Will Moustache Mountain stay atop the NXT UK Tag Division?

Moustache Mountain, Trent Seven & Tyler Bate, defend the NXT UK Tag Team Championships against Ashton Smith & Oliver Carter! Will the hottest tag team under the sun become the freshest champions on the brand?

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• Amale VS Xia Brookside; Amale wins.
• Rohan Raja w/ Die Familie VS Danny Jones; Raja wins.
• NXT UK Tag Team Championships: Moustache Mountain VS Ashton Smith & Oliver Carter; Moustache Mountain wins and retains the titles.

PLAY BY PLAY

Amale VS Xia Brookside!

How things have changed this last year or so. The last time these two faced off, the French Hope felt entitled to opportunities and tried to take them from the second generation superstar. But now, Xia is the one pouting and throwing fits when things don’t go her way! Will Xia throw another fit if she loses to Amale this time?

The bell rings, the two circle and they tie up. Amale wrenches to a wristlock but Xia rolls and handsprings and wrenches through to a wristlock. Xia YANKS the arm, but Amale spins through, steps through and throws Xia over! Amale has the armlock but Xia endures. Xia fights up, but Amale wrenches to another wristlock. Xia gets to ropes, flips through and arm-drags, but Amale rolls through. Xia is upset and Amale comes back to run Xia over! Xia complains, “She can’t do that to me!” Xia then rushes in, into an arm-drag! Amale has a short arm scissor, rolls it to a ghost pin, ONE!

Xia gets away to a corner and says Amale isn’t allowed to do that! Xia jumps on for a headlock and hits the takeover. Amale headscissors back and squeezes tight. Xia bridges but can’t get free. Xia moves around, headstands and pops free to shimmy her hips. But Amale avoids the Penalty Kick to roll Xia up! TWO, Xia gets mad again but leaps into Amale’s arms! Amale SLAMS Xia down, then runs to rolling senton, and basement dropkick! Cover, TWO! Xia scrambles away to a corner but Amale storms over. Xia kicks her away, then BOOTS Amale down! Xia shrieks and stmops away on Amale!

Xia CLUBS Amale against ropes, then she chokes Amale on the ropes! The ref counts, Xia lets off and complains, then hits DOUBLE KNEES to the back! Xia stomps Amale down then stomps away on her at the ropes! The ref counts, Xia lets off but brings Amale up to CLOB her on the back again. Xia snapmares and KICKS Amale right in the back! Xia hooks up the arms and has a grounded cobra twist! Amale endures as Xia stretches her, but Amale fires up. Xia ELBOWS Amale down! And again! Xia ties Amale back up and has a top wristlock on the arm. Xia mocks Amale being the French Hope, but Amale powers up!

Amale has a fireman’s carry and she DEATH VALLEY DRIVERS! Xia staggers up, into BIG forearms! Xia gives them back but Amale hits again! Amale gets the edge, Xia staggers, and Amale runs to rally with clotheslines! Amale kicks low, runs and KNEE LIFTS, to then LARIAT! And then Amale drops a SENTON! Cover, TWO! Amale grits her teeth, drags Xia up and fireman’s carries, but Xia slips off. Xia CLUBS Amale, then ROCKS her with forearm after forearm! Xia ROUNDHOUSES Amale right down! Xia shrieks, runs in at the corner, but Amale BOOTS her back! Amale then drop toeholds Xia into buckles!

Amale goes side to side, BOOT WASH! Amale drags Xia up, reels her in, HOPE BREAKER! Cover, Amale wins!

Winner: Amale, by pinfall

The French Hope still has that fire inside, and she just burned up Brookside! Will Xia call Daddy about this? Will Amale find herself moving to the front of the line for the NXT UK Women’s Championship?

Sid Scala meets with Noam Dar, Sha Samuels and Gallus.

Sid thanks them all for coming, and makes them aware of the camera in the room. Sid and Johnny Saint have spoken, and Dar is very confident they’re going to punish Gallus for messing up Supernova Sessions! Suspended without pay indefinitely! Sha says no, they’re definitely suspended. Gallus laughs and Mark Coffey says they should be thanking Gallus. That was the highest rated Supernova Sessions ever. Maybe they should just make it Gallus Boys On Talk indefinitely. No, definitely. Dar & Sha grumble and Sid says there has been no word on the talk show.

