WWE NXT UK Review - December 26, 2018 (Part 1)

By Graham "GSM" Matthews

NXT UK General Manager Johnny Saint Announced NXT UK TakeOver: Blackpool; Toni Storm Challenged NXT UK Women's Champion Rhea Ripley

It's cool to see the NXT UK brand making strides by holding their first-ever live TakeOver special in January. The brand has been a blast thus far, so I have no doubt that the show will be every bit as excellent as the NXT live specials. Also in this segment, Storm informed Saint that she was using the title shot she earned from winning Evolution to challenge Ripley for the NXT UK Women's title at TakeOver. It seems strange they're going with a rematch from the finals of the tournament so soon, but then again, I don't know who else is worthy of challenging for the championship right now.

Jordan Devlin def. Kenny Williams

Williams is one-half of the enhancement tag team with Amir Jordan, so while the outcome of this match was never in doubt, it was a fun little outing that allowed Williams to shine for a bit before Devlin went over decisively. In addition to maintaining momentum with the victory, he cut a promo afterward about who he'd target next, teasing that whoever it is has been an "embarrassment" to their country.

Eddie Dennis def. Dan Moloney by Disqualification

Moloney is another guy who has been nothing but a jobber on NXT UK up to this point, so it was hardly surprising to see him act as a punching bag for Dennis. This didn't last long, however, as "Bomber" Dave Mastiff eventually interfered and attacked Dennis to prolong their feud. Mastiff then sent a message to Dennis by laying out Moloney post-match, so it's clear a Mastiff vs. Dennis rematch is happening soon.

Tyson T-Bone and Saxon Huxley def. Tucker and Jack Starz

T-Bone and Suxley just aren't clicking as a tandem yet for me. Huxley isn't a compelling character in the slightest, but I suppose pairing him off with someone else is better than showcasing him on his own. Him and T-Bone might develop chemistry together in time, but for now, they're an oddball team. At any rate, this was a fine squash for them as they stake their claim at the looming NXT UK Tag Team Championship.

Joe Coffey def. Ligero

We learned earlier in the evening that at TakeOver: Liverpool, it will be Gallus vs. Moustache Mountain in an NXT UK Tag Team Championship Tournament semifinal match. I don't know which members of Gallus will be wrestling, though it would make sense to have Joe Coffey competing in singles action on that show based off the roll he's been on lately. This was another entertaining encounter from him and I really liked the clash of styles between him and Ligero. They told a simple story, and despite Ligero's best efforts, it wasn't enough to put Coffey away.

Overall Show

With it being officially announced that an NXT UK TakeOver is happening in a few short weeks, everything is starting to come together nicely. Ripley vs. Storm II as well as Gallus vs. Moustache Mountain have been set in stone for the event, while Mastiff vs. Dennis II and Coffey vs. Pete Dunne for the WWE United Kingdom Championship are bound to be added. This was a real solid show where everything seemed to serve a purpose and hold my interest.