NXT TakeOver: Cardiff aired today on the WWE Network. Here are 6 takeaways from the event:
Noam Dar Picked Up The Win
Noam Dar faced Travis Banks in the first match of the show. Banks dominated early and focused his attack on Dar’s knee. Noam retreated out of the ring and hobbled around. Travis hopped to the ring apron and booted Dar in the face before bringing him back into the ring.
Dar battled back with a Clothesline off the second rope for a two count. Banks connected with a German Suplex and went for the cover but Dar kicked out at two. Banks went for a Crossface but Dar was able to escape before the hold was applied.
Banks went for an Enziguri but Dar countered into a Knee Bar in the middle of the ring. Travis and Dar then traded punches and both fell to the canvas as the crowd chanted “NXT”.
Noam Dropkicked Banks to the outside and then launched him into the steel steps. Back in the ring, Dar connected with a Clothesline for another near fall. Banks hit a Double Stomp off the second rope for a two count.
Travis leveled Dar with a Suicide Dive and then Slice of Heaven off the barricade. Banks followed that up with another Double Stomp off the top rope for a two count. Noam tripped up Banks as he was going for Slice of Heaven and hit him with the Nova Roller for the pinfall victory.
Cesaro Defeated Dragunov In A Great Match
Ilja Dragunov accepted Cesaro’s open challenge at TakeOver: Cardiff. Dragunov started off in control and hit a boot to the face. Cesaro turned the tables and hit Ilja with a few chops to the chest.
Dragunov went for a Crossbody but Cesaro caught him. Ilja escaped and got an uppercut to the face instead. Ilja battled back with a Senton for a one count. Dragunov went for a Splash but Cesaro caught him and threw him to the floor outside the ring.
Cesaro bounced Dragunov off the barricade and brought him back into the ring. Cesaro hit the Swing for 40 rotations as the crowd chanted along. Dragunov sent Cesaro the outside and hit him with a Suicide Dive.
Back in the ring, Ilja hit a Dropkick off the top rope for a two count. Cesaro hit a Gutbuster and then an uppercut for another near fall. The crowd sang “are you watching Vince McMahon” as Dragunov hit a Death Valley Driver in the corner of the ring.
Ilja hit a Senton off the top rope but Cesaro was able to power out at the last moment. Cesaro hit another uppercut and then planted Ilja with the Neutralizer for the pinfall victory. After the match, Cesaro shook Dragunov’s hand before exiting the ring.
Mark Andrews & Flash Morgan Webster Captured The Tag Titles
NXT UK Tag Team Champions Zack Gibson & James Drake defended their titles tonight against Mark Coffey & Wolfgang vs. Flash Morgan Webster & Mark Andrews in a Triple Threat Match.
Mark Andrews and Zack Gibson started the match off. Drake tagged in an Andrews leveled him with a Dropkick. Flash then battled with Wolfgang for a bit before all six superstars got in the ring.
Andrews and Morgan took everyone out as the crowd got behind them. Back in the ring, Flash connected with a Moonsault on Gibson but Wolfgang broke up the cover at two.
Mark Andrews tagged in and hit Gibson with an Enziguri. Andrews planted Drake with a DDT but Wolfgang and Coffey attacked him from behind. Andrews hit them both with kicks to the face and then flipped onto them with Morgan.
Mark Coffey slammed Andrews to the canvas for a two count. Flash hit Coffey with a Crossbody and knocked him out of the ring. Andrews then took out everyone with a Shooting Star Press of the top rope.
Back in the ring, Gibson hit Flash with a Clothesline. Flash battled back with a Stunner and went for the cover but Gibson kicked out at two. James Drake hit Andrews with the 450 Splash but somehow he was able to kick out at two.
Wolfgang got into the ring and leveled Andrews with a Spear. All six superstars once again got in the ring and a brawl broke out as the crowd chanted “this is awesome”. Andrews hit a double Stunner on Drake and Webster followed it up with a Splash. Flash went for the cover but Gibson dragged the referee out of the ring.
Gibson and Drake hit Ticket to Mayhem and Gibson went for the cover. Mark Andrews hit Gibson with Fall to Pieces and Flash made the cover for the win. Mark Andrews and Flash Morgan are the new NXT UK Tag Team Champions.
Joe Coffey Was The Last Man Standing
Dave Mastiff faced Joe Coffey in a Last Man Standing Match tonight. Mastiff launched Coffey to the corner and broke the turnbuckle. Coffey planted Mastiff with a Belly to Back Suplex but Dave got right up.
Mastiff sent Coffey out of the ring with a massive German Suplex. Coffey grabbed a pool cue and hit Mastiff with it a few times. Mastiff hit Coffey over the back with a cricket bat and the sound from the impact echoed throughout the arena. Coffey battled back and Speared Mastiff through a table.
Dave grabbed a steel chain and starting beat the hell out of Coffey with it. Mastiff then hit Coffey with a Cannonball through a table as the crowd chanted “holy sh*t!”. Coffey wrapped the chain around his hand and punched Mastiff in the face.
Mastiff picked up two chairs and tossed one to Coffey. The two superstars then sprinted into each other and fell to the floor in the crowd. They then battled to the announce table and Mastiff cleared if off. Mastiff lifted Coffey onto his shoulders and slammed him on top of the table.
