The second round of TV tapings for NXT UK is set to take place in Birmingham, England this weekend, where the expansion brand will crown its first-ever women’s champion.
WWE announced Tuesday that a two-day tournament to determine the inaugural NXT UK Women’s Champion would take place at the Insomnia gaming festival at NEC Birmingham. Participants in the competition include Toni Storm, Jinny, Isla Dawn, Millie McKenzie, Nina Samuels, Dakota Kai, Rhea Ripley, and Xia Brookside.
The first @NXTUK Women’s Champion will be crowned at the #NXTUK tapings this weekend in Birmingham, and tickets are available RIGHT NOW! https://t.co/W3YhaxNES9 pic.twitter.com/8Do3escRfD
— NXT UK (@NXTUK) August 21, 2018
Following the announcement, Samuels, Dawn, and Jinny – the latter two of whom are also competing in the ongoing second annual Mae Young Classic – all tweeted out their intention to become the first NXT UK Women’s Champion.
This weekend at #NXTUKBirmingham my eyes are on the prize
I will become the 1st #NXTUK Womens Champion
Tickets available at https://t.co/aVf5qjUdyd
25th and 26th August
NEC Birmingham #InsomniaGamingFestival pic.twitter.com/0wmRWLthKE— Nina Samuels ニナ・サミュエル (@NinaSamuels123) August 21, 2018
Hail, Redeemer, Queen Divine!
Priestess and lamb, the throne is thine!I will be the first ever @WWE NXT UK Women’s Champion.
August 25 & 26 #NXTUKBirmingham at the Insomnia Gaming Festival.
Tickets available: https://t.co/RYepZ3Ibz7 pic.twitter.com/pqA6zqc14V
— Isla Dawn (@IslaDawn) August 21, 2018
Let's be honest the @WWEUK #NXTUK Women's Championship won't look as good on anyone else as will do me. That title is mine! #JinnyCouture #Fashionista pic.twitter.com/ITX9QXhJlN
— Jinny (@JinnyCouture) August 21, 2018
Meanwhile, Ripley has already cut a promo on the championship opportunity:
https://twitter.com/NXTUK/status/1031949224022364160
However, while the title could arguably go to any of the eight competitors, my money is on Toni Storm. Storm is already extremely well known and well liked among the NXT Universe, and she recently received a title shot against former NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler. If there’s anyone WWE should make the female face of NXT UK, it’s her.
Then again, Millie McKenzie is one half of the Bruisermates – the other half being WWE United Kingdom Champion Pete Dunne. Plus, McKenzie is conspicuously absent from WWE’s promotional images for the tournament…
Nevertheless, whoever wins the championship will likely also get a golden ticket to WWE Evolution in October. In the press release announcing the all-women’s pay-per-view, WWE noted that the NXT UK Women’s Championship would be defended at the historic event. In other words, a win at the NXT UK women’s tournament this weekend could effectively springboard the new champion’s career.
Unfortunately, despite all the exciting developments regarding NXT UK, WWE has yet to announce the most important piece of information of all: a premiere date. A promotional video released over the weekend only said that it’s “coming soon.”
“Soon” can’t come soon enough.