10 Challengers For NXT Championship After TakeOver: Chicago
2. Tyler Bate
At TakeOver: Chicago, Tyler Bate lost the United Kingdom Championship to Pete Dunne. Any other night, that would have been the most emotional moment of the show. While they were outdone by Gargano and Ciampa in long-term storytelling, Bate and Dunne put on a wrestling classic.
The crowd were invested from bell-to-bell, proving that the UK competitors don't need to be boxed away in their own division. They can step onto any show and steal it. Bate especially showed incredible in-ring skill for his age. While Dunne and Bate will likely continue their feud, neither competitor should feel that the UK Championship is their ceiling.
Each of the past three NXT Champions have been over the age of 35, seemingly straying from the idea of NXT showcasing 'the future.' Tyler Bate is a 20-year-old prodigy who is already over with the fans. Putting him up against a champion twice his age introduces a dynamic the NXT Title picture has lacked recently.
As NXT signs more and more accomplished indie sensations, the UK division is cultivating new talent. This should not be the case. Bate going after the NXT Title bridges the gap between these worlds, making NXT about 'the future' once more.