-Things are slowing down at work but it gives me the opportunity to catch up on personal projects.
-Brian Gewirtz There’s Just One Problem book.
-This week, Project 45 stops in 2017 as we look at the UK Championship Special from the WWE.
-The UK Championship Special was filmed May 2, 2017 and shown on the WWE Network on May 19, 2017 from Epic Studios in Norwich, Norfolk, England. Jim Ross and Nigel McGuinness are the announcers for the event.
-WWE Then, Now, Forever intro.
-Highlights of Tyler Bate becoming the first WWE UK Champion. Some of the participants from the tournament talk about how the tournament has changed their lives.
-JR and Nigel welcome us to the UK special and run down what we are going to see on the show.
-Wolfgang vs. Joseph Conners: Feature on both wrestlers airs before the match. The bell rings. They slowly circle each other. They lock up. Conners with a go behind. Wolfgang reverses it into a side headlock. Conners reverses back into a wrist lock to drive Wolfgang down to the mat. Wolfgang back up and Conners with a side headlock. Wolfgang pushes off. Double shoulder block and neither man moves. Conners runs the ropes and Wolfgang hits him with a dropkick which was impressive by the big man. Wolfgang with an Irish whip, drops his head early, and Conners hits him with a forearm to the back of the head. Wolfgang with a clothesline to come back. Wolfgang with a corner charge, but Conners moves out of the way. Conners with a kick and he goes for a suplex, but Wolfgang blocks it several times. Conners with forearms to knock Wolfgang down. Wolfgang comes back with a delayed vertical suplex of his own. He finally drops Conners. He gets a two count. Wolfgang with a forearm and a scoop slam. Wolfgang goes up top and gets caught and pushed off by Conners. Wolfgang up on the 5 count only to be hit by a baseball slide from Conners. Conners comes out after Wolfgang. He runs Wolfgang back first into the apron. He then throws Wolfgang back into the ring with his head hanging out over the apron and hits Wolfgang with several forearms. He then slams Wolfgang's head on the apron and then briefly rolls back in to break the count before rolling out again. He then lateral presses over the top rope onto Wolfgang for a two count. Conners slams a knee down onto Wolfgang. Conners pummeling Wolfgang down in the corner. Wolfgang into the ropes so the referee gets Conners away. Conners pulls Wolfgang into the corner post and stretches him there for a three count. Then a running baseball slide into Wolfgang to knock him back to the floor again. Dueling chants go out as Conners gets Wolfgang back in the ring. Wolfgang pushes off and gets a knee to Conners. Conners ducks a clothesline attempt and hits a modified tilt a whirl slam. Another two count. Conners targeting the ribs of Wolfgang with a series of punches. Then Conners stretching Wolfgang on the mat trying to get him to give up. He gets another two count. Back and forth in the center of the ring. Wolfgang with a couple of corner whips and a backdrop onto Conners. Another corner whip and a corner crossbody by Wolfgang onto Conners in a unique move that I have never seen before. Wolfgang goes up top and hits Conners with a double ax handle. Wolfgang gets a close two count. Wolfgang gets Conners up in a fireman's carry, but Conners with a series of forearms to Wolfgang to slide out of the hold. Wolfgang grabs Conners from behind, but again Conners slides out of the hold. Conners goes up to the second rope and comes off like he's going to spear Wolfgang, who gets his knees up and hits a backstabber like move on Conners. Wolfgang goes up top to go for the Howling, but Conners rolls away so that he is too far for Wolfgang to hit the move. Conners out on the apron. Wolfgang comes over and Conners hits him with a shoulder to the chest. Conners with a sort of float over the ropes DDT move on Wolfgang to get a two count. Conners with some elbows to Wolfgang's ribs. Wolfgang with a reverse elbow counter to get out of the move. Wolfgang gets Conners up in a military press, but again Conners slips behind. Conners is more slippery than a divorce lawyer. A powerbomb gets a two count for Conners. Conners attacking Wolfgang's ribs with a series of double ax handles. Conners goes up to the second rope and comes off only to be speared out of nowhere by Wolfgang. Wolfgang goes up top and hits the Howling to pin Conners. That was an intense match.
-WWE Network ad.
-Mark Andrews is shown in the back getting ready. Tyler Bate is then shown getting ready as well.
-TJP and The Brian Kendrick (no relation) vs. Dan Moloney and Rich Swann: Moloney and Kendrick start. The bell rings. Kendrick tries to attack Moloney from behind when he briefly turns his head, but backs off when Moloney turns back. Kendrick with a kick to the stomach. Into a side headlock. Moloney lifts Kendrick up and throws him off. Moloney rushes Kendrick in the corner, but Kendrick moves out of the way and gets an arm bar on Moloney around the top rope for a three count. He reapplies a wrist lock in the center of the ring and Moloney trying to get out of the move. Kendrick brings Moloney over to the corner and tags TJP in. He picks the wrist lock up and slams it down on the top rope. TJP with a snap mare and a dropkick on Moloney. He then goes over to taunt Swann in the corner. A lock up and TJP with another wrist lock and Kendrick tagged back in. Kendrick slams Moloney's arm down on the top rope and comes in. He gets Moloney in a front face lock and then delivers several forearms to the back. Moloney gets out of the front face lock and gets Kendrick in a waist lock, but Kendrick tags TJP back in. TJP comes in and gets a front face lock on Moloney. Moloney tries to lift TJP up to break the hold, but TJP reverses it into a suplex. He gets a one count. TJP brings Moloney over to Kendrick and Kendrick slams Moloney's arm on the top rope several times. Kendrick then tagged in. Kendrick with an elbow to the back of the head of Moloney. TJP turns around and Kendrick goes to put Moloney's arm there so they can do their rope spot again, but Moloney pushes Kendrick into the spot instead so TJP is unknowingly hurting his own partner. Moloney and Swann go to the outside and go over to TJP's corner so he sees them and then realizes what he is doing. TJP and Kendrick start arguing in their corner. Moloney gets TJP back in and runs him head first into a turnbuckle and Nigel says Moloney should have used that opportunity to make a tag to Swann. Moloney gets TJP on the second rope and goes out to the apron to deliver a running kick to TJP's face. He gets a two count. Moloney with a front face lock to TJP and Swann tagged in. Double atomic drop to TJP. Double slam to TJP, who rolls out of the ring to avoid more punishment. Kendrick comes in and Swann gets him in a waist lock and slams Kendrick down and he rolls out of the ring as well. Swann runs and Moloney backdrops Swann onto Kendrick and TJP on the outside. He then rolls TJP back in the ring and gets a one count. Swann with an Irish whip to TJP, who avoids a clothesline attempt and tags Kendrick in without Swann knowing. TJP pushes Swann towards Kendrick, who guillotines Swann on the top rope, Kendrick comes into the ring and kicks Swann in the head. Kendrick then hits Swann with a knee to the head. He gets a two count. Kendrick with a corner whip and Swann hits the corner sternum first. Kendrick lifts Swann up and Swann tries to come back with a series of right and left hands. Swann jumps to try and tag Moloney in, but Kendrick grabs Swann by the waist to cut off the tag attempt. Swann still going for the tag and Kendrick has him by the ankle to keep him away from the corner. Swann kicks Kendrick away, but Kendrick grabs Swann by the head before Swann can tag. Then Kendrick grabs Swann by the wrist and both men reach towards their respective corners to tag. Swann with an enziguri to break the hold and both TJP and Moloney tagged in. Moloney comes in and clears the ring knocking both TJP and Kendrick down. He chops both men, runs TJP into Kendrick and then hits a scissor kick to TJP. Moloney with a series of chops and an Irish whip to TJP. He then slams TJP down and goes for the pin, but Kendrick breaks up the attempt. Moloney clotheslines Kendrick out of the ring. Moloney with more right and left hands to TJP in the middle of the ring. He goes to run the ropes, but Kendrick grabs his leg from the outside. Moloney looks down at Kendrick, giving TJP the opportunity to hit him with a spinning kick. TJP grinds his heel into Moloney's face as the crowd starts to taunt TJP. TJP covers his ears and kicks Moloney repeatedly. TJP with a wrist lock and Kendrick tagged in. Moloney hitting some punches on Kendrick to try to get out of the corner. Kendrick comes back with a drop toe hold. Kendrick gets on Moloney and hits a series of forearms. Moloney immediately grabs the ropes, so Kendrick gets up and plants his boot in Moloney's neck and stands on his back. TJP tagged back in. He scoop slams Moloney and hits a slingshot senton. He only gets a two count. TJP with a combination hammerlock/ chin lock combo on Moloney. Moloney lifts TJP up and hits a belly to back suplex. Kendrick tagged in and runs to Swann to try to knock him off the apron, but Swann punches Kendrick and Moloney then backdrops him. Swann tagged in and he cleans house on TJP and Kendrick. He hits a back kick to Kendrick and then a modified Harlem Hangover to Kendrick to get a close two count. Swann goes up top, but gets caught by Kendrick and Kendrick attempts a superplex, but Swann holds Kendrick and comes off the ropes with an inverted atomic drop to Kendrick. TJP breaks up the pin attempt. All four men in and Moloney gets TJP in the ropes and rushes him, but TJP moves and Moloney goes flying to the floor. Swann goes for a move on TJP, only to get caught in the Captain's Hook by Kendrick. Moloney gets back in the ring to break up the submission. Moloney tagged in. He hits Kendrick several times and then gets some corner mounted punches in. Kendrick with a shot to Moloney to get out of the ropes. Kendrick arguing with the referee, so TJP comes in to attack Moloney. Moloney pushes TJP to the outside. Moloney picks Kendrick up and goes to slam him, but TJP grabs Kendrick's arms from the apron. The referee counting TJP, who finally breaks the hold. Kendrick rolls Moloney up and pins him with a handful of tights.
