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On December 15, 2016, WWE did a press conference at the O2 Arena where they announced a two-day Tournament to crown the first ever WWE United Kingdom Champion. The event took place on January 14 &15, 2017 at the Empress Ballroom in Blackpool, England. Tyler Bate defeated Pete Dunne in the finals to become the inaugural WWE United Kingdom.
This event was reportedly in reaction to ITV, one of the most popular TV channels in the UK, announcing that they would be bringing back World of Sports Wrestling, which was the most popular wrestling show in the UK for 33 years until 1988.
WWE made the formal announcement about 'NXT UK ' at the 2018 United Kingdom Championship Tournament with UK Wrestling legend, Johnny Saint being revealed as the General Manager of the brand.
The first set of tapings for NXT UK took place on 28 & 29 July 2018 from the Cambridge Corn Exchange in Cambridge, England, and the show is all set to premiere on the WWE Network on October 17.
With some of the best professional wrestlers from all over the United Kingdom, NXT UK promises to be one hell of a weekly show and is sure to draw a large number of fans on the network. In spite of having stars like Tyler Bate, Toni Storm, Rhea Ripley, Trent Seven, and Pete Dunne, NXT UK needs a few big signings to establish itself as one of the premier Wrestling promotions in the UK.
Here are 4 Superstars that NXT UK should sign as soon as possible:
# 4 Zack Sabre Jr
Zack Sabre Jr was a participant in the highly-acclaimed WWE Cruiserweight Classic in 2016. The Brit Submission Specialist even managed to get through to the semi-finals of the tournament before falling to tournament finalist Gran Metallik. This was reportedly due to the Brit refusing to sign with WWE as he along with Kota Ibushi were pencilled to be in the finals of this 32-man Single Elimination Tournament.
ZSJ has been performing in various independent promotion all around the world and signed with New Japan Pro Wrestling last year. He joined the Suzuki Gun stable in the promotion and even won the prestigious New Japan Cup earlier this year.
With news and rumours of New Japan Management rubbing talents the wrong way and New Japan stars weighing their options before re-signing with the company surfacing for the past few days, this is perfect to opportunity for Triple H &Co. to sign one of the hottest independent stars in the world today.
ZSJ would be an asset for any promotion he works for. He will take NXT UK to newer heights and with a name like him on board, the sky is the limit for WWE's most recent brand.
# 3 Jimmy Havoc
Jimmy Havoc is a veteran of the UK independent scene who made his debut in the year 2004 when he was just 20 years old. Initially working for NWA Hammerlock, Havoc has plied his trade in promotions like CZW, WCPW/Defiant Wrestling, Impact Wrestling and Progress where is the longest reigning Progress World Champion.
Havoc is known for his hardcore matches and was widely regarded as one of the greatest 'deathmatch' wrestlers of this generation. The most recent example of this is the gruesome match between Havoc and Sami Callihan at Impact's Wrestling 'Impact Vs the UK' event held on the sidelines of the Wrestling MediaCon at the Bowlers Exhibition Centre in Manchester, England on September 9. A spot in the match saw Callihan stapling a magazine on Havoc's body.
With NXT UK trying to build itself up as a direct competitor to the hugely popular World of Sports Wrestling, the services of Jimmy Havoc would come in handy for the yellow brand's UK division. With Havoc's long association with Progress, with whom the WWE has a close working relationship, Havoc shouldn't be a hard catch for Triple H & Co.
# 2 Joe Hendry
The prestigious One, Joe Hendry, is one of the brightest stars in the UK independent circuit. In addition to being one of the most sought-after faces on the UK Indy scene, Hendry is also an amateur wrestler and even competed in the 97 kg freestyle competition at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia.
The Scotsman hosts a podcast called ' The Joe Hendry Show', which has established a loyal following in the wrestling world. He is also renowned for his over the top ring entrances where he parodies a famous song to poke fun at his opponents. Hendry is currently signed to Impact Wrestling and World of Sports (WOS) Wrestling.
Hendry would be a valuable addition to the NXT UK brand as he has all the tools needed to succeed in the biggest wrestling promotion in the world. Henry has already proven his worth by winning championships in various promotions all across the United Kingdom. We have no doubt when we say that Hendry arriving in NXT UK would truly make it prestigious.
# 1 Will Ospreay
The Aerial Assassin is one of the most recognized faces on not only the UK independent scene but the in entire wrestling world. The 25-year old Brit has built quite a resume in his 6-year career, winning multiple championships across various promotions. Ospreay became the first Englishman to win the Best of the Super Juniors Tournament in 2016 and is a former 2-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion.
The London- native is currently signed to New Japan Pro Wrestling where he is currently in the midst of moving up to the Heavyweight division and will challenge the IWGP Never Openweight Champion Taichi at New Japan's Power Struggle event on November 3.
Ospreay has revealed in multiple interviews that he was contacted by the WWE but turned it down, saying that he was happy with his current position in the wrestling world. But with recent developments in New Japan, Ospreay might need to rethink his decision. Don't be surprised if you spot the British high-flyer in the crowd in a future Takeover event. Ospreay would be one of the biggest signings in NXT history and having him on the books would make NXT UK absolute must-see TV.
