United Kingdom Championship Tournament (2017) Explained

United Kingdom Championship Tournament
Promotion:WWE
Date:14 January 2017 (first round)
15 January 2017 (finals)
Attendance:3,236
Venue:Empress Ballroom
City:Blackpool, Lancashire, England
Brand:United Kingdom
Event2:United Kingdom Championship Tournament
Lastevent3:First
Nextevent3:2018

The 2017 United Kingdom Championship Tournament was a two-day professional wrestling streaming event and tournament promoted by the American promotion WWE. It aired exclusively on the WWE Network. The first round took place on 14 January 2017, while the finals occurred on 15 January. The tournament was held at the Empress Ballroom in Blackpool, Lancashire, England and crowned the inaugural WWE United Kingdom Champion. Tyler Bate won the tournament to become the inaugural champion.

Background

In a press conference at The O2 Arena on 15 December 2016, Triple H, an executive for the American professional wrestling promotion WWE and head of the promotion's NXT brand, revealed that there would be a 16-man tournament to crown the inaugural WWE United Kingdom Champion.[1] A United Kingdom Championship Tournament: Preview show aired on the WWE Network on 9 January 2017, with a behind-the-scenes look at the creators of the event and the 16 competitors.[2] The tournament was held over a two-day period, 14 and 15 January 2017, at the Empress Ballroom in Blackpool, Lancashire, England and aired exclusively on the WWE Network.[3] [4] The championship later became the top championship of the NXT UK brand and its show, NXT UK, a WWE Network show produced in the United Kingdom that premiered on 17 October 2018.[5]

Participants

WrestlerHometownWeight (lb)
Mark Andrewsdata-sort-value="Cardiff" Cardiff, Wales159[6]
Tyler Batedata-sort-value="Dudley" Dudley, West Midlands, England175[7]
Danny Burchdata-sort-value="London" London, England190[8]
Joseph Connersdata-sort-value="Nottingham" Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England196[9]
Jordan Devlindata-sort-value="Bray" Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland180[10]
data-sort-value="Blackpool" Blackpool, Lancashire, England181[11]
Pete Dunnedata-sort-value="Birmingham" Birmingham, West Midlands, England205[12]
H.C. Dyer data-sort-value="Cambridge" Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England213[13]
Sam Gradwelldata-sort-value="Blackpool" Blackpool, Lancashire, England212[14]
data-sort-value="Hartlepool" Hartlepool, County Durham, England215[15]
Roy Johnson data-sort-value="London" London, England206[16]
Dan Moloneydata-sort-value="Birmingham" Birmingham, West Midlands, England216[17]
Trent Sevendata-sort-value="Wolverhampton" Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England216[18]
data-sort-value="Belfast" Belfast, Northern Ireland191[19]
Tyson T-Bonedata-sort-value="Malvern" Malvern, Worcestershire, England245[20]
data-sort-value="Glasgow" Glasgow, Scotland255[21]

Alternates

These competitors were initially announced for the tournament, but were not selected as part of the final 16. They were backup competitors if there were any injuries to the final 16, which there were not.

WrestlerHometownWeight (lb)
Tiger Ali Swindon, Wiltshire, England185
Ringo Ryan Liverpool, Merseyside, England198
Jack Starz Leicester, Leicestershire, England172
Chris Tyler Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England201

Results

Tournament bracket

On 9 January 2017, WWE.com announced the full bracket for the tournament.[22]

The following time limits were in place:

Broadcast team

Ring nameReal nameNotes
Ring announcer[23]
Backstage interviewer
Lead commentator
Color commentator

Aftermath

On 15 May 2017, a follow-up to the United Kingdom Championship tournament was announced by WWE,[24] titled the United Kingdom Championship Special, the event aired on 19 May 2017.[25] In April 2018, a second WWE United Kingdom Championship Tournament was announced, to be held on 18 and 19 June 2018 at the Royal Albert Hall.[26]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Melok. Bobby. First-ever United Kingdom Champion to be crowned in January. WWE. 15 December 2016.
  2. Web site: Watch the WWE United Kingdom Championship Tournament Preview Show tonight after Raw on WWE Network. 9 January 2017. WWE.
  3. Web site: WWE to crown first United Kingdom Champion in January. Currier. Joseph. 15 December 2016. 15 December 2016. Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
  4. Web site: WWE announces new UK-based brand, holding tournament to crown UK Champion, Nigel McGuinness on announce team. Keller. Wade. Wade Keller. December 15, 2016. 15 December 2016. Pro Wrestling Torch.
  5. Web site: NXT UK joins WWE Network's already packed Wednesday line-up. 11 October 2018 . 11 October 2018.
  6. Web site: Mark Andrews . WWE.com.
  7. Web site: Tyler Bate . WWE.com.
  8. Web site: Danny Burch . WWE.com.
  9. Web site: Joseph Conners . WWE.com.
  10. Web site: Jordan Devlin . WWE.com.
  11. Web site: James Drake . WWE.com.
  12. Web site: Pete Dunne . WWE.com.
  13. Web site: H.C. Dyer . WWE.com.
  14. Web site: Sam Gradwell . WWE.com.
  15. Web site: Saxon Huxley . WWE.com.
  16. Web site: Roy Johnson . WWE.com.
  17. Web site: Dan Moloney . WWE.com.
  18. Web site: Trent Seven . WWE.com.
  19. Web site: Tucker . WWE.com.
  20. Web site: Tyson T-Bone . WWE.com.
  21. Web site: Wolfgang . WWE.com.
  22. Web site: Staff. WWE.com. WWE United Kingdom Championship Tournament bracket and First Round matches revealed. WWE.com. WWE. 9 January 2017.
  23. Web site: Meet Andy Shepherd, ring announcer for WWE's United Kingdom Championship Tournament. WWE. Bobby Melok. 10 January 2017. 10 January 2017.
  24. Web site: UPDATED: WWE UK Championship Special to air on WWE Network on Friday with legend Jim Ross on commentary. Daily Mirror. The 90-minute show, starring the company's top UK and 205 Live cruiserweight talent, will feature action from tapings in Norwich on 6 and 7 May. May 15, 2017. May 20, 2016.
  25. Web site: WWE United Kingdom Championship Special premiere today. WWE. May 19, 2017. May 20, 2016.
  26. Web site: WWE U.K., NXT championship matches announced for Royal Albert Hall. WWE.com staff. April 13, 2018. April 21, 2018.