4 Ups & 3 Downs From WWE NXT UK (Oct 17)
Ups...
4. Cool, Britannia
The opening video package predictably used the history of the company in the United Kingdom to add prestige to a product that would look substantially smaller as it kicked off for real from Cambridge’s understated-but-elegant Corn Exchange. WWE haven't got the richest history this side of the Atlantic, but they made the most of their most memorable moments over the past three decades to create the impression that the formation of this brand was an important next step.
Smartly, the group utilised the time they’d spent at the Royal Albert Hall to shoot new General Manager Johnny Saint as a final bridge between the UK scene’s past and a potentially exciting future, though the effort was undone somewhat by a rather tepid opening salvo from Vic Joseph and Nigel McGuinness in front of a lousy green screen.
The criticism may seem glib, but WWE take pride in their presentational prowess - this was unacceptable. World Of Sport were hauled over the coals for some criminal production in places, but it’s a facet of this company that should never be in any doubt. A reveal of a raucous live crowd was a welcome switch from the sterile piece to camera.