WWE United Kingdom Championship Tournament – Day 1 Coverage – June 25, 2018 – London, England
The 2018 WWE United Kingdom Championship Tournament opens with a video montage of WWE U.K. General Manager Johnny Saint giving an overview of the Royal Albert Hall and then the video transitions into match footage of Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate. We then see a brief overview of some of the competitors in this year’s tournament.
Mauro Ranallo and Nigel McGuinness welcome us to the show. They go over the bracket for the tournament and remind us that the winner will challenge Pete Dunne for the WWE United Kingdom Championship on tomorrow’s show.
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Match #1: WWE United Kingdom Championship Tournament Quarterfinal Match – Gentleman Jack Gallagher vs. Zack Gibson
Gallagher and Gibson battle to the mat and Gibson applies a body-scissors. Gallagher gets free and they lock up again. Gibson drops him with an arm drag and applies a wrist-lock. Gibson turns it into an arm-bar, but Gallagher gets free and gets a quick roll-up for a two count. Gibson goes for a clothesline, but Gallagher dodges and rolls up Gibson for another two count. Gallagher applies a rear chin-lock and then applies a few uppercuts. Gibson backs Gallagher into the ropes and then drapes his arm over the top rope. Gibson delivers a dropkick to Gallagher’s arm and then beats him down on the mat. Gibson goes for a cover, but Gallagher kicks out at two. Gibson drops Gallagher with a clothesline and then another dropkick. Gibson goes for the cover, but Gallagher kicks out again.
Gibson applies a half-Nelson chin-lock, but Gallagher fights to his feet. Gallagher goes for a sunset flip, but Gibson slams his arm into the mat. Gibson applies a wrist-lock, but Gallagher fights to his feet. Gibson slams Gallagher down to the mat with am arm-bar suplex and then delivers an uppercut in the corner. Gibson slams Gallagher into the opposite corner, and then again into the opposite corner. Gallagher fights back with a right hand and a forearm, but Gibson takes him down with a clothesline. Gibson goes for the cover, but Gallagher kicks out at two. Gibson applies a rear chin-lock down on the mat, but Gallagher fights back with a forearm shot. Gallagher delivers body shots and knee strikes, but Gibson delivers a boot to the midsection. Gallagher comes back with a vertical suplex to take Gibson to the mat.
Gallagher knees Gibson in the face and goes for the cover, but Gibson kicks out at two. Gibson backs Gallagher into the corner and then delivers a forearm and a face-buster to the knees. Gibson goes for the cover, but Gallagher kicks out at two. Gibson goes for a suplex, but Gallagher turns it into a dropkick. Gallagher goes for a dropkick in the corner, but Gibson catches him and power bombs him. Gallagher comes back and locks in a triangle submission, but Gibson picks him up and power bombs him in the corner. Gallagher grabs Gibson’s arm and locks in an arm bar over the top rope. Gallagher flips back into the ring and locks in a sleeper hold, but Gibson gets his foot on the rope. Gallagher takes Gibson down on the floor with a suicide dive and then tosses him back into the ring.
Gallagher delivers the Gentleman’s Dropkick in the corner and goes for the cover, but Gibson kicks out at two. Gallagher goes for the headbutt, but Gibson jams him in the throat and throws him into the ring post. Gibson drops Gallagher with a clothesline and then delivers a gut-buster. Gibson goes for the cover, but Gallagher kicks out at two. Gibson applies a wrist-lock, but Gallagher gets free and delivers a dropkick. Gallagher goes up top and dives, but Gibson gets his feet up. Gibson applies the Shankly Gates and Gallagher taps out.
Winner: Zack Gibson.
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We take a look at the next two competitors: Joe Coffey and Dave Mastiff.
Match #2: WWE United Kingdom Championship Tournament Quarterfinal Match – Joe Coffey vs. Dave Mastiff
They shake hands before the match and then lock up. Coffey applies a headlock, but Mastiff gets free and comes off the ropes with a shoulder block. Coffey tries his own shoulder block and neither man goes down. They each try a shoulder block simultaneously and nothing happens. They each deliver a cross-body and finally they fall to the floor. They run into each other on the floor and Mastiff takes advantage and tosses Coffey into the ring apron. Mastiff tosses Coffey back into the ring and slams him into the corner. Mastiff delivers a knee strike and goes for a seated senton, but Coffey moves out of the way. Mastiff elevated Coffey to the apron, but Coffey comes back with a missile dropkick from the top. Coffey goes for the cover, but Mastiff kicks out at two. Coffey backs Mastiff into the corner with midsection strike and then delivers a Double A take down.
