10 Times WWE Tried To Kill Wrestling

3. ...And Then The Whole Of British Wrestling

Devil Vince McMahon
WWE

NXT UK formed in order to thwart the wider rise of British wrestling.

It was a white-hot scene at the mid-point of the decade: a relentless generator of stars that emerged from a thriving ecosystem of inventive, cool promotions and a phenomenal generation of talent working in symbiosis. Its surging economy enabled several promotions to import name talent from overseas, which accelerated its rise, creating subsequently a varied scene that benefitted from the accessibility and exposure of YouTube and emerging streaming services.

The creation of NXT UK killed it.

WWE signed several of the most popular and talented standouts, like Pete Dunne, Tyler Bate and Trent Seven. Before long, the initial wave of talent were prohibited from performing for certain promotions, i.e. those who boasted the exposure of streaming services. In the funniest cosmic joke, Seven lost a Loser Leaves Town match in his own promotion.

The native stars were no longer available to book.

The diminished gates meant promoters were unable to fly in name international talent to compensate.

The existing talents were left to wrestle one another, mostly, without guidance from seasoned veterans.

They can't develop, and won't draw in the future as a result.

End scene.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!