Saturday, January 26, 2019

WWE NXT UK Takeover: Blackpool

WWE NXT U.K. Takeover: Blackpool
January 12th 2019

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From the Empress Ballroom in Blackpool, England. Our hosts are Nigel McGuinness and Vic Joseph.

NXT U.K. Tag Team Championship:
Mustache Mountain (Trent Seven and Tyler Bate) vs. Zack Gibson and James Drake
I am way behind on the NXT U.K. brand (not from a lack of interest, I assure you) and I’m told this is a tournament finals match. Mustache Mountain are donning red and black British Bulldogs-style attire for this special occasion. The fans love to hate Gibson and mock him with a song as he locks up with Bate. The fans are now holding up their shoes while singing, and I’m equally confused and amused. Is it safe to assume there are adult beverages for sale at the venue? Gibson and Bate reach a stalemate when Bate cleverly bridges his way out of a hold. Tags are made and Drake and Seven trade stiff shots. Bate quickly returns, and Drake needs a timeout. Bate embarrasses Drake with a series of cheeky evasions and counters. Tags are made, and Seven outwrestles Gibson. Mustache Mountain clear the ring with dives, but Seven seems to injure his elbow in the process, to which Gibson takes advantage with a THROAT CHOP! Seven gets beaten up for several minutes, including getting busted open the hard way by taking a lariat to the back of his head. Bate gets a particularly hot crowd and cleans house, placing Drake onto Gibson’s shoulders and then spinning them both on his own shoulders! Bate follows by suplexing Drake off the apron onto Gibson. Standing SSP off the apron by Bate and I’m marking out. Seven returns and slams Gibson in place for Bate’s diving headbutt (ugh) for only 2. Bate takes Drake out with a suicide dive, and Seven gives Gibson a BURNING HAMMER, but Drake breaks the pin. Bate and Drake trade nearfalls until Bate rolls into a head kick. Gibson blindsides Bate with a Codebreaker, and he and Drake hit a HELTER SKELTER/450 combo but SEVEN KICKS OUT! That was a FANTASTIC false finish. Gibson and Drake apply stereo Shankly Gates, but Bate breaks out with a power slam to save Seven! Mustache Mountain deliver their patented lariat/suplex finisher, but DRAKE KICKS OUT! Bate finds himself on Gibson’s shoulders on the floor, for a suicide dive electric chair from Drake! Seven attempts a dive, but Drake counters with a drop-kick! Seven suffers a Ticket to Mayhem and Gibson and Drake claim the titles at 23:47! The fans HATE this outcome, but that’s okay because the match was awesome and the champions are BAD GUYS, ****½.
Winners and new NXT UK Tag Team Champions: Zack Gibson and James Drake