NXT UK 05/26/2022

The Younger Brother Takes Charge

Gallus’ Mark Coffey had words before his contest. While he lamented the fact his brother was going on hiatus he stated that he would put in the work to make sure that a Gallus boy was still on top of the NXT UK mountain. He would attempt to prove himself against a true wild man in Saxon Huxley. After some fast flurries and hard offense, as is expected from both competitors, Mark Coffey would earn a victory and begin his journey of becoming a standout singles competitor.

Legends Don’t Carry Bags

Emilia McKenzie & Lash Legend finally get the chance to settle a beef that was brought about by Lash’s harsh comments. Having criticized Emilia for being nothing more than Meiko’s luggage girl, Lash would employ some creatively dirty tactics, such as bouncing Emilia’s head between the top and second ropes, all while displaying her strength by carrying the woman in her arms. Emilia would continue to pull out all the stops, throwing her body over the top rope to take Lash off her feet at ringside before committing to a top rope splash to dish out more damage. It would be Emilia McKenzie’s flair for aerial acrobatics that would be her undoing. While gaining momentum from flipping off the top rope, Lash had already gotten to her feet and performed a big boot to knock her opponent out for the three count. Lash has earned herself a much needed victory after having just her semifinals match in the NXT Women’s Breakout Tournament the night before.

The House Always Wins

And now the match that had a few bookies split on the odds. Sha Samuels and Damon Kemp would fight one on one after almost a month of harsh words and blindsides. Damon would immediately show off why the fundamentals can be just as impressive as a 720 degree splash, making a wrist lock look like a graceful maneuver that helped him get an early edge over Sha. It would be Sha’s friend Noam Dar that would make the difference however, tripping Damon up so Sha could capitalize with a spine buster for the victory. Logic would only dictate that eventually Damon Kemp could earn himself a shot at Noam Dar’s Heritage Cup in the near future. His style would certainly be a good fit for the title. In the meantime it seems like the Diamond Mine member is going to be having dual citizenship, as Gallus’ Wolfgang offered to show Damon how to take care of Sha & Dar. Of course, Noam Dar & Sha Samuels certainly know how to make enemies, as seen below.

Backstage News

There was a vignette in which Ivy Nile displayed her intense training regimen, stating that she was ready to fight Meiko Satomura and bring UK gold back to Diamond Mine in the States. There’s a package showing Sam Gradwell & Von Wagner doing tape studies on each other. Von Wagner proceeds to lack in the verbal department, bringing to mind the question of why Robert Stone wasn’t asked to join Von on his excursion? Sam gives his routine mocking humor, showcasing that while his attitude hasn’t changed, he’s more than happy to shut up the big bullies that come into NXT UK. Their matchup is set for next week. Kenny William’s paranoia continues to spiral. Kenny would try to get the staff to help him keep an eye out for all of his suspects only to be confronted by Mark Andrews with the news that the two of them would have a match in two weeks time. Between his constant distractions and the intensity of a vengeance seeking Mark Andrews, Kenny may be set to give Mark his first singles victory in over six months. We also see a video package that does a wonderful job of telling the story behind the triple threat tag team titles match set to take place next week. Moustache Mountain have earned respect as being both champions and pillars of the brand but there is a small schism forming between them, with Trent Seven displaying more desperate behavior with every defense of the titles. Ashton Carter and Oliver Smith are the scrappy young challengers who just won’t go away. And Die Familie is the dark horse that neither side seems to consider a genuine threat. It’s set to be a fantastic main event next week on NXT UK.

A Villain‘s Heritage

And now it’s time for the main event. Where we get to see A-Kid and Charlie Dempsey in their element. Heritage Rules, one on one, no seconds at ringside. The first round would see the competitors fight neck and neck with A-Kid almost gaining a fall, but Dempsey kicked out as the bell sounded the end of their first three minutes. The second round continues to show how integral these two men are to the UK brand. Showcasing great technical wrestling in a classic style. The third round would show a change of plans as instead of going for a pinfall, both men would attempt to apply heel hooks on one another. As they committed some slaps that reverberated throughout the BT Studio, a rope break would bring them back to their feet where Dempsey would use some stiff strikes to take his opponent back to the mat. Dempsey’s strong style would be on full display with an absolutely amazing german suplex followed by a torturous stretch that would cause A-Kid to tap out, awarding the first fall of the contest to Charlie Dempsey and signaling the end of the third round. Round four marks the beginning of the second half and the storytelling nuances become more apparent. Both men showing grimaces at receiving leg kicks and dragon screws respectively, selling the damage the prior heel hooks had caused. With under 30 seconds left, A-Kid would land a desperate single-leg drop kick that would drop his opponent to the mat for a pinfall, tying each man at one fall a piece. And only two rounds left to decide a winner. The pace of the match would pick up in round five with both men desperate to get the decisive fall. A-Kid would once again come close to scoring a pinfall only for the bell to sound ending the round. As soon as the bell sounded to begin round six, A-Kid struck like a bull at full speed. Dempsey would reach for a towel only to be tossed away from the corner. The ref would see the towel in the middle of the ring and turn his back to dispose of it. With his back turned, Charlie Dempsey produced a pair of brass knuckles, such as his father William Regal was wont to do. Instead of using them, Dempsey would toss them to A-Kid and act as if A-Kid had used the illegal weapon. When the referee turned and saw the scenario he questioned A-Kid who immediately protested. Seeing an opportunity, Dempsey would strike A-Kid with a closed fist and suplex the hybrid wrestler for the winning pinfall. Regal’s son, Charlie Dempsey continues to be a true villain in the making. He has a bright future ahead of him and now we only have to wait another week to see if his brothers in Die Familie will bring gold to the family.

Recap

1. Mark Coffey def. Saxon Huxley

2. Lash Legend def. Emilia McKenzie

3. Sha Samuels def. Damon Kemp

4. Charlie Dempsey def. A-Kid 2-1 in a Heritage Rules match.

Next Week

1. Von Wagner Vs. Sam Gradwell

2. NXT UK Tag Team Titles match: Moustache Mountain (c.) Vs. Die Familie Vs. Ashton Carter & Oliver Smith

NXT UK available every Thursday, 3 PM on Peacock (USA) & WWE Network (international.)