Top 3 Performers of NXT UK (October 31st, 2018)
NXT UK kicked off with one half of Mustache Mountain, Trent Seven, going up against Saxon Huxley. Huxley was previously seen on the WWE Network as a part of the first UK Championship Tournament in Blackpool, losing in the first round. Huxley dominated the start of the bout but didn't look like a threat to Seven. Seven energized the crowd by hitting the bigger Huxley with the Seven Star Lariat and a series of stiff chops. Seven won after hitting the Burning Hammer for the pinfall victory.
Next, Flash Morgan Webster faced off against Mark Coffey, one-half of the Coffey brothers, after Flash Morgan Webster made the save as Mark and Joe Coffey were beating down Mark Andrews. Despite the size difference, the offense was evenly split between the two, with Webster hitting slightly more than his bigger opponent. A distraction by Joe, allowed Mark to hit a spinning uppercut. While some of the moves were impressive, it wasn't as neat as you would hope a fight between two experienced wrestlers. Webster picked up the victory with a crucifix pin, followed by a beat down by the Coffey's. This brought out Mark Andrews and Travis Banks for the save.
NXT's Danny Burch made his NXT UK debut and came without his NXT Tag Team partner, Oney Lorcan, and faced Sam Gradwell. The two traded strikes for large parts of the hard-hitting contest. Danny Burch had the upper hand for the majority of the bout. Burch would hit a headbutt, followed quickly by a top rope draped DDT for the victory. After the match, Burch challenged UK Champion Pete Dunne for a title match, which has been set for next week's episode of NXT UK.
After a short video package setting up Finn Balor's prodigy, Jordan Devlin, it was time for this week's main event. The Scottish Supernova, Noam Dar, emerged first receiving a positive reception, especially compared to the shower of boos Gibson received on his way to the ring. Dar marvelously played with the crowd, at one point responding to the chants of "if you hate (Zack) Gibson, shoes off", by pretending to take off his shoe in the middle of the match. The local crowd was extremely invested in the match, maintaining the levels of their chants throughout the bout. Each competitor targetted different body parts through the match, with Gibson targetting Dar's left arm to soften it up for his signature submission, Shankly Gates, and Dar targetted Gibson's left knee. After a fantastic back and forth encounter, Gibson would get the win after hitting a Helter Skelter.
#3 Danny Burch
If you are partial to the hard striking style of British strong style, then Danny Burch vs Sam Gradwell is one to watch and rewatch. While Gradwell was impressive in the match and hit a great Falcon Arrow. However, Danny Burch was the more impressive of the two. Hitting a variety of strikes on his younger opponent and finishing the match off with a headbutt and then hit a vicious top rope draping DDT for the win.
Burch then cut a promo seeking out to challenge current WWE UK Champion Pete Dunne. Talking about how respect was all well and good but he came here for titles. Following the episode, it was announced that Danny Burch would face Dunne for the title at the next episode of NXT UK, in what is sure to be another cracking fight. Between Burch's strong striking ability, and Pete Dunne's ability to manipulate his opponent's joints at his will.