WWE UK Championship LIVE Coverage & Discussion (Night 2) - 15th Jan, 2017

[LionDen]

WWE UK Championship LIVE Coverage & Discussion (Night 2)
To crown the inaugural WWE United Kingdom Champion!

The WWE UK championship is intended to be the top championship of a new WWE Network show, produced in the United Kingdom.

Date: 15th Jan, 2017
Location: Empress Ballroom in Blackpool, Lancashire, England
Announcers: Michael Cole and Nigel McGuinness


Card:

Quarter-finals

Wolfgang vs. Trent Seven.

Tyler Bate vs. Jordan Devlin.

Mark Andrews vs. Joseph Conners.

Pete Dunne vs. Sam Gradwell.

The semi-finals and finals will follow.





UK Championship Wrestlers:

Mark Andrews - Cardiff, Wales
Tyler Bate - Dudley, West Midlands, England
Danny Burch - London, England
Joseph Conners - Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England
Jordan Devlin - Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland
James Drake - Blackpool, Lancashire, England
Pete Dunne - Birmingham, West Midlands, England
HC Dyer - Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England
Sam Gradwell - Blackpool, Lancashire, England
Saxon Huxley - Hartlepool, County Durham, England
Roy Johnson - London, England
Dan Moloney - Birmingham, West Midlands, England
Trent Seven - Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England
Tucker - Belfast, Northern Ireland
Tyson T-Bone - Malvern, Worcestershire, England
Wolfgang - Glasgow, Scotland

Alternates:
These competitors were initially announced for the tournament but weren't selected amongst the final 16, they will however be backup competitors if there are any injuries to the final 16.

Tiger Ali - Swindon, Wiltshire, England
Ringo Ryan - Liverpool, Merseyside, England
Jack Starz - Leicester, Leicestershire, England
Chris Tyler - Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England

[LionDen]

LIVE Coverage!

The show opened with Michael Cole and Nigel McGuinnnes previewing the quarter-finals and showing how the competitors made it this far.

Set for the quarter-finals:

Wolfgang vs. Trent Seven.

Tyler Bate vs. Jordan Devlin.

Mark Andrews vs. Joseph Conners.

Pete Dunne vs. Sam Gradwell.

The semi-finals and finals will follow.


Quarter-Finals:

Quarter-Final Match
Pete Dunne vs. Sam Gradwell

The announcers noted the attack on Gradwell at the end of yeterday's broadcast and Gradwell had his back taped up. Dunne offered his hand mockingly and laughed at Gradwell. He charged at Gradwell but was nailed with a forearm Gradwell went right after him with frearms and beat him down.

Dunne tried to figure a way out but was nailed again. Dunne caught him with a clothesline but Gradwell bounced right up and sent him to the floor. Gradwell hit a nice suicide dive to the outside. He contined working over Dunne on the floor. Dunne grabbed his nose to stop Gradwell. They battled back and forth until Gradwell nailed a butterfly suplex on the floor onto the entrance ramp.

Gradwell nailed a nice missile dropkick but aggravated the injury to his already hurt back in doing so. He went back to the top but Dunne rolled to the floor. Gradwell instead nailed a flying bodypress to the floor. Good stuff thus far in the opener. They battled back into the ring, where Gradwell was shoved over the top to the floor and crashed down onto the apron, hurting his back. Gradwell was almost counted out but pulled himself back in after the nine count.

Dunne powerslammed Gradwell and scored the pin.

Winner and advancing to Semi's: Pete Dunne!

After the match
Dunne grabbed the hurt Gradwell and nailed his finisher, The Bitter End.

Charly Caruso interviewed Dunne. He mocked that this was a controversial ending. He said that he didn't think so, and neither did Triple H. He said he just made a name for himself and said, "Two down, two to go."


Quarter-Final Match
Mark Andrews vs. Joseph Conners

Some really good back and forth action early. Andrews missed a moonsault to the floor but landed on his feet. Conners drilled him with a right hand and nailed a drop toehold into the steel steps at ringside. Conners worked over Andrews for some time, looking good. He sent Andrews into the barricade, but Andrews climbed up, walking it and hit a flip onto Conners.

Back into the ring, Andrews hit a crossbody off the ropes for a two count. Andrews nailed a double knee strike in the corner, then nailed a Northern Lights suplex. He went for a standing moonsault but Conners pulled his knees up. Conners snapped him against the ropes and used a leaping DDT over the ropes for a two count.

Andrews kicked Conners away and sent him into the corner. Conners kicked him away but was nailed in the bad ear and hit with a top rope rana. Andrews ascended to the top rope. Conners escaped and went for his finisher but Andrews caught him with the stunner and nailed a shooting star press off the top for the pin.