Mastiff comes back with an elbow, but Coffey delivers one of his own. Mastiff drops Coffey with a forearm shot and delivers a running senton splash and goes for the cover, but Coffey kicks out a two. Mastiff applies a front face-lock and then slams him down to the mat. Mastiff goes for a suplex, but Coffey holds on and blocks. Coffey turns it into a suplex of his own, but Mastiff delivers a back elbow. Mastiff comes off the ropes, but Coffey counters with a belly-to-belly suplex. Coffey delivers right hands and splashes Mastiff in the corner. Coffey delivers a German suplex and goes for the cover, but Mastiff kicks out at two. Mastiff comes back with a headbutt and then drops Coffey with a clothesline. Mastiff delivers a German suplex and goes for the cover, but Coffey kicks out at two. Coffey delivers an uppercut, but Mastiff comes back with a dropkick in the corner.
Mastiff goes for the cannonball in the corner, but Coffey moves and kicks Mastiff in the face. Coffey delivers a cross-body and then drops Mastiff with All the Best for Bells and gets the pin fall.
Winner: Joe Coffey.
After the match, Cathy Kelly joins Coffey in the ring. Coffey says he came here to win and he will win the WWE United Kingdom Championship because this is his opportunity. He says he will show no mercy and will win by any means necessary.
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We take a look at the next two competitors: Flash Morgan Webster and Jordan Devlin.
Match #3: WWE United Kingdom Championship Tournament Quarterfinal Match – Flash Morgan Webster vs. Jordan Devlin
They lock up and Devlin backs Webster into the ropes. Devlin does not have a clean break and applies a wrist-lock. Webster turns it into his own wrist-lock, but Devlin kicks him in the midsection. Webster comes back with a headlock down on the mat and then delivers a somersault senton and gets a one count. Devlin comes back with a back elbow and then a double knee strike. Devlin slams Webster to the mat and delivers a standing moonsault. Devlin goes for the cover, but Webster kicks out at two. Devlin applies a seated abdominal stretch, but Webster works his way free. Webster takes Devlin down with a head scissors take down. Webster delivers a knee strike in the corner and goes for the cover, but Devlin kicks out at two. Webster pulls Devlin to the floor and then delivers a suicide dive. Webster delivers another suicide dive and then a top rope senton. Webster tosses Devlin back into the ring and goes for the cover, but Devlin kicks out at two.
Webster goes up top, but Devlin crotches him on the top rope. Devlin delivers an avalanche Spanish Fly and goes for the cover, but Webster kicks out at two. Devlin delivers a superkick and goes for the cover, but Webster kicks out again. Devlin goes for a moonsault, but Webster moves out of the way and then delivers the tilt-a-whirl reverse DDT and gets the pin fall.
Winner: Flash Morgan Webster.
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We take a look at the next two competitors: Travis Banks and Ashton Smith.
Match #4: WWE United Kingdom Championship Tournament Quarterfinal Match – Travis Banks vs. Ashton Smith
They lock up and Banks applies a headlock. Smith sends him off the ropes, but Banks trips him up running the ropes. Banks goes for a cover, but Smith quickly kicks out. Smith takes Banks down with an arm drag and then a dropkick. Banks comes back with a kick to the knee and then a kick to the back. Banks delivers a chop and then a forearm in the corner. Banks kicks Smith in the back and then delivers a chop. Banks slaps Smith in the corner and then delivers a few chops. Banks kicks Smith in the back and goes for the cover, but Smith kicks out again. Banks applies a wrist-lock, but Smith fights out. Banks drives a knee into Smith, but Smith comes back with a kick to the face. Smith takes Banks down with a clothesline and delivers an elbow. Smith keeps Banks grounded and charges int he corner, but Banks turns it around and trips Smith into the corner.
Banks delivers a delayed dropkick in the corner and goes for the cover, but Smith kicks out at two. Smith comes back and comes off the ropes. He takes Banks down with a leg lariat, but Banks rolls to the floor. Smith delivers a suicide dive on the floor and tosses Banks back into the ring. Smith delivers a superkick to Banks and goes for the cover, but Banks kicks out at two. Smith delivers a running knee in the corner, but Banks comes back and dropkicks Smith into the corner. Banks delivers a German suplex and goes for the cover, but Smith kicks out at two. Banks delivers a forearm shot, but Smith fires back with right hands of his own. Banks catches him with a kick and then plants him with the Kiwi Crusher and gets the pin fall.
