WWE NXT UK: Triple H hails British talent and teases involvement at Wrestlemania

Triple H has heaped praise on the British wrestling stars who helped make the company’s maiden NXT UK: Takeover event such a phenomenal success.

WWE launched the UK arm of NXT, its developmental division, last year – just two years after crowning a WWE UK Champion for the very first time in Tyler Bate.

Just as the US-based NXT gets the chance to shine with marquee Takeover events several times a year. so the Brits got the opportunity to follow suit earlier this month.

A small but raucous crowd packed into the Blackpool Empress Ballroom for the Takeover: Blackpool show that earned rave reviews worldwide.

Not only did it stream around the world via the company’s streaming service, WWE Network, but it also dominated social media for almost the event’s entirety.

The Independent spoke to Triple H, who is the the brainchild of NXT and NXT: UK in his role as the company’s VP of Talent Relations, Live Events and Creative, real name Paul Levesque.

The 49-year-old, himself a multi-time WWE champion from his own days in the ring, admitted the night could barely have gone any better.

He said: “This allows us to take what is already a very robust talent pool over there and take them to another level.

“The talent there lit the fire for this – we’re just going to pour gas on it and take it [forward].

“The UK Blackpool Takeover event was super successful. From an execution standpoint, we were very happy with it, and also the interest level.

“It was, globally, the number one trend for almost the entire broadcast and, at one point, five out of the top ten global trends were about Blackpool.

“When you consider it was up against some pretty heavy play-off matches, it’s very impressive.”

The UK division has been built on the likes former champion Bate, and the current incumbent, Pete Dunne.

The Midlanders and their cohorts have proved themselves to be every bit as capable as their more experienced counterparts on the other side of the pond.

It’s no surprise, then, that public clamour is for them to move on to the likes of Monday Night Raw and Smackdown, the company’s flagship television programmes.

With the new year, WWE has also moved itself into the annual ‘Wrestlemania season’ – the build-up to their spring spectacular always taking a few months.

Naturally the call is for the stars of the UK brand to have an involvement at Wrestlemania and the week-long series events that precede it.

“I think all of that is on the table,” acknowledged Levesque.

“There will definitely be involvement... NXT: UK will be at Wrestlemania week and we are kind of working through all of that right now.

“All of that creates an excitement... different brands, different groupings and talent in different places that can come together at different times – it makes for exciting events and opportunities.

“As it moves forward, all of those brands will be more and more part of every single thing we do, but especially Wrestlemania week.”

WWE presents Royal Rumble this Sunday, 27th January 2018 from 10pm BST. For more details visit wwe.com.