While taping in Liverpool this weekend, Triple H announced that WWE’s newest brand (or maybe it’s a brand within a brand?) NXT UK is holding its first live Network special in January of 2019. Which helps explain why they’ve been airing two episodes of their weekly show each Wednesday - they’ve got to get caught up so the build to TakeOver: Blackpool on Sat. Jan. 12 makes sense.
The action from Liverpool should give us most of the card for NXT UK’s first TakeOver event in the Empress Ballroom.
- Pete Dunne (c) vs. Joe Coffey for the NXT UK championship
Establishing the Coffey Brothers & Wolfgang as a threat has been a major focus of NXT UK since their first taping, and now we know one of the reasons why. Is Joe someone they’d consider having end the Bruiserweight’s historic reign? Coffey “won” the contract signing segment when he powerbombed Dunne through the table and Gallus (Joe’s stable with brother Mark & Wolfgang) defeated British Strong Style in what’s being called the must see match of the Liverpool taping, so your answer may depend on where you stand on the theory about standing tall in ‘go home’ segments...
- Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Toni Storm for the NXT UK Women’s championship
A rematch of the tournament finals (which don’t even air until this Weds., Nov. 28), this was set-up when Storm announced she’d use the title shot which came with the 2018 Mae Young Classic trophy to avenge that defeat. They’d go on to each pick up a win over Deonna Purrazzo at the taping, with Toni rescuing the Virtuosa from a continued beat down by Ripley after the champ’s victory.
- Moustache Mountain (Trent Seven & Tyler Bate) vs. Grizzled Young Vets (Zack Gibson & James Drake) for the NXT UK Tag Team titles
This is the finals of a tournament to hand these belts out for the first time. The former NXT tag champs went over Mark Coffey & Wolfgang in one semi-final, while Gibson & Drake beat Flash Morgan Webster & Mark Andrews.
- Eddie Dennis vs. Dave Mastiff in a no disqualifications match
Dennis has been causing trouble throughout recent episodes, and Mastiff’s attempt to stop that ended in a double DQ, so General Manager Johnny Saint booked this bit of madness.
Those four were officially booked bout, but another match they seem to be building to is...
- Travis Banks vs. Jordan Devlin
Devlin has been talking trash about Banks but refusing to fight him. The Kiwi stood tall over Finn Bálor’s student when he tried to get the drop on Travis after he defeated Tyson T-Bone.
If the UK branch of the black-and-yellow brand adheres to typical TakeOver formula, these five matches could comprise the entire card.
Let us know if they get you excited for Blackpool in the comments below.