WWE faction to reunite after 1,625 days? Analyzing major swerve following NXT No Mercy
WWE NXT No Mercy 2023 is officially unveiled in the books. The white & gold brand had a standout Premium Live Event that many fans cannot stop raving about. The two main events, in particular, are receiving critical acclaim.
However, other bouts were on the card, including a Heritage Rules Match featuring Noam Dar defending his trophy against Butch. SmackDown's Bruiserweight had the upper hand throughout much of the contest, but Meta-Four kept cheating and interfering.
Thanks to his old friend Tyler Bate, Butch was seemingly close to winning, only for a surprise attack by Wolfgang, Mark Coffey, and Joe Coffey to disrupt the match.
Gallus ultimately laid Bate out and cost Butch the win. While this could mean that the former NXT United Kingdom Champion will just return to SmackDown without a trophy, it could also lead to the reunion of British Strong Style after 1,625 days.
British Strong Style was a stable comprised of Tyler Bate, Butch, and Trent Seven. They were huge on the British indie circuit and in NXT UK. They last teamed up together all the way back on April 20, 2019. Butch went on to NXT, and Trent was later released when NXT UK shut down.
Instead of just leaving NXT, revenge could be sought after. Butch and Tyler Bate would likely want revenge on the other NXT UK Alumni in Gallus, but they will still be outnumbered. Trent returning to the company to help them even the odds could be an exciting moment for fans and WWE Superstars.
Another WWE NXT UK Alumni had a big night
NXT UK is currently dominating much of the modern version of NXT. The aforementioned stars were all from the brand, with Gallus, British Strong Style, Noam Dar, and even Meta-Four's Oro Mensah all being a part of the show.
Blair Davenport, who won a match on the pre-show, was also part of the brand. The biggest winner of all, however, had to be Ilja Dragunov. The former NXT UK star battled Carmelo Hayes for the NXT Championship in one of the two main events of NXT No Mercy 2023.
The two superstars already had a legendary fight at The Great American Bash a few months ago and somehow managed to outscore themselves at No Mercy. After a hard-fought bout, Dragunov walked away as the new NXT Champion.
This win dramatically shakes the foundation of WWE's third brand. Ilja is a dangerous superstar and a force to be reckoned with. Meanwhile, Hayes is now forced to regroup, having been knocked off of his perch.
For The Mad Dragon, this is his first championship win while being on the NXT roster. However, he did have another title in the company, as he dethroned Gunther to capture the United Kingdom Championship back at NXT UK. His career continued to flourish several years later.
What do you think about Ilja Dragunov's NXT Championship win? Sound off in the comments section below!