Due to travel restrictions, one half of the NXT Tag Team Champions is unable to make their way to the United States to defend the championship. This is Pete Dunne, who is stuck in the United Kingdom, well away from partner Matt Riddle. However, unlike the situation with the NXT Cruiserweight Championship, NXT General Manager William Regal has made it easier. Matt Riddle simply had to find a replacement partner until Dunne is back, and he had to get that partner before the NXT Tag Team title defense against Bobby Fish & Roderick Strong of Undisputed Era. Fish’s usual partner of Kyle O’Reilly is unavailable, not currently working shows due to health concerns.
Pete Dunne would take it on himself to find the man who will hold down his spot. This would be recent WWE singee, Timothy Thatcher, who made his name as a long reiging Evolve Champion before going to the United Kingdom to raise his stock in companies like Progress. There are few men tougher and more dependable than Thatcher being known as ‘The Meanest Son Of A Bitch You’ll Ever Meet’, making this an excellent choice by Pete. Even Matt Riddle didn’t know his partner before this match began, as Dunne kept him in suspense. There would be not fist bumping between allies, as Thatcher was all business. Would Thatcher & Riddle be able to fend off The Undisputed Era in their first match together?
First Time Team vs. A Well Oiled Machine
Things would start with Matt Riddle and Bobby Fish, as Riddle would work his way into the mind of Fish before grappling began. Riddle would get the upper hand, with Fish rolling to the ropes to get free. Their sprawling would continue until Fish went for a strike only to be caught with an exploder suplex. Fish would escape to the outside as a commercial break hit.
When action came back, Riddle was now in the ring with Roderick Strong, but this would change as Thatcher tagged himself in. He would immeditaly go to work, taking Strong down with a brutal looking wrist lock. While Strong is a great technical wrestler, Thatcher had him outmatched. Strong would be able to make a tag out to Fish, and they would try and isolate Thatcher from Riddle. This would work well until Thatcher blasted Strong with an uppercut before tagging Riddle in.
A butterfly suplex from Thatcher followed by a PK from Riddle showed some tag team chemistry. Riddle would hit a series of Gutwrench suplexes, with Fish looking to break it up only to be caught by Thatcher in a Gutwrench Suplex as well. Riddle would use Thatcher as a launchpad, hitting a corkscrew senton on Strong, getting a near fall. Strong would regain control, and tag Bobby Fish back in. Some quick tags from Undisputed Era would punish Matt Riddle, who would be cornered outside. A distraction from Dexter Lumis would perplex everyone, as he just stood quietly in the crowd. He would not get involved, perhaps just wanting to watch a tag team match without blinking. Unnerving for sure, but hardly a threat at this time.
Matt Riddle and Timothy Thatcher Rally Back
Back in the ring, Fish would continue to grind Riddle down, and while Riddle would rally back, he got caught with an Olympic Slam for a near fall. We would cut to commercial, and Dexter Lumis is no longer staring down the match when we got back. Riddle was still isolated by Undisputed Era. Riddle would finally break free allowing a restless Thatcher to clean house.
Thatcher would nail suplex after suplex to both Strong & Fish, then drilling Strong with heavy strikes. Strong would respond with a massive chop, only to be dropped with an enzuguri before being locked in a Fujiwaru Armbar. He would escape, but would be caught again as Thatcher would chop him directly in the face. Undisputed Era would make some tags and regain control, but Matt Riddle would interject to give Thatcher enough time to lock in the Fujiwaru Armbar for an instant submission.
Do you think Riddle & Thatcher will be able to maintain their reign as NXT Tag Team Champions until Pete Dunne is back in the United States? Let us know what you think in the comment section down below.
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