On the main WWE brands, Raw and Smackdown, nine belts get regular airtime.
One belt that is rarely seen on television is the WWE UK Championship, created in January 2017.
Although defended regularly on the independent circuit in promotions like Evolve, Destiny, Progress and ICW, WWE’s newest belt has only been defended on NXT and never on the main roster alongside their biggest stars.
How could WWE get this belt over on the main roster and really want people to care about it more?
BUILD THE DIVISION AROUND ONE PERSON
They have kind of already done this, but Pete Dunne is the number one guy in WWE’s UK division at the moment. Mark Andrews, Tyler Bate, and Trent Seven are guys waiting in the wings and do sometimes feature on WWE programming, but they haven’t been backed as much as Dunne has.
Dunne was handpicked by Triple H at the dawning of the division and made the most significant impact during the tournament weekend in Blackpool.
Having Dunne issue open challenges on Raw or Smackdown for the belt would increase the integrity as Dunne continues to see off challengers from the mid-card.
The Bruiserweight is in his mid-20’s; he could theoretically hold the belt for years before a new competitor comes along.
CREATE A BRAND NEW IDENTITY
The Cruiserweight’s are known for their high-flying and fast-paced wrestling so why not give the UK division their own identity?
Having seen Dunne, Bate and several other independent wrestlers across multiple shows in the UK, a proper identity to be given would be strong style.
Hypothetically, it would be perfect – Dunne, Seven and Bate already are part of British Strong Style, the tag team that has ruled across the independents.
Giving the division a sturdy platform to build on could attract different wrestlers and promote a slightly edgier version of wrestling while remaining PG.
SIGN BIGGER NAMES TO THE DIVISION
Wrestling has changed and always is changing, which is why it always feels so fresh.
Every year, new faces come and old faces disappear meaning we always want to see more.
If WWE could, somehow, get their hands on some more of the UK’s top independent stars and pry them stateside, then a really serious division could blossom.
It may seem outrageous now but imagine a returning Neville battling for a championship with Pete Dunne, Killian Dain, and Drew McIntrye. Not a bad start right?
Over time, more wrestlers could be drafted in over time.
Zack Sabre Jr. has previously featured on WWE television during the Cruiserweight Classic, and Will Ospreay has at least 20 years of wrestling still in him.
Who knows what the future holds.
GIVE AN AMERICAN THE BELT
To increase the status of the WWE UK Championship, why not give the title to an American?
Many foreigners have held the United States belt in the past and as recently as Kevin Owens and Bobby Roode who are both native Canadians.
Having Dunne as a dirty heel doing anything he can to get the belt back off a foreigner would be a great storyline and could easily slot into the mid-card of either Smackdown or Raw.
It may also introduce the belt to those casual viewers who only watch Raw and Smackdown occasionally instead of instantly whacking it into the main event.
What would you do to get the WWE UK Championship on the main roster? Tweet us at @Wrestlaholic or @WrestlaholicUK
