Night 1 is recapped with HHH getting a lot of coverage and the matches' finishes getting shown - so at least a few moves were given a chance to shine. Dunne's beating got more time than the matches, along with Regal browbeating him. Cole talks over a very echo-filled mic about the tourney. Nigel and Cole stand next to the gorgeous title.
The finishers for Dunne and Gradwell's matches are recapped because their match is up first. Gradwell is able to get a bit of an edge early with a missile dropkick, but the back is too hurt, so he's down. Dunne hits a snap German, but eats a Michinoku driver for 2. Dunne rolls out to avoid a headbutt off the top, but eats a crossbody. Gradwell is put up top and shoved off the top to the floor. Gradwell comes in at 9.5. Inverted powerslam ends it. Dunne is announced as the winner and hits the Bitter End on him anyway.
Dunne chats to RoboCharly about being CONTROVERSIAL - he doesn't he think he was controversial, and HHH prided him on making a name for himself. Mandrews vs. Joseph Conners is up with Mandrews hitting a couple of armdrags quickly. Andrews hits a 619 to the gut, but misses a moonsault on the floor and eats a running forearm. Cole talks about how EY and Corey hyped up Andrews on Twitter. Conners goes for a running boot against the steps, but it misses. Andrews walks the barricade and hits a somersault senton. Not sure why he wouldn't do that OFF THE APRON, where he has more footing, but whatever. Corner shotgun knees lead to a northern lights and the moonsault - but he meets knees. Outside-in complete shot gets 2! DLD is countered into the stunner! SSP HITS AND WINS!
Trent Seven vs. Wolfgang is up. Not really much going on to start other than a moonsault. Trent teases a superplex to the floor, but Wolfgang turns it to a regular superplex. Wolfgang hits a series of uppercuts and forearms. The rainmaker is countered by a Wasteland, but the moonsault misses. SEVEN HITS A RELEASE DRAGON SUPLEX FOR 2! Rainmaker is used as a GTS counter, but it only gets 2. Treat teases a piledriver off the top and that's avoided while a swanton to the back wins it! Wolfgang wins!
Tyler Bate's match is showcased before his match with Devlin. Tyler's wacky, snazzy game show music is great. Devlin's snake-like face works for him. Fast start to things with Devlin eating a suicide dive on the ramp - sick thud there. Devlin lands crossfaces and kneeling forearms. Devlin avoids the airplane spin, but gets hoisted up and locked into it. Devlin snaps the rope into the eye and hits a hopping kick. Devlin gets 2 off a rana out of the Tyler Driver. TYLER DRIVER HITS FOR A BIG WIN! Huge pop, too.
Mandrews vs. Dunne is up and Robbie Brookeside gets a spotlight at ringside. Andrews comes out in purple, looking sharp. Dunne grinds away to start. Andrews gets a wacky flippy armdrag and kinda hits a flip dive. Dunne bends the fingers and tries to stomp on the hand, but Dunne misses and Andrews hits a rana off the floor and off the steps to Dunne. Andrews hits a kick and then a double stomp. Northern lights INTO A ONE AND A HALF ROTATION SENTON! Dunne grabs him off a moonsault and hits the crash landing suplex on the apron! X PLEX ON THE RAMP! X Plex leads to a stundog for 2. Dunne goes for a superplex, but eats forearms. An SSP hits knees and a cradle gets 2. Bitter End is avoided, but a sick bull hammer hits! X Plex is countered into a rana for 2.5! SSP is avoided, leads to a German in the buckle, X Plex, and the Bitter End to win! BEST MATCH OF THE TOURNEY by far.
This "is scheduled for one fall/ONE FALL!" bit amuses me. Tyler Bate is out and his run is recapped. Wolfgang comes out to a nice ovation and the crowd is rabid for both. They slug it out a bit and Wolfgang's nose is apparently broken. Springboard uppercut from Bate hits perfectly. Bate squats for the airplane spin, but he can't get him up. Bate kicks the nose and gets 2 off a sunset flip. Catch powerslam gets 2 for Wolfgang. Swanton misses, but a flying shoulderblock gets 2. Tyler driver hits and ends it. Dunne jumps him to further his chances of winning. Regal comes out and pulls him away.
Neville comes out and talks about being looked over once again. He was left out of the tournament because they wanted it to be competitive and with him it, it would have been a no contest. He says no one deserves to face him - leading to TOMMY END COMING OUT! Cole talks about End's PWG experience. End hits a round kick for 2. They go into a tumbling exchange before a high round kick hits Neville. Nigel hypes up End as getting "it" fairly late compared to some - while it took him five or six years to really find "it". Neville lands a series of kicks for 2. Neville jumps into a high kick and eats a moonsault on the floor. Tommy hits a blitz ending with a shining wizard for 2.5. End hits a spin kick and a German for 2. They stand up top and Neville hits a rana and in the Red Arrow position to win. Shocked End didn't win - but with Neville going into the Rumble match, I won't argue over a guy looking strong before a title match.
RoboCharly says that Bate is hurt - but he's been cleared. Balor comes out in a skinny tie to bring the '80s back. And also do commentary, and cut a small promo too. Bate and Dunne's rise in the tourney is recapped. Regal holds the UK Title mid-ring - and that is easily the company's best-looking belt. Cole talks about Bate needing the now-injured shoulder to get the Driver. Love the staredown to start.
A Bate win would be a nice feel-good story - but Dunne feels more ready-made for the "first-ever" moniker. A "fuck 'em up Tyler, fuck him up!" chant breaks out. Dunne slaps him off a tieup. Dunne has great facial expressions here. Dunne shoves him and works on the arm. He can't hold him down and eats a dropkick. They go to the floor where Dunne pumphandles the arm. Tyler plays keepaway with UFC-style kicks off his back. Springboard uppercut hits for Bate. Dunne avoids a driver and pumphandles the arm. Small package counter off the Bitter End. AIRPLANE SPIN! IN ONE DIRECTION. THEN ANOTHER, THEN THE OTHER AGAIN FOR 2!
Dunne locks on a triangle choke, but Bate BACKLUND LIFTS HIM INTO A POWERBOMB! FOSBURY FLOP TO THE FLOOR BY BATE! GIVE HIM THE TITLE! He's a damn star! Bate gets 2 off a 450 foot stomp! BITTER END HITS! IT ONLY GETS 2 AND DUNNE IS IN SHOCK! Dunne locks on a Kimura with a neckbar! Hopping Kimura with a bodylock! BATE TURNS IT INTO A BRAINBUSTER! BATE ONLY GETS 2! HOLY SHIT!
This is the best single star-making match there's been in ages - and it's making two stars. Bate is MADE from this - if they just did this stuff on USA, they'd have money-making draws right away. Dunne flips out of a German, leading to chops! A pair of Koppou kicks hit and THE TYLER DRIVER HITS TO GIVE HIM THE TITLE! The entire tourney "just" being done to make these guys stars makes it all worthwhile. HHH, Finlay, Balor, and Regal present the title - well, HHH does and the UK guys get to clap. HHH hogs the spotlight more as every UK guy gets a secondary role here.
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