NXT UK recap, September 18: The one with the British Rounds match

Your recap of all the recappable action from the September 18 edition of NXT UK, featuring a British Rounds Match between Kassius Ohno and Sid Scala.

Still re-integrating itself into a life where there’s no TakeOver to build to, NXT UK is back with another Cardiff episode. Like last week’s episode but with fewer squashes, it’s more concerned with building characters than delivering the ultimate in sports entertainment. Also like last week, it has a very entertaining main event, even if the stakes are: “this American guy says he’s the best British wrestler, we cannot allow this to stand.”

Did we allow an American guy saying he’s the best British wrestler to stand? Was one of the rounds in the British Rounds match debating Blur versus Oasis? Find out the answers to those questions and more as we dive into the September 18 edition of NXT UK: The one with the British Rounds match.

“This makes me proud to be British” -Kassius Ohno

Perhaps being British is more a mindset than anything. Sure, you can speak with an authentic Cockney accent, have gone to primary school with Arctic Monkeys, or currently live in the UK. All those things would make you some degree of “British.” Or, you can be Kassius Ohno, a freelance contractor on a work visa from America, and greatest British wrestler alive.

Ohno calls himself a “Wrestling Genius,” a true scholar of the game. He’s deeply studied the British style, competed against the likes of Johnny Saint and Robbie Brookside, dissected the grainy video of two chums wrestling to a time limit draw near the Mull of Kintyre. And now, his crowning achievement, the true mark of his impeccable British bonafides: barely winning a British Rounds match against NXT UK Assistant to the General Manager, Sid Scala.

Perhaps the ultimate result was always a forgone conclusion. Ohno is a seasoned ring veteran who has seen and done it all, including numerous instances of British Rounds experience. Sid Scala is Sid Scala, someone with wrestling experience, but whose only other in-ring activity since becoming an NXT UK authority was in dress clothes a couple of weeks ago. Nonetheless, it’s crushing when Scala’s last-ditch pinfall attempt falls a second short of getting a three-count on Ohno.

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In what was more a game of physically violent human chess, Scala’s inexperience betrayed him. A third-round attempt to capitalize on the smallest bit of momentum ended with an elbow to the face, and the lone pinfall of the contest. From there, Ohno put his hair up and didn’t much bother to square up. He mostly toys with his opponent, until Scala comes roaring back to close out Round 5 and into Round 6.

Obviously Scala is way too small to actually lift Ohno up, but he works with what he has, using Ohno’s hubris against him to counter moves with pinning attempts. Finally, following a devastating kick Ohno goes for what looks like a cravat neckbreaker, except Scala still isn’t giving up. He links arms with Ohno and ever, so, slowly starts leveraging him down into a backslide for one … two … and then the bell sounds right before the ref can count three. Round over. Match over. Kassius Ohno wins.

Scala can’t believe it. Ohno seems pretty pleased with himself for barely beating a guy who is essentially a non-wrestler, gloating on the outside that he’s better than Johnny Saint, is Johnny Saint. We all know where this is headed: Kassius Ohno vs. Johnny Saint. For you’re never the greatest at something until you beat up an old man to prove it.