Welcome to Ringside News’ coverage of NXT UK: TakeOver Cardiff.

Tonight’s show is to be headlined by the NXT United Kingdom Championship bout between Walter and Tyler Bate. Walter’s cronies, Imperium, attacked Moustache Mountain a few weeks back, costing them the NXT UK Tag Team Championships. Bate returned some time later and began taking the fight to Walter. Trent Seven then also returned to even the odds a little and help Bate deal with Imperium. Tonight Bate and Walter go head-to-head for the NXT United Kingdom Championship, in which should be a spectacular match.

The other huge match tonight is Toni Storm defending her NXT UK’s Women’s Championship against Kay Lee Ray. Storm has had a strong run as Champion but Ray has earned her chance to take the belt from her. Since becoming number one contender, Ray has been doing a masterful job of getting inside the mind of Toni Storm. This is guaranteed to be a hard-hitting match but Storm is expected to retain.

The other matches on TakeOver: Cardiff are a Last Man Standing bout between Dave Mastiff and Joe Coffey, a singles match netween Noam Dar and Travis Banks, and a Triple Threat Tag Team Match for the NXT UK Tag Team Championships, between the Champions, Grizzled Young Vets, Mark Andrews & ‘Flash’ Morgan Webster, and Gallus.

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TakeOver: Cardiff is sure to be a knock-down, drag-out card, not to be overshadowed by other wrestling happening today. So remember to follow along here or via the Ringside News app, and follow us on Instagram and Twitter. Enjoy the show!

NXT UK TakeOver: Cardiff begins with a video package hyping the show, then goes live to the Motorpoint Arena in Wales.

Noam Dar makes his entrance, followed by his opponent from New Zealand, Travis Banks.

Noam Dar Vs. Travis Banks

Both men lock-up and Dar forces Banks to the corner until the referee separates them. They lock-up again and this time Banks forces Dar to the corner. Dar takes a wristlock but Banks flips out, then tries to leapfrog Dar but gets caught with an ankle lock. Banks escapes and both men exchange reversals before posing.

Dar looks for a handshake but Banks isn’t having it. Dar swings at him but Banks catches the arm and kicks his leg out. Banks kicks the leg again, then whips Dar, who slides out of the ring. Banks takes to the apron and hits a soccer kick to Dar, before tossing him back into the ring.

Dar plays possum, then lifts Banks up and drops him down crotch-first on the top rope. Dar heads to the middle rope and clotheslines Banks off the ropes for a two count. Dar slows things down and slaps the head of Banks. Dar hits Banks with a snapmare into the ropes for a two count.

Dar drops an elbow to the knee of Banks, then applies an armbar. Banks fights to his feet and forearms Dar. Banks knocks Dar into the turnbuckles, then hits a German suplex for a two count. Banks heads up top but nobody’s home. Dar slides through Banks’ legs and looks for a German suplex but can’t get it. Dar kicks Banks in the head repeatedly before attempting to lock in a modified Rings of Saturn but Banks escapes and locks in a crossface. Dar gets to the rope.

Dar slaps Banks, who misses a kick and gets caught-up in the ropes. Dar spins Banks around a few times before hitting a fisherman buster for a two count. Banks looks for a springboard but Dar catches him in a kneebar. Banks escapes and they exchange slaps until they both fall t to their backs.

Banks goes to the apron, where Dar dropkicks him to the floor. Dar snapmares Banks into the steel steps, then gets him back in the ring and hits a clothesline to the back of the head for a near-fall. Dar uses Banks’ kicks against him but Travis dropkicks Dar, then hits a double stomp to the back for a near-fall.

Dar rolls out of the ring, but Banks hits a suicide dive. Dar fires back with an elbow and tries to toss him into the barricade but Banks jumps onto the railing and hits a Slice of Heaven. Banks gets Dar back in the ring, heads up top, and hits the double stomp for a near-fall. They exchange shots in the middle of the ring, with Banks dropping Dar with an elbow. Dar dodges Banks in the corner and hits a switch kick. Shining Wizard from Travis, then looks for a Slice of Heaven but Dar kicks his leg out and connects with Nova Rolla for the win!