Winner and advancing to Semi's: Mark Andrews

After the match
Andrews celebrates his win in the ring.


Quarter-Final Match
Trent Seven vs. Wolfgang

They shoved each other and went face to face early. Wolfgang nailed a big side suplex. They ended up on the floor where Wolfgang nailed a standing moonsault off the barricade on Seven, who was out on the floor. Wolfgang grabbed at his leg, with the idea being that he hurt himself in the process. Seven caught Wolfgang with a dive to the outside as he returned to his feet.

Seven went to the top but was cut off by a big forearm from Seven. Wolfgang went to the top and nailed a big suplex. Seven came back and nailed a big dragon suplex for a two count. These guys are doing moves that guys their size shouldn't be doing and it's been awesome to watch. Wolfgang went for the Wasteland but Seven slipped out and caught him with a short am clothesline that spun Wolfgang upside down for a two count.

Wolfgang finally scored the pinfall with a big swanton bomb off the top.

Winner and advancing to Semi's: Wolfgang


They showed Radzi from "Blue Peter" at ringside. That's a long running children's show in the UK.


Quarter-Final Match
Jordan Devlin vs. Tyler Bate

Devlyn attacked Bate from behind as he worked on his mustache. Devlyn was sent to the floor. Bate hit a nice suicide dive to the outside. Devlyn gained control and stomped Bate's arm and tried to muscle him down for pinfall attempts. Bate nailed a monkey flip to escape and came off the ropes with a springboard flying uppercut.

Bate called for the Airplane Spin but Devlyn drilled him with elbows. Bates caught him and nailed the Airplane Spin. It left both of them dizzy. Bate approaches Devlyn, who was outside on the apron. Devlyn snapped the top rope in his face and worked him over with a big knee lift for a two count. Devlyn went for a moonsault but Bate rolled out of the way.

Bate went for the Tiger Driver 97 but Devlyn rolled through with a rana for a two count. Devlyn kicked Bate in the back of the head. Bate acted like he was hurt and held his head, playing off of Danny Birch being busted open in the first round. Bate got up and held his head and checked his hands for blood. He then caught Devlyn with one of his fists, bang and nailed the Tiger Driver 97 for the pin.

Winner and advancing to Semi's: Tyler Bate

After the match
Bate celebrates his win in the ring.

They showed Robbie Brookeside at ringside.


Semi-Finals:

Semi-Final Match
Mark Andrews vs. Pete Dunne

Some nice action early. The story was Andrews' flying against Dunne's punishing offense. Dunne tried to stomp his hand on the ring steps but Andrews pulled away and jumped up to snap him off the stairs with a rana. Back in the ring, Dunne gained control and nailed some bruising shots across the face and stomped on Andrews' neck.

They continued back and forth untill Dunne worked him over and sent him to the floor. Dunne nailed his X-Plex on the ramp, which looked brutal. Andrews was nearly counted out. Dunne could not believe he returned to the ring and began stomping the living hell out of Andrews. Dunne went for the X-Plex but Andrews turned it into his stundog finisher for a close two count.

Andrews went to the top but Dunne cut him off. They exchanged forearms. Andrews sent him crashing down to the mat. Andrews went for a shooting star press but Dunne caught him and packaged him for a two count. Dunne could not believe Andrews kicked out. Dunne went for the pumphandle Implant DDT but Andrews used a armdrag to escape. Andrews came off the ropes but was nailed with a big forearm smash. Andrews was able to reverse a move and roll up Dunne for a close two count.

Andrews went for a shooting star press off the top but Dunne moved. Dunne grabbed him and suplexed Andrews into the buckles and nailed the Bitter End for the pin.

Winner and advancing to the finals: Pete Dunne


Semi-Final Match
Wolfgang vs. Tyler Bate

They noted during the commentary that it's believed Wolfgang may have broken his nose.

Bate caught him with bop and bang. That pissed off Wolfgang who nailed several shoulderblocks in the corner. He was caught with a big knee but took down Bate and slammed him. Wolfgang called for the moonsault but Bate attacked him after he jumped on the ropes. Wolfgang grabbed at his knee. Bate kicked him in the nose.

Wolfgang was caught with a sunset flip for a two count. Wolfgang snapped him down with a pop up powerbomb. He went to the top for his swanton but missed as Bate rolled out of the way. Bate was caught with a big spear as he approached him for a two count.

Wolfgang went for a move but Bate slipped out and caught him with the Tiger Driver 97 for the pin.