Winner: Travis Banks
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Match #5 – #1 Contender’s (NXT Women’s Championship) Triple Threat Match: Toni Storm vs. Killer Kelly vs. Isla Dawn
Kelly and Dawn beat down Storm, but Storm fires back with forearm shots. Kelly and Dawn deliver a double wheelbarrow DDT and Storm rolls to the floor. Dawn kicks Kelly into the corner and then delivers a forearm shot. Dawn kicks Kelly in the face and then delivers a knee strike. Dawn goes for the cover, but Kelly kicks out at two. Dawn goes for a suplex, but Kelly holds on and delivers a suplex of her own. Kelly delivers a few knee strikes and then delivers a hesitation dropkick in the corner. Storm gets back in and suplexes Kelly down to the mat. Dawn comes back and suplexes Storm as well. All three women exchange right hands and then Dawn delivers a suplex to Storm. Dawn goes for the cover, but Kelly breaks up the count. Kelly delivers forearm shots to Dawn and then sends her to the floor.
Kelly kicks Dawn in the face from the apron and then tosses her back into the ring. Storm kicks Kelly in the face and then delivers a suplex to Dawn. Storm delivers the Storm Zero on Dawn and gets the pin fall.
Winner and number one contender for the NXT Women’s Championship: Toni Storm.
-Storm will challenge Shayna Baszler for the title on tomorrow’s show. After the match, we see Baszler looking on from the crowd. They stare each other down and Baszler smirks as Storm celebrates her win.
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Triple H’s music hits and he makes his way to the ring. He says due to the talent in the U.K., they are going to be getting more. He introduces the U.K. General Manager, Johnny Saint. Saint formally introduces the NXT U.K. brand. Triple H says they will be starting a women’s division and a tag team division to go along with the men’s division. He introduces the dates for the tapings, which will be in July, August, October, and November.
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Match #6 – WWE United Kingdom Championship Tournament Semifinal Match: Flash Morgan Webster vs. Zack Gibson
Webster attacks Gibson from the start and backs him into the corner with rights and lefts. Webster kicks Gibson to the floor and delivers a head scissors take down on the floor. Webster tosses Gibson back into the ring and delivers a missile dropkick. Webster goes for the cover, but Gibson kicks out at two. Gibson comes back and slams Webster into the turnbuckle. Gibson stomps away on Webster in the corner and then delivers body shots. Gibson delivers forearm shots and then takes Webster down with a clothesline. Gibson applies a rear chin-lock down on the mat and then slams him to the mat. Webster delivers a quick kick, but Gibson comes back. Gibson goes for the Shankly Gates, but Webster counters and delivers a moonsault. Webster goes for the cover, but Gibson kicks out at two. Webster sents Gibson to the floor with a forearm and then delivers a suicide dive.
Webster goes for another suicide dive, but Gibson catches him and delivers Helter Skelter on the floor. Webster gets back into the ring at the nine count, but Gibson locks in Shankly Gates and Webster taps out.
Winner: Zack Gibson.
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Match #7 – WWE United Kingdom Championship Tournament Semifinal Match: Travis Banks vs. Joe Coffey
They lock up and Coffey backs Banks into the corner. Banks forces his way free, but Coffey applies a wrist-lock. Coffey takes Banks to the mat, but Banks counters with an arm drag. Banks delivers body shots and sends Coffey to the corner, but Coffey comes back with chops and left hands. Banks comes back and sends Coffey off the ropes, but Coffey counters with a shoulder tackle. Coffey backs Banks into the corner and delivers right hands. Coffey delivers more body strikes and then swings Banks around the ring. Coffey delivers a suplex and goes for the cover, but Banks kicks out at two. Coffey stomps Banks in the corner, but Banks fights his way free. Banks connects with a sunset flip, but Coffey rolls through and locks in a half-crab submission. Banks gets to the ropes to break the hold, but Coffey keeps him grounded.
