WWE NXT UK Review - March 27, 2019

By Graham "GSM" Matthews

Jordan Devlin def. Dan Moloney

Moloney seems to be the go-to jobber for NXT UK, so it was hardly a surprise to see him put over Devlin in a matter of minutes here. That said, this was a solid showcase for Devlin, who continues to shine every chance he gets. This was exactly what it needed to be with Devlin going over in decisive fashion. I'm curious who he'll be feuding with next, because there was no indication here.

Kassius Ohno Addressed Ashton Smith and Travis Banks

I was impressed with Ohno's NXT UK last week and I believe he's a strong addition to an already loaded roster. He showed off his in-ring ability against Smith and this promo allowed him to develop his character as well. In addition to offering an insincere apology to Smith, Ohno also mocked Banks, confirming that he will be his feud foe on the show. Those two should work wonders together.

Rhea Ripley def. Xia Brookside

Ripley and Brookside previously clashed in the NXT UK Women's Championship tournament late last year, so they have history and have proven they have quality chemistry together. This was another enjoyable encounter from them with both ladies playing their roles remarkably well. Brookside was the perfect babyface here and tried her hardest to upset the former champion but to no avail. Afterward, Ripley declared she was the most dominant female in NXT UK before being interrupted by the debuting Piper Niven. For those unfamiliar, Niven competed in the inaugural Mae Young Classic two years ago and brings a ton of star power to NXT UK's women's division.

Mark Andrews vs. Noam Dar Ended in a No Contest

This was an incredibly entertaining match with a hot crowd to boot. It was all action from bell to bell and I was happy that they received as much time as they did. It's crazy to think that both Andrews and Dar suffered two different injuries on the same spot, but hopefully neither injury is too serious and they'll be cleared to compete soon. Either way, we need a rematch eventually because this was brilliant.

WWE United Kingdom Champion Pete Dunne and WALTER Signed the Contract for Their Match at NXT TakeOver: New York

I didn't think this would last long based off how close it started to end of the episode, but it was a very good segment, nonetheless. Dunne speak briefly about his historic reign as WWE United Kingdom Champion and signed the contract, but as he was about to leave the ring, WALTER spoke his first words since coming to NXT UK and basically claimed that the title will be his after NXT TakeOver: New York. This would have been the perfect go-home show segment for next week, so who knows how they plan to top it before TakeOver.

Overall Show

I've found that thanks to the recent influx of new talent in NXT UK, the brand is becoming even more fun to watch week to week than it was before. Each episode feels focused and this edition in particular had plenty to offer. Niven made her presence felt on the brand, Ohno vs. Banks was furthered, Andrews and Dar killed it, Devlin maintained momentum, and Dunne vs. WALTER was effectively hyped for TakeOver. Plus, several matches were announced for the coming weeks on NXT UK.