Winner and advancing to the finals: Tyler Bate

After the match
Pete Dunne attacked Bate and sent him into the ringpost shoulder-first. The announcers said he was trying to ruin the tournament. As Dunne left, William Regal met him on the stage and shoved Dunne backstage, pissed.


They showed Earl Crabtree, the son of British legend Big Daddy. They also showed Darren Fletcher, a football star.


Neville came out and took the mic. Big reaction to him from the fans since it wasn't announced and he's a British star. He said that it appears someone has been forgotten yet again. He said he was overlooked in the CWC and 205 Live and now has been overlooked in the tournament. Neville declared he should be the champion by default. He ripped on the fans untiol Tommy End came out. Odd that he's Tommy End since they just changed his official name in NXT. I guess it's not anymore. He's going to face Neville.

Neville vs. Tommy End.

They locked up and End brought Neville down to the mat. Neville armdragged him over and played to the crowd.

They went back and forth with some nice action. Neville saw End was going to get him and went to the floor, killing time. Neville locked on a chinlock.

They went backstage to Charly Caruso, who said Bate was taken into the trainer's room to be evaluated.

Neville continued to control End, drilling him with kicks for a two count. End made a comeback with a big knee to the gut. Neville went to the floor but this time, End hit a pretty spectacular looking moonsault to the floor. End brought Neville back into the ring and drilled him with a ton of strikes and kicks for a two count.

End continued working Neville over with a nice bridging back suplex for a two count. End went to the top but was cut off by a Neville leaping kick. Neville nailed a super rana off the ropes and then hit the Red Arrow for the pin.

Winner: Neville


They announced that Bate a partially separated AC joint in his shoulder but has been cleared to the finals.

As Michael Cole and Nigel McGuinness discussed the main event, Finn Balor came to the ring. Balor took the ring mic and put over what a great night it's been. He said he has been happy to have played a small part in everything that has happened this weekend, but said the reason it has happened is the fans and their passion here in the United Kingdom. The crowd chanted, "We deserve it." Humble blokes! Balor said that they did and it was time to see who was going to be the first United Kingdom champion.


Final for the first ever WWE UK Champion

WWE UK Championship match
Tyler Bate vs. Pete Dunne

William Regal came to ringside with the championship belt.

Bate came out with his shoulder taped.

Dunne was aggressive early muscling Bate around the ring and slapped him upon breaking in the corner. Dunne was able to take him down and began tying up the arm and shoulder, trying to injure his shoulder worse. Bate was able to slip out and jump up into a dropkick before challenging Dunne to fight him.

Bate took control and began working over Dunne's ankle. Dunne began working over Bate and stomped his arm. Dunne attempted to send Bate into the ringpost but Bate reversed it so now Dunne got a taste of his own medicine. Bate nailed a springboard uppercut followed by an exploder suplex for a two count. Bate went for the Tiger Driver but his arm was too hurt to do so. Dunne immediately attacked the arm and set up for the Bitter End. Bate caught him with a small package for a two count.

Bate locked in an Airplane Spin but made himself dizzy so he reversed direction. He teased losing it, then spun again and slammed Dunne down for a two count. Dunne saw Bate coming for him and grabbed his arm for a triangle choke, also battering Bates' bad arm with left hands in the process. Bate was able to pull himself up and powerbombed Bate down with one arm. They had some awesome crowd shots of everyone singing and clapping for Bate.

Dunne rolled to the outside where Bate nailed him with a dive and tossed him back in. Bate went to the top and nailed a 450 splash but Dunne kicked out at the last second. Dunne backed away from Bate, seemingly shocked but grabbed Bate and nailed the Bitter End. Bate kicked out at the last second but was trapped in a Kimura Lock. Bate tried to get to the ropes but was rolled back towards the center of the ring and trapped in the move, with Dunne even wrapping his leg around Bate's neck to increase the pressure.

Bate was able to reverse a forward guillotine into a brainbuster for another close fall. Bate went for a German suplex but Dunne landed on his feet. They fired back and forth with explosive maneuvers and when Bate fired up, the place went nuts. Bate nailed a big knee and drove Dunne down with Tiger Driver 97 for the pin.

Winner and the first WWE UK champion: Tyler Bate

[LionDen]

Good match, well done Andrews. .

[LionDen]

Another good match .. good moves by Wolfgang and Seven.

[LionDen]

Tyler Bate doing well for 19.

[LionDen]

lol Love the UK crowds

[LionDen]

Andrews is a good wrestler.

[LionDen]

Good match between Andrews and Dunne.

[LionDen]

Damn .. Bate only 19 and in the Finals. They probably made him have a moustache so he does not look 13. lol

[LionDen]

You get em Regal lol