Teenager downs Pete Dunne in final in Blackpool
Monday 16 January 2017 10:56, UK
Tyler Bate has become the first WWE United Kingdom Champion after downing Pete Dunne in the tournament final in Blackpool.
The 19-year-old recovered from a pre-match assault that left his shoulder needing to be taped up to beat his former trainer and fellow Midlander with the Tyler Driver to win the 16-man competition.
Bate conquered Tucker (Northern Ireland) in his first-round clash on Saturday, before edging Jordan Devlin (Republic of Ireland) and Wolfgang (Scotland) on Sunday night to make the showpiece match.
The teenager then kicked out of Dunne's Bitter End finisher before securing the biggest victory of his career and being handed his newly-won championship by William Regal, Triple H and Finn Balor.
Dunne, the reigning World Champion at British promotion PROGRESS Wrestling, made an impact throughout the two-night event, however.
Dunne defeated Roy Johnson in his first-round match on Saturday evening before launching a vicious assault on his quarter-final opponent, the Blackpool-born Sam Gradwell.
Organisers Triple H and William Regal took no action against Dunne and he proceeded to beat Gradwell in Sunday’s opening quarter-final with a bodyslam onto the turnbuckle.
Welsh high-flyer Mark Andrews gave Dunne a stiff examination in a superb semi-final before the Birmingham grappler prevailed with Bitter End - but Dunne was unable to triumph in a seesaw final.
WWE’s maiden UK tournament featured competitors from each of the Home Nations as well as the Republic of Ireland and Triple H hopes the event will lead to a weekly WWE show emanating from the UK.
Neville - who will challenge Rich Swann for the Cruiserweight Title at the Royal Rumble on January 29 - has already made a name for himself in WWE, with the Newcastle native a former NXT Champion.
The Geordie, though, competed in an impromptu, non-tournament bout in Blackpool on Sunday night, defeating Dutchman Tommy End with a Red Arrow from the turnbuckle.
WWE UK Championship Tournament results
Sunday, January 15:
Final:
Tyler Bate defeated Pete Dunne to become United Kingdom Champion
Semi-finals:
Pete Dunne defeated Mark Andrews
Tyler Bate defeated Wolfgang
Quarter-finals:
Pete Dunne defeated Sam Gradwell
Mark Andrews defeated Joseph Conners
Wolfgang defeated Trent Seven
Tyler Bate defeated Jordan Devlin
Non-tournament match:
Neville defeated Tommy End
Saturday, January 14:
Last 16:
Trent Seven defeated HC Dyer
Jordan Devlin defeated Danny Burch
Sam Gradwell defeated Saxon Huxley
Pete Dunne defeated Roy Johnson
Wolfgang defeated Tyson T-Bone
Joseph Conners defeated James Drake
Mark Andrews defeated Dan Moloney
Tyler Bate defeated Tucker
