WWE NXT UK Review - May 22, 2019

By Graham "GSM" Matthews

Travis Banks def. Joseph Conners to Qualify for the WWE United Kingdom Championship No. 1 Contender's Fatal 4-Way Match

As I've noted several times in the past, Conners largely does nothing for me and bores me to tears more often than not. Thankfully, Banks is talented enough that he was able to make this passable, even if the first half or so felt like it dragged. Needless to say, Banks winning was the right outcome, and I'd love for him to earn a future shot at the WWE United Kingdom Championship considering he has yet to contend for the title.

Noam Dar def. Mark Andrews

I loved the hell out of their first encounter before it was cut short due to both men suffering injuries. I'm happy that their feud isn't over yet and that Dar has officially returned to his roots as a heel, as seen here. Although this wasn't as exciting as their previous outing, it was well-wrestled and was probably the second of many matches to come between them, so I can see them building to a bout where they're allowed to all out down the road. Dar feigning an injury in this match after what happened last time was smart and gives Andrews a reason to want a rematch.

Rhea Ripley Addressed the Audience

It's been a while since Ripley was last featured on NXT TV, and reports of her being injured about a month and a half ago might have something to do with that. In fact, she is probably still hurt based off she didn't wrestle or get physical here. Rather, she simply addressed the audience, generated good heat and planted the seeds for a future match with Piper Niven, which is bound to be great.

WWE United Kingdom Champion WALTER def. Pete Dunne

I wasn't expecting this to be as exceptional as their encounter was from NXT TakeOver: New York, but it was still quite terrific with both men putting forth a strong effort. The action was entertaining and the crowd was invested throughout. I figured WALTER wouldn't drop the strap so soon, but the fashion in which he retained it was interesting. It looks like he'll be aligned with Fabian Aichner and Marcel Barthel going forward, and that's a heel stable I can get behind. Dunne vs. WALTER III might be in the works, which also intrigues me.

Overall Show

This was a super successful show all around. Not only did the main event deliver after weeks of anticipation, the No. 1 Contender's Fatal 4-Way in two weeks is now set and Dar and Andrews furthered their feud. Throw in a quality heel promo from Ripley and you have yourself a highly enjoyable edition of NXT TV. Next week, Toni Storm defends the NXT UK Women's Championship against Nina Samuels while Kassius Ohno takes on Gentleman Jack Gallagher.