Winner: Noam dar

Ilja Dragunov makes his way to the ring and grabs a microphone. He calls out Cesaro, and says he’s waiting. Well, the Swiss Superman answers the call and makes his way to the ring.

Ilja Dragunov Vs. Cesaro

The bell rings and Dragunov hits Cesaro with a big boot, followed by stiff chops in the corner. Cesaro turns the tables and chops Dragunov in each corner before taking a headlock. Dragunov shoots him off but Cesaro comes back with a shoulder tackle. Dragunov connects with a forearm, then looks for a crossbody but Cesaro catches him. Dragunov gets out and Cesaro looks for a European uppercut but he dodges it and tells him to “bring it.”

Cesaro drops Dragunov with an uppercut, then chops him repeatedly. Dragunov hits a boot, two chops, and a senton for a one count. Dragunov lands a clothesline in the corner, then jumps at Cesaro but gets caught and literally dumped over the rope like a bride. Cesaro goes out after and drops Dragonov on the barricade neck-first before putting him back in the ring.

Dragunov sits in the corner but Cesaro kicks him, followed by a big slam and a leg drop for a two count. Cesaro takes a sleeper, then hits a belly-to-back suplex for a two count. Dragunov counters a back suplex with a crossbody, but then gets caught in The Swing for 40 swings! Cesaro applies a crossface but Dragunov eventually reverses into a failed pin attempt. Dragunov dodges Cesaro and hits a clotheslines after a 619.

Cesaro looks for an uppercut but Dragunov counters into a backslide attempt, then hits an enziguiri. Dragunov hits Cesaro with a crotch-hold back suplex. Cesaro rolls out and Dragunov follows-up with a dive before tossing him back inside. Dragunov hits a dropkick from the top rope for a two count. Both men exchange chops and Dragunov lands roughly 20 knife-edge chops to the neck. Cesaro hits a military-press GTS for a near-fall. Cesaor hits a big European uppercut for a near-fall and can’t believe it isn’t over.

Dragunov lifts Cesaro and hits a death valley driver into the turnbuckles, which gets the fans chanting “this is awesome”. Dragunov heads to the top rope and hits a leaping senton for a near-fall. Dragunov runs but gets tossed up into the air and hit with a European uppercut, followed by a Neutraliser from Cesaro and that’s all she wrote.

Winner: Cesaro

Cesaro poses before walking up the ramp. The Swiss Superman comes back down to the ring, and fakes a clothesline before shaking Dragunov’s hand.

We see Tyler Bate warming up with Trent Seven backstage. 

NXT United Kingdom Tag Team Championship

Triple Threat Match

(C) Grizzled Young Veterans Vs. Gallus Vs. ‘Flash’ Morgan Webster & Mark Andrews

The match begins with  Mark Andrews and Zach Gibson. They lock-up and Gibson takes him down with a wristlock. Gibson makes a tag, so Andrews does the same and in comes Webster. Andrews tags in again almost immediately and hits a dropkick to James Drake.

Wolfgang tags in off of Andrews and drops Drake, who rolls from the ring. Webster tags in and tries to take Wolfgang down but can’t get him, then all six Superstars come in. The referee calms things down. Mark Coffey tags in and takes Webster down. Andrews tags in, and so does Gibson. Webster and Andrews hit a double moonsault off the apron, then Andrews looks for the pin but Wolfgang breaks it up.

Drake tags in and punches Webster out of the ring before tagging Gibson. They hit a double-team backbreaker/plancha outside the ring. Gibson gets Webster back in the ring and slams him for a near-fall. Gibson applies a rear chinlock, but Webster fights up. Drake tags in and lands some forearms to Webster. Drake hits Webster with a backbreaker for a near-fall. Mark Coffey tags in off of Drake and looks for a slam but Webster rolls through. Coffey is kicked away, and Gibson tags himself in. Gibson grabs Webster and tosses him to the corner before talking trash to Wolfgang.

Webster tags Andrews, who punches Gibson before knocking Drake down. Andrews catches Gibson with a failed roll-up before hitting Drake with a tornado DDT. Coffey and Wolfgang cut Andrews off, but he comes back with a double back kick. Andrews and Webster then hit Gallus with stereo somersault sentons. They then repeat the move on the Grizzled Young Veterans – both times Andrews landed on his feet and Webster crashed and burned.

Webster takes Coffey out before hitting Gibson with an assisted splash, but Drake breaks up the pin. Webster takes the Grizzled Young Veterans down, but Coffey runs in and wipes-out both Webster and Andrews. Wolfgang tags in and they double-team Andrews with a catapult into a slam for a near fall. Webster hits Coffey with a cross-body block, then lands knee strikes to Wolfgang before Andrews catches him with a reverse hurricanrana for a near fall!

Webster hits Coffey with a suicide dive. Andrews is crotched on the top rope by Coffey. Coffey goes for a superplex to the floor, but Andrews knocks him to the floor. Andrews hits a shooting star press to the floor onto Wolfgang and Gibson! Andrews gets in the ring, and Gibson clotheslines him down. Gibson goes for a suplex, but Andrews counters into a tilt-a-whirl stunner.

Webster hits a senton bomb off the top rope on Gibson. Andrews covers, but Gibson somehow kicks out. Gibson rolls Andrews up with the tights, but Andrews kicks out. Drake runs in and hits Andrews with an enzuigiri. Gibson hits Helter Skelter before Drake hits a 450 splash. Gibson covers, but Andrews kicks out and the fans go crazy.

Drake tags in, but Webster rolls in and hits the Grizzled Young Veterans with a double head-butt. Gallus is on their feet at ringside. Wolfgang splashes Webster. Coffey tags in and chokeslams Drake. Wolfgang spears Andrews and sends him out of the ring. Gallus gets pumped up, and Wolfgang sends Coffey over the top rope onto the competitors. Coffey grabs Andrews in the ring. Wolfgang and Coffey slam Andrews, but Webster breaks it up. A big brawl breaks out between all three teams. Gallus is left standing. They go for a double-team on Webster, but Webster counters Coffey with a Canadian Destroyer! The Grizzled Young Veterans then murder Wolfgang with a Doomsday Device/suicide dive on the floor! Wow!

The Grizzled Young Veterans get on the apron, then in the ring with Webster and Andrews. Drake tags himself in on Coffey – who is sitting on in the corner. All four men come face-to-face and begin throwing hands. Andrews hits a double Stun Dog Millionaire. Webster tags in and hits Drake with a 630…but Gibson quickly pulls the referee out of the ring before the count of 3!

The referee yells at Gibson before getting back inside, where Andrews goes for a plancha, but Gibson hits him in the throat. Gibson tags in, and they hit the Ticket to Mayhem! Drake then hits Gallus with a suicide dive while Gibson covers Webster, but Andrews crushes him with a shooting star press. Andrews turns Webster onto Gibson for the win!

Winners: ‘Flash’ Morgan Webster & Mark Andrews

And we have our first-ever Welsh WWE Champions! The NXT UK crowd loses its mind for Webster and Andrews, who pose with the titles and with the fans.

Last Man Standing

Joe Coffey Vs. Dave Mastiff

Mastiff meets Coffey on the ramp and the two throw hands. The action spills into the ring, where Mastiff targets Coffey’s injured ear. Mastiff whips Coffey into the turnbuckles so hard that the top turnbuckle broke off!

Mastiff uses the top turnbuckle as a weapon, grinding the metal on Coffey’s face and slamming his face onto it. Coffey fights back with right hands and lands a back suplex. Coffey knocks Mastiff from the ring, then pulls a bunch of random weapons from under the ring, including a table. The table gets set-up on the barricade, Mastiff grabs a cricket bat and swings for Coffey but misses. Coffey grabs a pool cue and breaks it over Mastiff’s back, but the big man clubs him in the back with a cricket bat.

Coffey comes back by tackling Mastiff through the table at ringside! Coffey attempts to clobber Mastiff with a chain-wrapped fist, but the bigger man German suplexes him on the floor. Mastiff grabs the chain and whips Coffey with it in the back! The fights stumbles into the crowd, where Mastiff grabs two chairs. He hands a chair to Coffey and both men run into each other with them. Mastiff is the first back to his feet and he tosses Coffey into the announce table area.

They brawl onto the table, where Mastiff hits a sunset bomb! They continue fighting up onto some production boxes, then both men fly off the boxes and through some tables! They both slowly climb up using production boxes as the referee counts. Coffey gets to his feet at 9, then kicks the production box from Mastiff and he falls. The referee counts Mastiff to 10 and that’s it.

Winner: Joe Coffey

That finish was a wet fart with the crowd. The fans didn’t react one way or the other, and it spoiled what was otherwise a decent affair. We see replays then both men are still in the same position, just kinda looking at each other. Such a weird ending.

We see Walter warming-up backstage, flanked by Imperium. Tegan Nox is shown at ringside.

NXT United Kingdom Women’s Championship

(C) Toni Storm Vs. Kay Lee Ray

The match gets underway and Ray immediately leaves the ring and taunts Storm. She gets back in the ring and slaps Toni, who unloads on her. Storm drops Ray with a big elbow, followed by kicks to the head. Ray fires back and attacks Storm in the corner, before hitting a facebuster suplex for a two count.

Ray slaps the head of Storm over and over, with Toni starting to cry. Storm then fires back with slaps of her own. Toni looks for Storm Zero but Ray escapes. Ray looks for a Gory Bomb but Storm reverses with a sunset driver for a near-fall. Storm hits Storm Zero but Ray kicks out. Storm can’t believe it.

Ray connects with a Gory Bomb but Storm kicks out. Ray gets mad and puts Storm on the top rope. Toni fights back and wants to hit Storm Zero from the top rope but Ray fights her off. Storm manages to get down and hits Ray with a release German suplex from the middle rope. Ray rolls from the ring and Storm hits a suicide dive, before getting her back inside, where Ray takes her out with a knee.

With Storm knocked from the ring, then goes up top and hits a dumb-as-hell dive where she almost spiked herself and almost broke Storm’s leg. Back inside the ring, Ray hits Storm with a Gory Bomb into the ropes. She follows that up with a regular Gory Bomb for the win.

Winner and New NXT UK Women’s Champion: Kay Lee RAY

What a terrifically dull match. It was short and it was poor by almost every account. Compare that to the barn-burner between Storm and Rhea Rhipley from the last TakeOver. The fans were silent at the finish. Ray poses with her title, while Toni sits on the outside, sobbing – just what you’d want your babyface Champion to do.

NXT United Kingdom Championship

(C) Walter Vs. Tyler Bate

The bell rings and both men stand and stare at each other. They lock-up and Walter powers Bate to the ropes. Bate escapes and kicks Walter in the leg, then takes a wrist-lock but Walter powers out. Bate kicks the legs again as the fans sing.

Walter takes Bate down with a test of strength, but Bate somehow uses his strength to get back to his feet and forces Walter to the ropes. The big man takes Bate down with a headlock and holds him there for a while. Eventually Bate escapes by punching the ribs of Walter. Bate reverses a few big moves from Walter, then hits him with a scoop slam and the fans go wild.

Bate knocks Walter from the ring and goads him. Walter gets back in the ring and clobbers Tyler, then slams him into the turnbuckles. Bate responds with a hurricanrana and Walter rolls from the ring. Bate looks for a suicide dive but Walter catches him and powerbombs him onto the ring apron! Walter beats Bate around ringside, hitting a big boot against the barricade, then powerbombing him into the ring post!

The doctor checks on Bate and the referee won’t start his count until Bate can continue. He does, of course, then gets into the ring at the count of seven. Walter kicks the back of Bate repeatedly. Walter lifts Bate and slams him, before standing over him and watching him struggle. Walter applies a rear chinlock. Bate starts to fight up, so Walter slaps him in the back.

Bate climbs to his feet and punches Walter, then lifts him up but falls on his face. Walter puts Bate on the ropes and batters his chest, before applying a modified surfboard stretch. Bate tries to get up but Walter headbutts his back. Walter continues assaulting Bate, then goads Tyler to fight back. Bater chops Walter twice, but then the big man slaps the life out of Bate. Walter sets Bate on the top rope and stands on his neck until Bate falls to the apron.

