This Sunday, brace yourself bedlam when NXT UK TakeOver: Blackpool II streams live on the award-winning WWE Network at 12 p.m ET/5 p.m. GMT.
In addition, the NXT UK TakeOver: Blackpool II Pre-Show begins at 11:30 a.m. ET/4:30 p.m. GMT on WWE Network, WWE.com, the WWE App, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and Twitch.
Andy Shepard, Tom Phillips, and NXT general manager William Regal welcome us to the Takeover Blackpool II pre-show. Regal gets a little choked up because of how much this means to him. Shepard asks Phillips how he feels calling his first UK takeover. Phillips states that commentating at such an event, in such a historic venue like the Empress Ballroom, is truly a bucket list item. They hype today's card, which is headlined by WALTER defending the NXT UK championship against Gallus leader Joe Coffey.
Footage of Piper Niven, Toni Storm, and women's champion Kay Lee Ray arriving to the arena. A recap of Ray winning the title at Takeover Cardiff is played. Regal talks about how the dynamic between these ladies has really changed. They all came up in the scene together, and they all used to be friends.
Our pre-show hosts continue to go through each matchup. Regal talks about the consequences a ladder match can have on a wrestler's body, reminding viewers that he's competed with that stipulation before as well. A look at Joe Coffey versus WALTER. The current champ debuted at this very event one year ago, where he booted Coffey after his main event loss to Pete Dunne. WALTER would go on to become the top dog in the brand, defeating Dunne at Takeover New York, and forming his new deadly faction, Imperium. Commentary asks if WALTER is distracted by his upcoming World's Collide showdown with the Undisputed Era. Regal calls today's showdown a "perfect match" because of the sheer size and striking ability.
That's it for the pre-show. NXT UK Takeover Blackpool II stars now!!!
A look back at last year's inaugural NXT UK Takeover Blackpool event narrated by Pete Dunne. A vignette of several of the brand's top stars over the past 365 days is displayed side-by-side, with a special look at each bout on tonight's card.
Tom Phillips and Nigel McGuinness welcome us to the Empress Ballroom for today's show. Loud NXT chants from the crowd. Trent Seven's music hits and the fans go wild. Eddie Denis is out next and our first matchup is underway.
Trent Seven vs Eddie Denis
Denis tries to surprise Seven with a running corner boot but Seven has it scouted and lifts him up for a one-armed powerbomb. Early cover...only two. Fake-out DDT and Big chops from Seven. He traps Denis in the corner...Denis counters with a razor's edge, then rocks Seven with a huge elbow. Hard Irish-whip. Denis unloads a series of strikes onto Seven. He sets up for a suplex...he got it. Cover...Seven escapes. He dumps Denis to ringside and hits a suicide dive. Seven brings Denis back in and climbs to the top...twisting senton misses! Denis goes for another boot...Seven dodges and goes for the Seven-Star lariat...Denis ducks and slams Seven hard into the mat for a nearfall. Denis goes for another Razor's edge...Seven slides to the back but Denis rocks him with a discus elbow. Seven shakes it off and connects with an emerald flowsion. Cover...Denis kicks out. Burning hammer attempt from Seven...Denis falls to the apron. Huge forearm. Denis goes to remove the top turnbuckle pad...the referee stops him...Seven takes advantage of the distraction and nails Denis...he sets him up on top...superplex. Another two count. Denis somehow removed the pad. Seven goes for the lariat again...Denis whips him into the exposed steel! Fans boo! He picks Seven up for a buckle bomb but the referee refuses to allow it. Denis instead throws Seven to the outside! "Holy sh*t" chants from the crowd. Denis brings Seven back in for the pin...ONLY TWO! Denis with a reverse elevated DDT. That'll do it.
Winner: Eddie Denis
A commercial for the Royal Rumble is played. Back from break the video package for the NXT UK women's championship is played. It's the same recap video from the pre-show. Toni Storm is the first one out. She receives a good pop from the crowd on the one-year anniversary of her first title win in NXT UK. Piper Niven is next, followed by the champ Kay Lee Ray.
NXT UK Women's Championship: Kay Lee Ray vs Toni Storm vs Piper Niven
Storm nails Ray during the introductions. Niven gets involved in the brawl. Storm chases Ray to the outside. Niven takes out Ray with a plancha, then hits a running cannonball on Storm off the barricade! Niven pushes Storm back into the ring...Ray pulls out Niven's leg as she tries to get back into the ring...she collides with the ring apron hard. Ray and Storm trade fists once again...Niven shakes off the damage and hits a jumping senton onto both challengers! Ray finally gains her ground...she slaps Niven across the chest. Storm from behind...huge right hands from Storm. Neither woman is able to gain the full advantage...German suplex from Storm but Ray fires back with a tornado DDT. Niven breaks up the pinfall attempt. Ray goes for the Gory Bomb...it's blocked. Ray superkicks Niven into Storm who takes down the biggest competitor with another German. Back suplex from Niven. Everyone is down and the fans applaud the action.
