WWE UK Championship Tournament: Latest News, Rumors and Preview for Event

All eyes in the WWE world will go transatlantic this weekend as the best wrestlers the United Kingdom has to offer do battle to become the company's first-ever United Kingdom champion.

The event, which will be held at the historic Empress Ballroom on Saturday and Sunday in Blackpool, England, will see 16 of the best British and Irish wrestlers lock horns in a battle to be crowned the UK's best.

Fans of independent promotions all around the world will be familiar with plenty of the names on there, but for those who are strictly WWE fans, some surprises and excitement are ahead in discovering some of the best wrestlers on the planet.

But who's going to win the whole thing? And what can we expect from it all? 

First-Round Matches

• Tyler Bate vs. Tucker
• Jordan Devlin vs. Danny Burch
• Trent Seven vs. HC Dyer
• Wolfgang vs. Tyson T-Bone
• Mark Andrews vs. Dan Moloney
• James Drake vs. Joseph Conners
• Pete Dunne vs. Roy Johnson
• Saxon Huxley vs. Sam Gradwell

Rumors and Gossip

Before a bell has even rung in this weekend's tournament, there's already talk of this being the start of a number of global series from WWE.

The level of talent competing in the United Kingdom right now makes it obvious for WWE to get involved with the UK and crown a champion in that region, but Randall Ortman of Cageside Seats reported earlier this week that there are rumors about more tournaments of this type in the future.

Ortman reported there are plans to have tournaments in Asia and Latin America, which will have fans salivating at the prospect of WWE having champions all across the globe.

Early Picks

It's perhaps no surprise that two of the hottest prospects in indy wrestling have been kept apart on separate halves of the draw.

PROGRESS stars Pete Dunne and Trent Seven look likely to go a long way in the tournament, and it's not impossible that they could meet in the final.

Both guys look like the obvious picks, but Joseph Conners' form and performances in recent months on the indy scene have attracted a few eyes.

"The Righteous" Conners was heavily involved with What Culture Pro Wrestling from the start of that promotion's lifespan, but he will face a stern test in the first round against James Drake, the hometown boy from Blackpool.

What Next?

Although the tournament is bound to be a success like the Cruiserweight Classic was last year, WWE fans, particularly those in the UK, will want to know what happens next.

The CWC spawned some new, exciting talents—which were quickly snapped up on full-time deals for the company—but the division as a whole has failed to find its place so far.

The company has to properly nurture whichever stars emerge as genuine top talents. If WWE is serious about "expanding" into the UK and having a regular broadcast in this country, then doing a better job than it did with the cruiserweights is vital.

This could be the start of a bright, new era for British wrestling—around 30 years since its glory years in the 1980s. The talent is there, and the idea is great. Now, it's time for everyone to deliver.