The BruiserWeight and Johnny Wrestling go toe-to-toe in a thrilling WWE U.K. Title Match. Video courtesy of the award-winning WWE Network.

Johnny Gargano put all his heart and soul into his WWE United Kingdom Title Match against champion Pete Dunne, but as has been the pattern in recent months, Johnny Wrestling again found himself on the losing end, searching for answers on how to shift gears in NXT’s singles ranks.

Before The BruiserWeight’s hand was raised in victory, he and Gargano went toe-to-toe in an instant classic that left the NXT Universe breathless. As NXT fans belted out dueling chants of “BruiserWeight” and “Johnny Wrestling,” Dunne and Gargano put on a clinic, countering each other with scientific wrestling holds and unleashing innovative, vicious exchanges (including an amazing tope into a DDT on the floor by Gargano).

Back inside the ring, Gargano locked on the Gargano Escape, but the cruel and ruthless U.K. Champion bit Gargano’s fingers, forcing him to release the hold. When Dunne’s mouthguard fell out moments later, Gargano quickly took advantage, stunning the kneeling champion with a superkick for a near-fall.

Gargano and Dunne then traded vicious strikes, with Johnny Wrestling seemingly coming out on top. He followed up with a slingshot spear attempt, but The Bruiserweight crumpled him with a forearm to the jawline and quickly dumped him with the Bitter End to claim the win.

Despite the amazing effort he put forward, Gargano was visibly unsettled by having come up short yet again. How will this latest setback affect his psyche as he moves ahead in NXT? And with arguably the biggest title defense of his reign now in the books, what does the future hold for the brash BruiserWeight?