Niven and Storm are the first to their feet. Back and forth striking...Ray takes advantage and pushes them into each other. She goes to the outside and reveals a steel chair. She uses it to choke Storm...Niven comes out of nowhere with a huge shoulder tackle to break the hold. Storm now has the chair...she hesitates to use it on Niven...Niven screams for her to hit her...they instead form a temporary alliance on Ray! Suicide dive by Storm sends Ray into the barricade. Niven comes off the apron with a senton. Storm and Niven argue on the outside. This allows Ray to recover and takes out Niven and Storm with a top rope twisting swanton. She throws Storm back in the ring and climbs...Storm meets her up there for a superplex...Niven deadlifts Storm for a powerbomb. Ray breaks up the pin with a swanton. She goes for a frankensteiner...Niven blocks it and powerboms her as well. She sets Ray up...Michinoku driver! Ray kicks out! She goes for a second one...Ray manages to get Niven up for the Gory Bomb! Cover...Storm stops the referee from counting! Suicide dive by Ray! She goes into the ring...Niven hits a Canadian destroyer! Storm quickly goes for the Storm-Zero on Ray...Niven breaks it up! WOW! Crowd going nuts! Storm can't believe it. She goes for Storm-Zero again and drops Ray right onto Niven. Pedigree by Storm onto Niven. She kicks out. Storm to the top frog-splash lands...Ray superkicks Storm to the outside. She steals the pin on Niven to retain.
Winner: Kay Lee Ray
Another commercial for the Royal Rumble, this time featuring the Raw women's title showdown between champion Becky Lynch and challenger Asuka.
Backstage...Imperium is preparing for their respective matches. In the arena...Travis Banks is shown sitting in the front row. Coming up next...Jordan Devlin versus Tyler Bate. (LET'S GOOOOO). Their video package plays. Tyler Bate is out first. The Irish Ace Jordan Devlin is second. Here we go.
Jordan Devlin vs Tyler Bate
Crowd heavily into Bate. They sing his name prior to the two men locking up. Tie-up. Bate forces Devlin to the ropes...Devlin aggressively turns the tables and pushes him into the turnbuckle. Referee separates them...Devlin pushes Bate... they reset. Devlin grabs a wristlock...Bate tries to escape but Devlin maintains positioning. Monkey-flip from Bate...Devlin refuses to let go. Devlin goes for the saito suplex early...Bate turns it into a headlock takeover. Bate goes for bop...Devlin blocks it and shakes his finger as if to say "not to me boy." Pace picks up...Bate uses his feet to catapult Devlin across the ring. Back body drop, followed by a military press slam by Bate. He dropkicks Devlins who falls to the outside. Bate goes for a suicide dive but Devlin meets him on the apron and hits a uranagi. Devlin uses the rope to connects with a springboard moonsault. Cover...only two. Now the fans are split in their cheering. Huge kitchen-sink knee to Bate's midsection. Devlin drags Bate to the ropes and uses them to choke him. Double-underhook suplex. Devlin mocks Bate by twirling his mustache. Boots to Bate's face. He goes for the saito-suplex again...Bate blocks it and whips him so hard Devlin goes to the outside! Bate to his feet...flying crossbody over the top!
Bate quickly brings Devlin back into the ring. He climbs to the top....crossbody but Devlin nails a mid-air codebreaker! Devlin rocks Bate in the back with a forearm, then stomps on his head using the ropes for added pressure. Devlin sets Bate up for the surboard submission...he locks it in. Devlin even grabs at Bate's head and neck, but eventually releases the hold on his own accord. Devlin bounces Bate off the ropes...he ducks a knee...they both build up steam...double-crossbody and they're both down. Bate connects with a knee in the corner. To the middle-ropes...flying uppercut. Bate catches a splash from Devlin and suplexes him. He fakes a standing shooting star...Devlin pulls the knees up but Bate kicks him in the head. Now he goes for the standing shooting star...it lands...two count. Bate goes for a torture rack...he turns it into a firemans carry and stars spinning! The crowd counts...he rotates him at least 60 times, with the speed picking up! Delayed brainbuster for a nearfall. He goes for the Tyler Driver...Devlin counters into a spike-frankensteiner! He ducks a punch and nails Bate with an exploder suplex. Bate dumps Devlin to the apron but he jumps right back in for a cutter. Devlin hits another slingshot cutter to Bate on the apron! Both men are down on the outside.