Coffey works over Banks’s arm and then delivers a knee strike to Banks. Coffey applies a straitjacket hold and drives a knee into Banks’s back again. Coffey drives his shoulder into Banks and sends him off the ropes. Coffey delivers a forearm to Banks’s back and then delivers a chop and a left hand. Coffey continues with the lefts, but Banks comes back with chops of his own. Banks slaps Coffey across the chest and delivers a low superkick. Coffey goes for the floor, but Banks delivers a running kick to the face. Banks tosses Coffey back into the ring and drives a knee into Coffey’s chest. Banks goes for the cover, but Coffey kicks out at two. Coffey comes back with a forearm shot and then spears Banks into the corner.
Coffey splashes Banks in the corner and then slams him to the mat. Coffey goes for the cover, but Banks kicks out at two. Coffey delivers a suplex and goes for the cover, but Banks kicks out again. Banks delivers a dropkick that sends Coffey to the corner. Banks delivers a double stomp in the corner and goes for the cover, but Coffey kicks out at two. Coffey comes back with an elbow shot and goes for a springboard cross-body, but Banks moves out of the way. Banks kicks Coffey in the face and gets a quick roll-up for the pin fall.
Winner: Travis Banks.
After the match, Coffey beats down Banks. Coffey slams Banks shoulder-first into the ring post and then drops him with All is Best for the Bells and leaves him lying.
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Match #8 – Six-Man Tag Team Match: British Strong Style (Pete Dunne, Trent Seven, and Tyler Bate) vs. The Undisputed ERA (Adam Cole, Kyle O’Reilly, and Roderick Strong)
O’Reilly and Bate start the match. O’Reilly applies a headlock, but Bate sends him off the ropes and drops him with an arm drag. O’Reilly comes back and sends Bate into the corner and delivers a knee strike. O’Reilly goes for a cross arm-breaker, but Bate rolls him over for a one count. Bate applies an arm-bar, but O’Reilly gets free and Strong tags in. Bate kicks Strong away and tags in Dunne. Dunne decks Strong with a right hands and stomps away on him in the corner. Dunne lets Strong runs the ropes and then drops him with a clothesline. Dunne begins the joint manipulation on Strong, but then all six men end up in the ring. British Strong Style send the ERA to the floor with slaps across their faces. Strong gets back into the ring, but Dunne takes him down with a drop toe hold.
Dunne stomps down onto Strong’s legs and Seven tags in. Seven works over Strong’s ankle, but Strong backs him into the corner and Cole tags in. Cole stomps away on Seven in the corner and then delivers a few chops. Seven is not fazed and delivers chops of his own. Seven chops Strong and O’Reilly and then drops Cole with a DDT. Cole rolls to the floor and Seven goes after him, but Cole counters with a kick to the back of the head. Strong drops Seven back-first onto the barricade and Cole tosses Seven back into the ring. Cole delivers a series of right hands and then tags in O’Reilly. O’Reilly delivers knee strikes to Seven and tags in Strong. Strong and O’Reilly double team Seven in the corner, but Seven comes back with a chop to Strong. Strong grounds Seven again and tags in Cole.
Cole stomps away on Seven in the corner, but Seven turns it around. Cole tags in O’Reilly, who kicks Bate down to the floor. Seven takes advantage and plants O’Reilly with a DDT. Dunne and Strong tag in and Dunne goes on the attack. Dunne beats Strong down in the corner and then delivers an enzuiguri in the corner. Dunne kicks Strong in the head and then slams Cole down onto Strong with the X-Plex. Dunne goes for the cover, but Strong kicks out at two. Strong comes back with a kick to the head, but Dunne tags in Bate. Bate grabs O’Reilly and suplexes him into Strong. Bate then delivers a double airplane spin on Cole and Strong. Dunne tags in and he and Bate slam Strong down to the mat. Dunne goes for the cover, but O’Reilly breaks it up. Dunne goes up top, but Strong counters with a dropkick.
Cole tags in and slams Dunne to the mat. O’Reilly tags in and kicks Dunne in the chest. O’Reilly goes for the cover, but Dunne kicks out at two. O’Reilly locks in a triangle submission, but Dunne gets free and suplexes O’Reilly to the mat. Dunne kicks O’Reilly in the head and goes for the Bitter End, but O’Reilly counters into a guillotine choke. Bate tags in and stomps onto O’Reilly’s face. Cole kicks Bate and Seven in the face and then Dunne takes Cole out with an enzuiguri. Bate drops Strong with a clothesline and then slams O’Reilly to the mat and all six men are down.
