What’s the story?
Mark Andrews is one of the 16 performers who will be competing in a two-day tournament on 14 and 15 January to determine the first ever WWE United Kingdom Champion. In a recent conversation with WWE.com, Andrews revealed his thoughts about the tournament and why his experience gives him an edge over the others.
In case you didn’t know…
The 24-year old Welsh wrestler was working with TNA until the end of 2016 when his contract with the company came to an end. Apart from that, he has also been associated with other promotions such as Progress Wrestling, Chikara and Pro Wrestling Guerrilla. Most of Andrews’ in-ring success came during his time at Progress as he became a Progress Champion and also won the Tag Team title once.
The heart of the matter
Andrews told WWE.com that he was very excited when he first heard about the U.K. Championship tournament and feels that it will allow the world to discover the wrestling scene in the U.K. that has existed over the past two decades or so. Here’s what he had to say:
“I was incredibly excited that WWE had chosen to come to the U.K. and feature a lot of British talent. I feel like this country has a strong history of wrestling, with the likes of William Regal going to the States and becoming an icon and hero for wrestlers across Britain. Now, they’re bringing this tournament to the U.K. and showing off what the U.K. has been for the last 20 years without the platform to show it to the world. I’m incredibly excited to be a part of it.”
Mark Andrews claimed that he holds an edge over the other competitors in the tournament due to his vast experience of working in different countries and performing under lights in front of TV crowds. Despite being just 24 years old, Andrews has already been in the wrestling industry for 11 years.
This is what he was quoted as saying:
“That definitely gives me an edge. Though I’m only 24 years old, and this country is full of very young wrestlers, I’m one of few who has the experience I do. This is my 11th year in the industry, which for a 24-year-old, is quite hefty.
From wrestling abroad so much – all across Europe, America and Canada – I do think that I have experience the other competitors don’t have, in front of the lights, cameras and TV crowds. It’s a big advantage.”
What next?
Just like the all the other competitors in the tournament, Mark Andrews will also be looking to become the first ever WWE U.K. Champion. Whether or not he succeeds in his quest is something we will find out on 15 January 2017 at the Empress Ballroom in Blackpool, Lancashire, England.
Sportskeeda’s Take
With so many talented wrestlers taking part in the U.K. Championship tournament, it is difficult to predict who may emerge the winner. However, the one thing that we can be sure about is that the WWE roster is bound to get richer with the inclusion of these new stars.
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