WWE U.K. Championship Special results: Dunne, Bate batter their way to TakeOver showdown

Wolfgang and Joseph Conners slug it out in a hard-hitting contest. Video courtesy of the award-winning WWE Network.

NORWICH, England — Wolfgang used his strength to tear down Joseph Conners in the early goings, but a fateful shove off the ropes to the floor turned the match in Conners’ favor.

Sensing vulnerability, Conners began targeting Wolfgang’s ribs, baseball-sliding the burly Scotsman broadside into the ring post. Wolfgang endured the onslaught and nearly speared Conners in half as Conners jumped off the ropes. Holding his side all the while, Wolfgang then flew off the top turnbuckle with his picturesque finisher, the Howling, for the 1-2-3.

The popular duo of Rich Swann and Birmingham, England's Dan Moloney take on crusty Cruiserweights The Brian Kendrick & TJP. Video courtesy of the award-winning WWE Network.

In their battle against The Brian Kendrick & TJP, Rich Swann and Birmingham’s Dan Moloney had the clear support of the passionate WWE Universe inside Epic Studios. The slugger Moloney and the always-electrifying Swann turned out to be a cohesive unit, combining to frustrate their veteran opponents.

Yet, Kendrick & TJP’s ability to rule-bend allowed them to ultimately come out on top. At the height of the action, Kendrick was able to hold onto his tag team partner as TJP stood on the apron. With The Duke of Dab’s help, Kendrick maneuvered Moloney into an inside cradle for the pin.

Trent Seven and "The Bruiserweight" Pete Dunne leave it all in the ring in a thrilling No. 1 Contender's Match. Video courtesy of the award-winning WWE Network.

With his right arm heavily bandaged following an attack by Pete Dunne, Trent Seven appeared willing to lose a limb against The Bruiserweight if it meant earning a WWE U.K. Title opportunity in Chicago at NXT TakeOver. Though Seven’s arm remained attached to his body, barely, Dunne left Norwich with a guaranteed championship match following the exceptionally ferocious duel.

The battle ran wild both inside and outside from start to finish, with both competitors fighting tooth-and-nail. This included Seven executing an earth-shattering Dangerous Dragon Suplex on the apron that nearly resulted in a double count-out.

In the height of the action, after another series of big hits, The Mustache Mountain representative shook Dunne with a back fist, but the persistent brawler forged ahead and ultimately locked Seven into the Bitter End, splattering him face-first onto canvas to snare the victory.

Tyler Bate tries to continue his WWE U.K. Title reign against the high-flying Mark Andrews. Video courtesy of the award-winning WWE Network.

Few athletes can keep up with Mark Andrews, the ballistic 160-pounder with world-renowned speed and agility. WWE United Kingdom Champion Tyler Bate just happens to be one of them.

Bate matched Andrews move-for-move through countless momentum swings, though it seemed like Andrews had crafty and often brutal reversals for many of the titleholder’s attacks, too. If Andrews wasn’t dodging Bate’s rolling wheel kick, he was slamming the titleholder's head into the ringside floor with a devastating DDT or spiking it into the canvas with a reverse hurricanrana.

Bate’s prodigious ring awareness nonetheless won out in the end. When Andrews soared through the air with a GIF-friendly shooting star press, Bate welcomed him harshly to earth, stabbing him with a pair of knees. Bate then secured the W after clobbering Andrews with a rolling kick and planting him with the Tyler Driver ’97.

Looking to send a message to the champion he faces at TakeOver: Chicago, Pete Dunne re-emerged. The Bruiserweight shoved down a fatigued Andrews, much to NXT General Manager William Regal’s protest, before offering his hand to Bate in a supposed sign of goodwill. With Regal standing between them, Bate refused the handshake, instead choosing to stare a hole through his brash challenger.