Moustache Mountain def. Undisputed Era to Win the NXT Tag Team ChampionshipIt was evident from their interaction in the six-man tag team match the night prior that these four guys have exceptional chemistry together and that they were going to kill it when clashed for the tag team titles. Sure enough, they opened the event on the hottest note possible with such a stellar matchup that blew the roof off the joint. This was all action and an absolute blast, to say the least. I would have loved the title change more than I did if WWE hadn't spoiled it on social media ahead of time, but even still, it was an amazing, feel-good moment. Tyler Bate and Trent Seven's post-match celebration with the fans was just the icing on the cake. Charlie Morgan def. Killer KellyThis is the type of match that would have benefited big time from being preceded by video packages highlighting the ladies and their respective backgrounds. Kelly was briefly in action the night before and I've never heard of Morgan, so I can't say I was surprised that the crowd sat on their hands for this. It was only seven or so minutes long, but it felt like it dragged on forever despite not being bad at all. Here's hoping those a part of the women's division on this new NXT UK brand receive more character development in the future.
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Zack Gibson def. Gentleman Jack Gallagher in a Quarterfinal MatchThis event needed the perfect opening match to set the tone for the remainder of the night and I thought this succeeded in doing just that. Sure, Gallagher has been a heel on 205 Live for the past eight months, but you had to know he was going to be beloved in England and thus it was wise to position Gibson as his foil here, giving him more heat for his win in the process. They produced an entertaining outing that had a hot crowd to boot. Joe Coffey def. Dave Mastiff in a Quarterfinal MatchI have heard Coffey's name brought up a few times during discussions I've had about the former What Culture Pro Wrestling with fellow fans, but beyond that, I'm not too familiar with his work. The same can be said for Mastiff as well, but despite that, they had a damn good match. This was a total hoss battle with both men pulling off some moves you likely wouldn't expect out of them considering their size. Showing Joe's brother Mark in the crowd before the bout was a nice touch as well.
Wolfgang def. Joseph ConnersWe really haven't seen too much of Wolfgang since the tournament back in January, which is weird because a video package or two talking about who he is aired on NXT TV not long ago. He's a tremendous talent, but I don't think he was the best choice to kick off this show, at least with Conners. They wrestled a solid match, but the crowd wasn't nearly for hot for this as they were for the matches that followed, nor was it all that exciting. The Brian Kendrick and TJP def. Dan Moloney and Rich SwannIt's amazing how much of a difference a change of scenery makes. Kendrick, TJP and Swann don't receive strong reactions on the main roster/205 Live, yet they came across like stars here, the same way they did on NXT and in the Cruiserweight Classic. Combining 205 Live and the U.K. Championship competitors into one show might be the best thing for them at this point. Any any rate, this was a very fun match with the heels playing their roles well and Moloney making a good impression despite his quick elimination in the tournament earlier this year. Swann was enjoyable as always as well.
Pete Dunne def. Sam Gradwell in a Quarterfinal MatchI really liked how the angle that everyone was talking about coming out of the First Round matches with Dunne blindsiding Gradwell at the end of the night was what kicked off the show here. The video package that preceded the match certainly set up Dunne as the biggest heel in the tournament, so the added bad blood to this bout added to my enjoyment of it. The commentators running down their history as roommates years ago was also a nice touch. The intensity was apparent, though the outcome was never in doubt. Nevertheless, the right man went over and this was an exciting way to open the evening. Mark Andrews def. Joseph Conners in a Quarterfinal MatchThis was a different match than what we saw from Andrews in the First Round, which was mostly just a showcase for him. Here, he and Conners played up the David vs. Goliath dynamic nicely and Conners benefited from being on offense throughout. It made Andrews' victory mean that much more and he deserved to advance. On a side note, I could see WWE hiring Conners for his weird look of only one ear alone.
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