NXT UK recap, August 21: Face-to-Face

Recapping all the action from the August 21, 2019 edition of NXT UK, including a face-to-face meeting between Tyler Bate and WALTER.

Faces collide as two lanes merge into one and we start to worry about finding parking on the road to NXT UK TakeOver: Cardiff. Though there is still another full episode of NXT UK to go before the show, the card for TakeOver: Cardiff was front-and-center this episode, each of its title matches coming into sharp focus.

Could Mark Andrews and Flash Morgan Webster finally earn a spot to compete in front of their hometown crowd? Did Kay Lee Ray’s mind games continue to worm their way into Toni Storm’s brain? And how rapidly did things explode upon Tyler Bate and WALTER meeting in the ring? Let’s figure out the answers to those questions and more by diving into the August 21, 2019 episode of NXT UK: Face-to-Face.

Vegan strength

Before he even heads down to the ring for his totally above board face-to-face meeting with Tyler Bate that has no ulterior motive, WALTER is rattled. An earlier attack on Fabian Aichner and Marcel Barthel by an unknown party leaves the normally formidable Imperium two men down. The armor has been penetrated.

When WALTER does finally come out, it’s to confront a somehow still alive, reborn from the crowd Trent Seven. Alexander Wolfe was apparently tying his shoes backstage and lags behind, but once he finally gets on the entrance ramp, he’s ambushed by a chair-wielding Bate.

With nowhere to run, WALTER opts to take his chances with Seven, only to immediately get punched off the ring apron by him. Bate collects some retribution by walloping WALTER with the chair, before rolling the United Kingdom Champion into the ring. Seven, meanwhile, runs off to go beat up Wolfe some more.

Finally face-to-face in the ring, WALTER briefly gains control, kicking the chair out of Bate’s grasp and slapping him in the face. This is a short-lived victory however, as Bate bounces off the ropes and lays into the champ with a clothesline.

Then — fueled by seitan and oat milk — Bate lifts up and plants WALTER with the Tyler Driver ‘97. NXT UK ends with Bate posing over WALTER with the title. Are we looking at the first-ever two-time United Kingdom Champion? The idea doesn’t seem as far-fetched as it once did.

Note to self or whomever: it’s going to take way more than a savage mauling peppered with several painful-looking powerbombs to keep a big strong boi like Bate down. He’s got super vegan strength and can kick your ass in leisure wear.