Seven tags in and drops Strong with the Seven-Star Lariat and goes for the cover, but Strong kicks out at two. Strong delivers a knee strike to Seven after a distraction by Cole and they triple team Seven. Cole delivers the Last Call and goes for the cover, but Dunne breaks it up. Dunne delivers a forearm smash to Cole and then takes Cole and Strong out with a moonsault on the floor. Seven and O’Reilly exchange shots in the ring and Seven drops him with another Seven-Star lariat. Bate tags in and drops O’Reilly with a clothesline as Seven delivers a dragon suplex and Bate gets the pin fall.
Winners: British Strong Style.
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Shawn Michaels comes to the ring. He says he wrestled the first match for the WWE in Royal Albert Hall in 1991 and he is honored to share a bit of history tonight. The crowd chants “One more match” and he responds with “You guys gotta stop that.” He brings up the NXT UK brand and says it is a chance to give back to the U.K. fans who have supported them for so long.
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Match #9: WWE United Kingdom Championship Tournament Final Match – Travis Banks vs. Zack Gibson
They lock up and Gibson takes Banks to the mat. Banks gets to the ropes to break the attempted arm-bar. Banks goes behind Gibson, but Gibson grabs his arm again. Banks gets to the ropes again to break the hold. Banks kicks Gibson in the leg and takes him down to the mat. Banks applies a side headlock, but Gibson gets free and takes Banks to the mat. Gibson applies an arm bar, but Banks gets free and chops Gibson against the ropes. They lock up and Gibson backs Banks into the corner. Banks turns it around and delivers right hands to Gibson. Banks chops Gibson and then kicks him in the chest. Gibson rolls to the floor and Banks goes out after him. Gibson delivers a forearm to Banks and then slams him into the barricade. Gibson slams Banks shoulder first into the steps and then tosses him back into the ring. Gibson drops Banks with a clothesline and goes for the cover, but Banks kicks out at two.
Gibson works over Banks’s injured shoulder again and stomps away on his arm. Banks fights back and he and Gibson exchange forearm shots and strikes. Banks sends Gibson into the corner and delivers a dropkick to the back of Gibson’s head. Banks delivers a suicide dive to Gibson and then tosses him back into the ring. Banks delivers a knee strike and goes for the cover, but Gibson kicks out at two. Banks delivers a double stomp to Gibson and goes for the cover, but Gibson kicks out again. Gibson comes back and delivers a double knee gut-buster to Banks and goes for the cover, but Banks kicks out at two. Banks delivers a knee strike to Gibson and sends him to the floor. Gibson comes back and punches Banks in the throat. Gibson sends Banks into the barricade, but Banks turns it into a roundhouse kick.
Both men get back into the ring and exchange shots. They brawl in the middle of the ring and Gibson drops Banks with an open palm strike. They exchange palm strikes now and Gibson delivers a forearm to the back of Banks’s head. Banks comes back with a kick and then delivers a few kicks to Gibson’s chest. Banks stomps away on Gibson, but Gibson counters and slams Banks to the mat shoulder-first. Gibson tries to lock in Shankly Gates, but Banks gets free. Gibson comes right back and locks it in this time, but Banks makes it to the ropes. Banks sends Gibson to the floor and then delivers a double stomp from the apron. Banks tosses Gibson back into the ring and delivers the Slice of Heaven and goes for the pin fall, but Gibson kicks out at two.
Gibson comes back with a pin with his feet on the ropes, but the referee catches him. Banks delivers a lariat and then plants Gibson to the mat and goes for the cover, but Gibson kicks out at two. Banks goes for a suicide dive, but Gibson blocks him and tosses him back into the ring. Gibson delivers Helter Skelter and goes for the cover, but Banks kicks out at two. Gibson locks in Shankly Gates and stops Banks from getting tot he ropes and Banks taps out.
Winner and number one contender for the WWE United Kingdom Championship: Zack Gibson.
After the match, Gibson extends his hand for a handshake for the first time in the tournament, but then pulls it back as Banks goes to shake it. Banks leaves the ring and walks up the ramp, where he is met by Triple H, Johnny Saint, and Shawn Michaels. Triple H raises his hand before Banks walks to the back. Triple H, Saint, and Michaels get into the ring with Gibson and stand with him as he raises his hands in the air. Gibson shakes hands with Triple H and asks for a microphone. Before he can say much, Pete Dunne interrupts him. Dunne and Gibson stare each other down as Dunne walks to the ring. Dunne gets into the ring and holds the WWE U.K. title in his face as Saint tries to keep them separated as the camera fades to black.