Devlin and Bate just beat the referee's count. Devlin punts Bate in the face...Bate catches one and hits a huge haymaker. Back and forth striking...both guys landing massive strikes. Devlin drops Bate with a straight right. He gets back up...it's a slugfest! Crowd erupts! Flipping kick out of nowhere...Devlin headbutts him...a tremendous series of counters by both men! Bate goes for a lariat and Devlin turns it into a spanish-fly! Devlin climbs to the top...Bate crotch drops him and meets him up top...Devlin reverses the momentum...TOP ROPE SPANISH FLY. Devlin-side connects! BATE KICKS OUT!!! The Empress Ballroom comes unglued! Devlin repeatedly boots Bate in the face. He goes for a package-piledriver...Bate falls to the apron...HUGE HEADBUTT FROM BATE. Top rope tornado DDT...he picks Devlin up...Tyler Driver! DEVLIN KICKS OUT! Bate jumps to the top...corkscrew plancha! It's over!
Winner: Tyler Bate
Crowd gives both men a standing ovation. Camera pans to reveals UK general manager Johnny Saint, NXT general manager William Regal, and Triple H standing on their feet as well.
Coming up next...the four-way ladder matchup for the NXT UK Tag Team Championship. Video package plays. The champs, Gallus, make their way out first, followed by Flash Morgan Webster/Mark Andrews and Grizzled Young Veterans. Imperium is out last. Let the ladder war commence.
Fatal-Four Way Ladder for the NXT UK Tag Team Championship: Grizzled Young Veterans vs Imperium vs Gallus vs Flash Morgan Webster/Mark Andrews
All eight men begin by brawling. Webster and Andrews go after Drake and Gibson while Gallus and Imperium take their fight to ringside. Double-dropkick from Webster/Andrews to Drake. The Veterans hits some tandem offense of their own but Gallus surprise them with a flurry of offense. Wolfgang collides into Drake with a running senton. Imperium clear the ring...Webster and Moran show off their incredible agility with standing moonsaults. Drake and Gibson pull out a pair of chairs from underneath the ring and use them on all of their opponents. Wolfgang spears Gibson as Coffey spinebusters Drake. Barthel and Aichner hit a double-dropkick into a steel chair that was placed on Drake's face. Webster and Andrews come out of nowhere with double- tope con hilos. They set up a ladder and try to climb...Imperium sends them flying and they begin to climb. Gallus toss a ladder at them and pull the ladder away. Wolfgang tries to smash Barthel...Barthel opens and closes the ladder on Wolfgang's face. Morgan hits a moonsault off the ladder but Aichner sling-shots him face first into a ladder set up in the turnbuckles. Imperium stands tall in the early goings of the match.
The Grizzled Young Veterans take control of the ring...Gallus sneaks in from behind...Coffey chokeslams Gibson onto a nearby ladder, then Gallus hits their signature slingshot/Samoan drop on Drake on the very same ladder. Gallus climbs...Imperium pulls them down. Gallus gains the upper hand allowing Andrews and Webster to get close...Webster DDT's Wolfgang while Andrews with an impressive shooting star from the ladder. Barthel goes to set the ladder up on the ropes...Webster attacks him from behind but Barthel suplexes him on top of it. He lays Webster down...allowing Aichner to hit his rope jumping moonsault onto Webster on the ladder! Crowd is on their feet once again. Imperium climbs...Grizzled Young Veterans take them out and place a MUCH bigger ladder under the belts. Another three ladders are set up. All eight men climb. One by one each man gets knocked to the mat or the outside. Andrews shows his fight but Gibson hits a powerful twisting suplex. Drake comes off the ladder with a 450! Grizzled Young Veterans are left alone in the ring...they nearly retrieve the belts when Aichner pulls down Gibson. Imperium goes after Drake next...European bomb! Gallus back in the ring...they sandwich Imperium with double-ladder shots. Enziguri/powerslam combo. Another one to Gibson on the entrance path. Webster and Andrews hit a double stundog-millionaire on Gallus. They're the only team still standing. They try and set up another ladder but Gallus blocks it and reveals two tables underneath the ring. As you would expect...the Blackpool crowd goes nuts. Coffey and Wolfgang drape the tables from apron to barricade. Coffey goes through the first table due to the weight so Webster and Andrews audible and hit a tandem swanton onto Wolfgang!
Webster and Andrews are once again all alone in the ring. They get close but Grizzled Young Veterans block their chances once again. Webster gets dumped. Andrews reveals a kendo-stick and nearly breaks it in half whipping Drake and Gibson. Imperium has recovered...brainbuster to Andrews. Barthel is at the top...he has his hands on the titles! Coffey tries to German suplex him off...Aichner holds the ladder...Gallus comes out of nowhere...Wolfgang spears Aicher through a ladder! Coffey pushes Barthel to the outside onto the lot! Gallus climbs...they retrieve the belts. It's over.