-Bring it to the table ad.
-They show Wolfgang taking on Trent Seven from night one and Seven getting injured.
-Charley Caruso interviewed Trent Seven after the match. Seven says his arm is not that good, but it is not broken. It's annoying, but there's no way he's giving up this opportunity. Pete Dunne then comes in and Seven says I'll see you tomorrow. Dunne then attacks Seven and slams his arm up against the wall. Dunne then leaves.
-JR and Nigel discuss the attack and the upcoming match.
-Number one contenders match for the UK Championship. Trent Seven vs Pete Dunne: They show a feature on Dunne and Seven before the match. Dunne comes out. He is the current Progress champion and has the belt with him. Seven comes out with his arm taped up. Moustache Mountain/Bruiser-weight chants go out. The bell rings. They circle each other. Seven drives Dunne into the ropes. The referee breaks it up. They circle each other again. They lock up and drive to the ropes again. Again they break. Dunne with a knuckle lock. Into a wrist lock and Seven goes down to the mat. Seven thus far has been trying to protect his right arm. Dunne working on the wrist while Seven is fighting to get back to his feet. He does and breaks the hold. Another lock up. Dunne grabbing for Seven's injured arm, so Seven chops Dunne. Dunne goes down to his knees. Seven with another chop as Dunne gets back up. Dunne in the corner, but gets his boot up on a Seven charge and goes to the second rope. Seven pulls him off the rope and clotheslines Dunne. Seven with a cover, but only gets a one count. Seven gets Dunne in a headlock on the mat. Dunne gets to his feet and reverses into a waist lock. Seven gets to the ropes. Dunne releases the hold and chops the bad arm of Seven. Dunne grabs the injured arm and gets Seven down on the mat. He then kicks the injured arm. Seven rolls to the outside to regroup. Dunne comes out after Seven. He hits Seven with a hard European uppercut. Dunne then puts Seven's arm up in the ring step gap by the ring post and then kicks the ring steps to injure the arm further. Dunne then kicks Seven down and a double count going. Both men finally get back in the ring and Dunne immediately attacks Seven when he is down. Dunne with his knee on the injured arm and punching Seven. He slams down on Seven, then rolls him over and puts his foot on Seven's head and starts to pull off the tape on Seven's arm. Dunne attacking the arm methodically and forces Seven down for a one count. Dunne then slams the injured arm on the mat. Dunne then gets an arm lock on, but Seven gets his feet on the ropes. Dunne with a running kick to the head and gets a two count. Dunne goes back to working on the injured arm. Seven gets back up and starts chopping Dunne with the injured arm. Seven acts like he is going to chop Dunne again and Dunne covers up, but Seven was faking and DDTs Dunne. Dunne rolls out of the ring to regroup, but Seven runs and hits a tope between the ropes on Dunne. Seven throws Dunne back in the ring. Dunne kicks the injured arm as Seven was trying to get back in the ring. Dunne grabs the injured arm and starts kicking Seven in the head. Dunne gets Seven up and tries for the Bitter End, but Seven reverses with a go behind and goes for the 7 star. Dunne pushes off, so Seven hits him with a big lariat. He gets a close two count. Both men down on the mat and hurting. Both men using the ropes to pull themselves up. Seven rushes Dunne, who sidesteps him and hits a release German suplex. Dunne goes over to Seven and grabs him, but Seven reverses it into a scoop slam for another close two count. The referee checking both men. Seven rushes Dunne in a corner. Dunne sidesteps and throws Seven shoulder first into the ring post. Dunne hits a backdrop driver into an x-plex. He gets a very close two count. Dunne goes back on the attack as he grabs Seven's injured arm and works it over again. Seven works his way over and gets his feet on the ropes again. Seven out on the apron and the referee is checking on him. Dunne comes out after Seven and runs him into a barricade. Dunne comes over and attempts to break the fingers of Seven with joint manipulation as he has been doing all match long and is a master of it. He breaks when the referee counts, then gets Seven up on the apron and kicks him in the head several times. Back and forth on the apron. Seven hits a dragon suplex on Dunne on the apron and they both fall to the outside. Double count going. A holy shit chant goes out. Both men get back in the ring right before the 10 count. This is awesome chant