10 Big Questions About Future Of WWE’s UK Brand

British wrestling has really taken flight in the past few years. Companies like PROGRESS and RevPro are now among the most talked about promotions on the planet, and their shows are as good as anybody’s. Furthermore, the success of wrestlers like Will Ospreay, Marty Scurll, and Zack Sabre Jr. has seen British talent topping cards on both sides of the Atlantic, and sent the country’s buzz go through the roof.

The last thing British indie diehards want is for their favourite promotions to be swept away by WWE’s tide, and they have a right to be cautious. At a time when British wrestling is hotter than it’s been in decades, the last thing these companies need is for WWE to come along and steal their thunder.

What happens if WWE start stepping on these companies’ toes in terms of show dates, or start excluding more promotions from their list of acceptable places to work? What if they snap-up all the noteworthy British talent, and leave the existing companies fighting for scraps? The early signs look promising, particularly in PROGRESS, but WWE don’t exactly have a history of benevolence when it comes to the smaller territories.

Furthermore, will WWE’s UK show exist in a standalone universe, or will the company expect it to be reflected on smaller shows too? Tyler Bate and Pete Dunne are stablemates in PROGRESS, for example, but they were warring for the UK Championship last night. Will their big match lead to fractures within the group, or will PROGRESS ignore it completely?

Whatever happens, 2017 is going to be a very interesting year for British wrestling. Whether WWE’s long-term impact is positive or negative, things are going to look very different 12 months from now, and the journey is sure to provide plenty of talking points.