Several WWE Superstars are applying the term “when in Rome” to their stay in Perth, Australia ahead of WWE Elimination Chamber.
Footage has surfaced of an array of names holding a koala before they have to step in between the ring ropes this weekend and it’s pretty heartwarming for animal lovers.
LA Knight, Bianca Belair, Pete Dunne, Montez Ford, Indi Hartwell and Candice LeRae all got to hold one of Australia’s most notable mammals. Hartwell was the only one coming back home, but the rest of the gang may have experienced something new holding a marsupial.
Holding a koala may tug at the heart-strings, but WWE will get down to business for Elimination Chamber. The men’s match will feature Drew McIntyre vs. LA Knight vs. Kevin Owens vs. Logan Paul vs. Bobby Lashley vs. Randy Orton while the women’s match will have Becky Lynch vs. Tiffany Stratton vs. Bianca Belair vs. Naomi vs. Liv Morgan vs. Raquel Rodriguez.
Also on tap for the PLE is the hometown heroine Rhea Ripley defending her WWE World Women’s Championship against Nia Jax. The WWE Tag Team Championships will also be on the line as Damian Priest and Finn Balor defend the titles against Tyler Bate and Pete Dunne.
Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins will also have a featured segment together on the “Grayson Waller Effect.” Not only that, but The Undertaker was seen arriving in Perth for the show as well. For the American viewers on the east coast, Elimination Chamber starts at 5 AM ET.
The newly formed tag team of Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate is on the rise in WWE. Dunne and Bate joined forces on the main roster last month and quickly became tag team title contenders. Ahead of their championship opportunity at WWE Elimination Chamber on February 24, WWE has filed a trademark for their official tag team name.
Dunne and Bate will go by the tag team name New Catch Republic moving forward. The trademark for the same was registered on February 18,
Bate initially revealed the name on the February 16 episode of WWE Friday Night Smackdown. In a backstage interview with Kayla Braxton, Dunne and Bate spoke about their match against The Judgement Day (Finn Balor & Damian Priest) for the WWE Raw and Smackdown Tag Team Championship at WWE Elimination Chamber. After the ‘Bruiserweight’ shared the team’s goal of winning the titles, Bate introduced the New Catch Republic, to which Dunne nodded his approval.
Afterward, Dominick Mysterio interrupted their interview to set up a tag team match alongside JD McDonagh against the New Catch Republic. The match will occur on a taped WWE Friday Night Smackdown episode on February 23. WWE’s decision to have the match is a way to build momentum for the newly formed tag team ahead of their bout against Balor and Priest.
More On The Judgement Day vs. New Catch Republic At WWE Elimination Chamber
The upcoming premium live event presents an excellent opportunity for the New Catch Republic to showcase their skills against the tag team champions. