Generation NXT UK - NXT UK recap for August 4, 2022

Ilja Dragunov heads to the ring to start tonight's show, but when he does, it is on crutches and in a boot. Dragunov states that he suffered a severe ankle injury last week against Wolfgang, but he fought until the very end because the NXT UK Championship is not a privilege and that it is a symbol of fighting to be the very best, as NXT UK has only had fighting champions. He then says that as much as he would love to continue to do that, he cannot, as he cannot be medically cleared and nobody knows how long he will need to recover. As a result, he has been forced to relinquish the NXT UK Championship. He says he will not talk about how hard he worked for this, as every Superstar is working hard, and that he cannot talk about his hard life as everyone has to fight their own battles and he is nothing special in that case. He also says that he will not wish he was more careful so that this injury could not have happened, but he regrets nothing and he sees pieces of his soul all over the ring, as he wants to show his true soul and his honest face and encourge people that with will, one can endure pain as long as it has a reason and win. Dragunov says he fought with his soul as NXT UK Champion, and that as sad as he is to relinquish the championship and that somebody else will take his place, he knows that no one beats him except himself and that he will come back as a better man than the fans someday. He also says that if the fans think he is strong now, he will become even stronger to get it back. Dragunov then lays the NXT UK Championship in the middle of the ring.

We see Chase University (Andre Chase, Bodhi Hayward, Thea Hail) take in the sights of London, England before heading to the UK Performance Center, where they meet a barefoot Sha Samuels and try to cheer him up only for Sha Samuels to fire himself up.

Backstage, General Manager Johnny Saint and Assistant to the General Manager Sid Scala sing Inja Dragunov's praises before announcing an eight-man tournament for the vacant NXT UK Championship, with the brackets being announced later this evening.

Oliver Carter beats Rohan Raja. After the match, Teoman and Charlie Dempsey attack Carter, and Dempsey puts Carter in a single leg crab that referees have to pull Dempsey out of.

In backstage footage from earlier today, Thea Hail talks about Chase University when Eliza Alexander shows up and brags about his "school of hard knocks" education before saying she is sick and tired of Americans taking opportunities from her when she should be contending for the NXT UK Women's Championship. She also says that beating people up gets attention, but when she mentions Chase University, Thea Hail refuses to even have it with her.

Backstage, Die Familie (Teoman, Rohan Raja, Charlie Dempsey) brag about their attack on Oliver Carter, and when Teoman calls their attack on Carter a win, Sam Gradwell shows up and says Teoman only gets his way when Rohan Raja and Charlie Dempsey are with him and that things will be different if they try anything with him.

Before the next match - Sha Samuels - now looking in a bad way - shows up with a knapsack on a stick and pulls his hat out to beg for money on the way to the ring.

Sha Samuels beats Bodhi Hayward.

Backstage, Oliver Carter says his leg is in bad shape, but he will be good. Assistant to the General Manager Sid Scala then shows up and tells Carter he will be in the eight-man tournament for the NXT UK Championship, and that his first round match is next week. Carter says that no injury will stop him from being champion again.

The eight-man tournament for the vacant NXT UK Championship begins next week with Trent Seven vs. Wolfgang and Charlie Dempsey vs. Oliver Carter. In two weeks, Mark Andrews will face Joe Coffey, and Kenny Williams will face Tyler Bate.

Before the next match, Blair Davenport shows up and announces that she has attacked both Meiko Satomura and Sarray. Assistant to the General Manager Sid Scala shows up as Davenport says that Satomura keeps ignoring her, and if it were not for her breaking her ankle, she would be standing as the current NXT UK Women's Champion. She then says she will continue to cause chaos in NXT UK if she does not get a championship match, then Amale shows up and says this is not how things work, then Eliza Alexander shows up and says Davenport has a point, saying the louder one is, the more people pay attention before saying she is deserving of being in line. Davenport says she has beaten everyone on this roster and that she is next in line, then Isla Dawn shows up from out of nowhere and says Davenport has yet to beat her. Scala makes Isla Dawn vs. Blair Davenport the main event due to both of them being in their gear, and the winner gets to face Meiko Satomura for the NXT UK Women's Championship.

Isla Dawn vs. Blair Davenport to determine a #1 contender for the NXT UK Women's Championship end with Eliza Alexander pulling Isla Dawn out of the ring. After the match, Amale attacks Blair Davenport, then a brawl starts between all four women that officials have to break up.