Is NXT UK's lastest signing Blair Davenport actually Bea Priestley?

Blair Davenport, NXT UK's latest signing, could possibly be Bea Priestley.

This week's episode of NXT UK had a surprise for fans of the brand. The show aired a segment hyping the arrival of Blair Davenport to the brand. She was shown signing a contract but her face was never revealed. There are a lot of rumors that Blair Davenport is none other than Bea Priestley.

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Bea Priestley reportedly signed with WWE after AEW release

Bea Priestley was originally a part of AEW when the company made its debut. However, in 2020, Priestley was released from AEW. According to Chris Jericho, the release had more to do with the travel restrictions thanks to the pandemic situation.

Last month, there were rumors about Bea Priestley's future, after Dave Meltzer commented on her. She was possibly heading to NXT UK.

"Although because of WWE rules, nobody can say anything until the company announces it, but Bea Priestley is almost surely headed to NXT U.K."

Bea Priestley is a high-profile wrestler in the British professional wrestling scene. WWE signing her for NXT UK could be a major move by them.

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Is Blair Davenport actually Bea Priestley?

WWE filed for the Blair Davenport trademark in early May. While it's not confirmed that Bea Priestley is Blair Davenport, it can be reasonably assumed they are one and the same.

✍️✍️✍️ #NXTUK pic.twitter.com/VyoEvwDPWm

— NXT UK (@NXTUK) June 24, 2021

WWE took pains not to show Davenport's face during the segment on NXT UK. They have tried to keep her anonymous to the NXT UK audience, which would back up rumors that it's Priestley, as her appearance would be a big surprise.

After Bea Priestley wrapped up her wrestling work at Stardom in early April, Dave Meltzer reported that she was heading back to the United Kingdom. Since then, there have been consistent rumors about Priestley signing with WWE, so this could be what the fans were waiting for.

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Bea Priestley in AEW

Prior to being released, Bea Priestley was a major part of AEW. Although her appearances for the company were not regular, she was treated as a major heel and even called for a match with the AEW Women's Champion Nyla Rose.

Bea Priestley’s kick to the back of Britt Baker’s head. Probably the result of said concussion.#FightForTheFallen pic.twitter.com/cAS1b3IiSz

— WrestlingExaminer (@WrestlingExam) July 14, 2019

However, Priestley's AEW appearances also drew criticism as she hit Baker with a stiff kick, giving her a concussion and temporarily blinding her in one eye. Thankfully, Baker fully recovered.