Winners: Gallus
Another Royal Rumble commercial, this time featuring the Fiend versus Daniel Bryan. Ridge Holland is shown to be sitting in the front row. Commentary tells us that Triple H will be on Facebook Live immediately following today's event.
It's main event time. The hype video package highlighting WALTER and Joe Coffey's rivalry is shown. Back to the arena...Coffey makes his way to the ring first. The champion follows. Here...we...go.
:ukchamp:
NXT UK Championship: WALTER vs Joe Coffey
Walter tries for a big boot out of the gate but Coffey dodges it. They tie-up...Coffey places the champ on the ropes and slaps him in the face. Walter strikes him back and goes for a sleeper...Coffey deadlifts and slams him into the mat. Walter tries to get back into the ring but Coffey boots him back out. He goes to the apron...flying torpedo shoulder block sends Walter to the ground. Walter takes advantage...Coffey reverses and Irish whip sending Walter hard into the barricade. He charges...Walter dumps him over...Coffey lands on his feet and jumps over with another shoulder tackle. Fight moves back to the ring. Coffey lands body shots...another belly-to-belly suplex for a nearfall. Huge running uppercut rocks the champ...Coffey goes to the top and hits a tornado DDT. Another cover...Walter gets a shoulder up. He goes for a vertical suplex...Walter blocks it...they both trade attempts...Coffey lets go and lands more strikes. Discus elbow from Coffey. This time he picks Walter up...and delays it...suplex lands. Coffey aims at Walter's back. He hits a chop...this wakes Walter up. He asks Coffey to chop him again. He does...HUGE CHOP by the champ. Another. Coffey realizes he's made a grave mistake. Walter hits his Imperium pose as the match seems to have shifted.
On the outside...Walter lights Coffey's chest up again. He rocks him with a running boot. Back inside Coffey shows some fight but Walter slams him down and connects with a running whoopie drop. Huge knees and a headlock used by Walter to slow Coffey down. He transitions into a half-crab, then an STF. Back and forth striking...Walter clubs Coffey down. He ties Coffey up on the ropes from the apron and smashes his forearm into his chest. Coffey catches one and knocks the champ down after three vicious forearms. Coffey climbs to the top...he goes for a missile dropkick but Walter counters it into a deep Boston crab. Walter shows off his ground-wrestling technique by switching to a cravat crossface...Coffey is screaming in pain...he gets a boot on the ropes to force a submission break. Arm-ringer and chop in succession. A second. Coffey can barely stay on his feet...he puts everything into a standing lariat...he goes to pick the leg...Walter suplexes him down. Sleeper hold is in...Coffey picks him up and slams all his weight onto the champ. Both men are down. Referee begins to count...they get back to their feet. Coffey goes to pick up Walter in the electric chair...he's got him up but Walter battles his way off....deadlift German from Coffey for a two count.
Coffey nearly steals the match after an impressive top rope moonsault. Crowd is giving both men their due respect. Walter connects with a huge boot...Coffey hulks up...Walter chops and powerbombs him...only two. Sleeper is locked in again...Coffey pushes Walter into the turnbuckles...Walter goes for a dropkick but accidentally hits the referee. Coffey takes advantage of a distracted Walter and powerbombs and stacks him...he has it won but the referee isn't there! Alexander Wolfe comes out and pump kicks Coffey! He tries to get Walter to his feet...Ilja Dragunov comes out and fights Wolfe off! He calls for his running headbutt...he hits it...Wolfe lands right into Coffey's left leg! He's hobbled! Walter decapitates Dragunov with a lariat. He sees that Coffey's leg is hurt and goes after him...huge big boot. He powerbombs Coffey off the apron. Short-armed lariat...a different referee runs in. Coffey stays alive! Wolfe and Dragunov continue their brawl at the top of the apron. Walter climbs for a splash...Coffey meets him up there...his knee gives out...Walter chops him off. Coffey jumps back up and launches Walter across the ring! He crawls to make a pin...he can't get there in time. They trade more shots in the center...Coffey wins the exchange with a huge flurry! Walter boots out Coffey's knee...leg-sweep. He climbs to the top...huge splash...SOMEHOW Coffey sneaks out a shoulder.
Walter tries for another powerbomb...Coffey lands on his feet...discus lariat connects. A second. Walter kicks out. Coffey removes his elbow pad...he goes for a third...Walter evades and locks in a sleeper...Coffey gets his hand on the ropes...he chops it offf...sleeper suplex. Powerbomb. Big chop. Another powerbomb. Sleeper crossface. Coffey taps.
Winner: WALTER
Imperium joins WALTER in the ring. They stand tall. The Undisputed Era are here! They come out of the crowd and attack Imperium from behind! Crowd is going nuts! Adam Cole stands face to face with WALTER. The entire Era surround him like a pack of wolves and take him down. Cole screams this is what's coming at World's Collide. Last Shot. Crowd chants their name.
