WWE NXT UK TakeOver: Blackpool Highlights, Grades, and Analysis

Credit: WWE.com

NXT UK Women’s Championship Match: Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Toni Storm

The penultimate match of the night was the first glimpse of NXT UK’s women’s division. The confident young champion Rhea Ripley looked set to successfully defend her title, but Toni Storm insisted it’s “Toni Time.”

The Australian challenger was aggressive out of the gate with right hands and even hit an early dive to the outside that took down the champion. Rhea Ripley used a handful of hair shortly after to give herself an opening and hit Toni with a pair of devastating kicks.

With the challenger reeling, Rhea Ripley began to set the pace and really take control of the match. From some stiff kicks in the corner to a leg scissors, Ripley continued to unleash punishment on Storm and chart her path to victory.

Toni Storm managed to kick out of each pinfall attempt, but struggled to get in any offense. Toni countered her way out of a submission attempt by Ripley, but ate a stiff dropkick only moments later which kept the champion in charge.

Ripley felt her confidence surging, but let it get the better of her. After mouthing off to Storm, she came running at the challenger and caught a stiff headbutt that sent both women crashing to the mat. The referee began his count, and things were at a stalemate for a moment.

Both women struggled to their feet and started trading strikes, only firing each other up even more. Toni Storm followed it up with a pair of german suplexes. She looked for Storm Zero, but Ripley slipped out and kept her fight alive.

Rhea fought through the attempt and locked the challenger in a painful looking inverted cloverleaf. Ripley applied heavy pressure to Storm’s legs, but Toni slipped out and locked on an ankle lock of her own to damage the lower body of the champion.

Both women refused to give up, but the exhaustion on their faces is plain to see. Ripley finally planted Toni with Riptide, but Storm still kicked out! Despite looking completely down for the count, Toni Storm refuses to die.

Rhea followed it up with some powerful clotheslines, but Storm somehow slipped free. A stiff headbutt and Storm Zero looked to end things, but Rhea Ripley still kicked out at two! Both women have fired their best shot, but neither will let things end.

Ripley tried to regain some momentum, but Toni finally hit Storm Zero a second time and put her down for the count of three to become the new NXT UK Women’s Champion!

Grade: A-, This was a really great match that helped solidify Toni Storm as the top face in the NXT UK women’s division. I’m giving it an A- just because the opening tag match was better at an A, but these two women should be proud of the fight they put on.