NXT UK recap for May 29, 2019: Season Finales and New Beginnings

The Great British Grappling Show

American citizen Kassius Ohno finally gets to show why he is the foremost British wrestler against Jack Gallagher, a wrestler who is actually British. It’s a tight competition for the very unofficial title of greatest living British wrestler.

For Ohno’s case, he wrestles regularly for NXT UK, hits people hard, allegedly personally knows Johnny Saint and has seen the world-famous grainy VHS of Marty Jones grappling with George Lazenby or whoever at Stately Hocking Manor in 1984 or something. As for Gallagher, he has great technical skill, was trained by two guys who sound British as hell — Bill Robinson and Roy Wood — appears whimsical on the surface but has violence lurking within him, and as mentioned, is actually British.

Nigel claims he needs a napkin for all the salivating he’s doing over the “potential technical masterclass” of this match and hopefully he got it, because is this one ever technical! Early on, there’s a lot of respectful trading of gentlemanly submissions. Gallagher in particular seems to be on the receiving end of the majority of them, yet each time he’s able to find a quaint way to escape. We’re talking headstands, spin-a-roonies, pilates exercises, that one Russian dance everyone knows. If it’s a submission, Gallagher has a method to get out of it.

Things take a turn toward the violent, however, when Gallagher attempts his most daring escape of all: turning into a ball! Expecting the gentleman’s game of back-and-forth to continue, Gallagher is prepared to take whatever Ohno gives him. Ohno however, is fed up and realizes there’s no good counter for someone stomping on your face. So he stomps directly on Gallagher’s face before socking him real good and drawing some blood.

From there, it’s on. Instead of inventively wiggling his way out of a submission, Gallagher punches his way out, mounting Ohno and pummeling him with forearms. While the referee and Gallagher have a discussion over his bleeding, Ohno buts in with a kick to his opponent’s face.

Ohno goes for the Rolling Elbow, but Gallagher headbutts it away, before doing all he can to damage Ohno’s elbowing arm. Later, he headbutts Ohno so hard that he falls over, before a staggered Ohno in turn falls over/sentons onto him. This is probably what would happen in real life if you managed to fell a tree by bashing it with your head.

Both men trade blows as they get to their feet. Gallagher bounces off the ropes, but Ohno’s arm apparently ain’t hurt that bad. He levels Gallagher with a Rolling Elbow and gets the three-count, despite Gallagher’s foot being approximately one kilometer under the rope. Following the count, Ohno moves the foot so the referee doesn’t notice. It’s not very British of him, yet it also feels extremely British of him.