Generation NXT UK - NXT UK recap for July 15, 2021

In memory of "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff, 1949 - 2021.

We hear from Triple H. He announces that on October 29, 2020, NXT UK brought a match that is so intense that defined a brand and re-defined brutality that people still talk about it. That match is Ilja Dragunov vs. Walter for the NXT UK Championship, and next week, the long-awaited rematch takes place. Triple H says that Walter has dominated the brand for over 800 days while defending the title both in the US and the UK, and that Dragunov is an enigma and one of the most dedicated and intense invidiuals to ever enter the squared circle, and that next week, the world will be watching.

Assistant to the General Manager Sid Scala moderates a press conference between Walter and Ilja Dragunov, and demands there be no physicality tonight. Alex McCarthy from talkSport asks Walter if he believes his championship reign is under threat, to which Walter replies no, as the difference between him and Dragunov is that he is here for the greater good as well as the tradition and history of professional wrestling, and says that while Ilja is a great athlete, he does not have the mental ability to step up to his level and that he will have to prove this when he wrestles him again. Ace from BBC 1Xtra asks Dragunov what he has learned from last year's defeat, and Dragunov admits it has been a dark time since then, and that failures like this last in one's mind and that he had lost control since then, but he has since found himself again and he had to learn to compete at a top level again. Alistair McGeorge from Metro.co.uk asks Walter Dragunov what to expect from next week's rematch, and Dragunov says to expect brutality and that people will forget what the world "violence" means, and that the outcome will be difference. As Dragunov says that Walter is arrogant and has a god complex, Walter interrupts him and says he redefines the sport when he wrestles, and that Dragunov was happy enough to be a part of that. He then says he is tired of seeing Dragunov being sad about himself and says that he is a fraud and "all show," as Dragunov realized that while he is fantastic, he is not man enough and on his level, and that all his displays of intensity and motivation are there to get attention. Walter then demands a saddened Dragunov look at him as he speaks in German. Dragunov says he thought it was enough to be champion last time, and while he has respect for Walter because Walter makes him a better wrestler when he steps in the ring with him, the respect is now gone for what Walter did to him afterwards and all that is left is hate for the person that he nearly made him into when he broke him, saying it was not necessary. He says that next week, he will break Walter in the ring and either walk out NXT UK Champion or not walk out at all. Sid Scala steps away as both men have an intense staredown.

We hear from Subculture ("Flash" Morgan Webster, Mark Andrews, Dani Luna). Andrews says he is having deja vu, and Webster says that it is because two years ago, they won the NXT UK Tag Team Championships. Dani Luna says that next week, history will repeat itself against Pretty Deadly (Sam Stoker and Lewis Howley), and Dani Luna says Andrews and Webster will be two-time NXT UK Tag Team Champions.

Teoman and Rohan Raja beat Ashton Smith and Oliver Carter with a crosfface from Teoman to Carter.

In footage from earlier this week, Assistant to the General Manager Sid Scala is being interviewed when A-Kid walks out of the trainer's room with a walker and a leg cast. He says that he is sick and tired of Jordan Devlin, and that he needs a rematch with Devlin in a 30-minute Iron Man Match as soon as he is medically cleared. Scala says he will get right on it.

We hear from Aoife Valkyrie, who says she has watched and learned everything she could about Jinny, and says that Jinny will never understand that the best have short memories when it comes to failure and that she is here to be the best. She says she is here to climb while Jinny is not prepared to take off her high heels, as she only picks a fight if she knows the odds are in your favor. She then says that Jinny has declared war on the wrong person.

We hear from Pretty Deadly (Sam Stoker and Lewis Howley). Sam Stoker says that Subculture ("Flash" Morgan Webster, Mark Andrews, Dani Luna) are social outcasts and weirdos that cost them a match last week. Howley says it was his mistake taking Andrews lightly, and says that Andrews made a mistake getting his friends involved. He says that Pretty Deadly run the tag team division, while Stoker says that Subculter are tag team champions of the past.

Meiko Satomura retains the NXT UK Women's Championship against Amale.

It is announced that there was an altercation between Walter and Ilja Dragunov backstage following their press conference, and that Walter has suffered a severe injury in his left hand. WWE has declared Walter medically unfit for competition, and due to these circumstances, Ilja Dragunov vs. Walter for the NXT UK Championship will not take place next week as scheduled. There will be more information available next week.

Next week: Jinny and Joseph Conners on SPRNVA Sessions!

Tyler Bate retains the NXT UK Heritage Cup against Mark Coffey two falls to one (2-1). Tyler Bate scores the first fall with 1:25 left in Round 2 following a sit-down pinfall attempt with a counter hurricanrana. Mark Coffey scores the second fall with 1:18 left in Round 3 after hitting Tyler Bate out of the air with an enzuigiri. Tyler Btae scores the third and deciding fall with 2:03 left in Round 5 via a Tyler Driver '97 to retain the Heritage Cup. Moustache Mountain (Tyler Bate and Trent Seven) and Gallus (Mark Coffey and Wolfgang) shake hands after the match.