When WWE presented the Cruiserweight Classic this past summer, it was the first time that they acknowledged independent wrestling talent in a major way, as the tournament included independent wrestlers from all over the word. There were even participants who were signed to WWE contracts as a result of their efforts.
As groundbreaking as that was, WWE is now putting an even bigger focus on the the independent wrestling scene, and the UK is the target of that focus. The WWE United Kingdom Championship Tournament is a WWE-produced tournament that will take place on January 14 and January 15, 2017, and will feature UK-based independent talent. The winner of the tournament will become the very first WWE United Kingdom Champion.
The WWE United Kingdom Championship Tournament is a great idea, and I think it's safe to assume that although there are many talents in the UK who are satisfied with the current state of their careers, the majority of them would jump at the opportunity to be spotlighted by WWE. After all, pro-wrestling is a business, and the goal in any business is to make it to the top. In today's industry, WWE is the only company that has that distinction.
Along with that is the attraction of becoming WWE United Kingdom Champion. This is the first time in pro-wrestling history that a global company has established a championship that gives prominence to independent wrestlers who are based in the UK. The talent who becomes champion will stand head and shoulders above all of the others.
With that said, it would benefit WWE to branch out beyond the UK's shores with this idea. Japan and Mexico bring styles to the pro-wrestling industry that are very unique and are an asset to WWE. Puroresu and lucha libre is currently utilized in WWE via Japanese talents such as Shinsuke Nakamura, Hideo Itami, and Asuka; and Mexican talents such as Kalisto and Sin Cara. Puroresu and lucha libre divisions could feature talent from Japan and Mexico on a regular basis, wrestling talent that is already on the WWE roster, giving fans new, different, and exciting matches to watch.
WWE would need to bring in people with knowledge of the Japan and Mexico pro-wrestling scenes in order to branch out this idea in that fashion, but that would not be a problem- the eyes of the WWE machine are everywhere. They see everything, and if they become aware of someone who was the ability to help them bring a plan to fruition, they have the resources to acquire them.
The WWE United Kingdom Championship Tournament can be just the beginning of WWE spotlighting the different styles of pro-wrestling that the world has to offer if they desire to go that route, with, "WWE Asia Championship" and, "WWE Lucha Libre Championship" tournaments. The potential is definitely there, and would benefit WWE long-term.
Tune in the WWE United Kingdom Championship Tournament on WWE Network next month, so that you can see independent UK talent in action and find out who will take their career to another level and become the WWE United Kingdom Champion.
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