The 2017 United Kingdom Championship Tournament was a two-day professional wrestling streaming event and tournament promoted by the American promotion WWE. It aired exclusively on the WWE Network. The first round took place on 14 January 2017, while the finals occurred on 15 January. The tournament was held at the Empress Ballroom in Blackpool, Lancashire, England and crowned the inaugural WWE United Kingdom Champion. Tyler Bate won the tournament to become the inaugural champion.
Background
In a press conference at The O2 Arena on 15 December 2016, Triple H, an executive for the American professional wrestling promotion WWE and head of the promotion's NXT brand, revealed that there would be a 16-man tournament to crown the inaugural WWE United Kingdom Champion.[1] A United Kingdom Championship Tournament: Preview show aired on the WWE Network on 9 January 2017, with a behind-the-scenes look at the creators of the event and the 16 competitors.[2] The tournament was held over a two-day period, 14 and 15 January 2017, at the Empress Ballroom in Blackpool, Lancashire, England and aired exclusively on the WWE Network.[3][4] The championship later became the top championship of the NXT UK brand and its show, NXT UK, a WWE Network show produced in the United Kingdom that premiered on 17 October 2018.[5]
Participants
Alternates
These competitors were initially announced for the tournament, but were not selected as part of the final 16. They were backup competitors if there were any injuries to the final 16, which there were not.
Results
14 January
15 January
Tournament bracket
The following time limits were in place:
- First Round: 15 minutes
- Quarterfinals: 20 minutes
- Semifinals: 30 minutes
- Final: no time limit
Broadcast team
Aftermath
On 15 May 2017, a follow-up to the United Kingdom Championship tournament was announced by WWE,[27] titled the United Kingdom Championship Special, the event aired on 19 May 2017.[28] In April 2018, a second WWE United Kingdom Championship Tournament was announced, to be held on 18 and 19 June 2018 at the Royal Albert Hall.[29]
See also
- Professional wrestling in the United Kingdom
External links
References
- Bobby Melok. First-ever United Kingdom Champion to be crowned in January WWE, retrieved 15 December 2016^
- Watch the WWE United Kingdom Championship Tournament Preview Show tonight after Raw on WWE Network WWE, retrieved 9 January 2017^
- Joseph Currier. WWE to crown first United Kingdom Champion in January Wrestling Observer Newsletter, 15 December 2016, retrieved 15 December 2016^
- Wade Keller. WWE announces new UK-based brand, holding tournament to crown UK Champion, Nigel McGuinness on announce team Pro Wrestling Torch, December 15, 2016, retrieved 15 December 2016^
- NXT UK joins WWE Network's already packed Wednesday line-up 11 October 2018, retrieved 11 October 2018^
- Mark Andrews WWE.com^
- Tyler Bate WWE.com^
- Danny Burch WWE.com^
- Joseph Conners WWE.com^
- Jordan Devlin WWE.com^
- James Drake WWE.com^
- Pete Dunne WWE.com^
- H.C. Dyer WWE.com^
- Sam Gradwell WWE.com^
- Saxon Huxley WWE.com^
- Roy Johnson WWE.com^
- Dan Moloney WWE.com^
- Trent Seven WWE.com^
- Tucker WWE.com^
- Tyson T-Bone WWE.com^
- Wolfgang WWE.com^
- WWE United Kingdom Championship Tournament - Tag 1 Cagematch, retrieved 2017-09-22^
- WWE United Kingdom Championship Tournament - Tag 2 Cagematch, retrieved 2017-09-22^
- Andrew Soucek. SOUCEK'S WWE UK CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT REPORT 1/14: Ongoing coverage of night one of UK Championship tournament Pro Wrestling Torch, retrieved 14 January 2017^
- Andrew Soucek. SOUCEK'S WWE UK CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT REPORT 1/15: Ongoing coverage of night two of UK Championship tournament Pro Wrestling Torch, retrieved 15 January 2017^
- Bobby Melok. Meet Andy Shepherd, ring announcer for WWE's United Kingdom Championship Tournament WWE, 10 January 2017, retrieved 10 January 2017^
- UPDATED: WWE UK Championship Special to air on WWE Network on Friday with legend Jim Ross on commentary Daily Mirror, May 15, 2017, retrieved May 20, 2016^
- WWE United Kingdom Championship Special premiere today WWE, May 19, 2017, retrieved May 20, 2016^
- WWE.com staff. WWE U.K., NXT championship matches announced for Royal Albert Hall April 13, 2018, retrieved April 21, 2018^