Welcome back to NXT UK. This week, we’re in a new city, Coventry with a whole new set of challenges ahead. We would see Noam Dar clash with Ligero, Dani Luna in action, and some very familiar faces from Fight Club Pro appear. It was time for another chapter in NXT UK’s story with new intentions being made clear and new feuds in the making. Plus, we had a new commentator joining Nigel McGuinness, Andy Shepard. Let’s see who locked horns and who’s toes got stepped on as we get into it.

Finn Balor met Imperium

NXT UK opened with an appearance from the Prince of NXT, Finn Balor. Since Imperium attacked him on his home turf, he was coming to pay them a visit in their home, NXT UK. Now he was here and it was time to see what he would do. He got about 10 seconds into his speech before he was interrupted with WALTER chants and the opening of Dvorak’s New World Symphony. WALTER was there, ready to confront Finn but he wasn’t alone. Alexander Wolfe took to the mic and welcomed him to Imperium’s kingdom. They swarmed the ring but Balor was able to escape them… for now

Pretty Deadly (Lewis Howley & Sam Stoker) defeated The 0121 (Dan Maloney & Man Like Dereiss/Dereiss Gordon) via Deadly Pretty

So, to anyone who may not know, The 0121 are actually a pretty popular team right now. Here they got the jobber treatment by not even getting an entrance. Pretty Deadly started by being pretty petty and threw their shirts at Maloney and Dereiss. Howley and Stoker beat down both men then sent Dereiss flying and focused on Maloney. Howley took over the match and started peppering Maloney with strikes but nothing seemed to really be affecting him. Maloney got tired of this and booted Howley then Suplexed him. He tagged in Dereiss, who seemed all too happy to try and ruin Howley’s pretty face. Stoker distracted Dereiss and the match changed sides as Pretty Deadly worked over Dereiss. After an extended beatdown, Dereiss tricked Howley into punching the canvas and tagged in Maloney. He came in throwing hands and slammed Stoker into the mat with a Ripcord Uranage. He chased Stoker out of the ring and ended up getting caught as he re-entered the ring. Stoker and Howley took advantage and hit Deadly Pretty to win the match. This is the pair’s first victory on the brand so that’s a positive but it’s a shame it had to be against a team people actually like outside of NXT UK.

Noam Dar defeated Ligero via Nova Roller

Following that we got Ligero trying to smash the smirk off of Noam Dar’s face. This match came about because, as always, Noam Dar insulted the wrong person. Dar wasn’t concerned and came to the ring as cocky as ever. The pair locked up and an infuriated Ligero tried to hit Dar and missed, prompting more taunting. Dar picked at the mask, further infuriating Ligero and nearly getting the Luchador disqualified. Dar kicked Ligero off the apron and continued taunting. He brought Ligero back into the ring and started working on his limbs. He also continued prying at the mask too. Ligero fought back and flattened Dar with a dive to the outside. He brought Dar down with a series of strikes and nearly won with an inverted DDT. Ligero continued to kick at Dar and avoided getting dropped with a Small Package. Dar escaped and caught Ligero out of a springboard into a Fujiwara Armbar. Ligero rolled him over and tried to go for a Backslide but Dar grabbed at the mask yet again. Ligero drilled him with a forearm but Dar craftily used the ropes to escape further pain and worked at the legs of Ligero. He kicked him to the mat and finished him off with the Nova Roller. This match was okay but it felt a bit dry. I like seeing both men in action but this match barely left first gear.

Dani Luna defeated Amale via DQ

Up next was one of NXT UK’s newest signings against Amale, a star who continues to shine despite having little luck in the win column. Amale tried to get technical at the start of the match but Luna was too strong and tossed her away like a ragdoll. Luna slammed her to the mat but Amale was able to keep her grounded and trapped. Amale got too cocky though and Luna made her pay by picking her up again and slamming her down. Then out of nowhere Kay Lee Ray bust up the match and KO’ed both competitors. She had a message for the NXT UK universe and the women in the back, now that Toni Storm had been taken care of, the division was hers. Luna took umbrage and attacked Ray but ended up superkicked and planted with a Dirty Bomb. Not much more to say really, this match was dropped so Kay Lee Ray could ruin it and kill people.

Finn Balor defeated Alexander Wolfe via 1916

Alexander Wolfe always seems to get what he wants. He demanded a match with Finn Balor following their earlier confrontation and he got it. The hatchet man of Imperium wanted to slay a prince but as we all know; Balor would not go down easy. This was the exact type of hard-hitting, slow-burn match you’d want from the pair. It started technical with Balor locking up Wolfe then resorted to striking when Wolfe gave him an unclean break. Wolfe got vengeance with a Backbreaker and went to work on Balor with his own brand of striking. The other Imperium members came out to look over Wolfe’s handiwork. He trapped Balor in a bearhug but fought out and struck Wolfe out of the corner. He started stomping down Wolfe in front of his faction mates. Imperium interfered allowing Wolfe to hit a lariat but didn’t get DQed, just sent to the back. The pair started a slugfest and Balor escaped a Powerbomb into a double stomp. Balor kicked out of a German Suplex, hit the Coup de Grace and ended it with 1916. He won the match and took his first Imperium scalp. He beat Wolfe on Imperium’s home turf and did so in a relatively dominant fashion. This was entertaining enough but again seemed to be stuck in low gear.

So, there you have it, another NXT UK episode reviewed for your reading pleasure. It was an okay episode. The Balor v Imperium stuff was cool and the main event was enjoyable enough. I don’t buy NXT UK doing much with Pretty Deadly so their win over The 0121 doesn’t feel that big and neither Dani Luna or Amale got a good showing from their match. It had a lot of set up for future episodes which is appreciated but was lacking anything really meaty. I’m more looking forward to Gallus going on the warpath next week again Dave Mastiff and the South Wales Subculture.

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