They then battled to the Kickoff Show set above the crowd as they chanted “please don’t die!”. Mastiff connected with a headbutt and both superstars fell through a table below. Coffey made it to his feet first and booted a travel case out from underneath Mastiff at the last second. Mastiff fell to the floor as the referee counted to 10.
Kay Lee Ray Won The NXT UK Women’s Championship
Toni Storm defended the NXT UK Women’s Championship against Kay Lee Ray. Storm dominated the match early and stomped on Kay Lee Ray on the apron. Kay Lee Ray battled back and hit a Suplex for a two count.
Storm hit a Clothesline of her own and followed it up with a German Suplex. Kay Lee Ray rolled up Storm for a two count. Toni connected with Storm Zero and went for the cover but Kay Lee Ray was able to kick out at two.
Toni hit a German Suplex off the middle turnbuckle but Kay Lee Ray got her foot on the bottom rope to break up the cover. Kay Lee Ray hit a flip off the top rope and almost landed on her head. Back in the ring, Kay Lee Ray hit the Gory Bomb for the pinfall victory. Kay Lee Ray is the new NXT UK Women’s Champion.
Walter Retained In An Instant Classic With Tyler Bate
Walter defended the UK Championship against Tyler Bate in the main event of TakeOver: Cardiff. Bate hit a flurry of kicks but Walter quickly put a stop to it and applied a Headlock in the middle of the ring. Bate somehow Body Slammed Walter and then hit him with a shoulder tackle.
Tyler went for a Suicide Dive but Walter caught him and Powerbombed Bate onto the ring apron. Walter sent Bate into the barricade and followed it up with a big boot. Walter then Powerbombed Bate into the ring post and got back into the ring. Walter demanded that the referee get in the ring and start counting.
Bate got back into the ring at the count of seven and Walter greeted him with a stomp. Walter applied a Sleeper Hold but Bate was able to reach the ropes to break it up. Tyler tried to lift Walter up onto his shoulders but his legs gave out. Walter fell on top of him and then locked in a Crossface in the middle of the ring.
Tyler reached the bottom rope but Walter knocked him out of the ring with a couple of clubs across the chest. Back in the ring, Walter hit another chop that sent Bate to the canvas. Walter hit Bate with a couple of forearms on the ring apron. Bate ducked under one and planted Walter with an Exploder Suplex to the floor outside the ring.
Back in the ring, Walter chopped Bate to the canvas and applied the Boston Crab in the center of the ring. Walter transitioned into a Crossface as Bate desperately reached for the ropes. Bate was finally able to get there to break the hold.
Walter hit another massive chop and Bate once again fell to the canvas. Bate battled back and showed off his incredible strength by Suplexing Walter. Tyler followed that up with an Exploder Suplex and both superstars fell to the mat. Bate hopped up and hit a Standing Shooting Star Press for a near fall.
Bate went for the Tyler Driver 97 but Walter blocked it with a Back Body Drop. Walter hit a massive Dropkick and went for a Powerbomb but Bate countered into a Sunset Flip Bomb for a two count.
Tyler made his way to the top rope as Walter rolled to the apron. Walter hit Bate with a couple of jabs and joined him on the turnbuckle. Walter hit another chop and Bate fell to the canvas. Walter climbed to the top rope but Bate connected with a jumping headbutt.
Bate joined Walter on the top rope bent back Walter’s fingers. Tyler connected with an Exploder Suplex off the top rope for another near fall. Walter kept leveling Bate with chops to the chest but Tyler wouldn’t stay down. Walter went for another chop but Bate countered with a punch to the face and Walter fell on top of him.
Walter hit an Overhead Suplex and went for the cover but Tyler was able to kick out at the last moment. Bate unbelievably lifted Walter up onto his shoulders and spun around but Walter grabbed the ropes.
The two superstars once again battled on the top rope. Bate lifted Walter onto his shoulders again and hit Burning Hammer. Walter rolled out of the ring and Bate hit him with a Suicide Dive as the crowd shouted: “fight forever!”. Tyler hit a second Suicide Dive and rolled Walter back into the ring.
Bate planted Walter with a German Suplex for a two count and followed it up with the Tiger Driver 97 for another near fall. Bate hit a Corkscrew off the top rope but somehow Walter kicked out at two. Bate unloaded a bunch of punches in the corner until the referee separated the two superstars. Walter capitalized with a chop and applied a Sleeper Hold.
Tyler once again showed off his insane power and lifted Walter up and dropped him to break the hold. Walter popped right back up and locked in the Sleeper Hold once again. Walter brutally Suplexed Bate on the apron and rolled him back in the ring. Walter hit a Splash off the top rope and went for the cover but Tyler somehow kicked out at two. Walter hit another Suplex but Bate once again kicked out at two.
Walter Powerbombed Tyler and went for the cover but Bate kicked out at one! Tyler slowly made his way back to his feet as the crowd went insane. Walter bounced off the ropes and turned Bate inside out with a massive Clothesline for the pinfall victory.
After the match, Pete Dunne and Trent Seven got in the ring with Tyler Bate and helped him up to a great reaction from the crowd.
NXT UK TakeOver: Cardiff was a great event but the match that Walter and Bate had tonight is something people will be talking about for a while. It was one of the best matches I’ve seen in a long time and will definitely revisit it in the future. If you missed this event, make sure to at the very least check out the UK Championship Match. It was absolutely incredible.
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