Eddie Dennis' Week One introductory promo was NXT UK's best bit of character development thus far. An understated and unvarnished history lesson from the former teacher, Dennis spoke in sinister but subtle tones about his former friendships with Pete Dunne and Mark Andrews as an entry point for new fans and the character itself.
The bitterness and bile in the room was palpable then, and was heightened here as Dennis prepped himself for an in-ring debut next week.
"Last time we spoke, I asked you to consider how I felt about watching my friends Pete Dunne and Mark Andrews live our dream without me" was his opening salvo. It was a delicious dedication to the corner of his psyche destined to eventually explode.
Incapable of telling his own story without throwing shade at theirs, Dennis' prideful claims of getting signed whilst injured couldn't pass without him having a dig at the pair for not calling him as he rehabilitated. This bottled resentment can emerge in due course, but the longer it lingers the angrier he can get.
The gimmick, the story and the entire show will be better for the build.
Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation nearly 8 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 62,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett
