NXT in the UK (10/22/20): Unbesiegbar For The Last Time?

Hey you, welcome back. Weekends mean it's time for the most consistent hour on the WWE Network, and possibly all of WWE programming! On this week's NXT UK, the first round of the Heritage Cup Tournament wraps up, while WALTER and Ilja Dragunov sign their contract for their United Kingdom Championship match next week.

Let's dive into that real quick. Dragunov has been waiting around seven months to get his shot at WALTER, and to be totally honest with you, this could go either way. On one hand, after seeing Dragunov sort of stand tall to end this week's contract signing segment, wrestling logic tells me that he's not taking it home, least of all in a television taping.

On the other hand, though, it has been well over a year since he won that championship, and NXT UK's next Takeover event is pencil-booked for June 2021, which means if you're going to wait for a Takeover to take the title off WALTER (who will be almost out of credible contenders in the UK if he beats Dragunov) you're going to have to wait a mighty long time.

My bold prediction is that Ilja takes it home to make NXT UK must-watch for the Network, but without discounting the notion that WALTER could still retain. I also don't think that this is the right time for the Unbesiegbar streak to be broken. The only way I'd really like a WALTER win is if they could make a three-way feud for the United Kingdom Championship that includes Pete Dunne; otherwise, I'd rather have a Dragunov/Dunne feud moving forward.

Three weeks to a Heritage Cup Champion

Trent Seven fulfills my prediction for his bracket, clearing the path for him to ultimately win the Heritage Cup in three weeks. Sorry, Kenny Williams.

Quick predictions for the semifinal rounds: Noam Dar beats A-Kid, and Trent beats Dave Mastiff somehow to get to the finals. That said, I'm fine with any of Dar, Seven, and Mastiff winning the Cup, as they're all solid midcard talent that could use the buildup.

Who beat up Flash Morgan Webster?

Eddie Dennis (the so-called "Welsh Dragon") is back leaner and meaner than before (like he needed to be any leaner), beating a very game Oliver Carter. He stirs the pot between Flash Morgan Webster and Mark Andrews, insinuating that Mandrews could possibly be a decent heel given his demeanor and wrestling style. That's a red herring. It's obviously Dennis, even if it isn't.

NXT UK 10/22/20 Final Grade: A-

Photo from WWE

*****

Romeo Moran (@roiswar) is the Editor-in-Chief of Smark Henry and one of the four hosts of the Wrestling-Wrestling Podcast. He gets by in this hard knock life through working in advertising. Smark Henry was his and Stan Sy's original vision of a watering hole for local wrestling fans. He roots for the undersized guys who hit hard, and he likes taking your wrestling questions over on his Curiouscat account.

October 24, 2020