8 Times WWE Rewarded Its UK Audience

7. The Creation Of NXT UK

British Bulldog IC
WWE.com

It may not be quite as must-see as the regular NXT brand to some, but the creation of NXT UK has been great for a portion of UK wrestling fans.

Giving fans the chance to regularly attend the TV tapings of a show produced under the WWE umbrella, NXT UK has been quick to amass a passionate following as it's continued to provide a constant WWE spotlight for the likes of WALTER, Tyler Bate, Zack Gibson, Toni Storm, Kay Lee Ray, and Trent Seven to shine under.

The arrival of NXT UK isn't a gift for everybody, of course; WWE delving into the UK scene has resulted in most of British wrestling's brightest talents being under the sole control of the company. As such, certain promotions have struggled to keep their head above water as WWE continues to vacuum up British talent and then dictate where said talent can work - essentially slowing down the British revolution of recent years.

There are definitely two sides to the NXT UK coin, as having so many UK stars under one WWE-controlled roof does afford those British fans without a local promotion on their doorstep the opportunity to see these names.

Is NXT UK a good thing for the majority of UK fans? On a basic level, it is. Is NXT UK a good thing for UK wrestling promotions? No, it obviously isn't. As this is a feature driven towards what's been rewarding for British fans on a broader level, it's hard to argue that NXT UK is anything but a major plus.

Senior Writer
Senior Writer

Once described as the Swiss Army Knife of WhatCulture, Andrew can usually be found writing, editing, or presenting on a wide range of topics. As a lifelong wrestling fan, horror obsessive, and comic book nerd, he's been covering those topics professionally as far back as 2010. In addition to his current WhatCulture role of Senior Content Producer, Andrew previously spent nearly a decade as Online Editor and Lead Writer for the world's longest-running genre publication, Starburst Magazine, and his work has also been featured on BBC, TechRadar, Tom's Guide, WhatToWatch, Sportkskeeda, and various other outlets, in addition to being a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic. Between his main day job, his role as the lead panel host of Wales Comic Con, and his gig as a pre-match host for Wrexham AFC games, Andrew has also carried out a hugely varied amount of interviews, from the likes of Robert Englund, Kane Hodder, Adrienne Barbeau, Rob Zombie, Katharine Isabelle, Leigh Whannell, Bruce Campbell, and Tony Todd, to Kevin Smith, Ron Perlman, Elijah Wood, Giancarlo Esposito, Simon Pegg, Charlie Cox, the Russo Brothers, and Brian Blessed, to Kevin Conroy, Paul Dini, Tara Strong, Will Friedle, Burt Ward, Andrea Romano, Frank Miller, and Rob Liefeld, to Bret Hart, Sting, Mick Foley, Ricky Starks/Saints, Jamie Hayter, Britt Baker, Eric Bischoff, and William Regal, to Mickey Thomas, Joey Jones, Phil Parkinson, Brian Flynn, Denis Smith, Gary Bennett, Karl Connolly, and Bryan Robson - and that's just the tip of an ever-expanding iceberg. Where his beloved Wrexham AFC is concerned, Andrew is co-host of the Fearless in Devotion podcast, which won the Club Podcast of the Year gong at the 2024 FSA Awards.