But what was decided is that in two weeks, Noam Dar VS Joe Coffey, for the Heritage Cup. What?! That makes no sense! Joe can’t be a contender, he’s barely even had one British Rounds Rules match! How is this fair? But whatever, Dar will deal with this. Dar tells Sha to head out, and Mark tells Sha to do as he’s told and run along. Sha gets mad but Sid keeps the peace. If they want to settle this, then have a match. Sha’s fine with that. Dar says Gallus is all fun and games, until it’s not. Dar and Sha leave, but will Gallus look to sweep them and take that cup for their own?

NXT UK Media checks in with Dave Mastiff & Jack Starz.

How are those Bomber challenges going? But Pretty Deadly pass through and brag about themselves and TikTok. Well, seems we have our next challenge. Bomber Initiative! Pretty Deadly returns, and they put on their fancy turtlenecks, only to find someone’s cut big holes in the chests! Who’s done this?! Starz smiles while holding up the scissors. And Mastiff is there to back him up. If Pretty Deadly want it, then come get it! They go to get Sid Scala, and Mastiff says those shirts actually look better. Will a win over former tag team champions prove to Mastiff that Starz is worthy of a Bomber vest?

Rohan Raja w/ Die Familie VS Danny Jones!

After bullying and even mugging Nathan Frazer, Teoman and his family failed to finish the British Prodigy. But Die Familie vows to be stronger than ever, motivated by that loss. Will Raja be the first to claim that redemption?

The bell rings and Raja circles with Jones. They tie up, are in a deadlock, and then break. Raja shoves Jones, then gets his arm to wrench. Jones spins through, spins Raja, but Raja holds onto the wristlock. Jones tries again, arm-drags Raja, but Raja still holds tight. Jones rolls, hooks a leg and drags Raja down to then roll and float to a cover. ONE, but Jones gets a facelock. Raja powers Jones to a corner, the ref calls for a break. Raja lets off, but Jones avoids the sucker punch! Jones headlocks, Raja throws body shots, but the two ram shoulders. Raja eggs Jones on so Jones hits Raja. Jones runs, into a low shoulder!

Raja whips Jones but Jones reverses to hit a kitchen sink knee! Jones bumps Raja off buckles, then whips him to the other corner! Jones runs, into a BIG forearm from Raja! Raja shakes out the cobwebs, whips, but Jones reverses again for a BOOT! Raja scrambles out to regroup with Die Familie. Jones waits on Raja, but then hurries after. Raja gets Jones at the apron and trips him up! Jones hits apron edge, Raja gets him up to RAM him into the apron edge! Raja puts Jones in, stomps him down, then has him in the corner. Raja CLUBS Jones, whips him out to whip him back in hard! Cover, TWO!

Raja grows annoyed but he looms over Jones. Raja eggs Jones on but Jones throws body shots. Jones gets up, but Raja wrenches and CLUBS the arm! Raja wrenches and CLUBS the other arm! LEG SWEEP! Raja stomps Jones, then runs to basement dropkick in the back of the head! Cover, TWO! Jones is still in this but Raja now grins. Raja wants Jones to get up and he pushes Jones around. Jones snarls as he gets up and he ROCKS Raja back! Raja forearms, Jones forearms, repeat! Raja gets the edge, but Jones catches one to get the arms! Raja fights the backslide but Jones hammerlocks, headlocks, ripcords and ENZIGURIS! Then a SAIDO!

Raja flounders to a corner, Jones runs in to SHINING WIZARD! And EXPLODER! Cover, TWO! Raja survives and Jones tries to get his back loosen. Jones brings Raja up, but the back gives way! Raja ripcords and FOREARMS, to a BACKSTABBER! Raja waits on Jones to get up, SEEK ‘N’ DESTROY!! Cover of the jumping Complete Shot, Raja wins!

Winner: Rohan Raja, by pinfall

The British born, Australian raised, Canadian trained prince succeeds, but then Die Familie add insult to injury! Raja stomps away, but Dempsey seems reluctant. Dempsey does join in, and Teoman is proud. Will Die Familie soon take over NXT UK with this same viciousness?

Symbiosis speaks.

Tyson T-Bone says, “This isn’t where we’re supposed to be. We said things would be different. We said we’d start winning.” Eddie Dennis says, “The Brazilian novelist, Paola Coelho, said that an arrow can only be shot by first pulling it backwards. These losses that drag us back are merely an indicator that we are about to launch into the hearts of our enemies. So keep calm, keep focused and hold it.” T-Bone and Primate are aimed, will they hit the mark that is the NXT UK Tag Team Championships?

Something is out there.

A truck driver slams on the brakes to avoid hitting something as it crosses the road. It’s in the woods. In the darkness. It is hunting. But just what is it?

NXT UK Media catches up with Sha Samuels.

They didn’t think Sha would be here at BT Sports Studios. Why wouldn’t he? He’s always checking the latest news. A bookie’s job is never done. But then Mark Coffey walks over. Sha says tough luck about his brother and “Dog man.” Oh, this from Dar’s lapdog that carries master’s cup, huh? Does “Galaxy Boy” blast off into space? Oh, funny, this is the funny brother. Just remember: Sha can fly solo. Think on that one, mug. EAST!

A-Kid is there as Die Familie returns to the back.

Teoman looks A-Kid up and down, but then AK gets Dempsey’s attention. “What was that?” Teoman has AK stop questioning them, but Dempsey say sit’s alright. Does AK want to say something? He does. AK thought Dempsey was better than that. Dempsey shrugs and says, “Maybe.” AK walks off in a huff, will the Spanish Sensation look to do something about Die Familie being a trio of thugs and bullies?

Andy Shepherd is in the ring.

Sid Scala did mention last week, tonight is about honoring someone very special to NXT UK. Please welcome the NXT UK Women’s Champion, Meiko Satomura! The Final Boss makes her way out, title on her arm. Andy says her reign as champion has not only helped elevate the title, but also the entire division. They play a highlight reel, starting with her win over Kay Lee Ray in June of 2021.  Then her wins over Amale, Stevie Turner, Killer Kelly, Rhea Ripley, Xia Brookside, Bianca Blair and more. Andy says on behalf of the brand, and Johnny Saint, he presents Meiko with a bouquet of flowers.

Meiko thanks Andy, and thanks the fans of NXT UK. But wait! The lights go down, and when they come back up, Isla Dawn is laughing. “Hi, Meiko~! Well, isn’t this quite the glittering assemblage. I feel quite… distressed at not having been extended an invite.” Is she Maleficent? Isla goes to the ring and says she wants to join in the celebration of Meiko Satomura! She wants to thank Meiko. Thanks for giving Isla- or, all of us, something to strive for. Thank you for giving Isla a sense of purpose, a sense of desire. But Meiko, it’s that time. Isla is sorry but she needs her final trophy, which at the moment, Meiko possesses.

Meiko tells Isla that she is a very strong competitor. If she wants a title match, then just ask. Isla laughs more, and says that’s where Meiko is mistaken. She doesn’t ask for things. She just takes them. And she SLAPS Meiko right down! Isla then paws at the title. But she first takes Meiko’s flowers. Isla leaves, laughing all the way. Will Meiko kick some sense into the Wicked Witch of NXT UK? Or has the Final Boss finally met someone more dangerous than her?

Sam Gradwell takes a deep breath.

He looks himself in the mirror, and pulls back his jacket’s hood to reveal his fully shaven head. “C’mon, Sam, get it together. It’s only hair, right? You’re not Samson. You can get over this.” But what gets him is everyone asking what happened. What gets him is his little boy asking, “Daddy, who did that to your hair?” What gets Sam is that every time he looks in the mirror, all he sees is that horrible little Kenny Cockroach! Sam calms down, and says he can get over that, but Kenny won’t get over what Sam does to him! Has the Scum of the Earth only made the Thunderstorm even stronger than before?

Ilja Dragunov speaks.

“Nathan Frazer. I heard what you said, and I appreciate it. And I accept the challenge. Because unlike Jordan Devlin, you just stepped up and courageously asked for your chance. But know this: I had to win a 20 Man Battle Royal to come even close, just close to this. And even then I failed, because I wasn’t ready. My journey was so long until I became the NXT UK Champion, and I became the Czar. But I know how good you are. And I know especially how good you can get. But you are not ready. And this will be the very first step of your journey.” Will UNBESIEGBAR show the British Prodigy that even a prodigy needs time and experience before they become champion?

NXT UK Tag Team Championships: Moustache Mountain VS Ashton Smith & Oliver Carter!

It was back in 2018 when Tyler Bate & Trent Seven won the NXT Tag Team Championships in the US. It was then a long journey for both to reach this point. But the hottest tag team under the sun has had their own long journey and are now ready for another shot. Will Ready and Forward, Always Forward, bring Smith & Carter to the gold? Or will the Big Strong Boy & Artful Dodger stay at the pinnacle of this tag division?

The introductions are made, the belts are raised, and we see if the hottest tag team can become the best tag team!