goes out. Dunne goes up top, but gets caught by Seven, who chops him. Seven gets up on the second rope and grabs Dunne, who keeps elbowing Seven to try to get him off. Seven falls off the ropes, but lands on his feet and chops Dunne. Dunne turned around and Seven gets him in a full nelson and suplexes him off and Dunne lands on his feet. Back and forth in the center of the ring. Dunne comes off the ropes and Seven hits him with a big lariat for a near fall. Both men down and a this is awesome chant goes out again. Then a British Wrestling chant goes out. Seven goes for a move, but Dunne gets a double wrist lock with a body scissors on. Seven powers back up and hits a snap dragon suplex. Seven gets Dunne up on his shoulders, but Dunne slides off and hits the Bitter End on Seven to get the pin to become the #1 contender for the WWE UK Championship. Dunne gets on the mic and says I told you people would get hurt. The goal remains the same and at NXT Takeover Chicago, he takes what's rightfully his. By any means necessary.
-WWE 24 special on Finn Balor ad.
-WWE UK Championship Match. Feature on both wrestlers in the main event. Tyler Bate vs. Mark Andrews: Unique entrances for both participants. Andrews booed when announced. Bate is mostly cheered when announced. The bell rings and they are just staring at each other. The crowd is chanting something towards Bate, but you can't make out what it is. They lock up and Andrews with a go behind into a roll up for a one count. Both get back to their feet. They circle each other again. Bate with a wrist lock to force Andrews down. Andrews gets back up and reverses the wrist lock on Bate. Into an arm bar and Bate down on the ground. Bate then works his way back to his feet and some good British-based mat wrestling going on. Andrews goes back to the wrist lock. A series of counters by both men. Both out and back to their feet and the crowd applauds both men. Bate with a single leg takedown into a leg lock. Then back to the wrist lock. Into a hammerlock. Andrews manipulates his own foot behind himself to break the hold and flips Bate down to the mat and gets a two count. Bate goes for a single leg float over into a front face lock and Bate lifts Andrews up and puts him on a turnbuckle showing an incredible amount of strength. He then breaks clean and extends his hand to Andrews. Andrews shakes his hand and another lock up and Bate with a go behind. Andrews breaks the hold so Bate transitions into a full nelson. Andrews slips out, but flips around so Bate simply reapplies the hold. A this is wrestling chant goes out. Andrews again slips out and flips and again Bate simply reapplies the full nelson. Andrews needs to dry something else because this is not working out for him so far. Andrews with a break and transitions to a hammerlock. Bate drops to the ground and gets a drop toe hold on Andrews. Into a leg grapevine by Bate. Andrews reaches for and grabs the ropes. Bate breaks and both men back to their feet. Bate with a go behind and gets a snap mare on Andrews. Andrews flips through and lands on his feet. Both men are impressing me. Andrews flips around one attack, but Bate hits him with an arm drag. Andrews blocks another arm drag attempt, so Bate simply switches arms and tries for the other side and gets an arm drag. Andrews back up and Bate hits him with a flying headscissors and Andrews cartwheels out of it to remain on his feet. Both men try for dropkicks at the same time. Both men also kip up at the same time and the crowd applauded them. Face to face trash talking each other. They push each other. Andrews pushes Bate into the ropes. Bate comes back with a sunset flip. Andrews rolls through and dropkicks Bate. He gets a two count. Andrews gets an arm bar on Bate. Bate works back to his feet. Andrews works him back down with the arm bar and goes for another cover. Another two count and JR calls it a mildly epic near fall. Andrews goes back to the arm bar since it keeps Bate down. Andrews goes for the Octopus Stretch. He gets it on, so Bate slowly trying to inch his way to the ropes. He almost gets there, so Andrews shits to go for a pin and gets a two count. Bate comes with a back elbow to knock Andrews down. Bate follows that up with a scoop slam. Bate with a rolling splash on Andrews and gets another two count. Bate with a reverse Boston Crab. Bate also grabs Andrew's arms and swings him like a pendulum. Andrews shaking his head no furiously when asked if he wants to give up. Bate lets the hold go and flips Andrews over for another two count. Bate gets Andrews in