NXT UK continues its Glasgow run and offers up the biggest match from the show yet, WALTER/Dunne II.  It also featured a big rematch between Mark Andrews and Noam Dar and other contenders Fatal Four-Way Qualifier. Throw in a massive shock that will set the NXT UK roster on notice and you have the ingredients for an amazing episode. Let’s get into it.

Travis Banks defeated Joseph Conners via Kiwi Crusher

NXT UK kicked off with the final qualifying match for the Number One Contender’s Fatal Four-Way. The final pair were Travis Banks and Joseph Conners. Banks started strong but had his momentum cut short when his face was introduced to the steel steps. Conners took control and pulled out some interesting and unique offence to try and put away Banks. He used a Slingshot Bulldog and Apron Sunset Flip to try and put Banks away. Instead, Banks endured, used Conners aggression against him and finally hit a Slice of Heaven Kick. After that, he instantly followed up with a Kiwi Crusher and won the match. He joins Joe Coffey, Jordan Devlin and Dave Mastiff in the Fatal Four-Way. It was a fun little match that kicked off the show. It didn’t do anything too flashy but featured a nice dynamic between the two and gives Banks a shot at revenge against both Devlin and Coffey.

Noam Dar defeated Mark Andrews via Nova Roller

This was a rematch from their past match that ended in a double no contest since both men got injured. The match started with a handshake but ended with Dar doing what he does best, being a dick. The match was an even pairing that saw both men trade holds and moves until Dar faked an injury to try and get out of fighting further. The ref buys his faking and is about to call the match off. Andrews went to check on him but got struck from behind by Dar. He taunted with a reeling in a fishing pose then finished Andrews of with the Nova Roller. It was a tight match but it certainly will be remembered more for showing that Dar hasn’t gone face and he can certainly act. This feud is probably far from over.

Rhea Ripley Addressed the NXT UK Universe

Rhea Ripley took to the ring to address a couple of things. She mocked the fans who thought she was there to wrestle and then ripped into the Scottish crowd for supporting Piper Niven. She continued this thought by saying that Niven only talks about her so much because she wants to be her. She ended by claiming that anytime someone enters the ring with them it becomes nightmarish and glared at the camera. That concluded the segment and further hyped the Scottish fans and the general television audience for their eventual match.

WALTER defeated Pete Dunne via Golden Bomb

This was amazing. Unlike their first match at NXT TakeOver: New York, this match focused more on strikes and submissions rather than the bigger spots and OTT power moves. There were still some massive spots but this felt like a harder, more personal match. Dunne was much more serious in his targeting and attacks whilst WALTER was acting much more aggressively when not being defensive. There were a lot of submissions, a lot of strikes, forearms and chops as well as finger stretching, stamping and joint manipulation. Instead of describing this match move for move and hold for hold. I’d recommend you’d watch it for yourself. It featured so many high impact moments in the ring, on the steps and around ringside. WALTER even had his fingers trapped in the turnbuckle whilst Dunne stomped on them. WALTER had attempted to prepare for Dunne’s joint manipulation by taping up his knuckles but Dunne just ripped that tape off and went to work on the joints anyway. The biggest moment in this match came near the end as WALTER was nearly tapped out by Dunne but Fabian Aichner moved the rope closer to him allowing him to get a rope break. Whilst the ref was trying to shoo Aichner away from ringside, Marcel Barthel struck Dunne in the back with the title belt. Dunne was downed and WALTER capitalised by hitting a Golden Bomb and got the pinfall victory.

They posed over the fallen body of Dunne to end the episode. This is very exciting. Barthel and Aichner have proved to be an exciting tag team as the European Union but now they are forming a stable as they bring in WALTER. The seeds were sown for this a long time back when WALTER first debuted and the duo approached him. Now they have his back and a partnership has been formed. Many people will realise that WALTER and Barthel have a past in wXw as members of Ringkampf. They could very well be building up to that group rising again with different members. If so that means WALTER’s title reign could get even more interesting to watch. It also means Gallus has a rival for top heel faction.

So, there you have it, another week of NXT UK behind us. We had some fun matches, some drama and the formation of a new group that should shake up the landscape of NXT UK. There is plenty to enjoy going forward too as Nina Samuels is taking on Toni Storm and Kassius Ohno tries to take down the Gentleman Jack Gallagher on next week’s episode. We’re definitely entering a new era for NXT UK and I can’t wait to see what they do next.

(All images courtesy of wwe.com)