The teams sort out and Bate starts with Smith. They circle, tie up, and are in a deadlock. But Smith uses his height as leverage and he puts Bate in the corner. Carter tags in but Bate gets away. Bate and Carter circle, tie up, and Bate waistlocks to SLAM Carter down. Carter moves around, pries free and wrenches to get an armlock. Bate fights up, rolls through and wrenches back to a wristlock. Carter rolls, handsprings and kicks Bate away. They tie up again, Carter arm0drags to an armlock. Bate fights to move around, gets up, but Carter wrenches. Bate spins and arm-drags, but Carter holds on to keep the wristlock!

Bate fights up, rolls to roll back and breaks free with a leg. Bate WRINGS Carter out then dropkicks him down! Tag to Seven and Moustache Mountain double whip Carter to run him over! Bate gives Seven some help for the CORKSCREW SENTON! Cover, TWO! Seven wrenches Carter, SLAPS the arm, CHOPS Carter down, then drags him back up to repeat the process! Seven goes for a third but Carter breaks free. Carter falls for the feint but stops the DDT! Carter breaks free to SUPER FOREARM! Seven blocks the whip to reverse it but Carter dodges in the corner. Tiger Wall Kick! Carter arm-drags Seven to an armlock!

Carter CLUBS and uppercuts Seven’s arm, tags to Smith, and Smith leap frogs, but Seven moves! Seven CHOPS Smith then hip tosses him down! Smith gets up but into a scoop SLAM! Seven runs to drop a leg, brother! Cover, TWO! Smith stays in this and shakes out the cobwebs, but Seven tags Bate. Seven fireman’s carries to WASTELAND SLAM! Bate KNEE-BOARD SENTONS! Cover, TWO! Bate keeps on Smith with a headlock. Smith endures the grind, fights up, but Bate holds on as Smith tries to power out. Smith tries again, throws body shots, but Bate bops him with his foot! Bate grinds the headlock, but Smith powers up!

Bate holds on, bops Smith more, but Smith gets the foot! Smith EuroUppers, so Bate EuroUppers back! They go back and forth, EuroUpper for EuroUpper! Smith fires two EuroUppers, Bate gives them both back! Smith DECKS Bate with a EuroUpper! Seven gets in, Smith floors him with a EuroUpper! Bate gets up to fire off EuroUppers! Carter gets in to get BLASETD by a EuroUpper! Smith dodges a EuroUpper to shove, but Bate comes back to RAM Smith on the rebound! Smith rebounds to run Bate over! Tag to Carter, Smith helps with the slingshot, but Bate fireman’s carries then dumps Carter over!

Bate gets Carter back up, fireman’s carry and he SMACKS Smith with Carter’s boots! Then Bate starts up the AIRPLANE SPIN! Bate gives 10 rotations before he TOSSES Carter! Carter stagger sup, Bate is dizzy, too. Bate still blocks Carter’s kick and throws it down, only for Carter to ROLLING HEEL KICK! Bate staggers to a corner, Carter runs in but Bate blocks and knees back! Bate goes up, but Carter SUPER STEINERS him right down! Carter runs in, SCISSOR KICK! Cover, TWO! Bate survives but Carter keeps on him. Carter runs and ROLLING KICKS Seven! Carter then gets Bate up, reels him in, but Bate fights the clinch.

Bate is in a corner, Carter runs in, but is caught! Carter hammers away but Bate still hits the EXPLODER! Bate hits a RUNNING SHOOTING STAR! Cover, TWO! Carter survives, but Bate is right on him again. Bate underhooks the arms, but Carter back drops free! Bate lands on his feet, ducks and dodges, REBOUND LARIAT! Both men are down and their tag partners reach out. Carter and Bate crawl, but Bate tags Seven first! Seven gets Carter, Bate dropkicks Smith! Full nelson and rebound, but Carter BOOTS Bate! Carter elbows Seven, he and Smith SILLY STRING TORNADY DDT! And kip up!

Carter keeps moving, QUEBRADA! Cover, TWO! Seven survives but Smith coaches Carter up. Carter tags Smith in, they get Seven up, fire off hands, then double whip. Seven holds ropes, BOOTS Smith back then throws Carter out! Smith spins Seven around, double knuckle locks and Smith rams his shoulder in! Smith goes for it again but Seven gets under to wristlock and ripcord, only for Smith to BOOT the lariat away! But Seven spins and CHOPS, then ripcords again! SEVEN STAR LARIAT!! But Seven isn’t done there, he suplexes for EMERALD FLOWSION! Cover, Carter breaks it in time!

Bate hurries in to throw Carter back out hard! Seven gets up, and he URAKENS Smith right down! Cover, TWO! Tag to Bate, Seven drags Smith up. Torture rack, but Smith slips off and BOOTS Seven away! Bate isn’t sure what to do, but he leaps over Smith. Bate ducks and dodges but runs into a HUGE BLUE THUNDER BOMB!! Cover, TWO!! Carter is back, Smith tags him in! PENALTY KICK, assisted MOONSAULT! Cover, TWO!! Bate survives, neither Smith or Carter can believe it! Carter tags Smith back in, SILLY STRING but Seven stops it! Flashback to their previous battle, but Carter catches Seven for an URENAGE!

Bate has Smith on the ropes with a waistlock! Smith pries free and DECKS Bate! Smith hurries up top, Bate stands and Smith hits a FLYING LEG LARIAT!! Smith flounders over, tags Carter, and Smith gets Bate up in an Electric Chair, Carter jumps up, DOOMSDAY CUTTER!!! Cover, Seven breaks it!! All four men are down and BT Sports Studio is loving it! Carter crawls, tag to Smith. Bate and Carter throw hands, Seven aims at Smith. Smith blocks the chop to send it into Bate! Bate still ROCKS Carter with a right, so Smith BOOTS Bate down! Seven full nelson to DRAGON SUPLEX Smith!

Carter runs at Seven, Seven hip tosses Carter and himself out of the ring! Bate and Smith lean on ropes, Smith runs in and SUPERKICKS Bate! Bate stays up but Smith BOOTS! Bate rebounds to ROLLING LIGER KICK! Bate blocks a boot to ROCK, BOP and BANG, then GAMANGIRI! Another BANG, and both men go down! Bate crawls to a cover, Smith has a foot on the ropes but Seven slaps it away! Moustache Mountain wins!!

Winners: Moustache Mountain, by pinfall (still NXT UK Tag Team Champions)

The ref was in the wrong position to see that ropebreak, and that allowed the Artful Dodger to take it away! Will Seven & Bate still be champions with as close as this one came?

My Thoughts:

A great episode of NXT UK, and NXT UK is proving they can actually do quite a lot with just three matches. Amale VS Xia made a good opener, and it really was the flipside of last time when Amale was Heel and Xia was Face. Xia’s good as a bratty Heel character, but she might benefit from resorting to Heel tactics of cheating. At the very least, she should take the next step of being a sore loser and attacking after a match. Maybe that happens next time. We got exactly what I figured from the “celebration” of Meiko Satomura: someone showed up to interrupt and challenge Meiko. Glad to see it was Isla Dawn, just as I expected, and that is going to be a very good match.

Ilja Dragunov has a good response to Nathan Frazer’s challenge, and that match is happening next week rather than during WrestleMania week. That’s a bit surprising, but Dragunov has a good point in saying Frazer is not ready. Frazer will give Dragunov a great match, will lose, and then he’ll build up towards the title while perhaps someone else moves up to challenge Dragunov for Prelude 2022. Rohan Raja of course wins for Die Familie but Jones gave him a great match. I do like that there is hesitancy in Dempsey to do things just like the others, and A-Kid calling him out on it is a good detail. Dempsey VS A-Kid would be an awesome match.

Gradwell had a good promo to build upon Kenny clipping his mohawk. Their rematch is going to be a wild one, and could lead to Dragunov’s challenger for WrestleMania week. Then, I figured we were getting Noam Dar VS Joe Coffey for the Heritage Cup, but it’s a nice addition that we’re getting Sha Samuels VS Mark Coffey first. This is all still going towards that Six Man Tag I’ve been hoping for, Gallus VS Sha, Dar & Devlin. And I guess that vignette with the truck driver and the person running around in the woods is to hype a new signing but I have no idea who it could be.

Symbiosis had a good promo to keep themselves in our minds in the tag division. And it was fitting given tonight was the tag title match. That was an awesome main event, Smith & Carter really have come into their own as a tag team, but what a surprising way for Moustache Mountain to retain. Seven is definitely going to use tactics like that broken ropebreak to keep these belts, because that’s how desperate he is deep down to stay a champion. It could take Moustache Mountain the way of Kenny Williams & Amir Jordan last year, where the cheating is exposed and it tears the team apart.

My Score: 8.5/10