This is a show that hasn't really been built up that well, especially when compared to the main NXT brand, it could still have a few matches that steal the show.
NXT UK Tag Titles - Moustache Mountain vs Grizzled Young Veterans
This one started off as a slow burner but turned into a full on banger. These teams know each other inside out and it showed here with some great sequences and some top notch near falls. There was some stuff in here that you very rarely, if ever, see, including a crazy suicide dive/doomsday device combo. This was fantastic tag team wrestling throughout, from the fundamentals to the spots. Impeccable way to kick off the show. ****3/4
Travis Banks vs Jordan Devlin
This never started as Devlin took out Banks before the bell. Because of that, we got...
Jordan Devlin vs Finn Balor
The two best Irish wrestlers of the last 10 years going head to head. This was great fun. Once again it was the story of both participants knowing each other inside out and trying to outsmart the other. This was better than a lot of Balor's matches on the main roster and, despite the result, this performance cements Devlin as a star on the NXT UK brand. ***3/4
No DQ - Dave Mastiff vs Eddie Dennis
This was the match that appealed to me the least on the card but it ended up being a fun, plunder filled encounter. Nothing that you will remember in a few days time, but a good undercard match. Dennis showed some good displays of power and there were some of the best kendo stick shots I've seen in a while. ***1/2
NXT UK Women's Title - Rhea Ripley vs Toni Storm
This was another match that did what was needed of it for its spot on the card. I personally would have kept the title on Ripley as I feel that she would definitely benefit from it more. Both women put in good performances here, and Ripley continues to improve. On a side note, since being alerted to the fact that Storm oversells her facial expressions, it is now incredibly obvious to me. ***1/2
WWE UK Title - Pete Dunne vs Joe Coffey
Holy shit, this was a war. They beat the ever loving piss out of each other for over 30 minutes in one of the most realistic looking wrestling matches I have seen on a WWE affiliated program in quite some time. Some of the bumps were nuts, including an apron powerbomb and two from the top rope to the floor, which I'm not convinced were meant. It was by no means perfect though, and there were some noticeable moments of miscommunication, but I can forgive that if you generate the kind of atmosphere that this did. This was the best performance I have seen from Joe Coffey, and there was one near fall in this where I was convinced that Coffey was actually going to win. It was razor close. This was a good blueprint of how to take a match that wasn't particularly appealing and make something out of it. A great first main event for NXT UK Takeovers. ****1/2
Following the main event, WALTER arrives to inform Pete Dunne that he would soon have a hole in his chest. There are no words for how excited the prospect of Dunne vs WALTER on a Takeover makes me.
Overall Grade - A-
This was a great way to kick off Takeovers for the NXT UK brand. There were two excellent matches to bookend the show, a good midcard, a surprise appearance by Balor, they made a star in Devlin, and debuted one of the best wrestlers on the planet. I'd say that's a win.
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