Walter joins Bate on the apron and they exchange until Bate hits an exploder suplex to the floor! Bate gets Walter up and slams him into the barricade, then back into the ring. Bate hits several leg drops to Walter, followed by European uppercuts, including one from the middle rope. Walter responds with a Boston crab before transitioning to a crossface. Bate gets to the bottom rope.

Walter looks for a suplex but Bate fights it, then Bate looks for one of his own but can’t get Walter up. Walter tries again but Bate knees him, then Bates hits a suplex! Bate tries to take Walter down with repeated clotheslines, a kick to the back of the head, then lands an exploder suplex and both men are down.  Bate kips-up, then hits a running shooting star press for a two count.

Bate wants the Tyler Driver but Walter escapes. Bate flips Walter over and looks for the Tyler Driver but again Walter escapes but tipping him over. Walter connects with a dropkick to the back of Bate. Walter looks for a powerbomb but Bate flips over and hits a sunset bomb for a near-fall! Bate takes to the apron as the fans chant “this is wrestling”.

Walter rolls to the apron, then joins Bate on the ropes. Bate looks for a superplex to the floor but Walter fights off and back down to the apron. Walter slaps Bate off the ropes and to the mat. Walter heads up top but Bate headbutts him and climbs up to the middle rope. Bate snaps the fingers of Walter – an homage to Pete Dunne – then hits an exploder suplex for a near-fall!

Bate and Walter exchange shots as they climb to their feet. Walter drops Bate with a chop, but Tyler gets up and slaps him repeatedly. Walter chops him down again, then Bate gets up and Walter chops him but he won’t go down. Bate ducks a chop and looks for bang-and-bop but Walter grabs the hand and chops him. Both men crumble to the mat and Walter lands on Bate’s back.

They get back up and exchange again. Bate looks for a clothesline but Walter catches him with an exploder for a near-fall. Walter looks for the powerbomb but Bate counters with an airplane spin! Bate sets Walter on the top rope, then puts him on his back and hits a burning hammer! Walter rolls from the ring and Bate hits a suicide dive, then gets back in the ring and hits another!

Back in the ring, Bate hits Walter with a slow, deadlift German suplex for a near-fall. Bate looks for the Tyler Driver ’97 but Walter flips him over into a pin attempt but Bate powers out. Bate hits the Tyler Driver ’97 but Walter kicks out! Bate heads to the top rope and hits a corkscrew senton for another near-fall. Bate unloads on Walter, forcing him to the corner, but Walter fires back with several big hits, then applies a rear naked choke. Bate stands up with Walter on his back and slams him back down with a back drop.

After a second, Walter applies the choke again, but again Bate gets up and he climbs up the ropes. Walter shoves Bate to the apron and chops his chest before applying the choke. Bate drags Walter over the ropes to the apron, but Walter hits a sleeper suplex. Walter gets Bate back in the ring and hits a splash from the top rope…but Bate kicks out! Walter hits another sleeper suplex and again Bate kicks out!

Walter slaps Bate repeatedly, then hits him with the powerbomb…but Bate kicks out at 1! Bate gets fired-up but Walter slaps his chest again and connects with a gigantic clothesline and wins.

Winner: Walter

Walter poses with his title after that 40+ minute match against Tyler Bate. The fans give a standing ovation as we see replays. Walter walks up the ramp and poses with his brothers in Imperium. We’re left with Tyler Bate in the ring, slowly getting to his feet as the fans chant his name. Pete Dunne and Trent Seven come down and help Bate recover.

And that’s it for NXT TakeOver: Cardiff. Let us know what you thought of the show before crossing over to our results for All Elite Wrestling’s All Out. Until then, safe travels!

Curtis Dillion

Curtis does our weekly live match-by-match coverage of WWE RAW and SmackDown for Ringside News. In addition to SmackDown, Curtis also does WWE & NXT special event coverage as well. He has been helping out at for Ringside News for many years.

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