A-Kid was at the top of his game to face WALTER, but The Ring General ultimately stood tall to remain the NXT United Kingdom Champion. Elsewhere, NXT UK Women's Champion Kay Lee Ray went face to face with No. 1 Contender Jinny, Tyler Bate bounced back with a win over Sam Gradwell, and more.
NXT UK results, Jan. 14, 2021
Joe Coffey def. Ed Harvey
The man who insisted his name was not Ed Harvey, but instead Sha Samuels, clearly wasn't intimidated by Joe Coffey. The newcomer took it to The Iron King early on, but the leader of the Gallus firm absorbed the punishment and dished out plenty of his own, answering with an overhead toss and his trademark ruthless strikes. Samuels scored a near-fall when he planted Coffey with a big powerslam after catching him off the ropes, nearly pulling off the big upset. Coffey bounced back to deliver the Glasgow Sendoff and All the Best for the Bells for the victory.
Tyler Bate def. Sam Gradwell
Sam Gradwell had Tyler Bate shellshocked early on thanks to a fast start by NXT UK's "Thunderstorm." Gradwell pummeled The Big Strong Boy, though Bate demonstrated the steely resolve we've seen from him so many times before to fight back. Bate eventually landed the Tyler Driver to keep Gradwell down for the three-count and rebound from his difficult loss to A-Kid.
NXT UK Women's Champion Kay Lee Ray and No. 1 Contender Jinny went face to face
Jinny explained her unusual alliance with Joseph Conners, crediting her extravagant wealth and connections. Kay Lee Ray confidently proclaimed that Jinny would fall like her previous challengers, though Jinny pointed out that she was partially responsible for KLR still being champion. After all, it was The Fashionista's interference playing a pivotal role in The Scary Queen of Scots' successful title defense in her unforgettable Falls Count Anywhere Match against Piper Niven this past November.
The two will clash for KLR's title next week.
WALTER def. A-Kid to retain the NXT United Kingdom Championship
Facing the biggest challenge of his career, A-Kid deftly went hold for hold with the much larger Austrian right off the bat. The Heritage Cup Champion also smartly sprinkled in well-timed kicks to WALTER's legs, looking to neutralize the champion's colossal size advantage.
It also seemed to enrage The Ring General, who soon unleashed his first of several devastating chops to the chest, serving as a wake-up call for A-Kid.
But the Spanish Superstar stuck to his game plan, specifically targeting WALTER's left leg with a dragon screw on the apron, wrenching it over the middle rope, and finally blasting the same leg with a missile dropkick. A-Kid's decision to begin striking WALTER may have been a mistake, as he took A-Kid off his feet with another thunderous chop. Still, though, WALTER could not seem to keep A-Kid down.
The underdog tried to bait WALTER into the omoplata with a slap, instead settling for an armbar when WALTER blocked the hold. But The Ring General powered out of the ring and drove A-Kid back-first across the apron. Though the challenger offered one last charge with a big-time Pelé kick, WALTER nearly beheaded him with a pair of short-arm lariats to retain his title.
WALTER defends against A-Kid today on NXT UK
A-Kid already shocked the world with his underdog run to the NXT UK Heritage Cup. Can he pull off an even bigger upset against WALTER?
The Ring General will defend the NXT United Kingdom Championship against A-Kid today on NXT UK.
A-Kid captivated the NXT UK Universe with his thrilling exploits in the Heritage Cup Tournament, knocking off several brand stalwarts en route to hoisting the Cup. The Spanish Superstar has since called out WALTER, who gave A-Kid credit for his achievement before declaring that he wasn’t on The Ring General’s level.
Will A-Kid prove him wrong, or will WALTER continue his dominant reign over NXT UK?
Former NXT United Kingdom Champion Tyler Bate will also be in action, taking on Sam Gradwell. After coming up short against A-Kid last month, Bate seems to be eyeing a fresh start. Will we see a new version of The Big Strong Boy against Gradwell?
Find out today on an all-new episode of NXT UK at 3 ET/8 GMT, only on the award-winning WWE Network!
