10 Best WWE Matches Of 2017 (So Far)

January’s UK Championship Tournament was a big success that set WWE's British brand off to a great start, and drew critical acclaim across the board. The first night was very much about getting to know the participants, and setting up bigger moments for the following evening. It produced some fun matches, but nothing blow-away. Fortunately, that all changed on night two.

Pete Dunne travelled an eventful road to the finals, and after overcoming Mark Andrews in a tremendous semi-final, the devious heel met the inherently likeable Tyler Bate for the belt. Both men were incredibly over with the Blackpool crowd, creating an intense atmosphere as Dunne grinded away at Tyler’s injured shoulder, and tried to bully his way to becoming WWE's first UK Champion.

Bate eventually seized momentum by kicking out of Dunne’s Bitter End finisher, and putting him away with the Tyler Driver ‘97. The tournament’s two biggest stars closed the competition with its best match, and their rivalry would continue simmering over the next few months. They’d outdo themselves later in the year, but Bate and Dunne’s first WWE meeting stands on its own as one of the year’s best matches.