BRM Reviews the 4/24/2019 NXT UK

[Big Red Machine]

EL LIGERO vs. KASSIUS OHNO- 7/10
Really great big mean heel vs. small underdog babyface match. The finish saw Ohno loosen Ligero’s mask so Ligero had to hold it on, and with Ligero’s hands and mind otherwise occupied, Ohno hit the rolling elbow to the back of the head for the win.

JORDAN DEVLIN PROMO- great!
He’s facing WALTER next week but it’s non-title because Johnny Saint wants to protect the WALTER/Dunne rematch… and Devlin is fine with that because he knows he can still use this match to prove beyond any possible doubt that he deserves a title shot.

BARTHEL & AICHNER MAKE FUN OF MARKS DOING MARK THINGS LIKE THE DOING AN “ENTRANCE” WITH A TITLE BELT AT WRESTLEMANIA AXXESS- In my mind this just makes them the babyfaces.

TONI STORM PROMO- fine
She puts over all of the women in the locker room but says that she is the best and therefore will be champion for a long time. As she left, Kay Lee Ray came out and gave her quick smirk and shrug on her way to the ring… and because NXT UK doesn’t have people pass each other on the ramp all the time for no reason like the main roster does, I now actually believe that this will lead to something (and that was confirmed by the announcers harping on the fact that Kay Lee Ray was not one of the women Toni mentioned by name while putting over the locker room.

KAY LEE RAY vs. XIA LI- 4.25/10
This was fine for what it was, which was a showcase for Kay Lee Ray while allowing time for Xia Li to do her kicks. Kay Lee Ray also worked the shoulder because why not?

PIPER NIVEN INTERIVEW AT AXXESS- a good promo on Rhea Ripley, but at this point I have to bring up that admitting that this stuff was taped at Axxess really does mess up the kayfabe timeline of the show.

GRIZZLED YOUNG VETERANS BACKSTAGE- They’re angry about… something involving Kenny Williams & Amir Jordan. I think they threw their bags out of the locker room, but it was never made clear what was actually happening. For all I know that was GYZ throwing their own bags against the wall in frustration.

MOUSTACHE MOUNTAIN vs. “FLASH” MORGAN WEBSTER & MARK ANDREWS- 7.5/10
Moustache Mountain win a match-up of babyface teams that I really just don’t care about right now.



A fine episode of NXT UK, with very good wrestling and promos, but so much in this promotion feels like it’s moving at a snail’s pace. I’m shocked that we don’t at least have another TakeOver date announced by now, as that at least makes it feel like they have a timetable for things in mind. Instead they seem to be trying to do things 205 Live-style, except with a roster that’s about four times bigger than 205 Live, and three divisions rather than just one.