buckles! Bate is free, AK climbs up and leaps, into a EuroUpper! Both men are down and Seven fires up with the BT Sports Studio fans! Bate gets AK up, suplexes, but AK knees free and gets a GUILLOTINE! Bate powers out of the body scissors but the facelock is on! AK drops to get the scissors back on!

Bate powers up, powers through, and suplexes to a BRAINBSUTER!! We’re under 10 seconds, Bate has to hurry to the cover, but the round is over!!

A-Kid: 0; Bate: 0

Seven is feeling the frustration on Bate’s behalf as AK is saved by the bell! We’re deep into this match, still no score, but AK is having an understandably hard time recovering. The fifth round begins and the two circle again. Bate avoids AK’s kicks, and even eggs him on a little. They tie up with knuckle locks, Bate reels AK in for a shoulder! Hip toss to cover, ONE as AK gets a leg up! Bate puts it down, TWO as AK gest the other arm! Another cover, TWO as AK bridges! Bate jumps but AK uses that to monkey flip and springboard! Bate waistlocks, for a GERMAN SUPLEX! Bridging cover, TWO!! AK survives and Bate can’t believe it!

Bate drags AK up, underhooks, but AK back drops and bridges out! TWO as Bate bridges back up! AK puts more weight but Bate powers up, to TYLER DRIVER ’97!! Cover, TWO!?! AK survives Bate’s best shot and Seven can’t believe it! Bate hurries to the top rope, AK is in a drop zone, and CORKSCREW SENTON FLOPS! AK has the ARMBAR! Bate fights up, AK keeps pulling but Bate hammers away! Bate is free, rolls, but into the TRIANGLE HOLD! AK shifts to RINGS OF SATURN!! Bate endures and we have 30 seconds left! Bate claws, reaches, but AK has the arm again! Seven shouts to Bate, AK headbutts the arm!

Ten seconds left, Bate endures even as AK hooks the arm with a leg!! Bate is not giving in and we make it to the end of the fifth!!

A-Kid: 0; Bate: 0

Incredible! This late into a British Rounds match and we are still where we started! Seven makes sure Bate is alright, but Bate tells him not to ever throw in the towel. Seven promises that, and it is time for round six! Seven slides out, AK runs corner to corner! Bate avoids the shining wizard! AK hits buckles, dropkicks but misses again! Bate goes after AK but AK trips him up! Bate BOOTS AK, but AK holds onto the foot! Bate boots him away, hurdles and rebounds to LARIAT!! Bate gets AK up and underhooks, TYLER DR- RANA!! Cover, TWO!!! Bate narrowly escapes, Seven panics, but AK avoids the rolling kick! Bate avoids the Penalty Kick, and ROCKS AK!

AK wobbles, but SUPERKICKS and rolls, but Bate sits down for a prawn hold!! BATE GETS THE FALL! BATE WINS!!

Winner: Tyler Bate, by pinfall (NEW NXT UK Heritage Cup Champion)

A-Kid is in shock! It was such a hard fought defense, but with 2 minutes and 2 seconds still left in the round, Bate takes the cup from him! The Big Strong Boy is the second-ever holder of the Heritage Cup, and AK hands it over personally to show he still respects his former mentor. Will El Nino Anonimo come back for the cup one day? How far will Bate take this trophy and grow his legacy?

My Thoughts:

A great episode, especially that main event. Rampage VS Wolfgang was a good opening, and I like that while Rampage of course won, and two weeks seems a reasonable time for recovery before we get Rampage VS Joey again. I’m sure if TakeOver: Dublin was still on schedule, it would’ve been saved for then, but now we’ll get that on a special episode of NXT UK. We got a curious promo with Teoman and Ashton Smith, a good vignette from Aoife and good interactions between Frazer with Sha and Gradwell with Scala. Building towards Frazer VS Sha was a given after Sha helped Dar screw Frazer over, and surely Gradwell VS Seven could be part of a big Summer episode.

Xia VS Amale was a very good match, especially on the aggression. Amale winning was a surprise but it makes sense if this turns into a feud. Plus, there need to be strong Heels once a Face finally take the NXT UK Women’s Championship off Kay Lee Ray. Supernova Sessions was pretty good, but I felt like they could’ve done more with it, like actually having the footage of Ilja brutalizing Jack Starz and Sam Gradwell. The stuffed animal therapy dog was a nice touch, though. Dar VS Dragunov is going to be awesome stuff, and is a major step for Dragunov’s slow burn build back to the top.

That Heritage Cup match was the best one yet, and they masterfully crafted that story. I would not have thought it’d be a walk-off pinfall that won it. Bate basically had to win, because I don’t see him doing a crisis of confidence type story with Seven there to support him. Moustache Mountain can always come back around down the line, but it is great that Bate makes history being the first person to be WWE/NXT UK Champion, NXT Tag Team Champion and now Heritage Cup Champion for not quite a Triple Crown but close enough. Though who knows, NXT might have to sort that out for themselves. The cup is meant to be a midcard achievement like the North American Championship or even Cruiserweight Championship.

As for A-Kid, perhaps going through the crisis of confidence can help him. He’s a young guy, he’s got a lot of career ahead, and he shot up pretty high pretty quickly, so maybe he can take some time having a long feud that builds more of his character, something that gives him either more swagger or more edge that he can then use in the return to the Heritage Cup British Rounds Division.

My Score: 8.4/10