NXT UK TakeOver Cardiff: Match Card & Predictions

NXT UK brings their second TakeOver event to Cardiff’s Motorpoint Arena, with a 5-match card that’s going to blow the roof off. Headlined by a massive WWE UK Title match between WALTER and the inaugural UK Champ, Tyler Bate, this is a show that you don’t want to miss. As a brand, NXT UK has been firing on all cylinders all year round, and for them to bring their best of BritWres roster to Wales for the first time is massive.

Let’s run down the card and throw down our predictions for NXT UK’s sequel to their successful showcase in Blackpool back in January. Make sure you leave your own predictions and premonitions in the comments section down below.

 

WALTER (c) vs Tyler Bate

WWE United Kingdom Championship

The main event of the evening brings together these two talented competitors for their first singles match under the WWE umbrella. Tyler Bate and WALTER did battle in the main event of Progress Wrestling’s huge show at Wembley Arena last year, a match that went down as a modern classic on the British scene. Bate ultimately lost that match, so he’s heading into Cardiff with a huge chip on his shoulder, looking for vengeance against the big Austrian.

WALTER has been an unstoppable force since debuting in NXT UK, and naturally fit into the main event of NXT UK. I don’t think this is his time to drop the belt, WALTER is looking like an S-tier level wrestler, up there with the likes of Brock Lesnar and The Undertaker. Tyler Bate is a very special talent, but not quite the one to dethrone WALTER.

The UK Championship should carry on with the prestige that Pete Dunne established. WALTER deserves a very lengthy reign, maybe not to match ‘The Bruiserweight’, but one that gives him a run for his money. We can only assume that the two opposing factions of Imperium and British Strong Style will also be involved in the match. So expect some shenanigans involving the likes of Pete Dunne, Trent Seven, Alexander Wolfe and the rest of the Ring Kampf 2.0 crew.

Sorry Tyler, but your chest gon’ get wrecked.

Winner: WALTER

 

Toni Storm (c) vs Kay Lee Ray

NXT UK Women’s Championship

The NXT UK Women’s Division has been one of the low-key hottest products in WWE, and it’s slowly developing into a stacked female roster. Toni Storm as NXT UK Women’s Champion has been such a natural fit for the budding brand and her biggest challenge is on the horizon against one of the biggest new additions to the crew, Kay Lee Ray.

Ray has proved herself to be a threat to Storm’s title reign since winning the Number One Contender’s battle royal at Download Festival. It’s going to be a thrilling, hard-hitting title fight that fans of women’s wrestling won’t want to miss out on.

It’s a tough one to call. Toni has shown that she can overcome all sorts of challengers, having defeated Rhea Ripley, Jinny and Nina Samuels in recent months, but I think it’s time for someone new to step up, and that person is Kay Lee Ray.

Winner: Kay Lee Ray

 

Grizzled Young Veterans (c) vs Gallus vs South Wales Sub Culture

NXT UK Tag Team Championship

Tag Team wrestling has never been this fun. The NXT UK tag scene is hot and exciting with a bunch of teams ready to break through onto the scene. A natural choice for the tag title match in Cardiff was pitting the GYV against the team of Mark Andrews & Flash Morgan Webster, two hometown lads. Adding Gallus to the mix has only added to the intrigue of this being an absolute spot-fest of a match.

Zack Gibson and James Drake have been on an absolute roll as a team since joining forces a couple of years back. Recently capturing the Progress Tag Titles from Aussie Open, while also picking up a few more titles to their name along the way, the NXT UK Tag champions are riding their biggest wave of momentum to date.

The rare quality that these two have is that they’re such excellent heels. It would be a shame to see this go to waste, especially in front of a hot Welsh crowd if they somehow steal the win from Mandrews and ‘The Modfather’.

Gallus is the X-Factor here, having yet to pick-up an accomplishment to their name, but personally I think this should go to the Welshman, just for the sake of a huge pop from the home crowd.

Winners: South Wales Sub Culture

 

Dave Mastiff vs Joe Coffey

Last Man Standing

NXT UK’s first Last Man Standing match puts two goliaths against one another in what promises to be a bruising contest. Dave Mastiff and Joe Coffey have yet to have a deciding match, so naturally a Last Man Standing match is what’s best for business in their feud.

Expect an absolute slug-fest, mixed with some crazy table spots and maybe a few kendo sticks, because hooray for kendo sticks.

Hopefully this should lead to a WWE UK title match somewhere down the line. I think it’s about time WALTER goes toe-to-toe with someone his own size.

In terms of a winner, I think this goes to ‘Big Dave’. As much as I’m sure Triple H and WWE are high on Joe Coffey, Mastiff has been an unsung hero of the UK scene since way before NXT UK was a thing. It’s time he gets his dues paid.

Winner: Dave Mastiff

 

Travis Banks vs Noam Dar

‘The Kiwi Buzzsaw’ takes on ‘The Scottish Supernova’ in this fun little exhibition match at TakeOver Cardiff. Dar and Banks are both in the process of becoming two of NXT UK’s biggest mid-carders, potentially even future WWE UK Champions. Trav has already had a crack at WALTER, but now isn’t quite his time. This match should be a good step in the right direction for both superstars.

I’d say this is going to be a real exciting contest, an ideal curtain jerker for the night in Cardiff.

Winner: Travis Banks

NXT UK TakeOver Cardiff comes to the WWE Network on August 31st, going head-to-head with AEW’s All Out and NJPW’s Royal Quest in London.