the corner and hits a stiff looking European uppercut to him. He then hits another one. Bate then works on Andrews legs by delivering a series of kicks. Bate then runs Andrews into another turnbuckle head first. Bate follows that up with a running elbow. He then charges Andrews, but gets caught with an enziguri from Bate. Andrews follows that up with a hurricanrana. Bate rolls to the outside. Andrews runs and hits an over the top suicide dive on Bate and Andrews then lands on his feet. Andrews then throws Bate back into the ring. Andrews gets a roll through and a double stomp on Bate. Andrews follows that up with a Northern Lights suplex and he wastes time as he gets up so Bate rolls him up and gets a two count. Andrews ducks a clothesline attempt and hits a couple of kicks to Bate. Bate ducks an enziguri attempt. Andrews ducks a shot and flips onto Bate to get a two count. Andrews goes for an Irish whip, but Bate holds on to the ropes. Bate hits Andrews with a forearm. Andrews rushes Bate, who jumps to avoid him and Andrews spills out to the floor. Bate then runs and hits Andrews with a tope. Back in the ring, Bate goes for the Tiger Driver, but Andrews reverses it into a bridge for a two count, but Bate has the strength to bridge out of that and goes for the Tiger Driver again. Andrews rolls through and hits sort of a modified Canadian Destroyer for a two count. Andrews rushes Bate, who backdrops Andrews to the apron. Andrews with a shoulder and it looks like he is going for a sunset flip from the apron, but Bate hits him with an uppercut. Bate goes for a move, but Andrews moves and Bate flips out to the apron where Andrews hits him with an enziguri. Andrews hits Bate with a standing Sliced Bread #2 on the apron. Andrews falls out to the floor as a holy shit chant goes out. Andrews tries to follow up, but Bate rolls to the outside. A this is awesome chant goes out. Andrews goes out to the apron to moonsault onto Bate, who catches Andrews, but Andrews counters that into a DDT onto the floor. A double count going as Andrews tries to get Bate back into the ring, but Bate is out and is dead weight. He finally gets Bate in and goes for a cover and gets a close two count. Andrews tries to go up to the top rope, but Bate grabs his leg before he can do it. Andrews kicks Bate away, Bate comes back with a forearm to Andrews. Bate goes up and Andrews hits Bate with an enziguri. Andrews goes for a hurricanrana from the top rope, but Bate pushes him off and Andrews crotches himself on the top rope. Bate then hits Andrews with another European uppercut from the top rope while Andrews is still up on the rope itself. He gets another close two count. Both men on their knees and Bate hitting Andrews with a series of forearm shots. Both make it back to their feet and are exchanging chops in the middle of the ring. Bate with a shot to the jaw to knock Andrews down. Bate goes to throw Andrews out, but Andrews hits a 619 on Bate. Andrews then rolls back in and Bate hits him with another uppercut. Bate with an airplane spin. Bate slows and Andrews hits him with a reverse hurricanrana. He gets an extremely close two count. A holy shit chant goes out. Andrews goes to the top rope. Bate runs and catches him with an enziguri. Bate goes up and gets Andrews on his shoulders and Andrews reverses it and hits Bate with a hurricanrana off the top rope. Andrews follows it up with a running shooting star press for another two count and Andrews has to be thinking what do I have to do to put this guy away? Andrews with a front face lock. Bate comes back with a superkick. Bate runs and uses the top rope for momentum to hit a lariat on Andrews. Bate goes for a suplex and Andrews turns it into a stunner in midair. Andrews goes up top and comes off with a shooting star press, but Bate gets his knees-up to counter. Bate up as Andrews tries to will himself to get back to his feet. He does only to be hit with a rolling kick by Bate. Bate follows that up with the Tyler Driver '97 to get the pin. The crowd gives the match a standing ovation. JR and Nigel go over some highlights of the match as the referee helps Andrews out of the ring and back up the ramp. They get to the top of the ramp and Pete Dunne is there. He clotheslines Andrews to the ground. William Regal and Pete Dunne then get in the ring with Tyler Bate. Dunne puts his hand out but Bate won't shake it. JR and Nigle then plug the two men meeting at Takeover as they sign off from Norwich.
-Final Thoughts: This was a fantastic show with a variety of unique styles. Well worth checking out.