7 Ups & 3 Downs From WWE UK Championship Tournament (Night 1)
6. Trent Seven's Showmanship
WWE made the right choice in opening with Trent Seven vs. HC Dyer. Seven had been marketed as the tournament's biggest babyface throughout the build-up, and his natural charisma makes him one of the country's most likeable wrestlers. More importantly, he's a familiar face that everyone in the building knew, and his victory started the night in crowd-pleasing fashion.
It took Trent just 5:30 to put Dyer away with a nasty Lariat, but HC gave a good account of himself. Nobody expected him to win here, particularly with all the hype around Trent, but he came off as a strong heel with great athleticism and a nasty moveset. He didn't win, but HC Dyer definitely left Blackpool with a few new fans.
Seven, meanwhile, was his usual excellent self. Something of an elder statesman on the youthful UK scene, Trent's hard-hitting wrestling style and unique personality make him one of the most engaging wrestlers around, and a justifiable tournament favourite. He's the ideal babyface to build a UK brand around, and while Pete Dunne remains most people's choice to take the tournament, Trent has as strong a chance as anybody.