NXT UK Worth Watching: Devlin! Mastiff! Dunne! Webster! Boar!

Jordan Devlin vs. Pete Dunne NXT UK 8/26 (Aired 11/28/18) (Ep. #11)

ER: A suitably big main event title match, albeit one that would have benefitted from having a few minutes trimmed. Now, the benefit wasn't because they went into overkill mode and had a too long finishing stretch, but moreso the extra minutes gave us too much facial acting from both. The match was much better when Devlin and Dunne weren't making ugly faces after a kickout or rope break, clawing at the mat, screaming out in anguish over a move not finishing things. All of that is terrible, but the match proper is really good! Both guys really laid it in, and I liked how Dunne would go after his overdone finger manipulation and Devlin would strike his way out of it. Devlin had all of Dunne's signature tricks scouted, so was able to dodge getting his arm stomped early, and ending absolutely leveling Dunne with a standing elbow. The shot looked great and Dunne went down like a stiff, body rigid and landing hard on his side. 

The nearfalls were all deserved and came after things that looked like they could end a match, like a big Dunne lariat, Devlin's uranage/moonsault combo, some big battled over suplexes (snap German from Dunne, Saito suplex from Devlin), and it never feels like these guys are just taking moves and hopping back to their feet. Devlin was acting like a real asshole the whole match, rubbing it in whenever he was on top, and I dug when Dunne got vicious back, stomping Devlin's hand a bunch and hitting a penalty kick to Devlin's arm/chest about as hard as someone possibly could. He holds onto subs tightly, and I especially loved his Koji clutch. When Devlin had to roll to the ropes to have any chance at breaking the clutch, it really looked like he was in the process of strangling himself while rolling over. As I said, I could have done with WAY less shocked faces down the home stretch, but they ramped up the big moves in smart ways. Devlin hit a Spanish Fly off the ring steps to the floor, and Dunne is really only able to hang in by continuing to stomp hands and even toss out a big headbutt. The finger break was used in a great spot - THE FINISH! - with Devlin moonsaulting into a triangle. Dunne rolled the triangle and that's when he really started bending at the fingers, then bent that wrist in such horrid fashion that it got the tap. You trim the bad acting and ham and you're left with the best match in NXT UK's infancy. With the acting, this was still great.

Jordan Devlin vs. Flash Morgan Webster NXT UK 10/13 (Aired 12/5/18) (Ep. #13)

ER: Webster is probably the guy I like the most who - up until now - hasn't made it into the list of recommended matches. He's a fun flyer with my favorite armdrags on the brand, and it's fun watching Devlin lace into him while Webster sneaks in comebacks when he can. Devlin really can be punishing, and you can see the frustration growing as Webster keeps outquicking him, snapping off quick armdrags, until Devlin stops short and lets Webster spin himself into the mat. From there it's Devlin mostly staying ahead while Webster fights back resiliently, as Devlin nails the uranage/moonsault, big lariat, and begins grinding his elbow into Webster's ribs while working an abdominal stretch. Devlin always has a trick or two that surprises me, even if it's a move I've seen him do before, he'll bring it into the match in a different spot, not just running through his list of moves. I loved his over the shoulder backbreaker here, and his arm hoist backdrop suplex (where he yanks a guy to his feet by the arm and tosses them with a suplex in one motion) looked especially nasty with a ragdolling Webster. 

Webster's surprise shotgun knee looked great, and he was good at throwing his dropkicks weaker, slowed down from the back work, and Devlin wasn't selling them as if they were being thrown at full strength. Webster would take big shots, big running boot, overhead suplex, and his comebacks were all handled uniquely. The best was when he tricked Devlin into taking the bait on a knucklelock and instead popped him with a thrust headbutt that sent Devlin spilling hard to the floor. Devlin ends up putting him away by baiting Webster into crash landing on knees (a go to that Devlin utilizes well) and while it never really felt like Webster was going to pull off an upset (it was probably 80/20 Devlin, if not more), it was worked compellingly.

Dave Mastiff vs. Wild Boar NXT UK 10/13 (Aired 12/5/18) (Ep. #14)

ER: This was awesome, because it was basically Dave Mastiff vs. a smaller Dave Mastiff, and they worked the match like Dave Mastiff vs. Dave Mastiffito. It is under 5 minutes, worked fast and stiff, and is nothing but both of them hitting elbows, headbutts, sentons, cannonballs, and this is exactly as it should be. They never make the mistake of working this equally, and modern wrestling is built around those stupid "equal" exchanges. They recognize the similarities of these two but clearly show that Mastiff is the bigger wrecking ball, so Boar does cool things to keep control like trip Mastiff so the big man goes sprawling into the buckles. Mastiff's fat guy senton looks good, but Boar's relentlessness in these matches really elevates these sprints, and I love this wasn't worked as a Mastiff extended squash. Boar even hits a great corner spear not long before losing, but gets nailed with a great John Wu dropkick that sends him believably flying, and the cannonball is big and worthy of a finish. 

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