The U.K. scene is currently thriving.
With promotions and companies such as PROGRESS, RevPro, ATTACK!, Pro-Wrestling: EVE, WAW and many more providing spotlight for wrestlers to shine is opening eyes to the revamped U.K. wrestling scene. Companies like WWE and NJPW have dipped their hands into the U.K. wrestling pot as shown by WWE establishing an entire brand based in the U.K. and introducing a NXT U.K. Women's and NXT U.K. Tag Team Championships to add on to their WWE United Kingdom Championship. NJPW allows their talent to compete for RevPro as exhibited by Minoru Suzuki recently defeating Tomohiro Ishii to become the new RPW British Heavyweight Champion.
It was been stated by numerous British wrestlers that the U.K. scene is thriving and better than its ever been and those same sentiments were expressed by former 5-time WWE Intercontinental Champion and current executive and commentator of ITV's World Of Sport, Stu Bennett.
“I am turning 38, and I grew up a complete wrestling nerd, but the U.K. wrestling scene when I was coming up was abysmal." Bennett said during an interview with The Telegraph. "There were maybe two or three good wrestlers in the country. By about 2003, if you got a hundred people at an event, you felt like it you’d sold out Wembley.”
Bennett spoke with the outlet to promote the relaunch of World Of Sport which aired this past Saturday. Bennett also went over his time competing in the U.S.--reflecting on his WWE career and being able to be in the ring with multi-time World Champions and greats of the company such as John Cena and The Undertaker.
“I’d started out as a goody here, but the second I got to America: English accent, bad guy, I loved it. On the rare occasions I have been cheered, I have not found that rewarding." He said. "For me, to get a negative reaction, get people’s backs up, I love that. I main-evented a SummerSlam, which is the WWE’s second-biggest show. Being in the ring with John Cena, The Undertaker, guys I had watched as a kid: that was a seal of approval. They doubted that it could happen to an English kid.”
World Of Sport and NXT's U.K. TV tapings commenced on the same day and Fightful has spoilers/results published from both shows.
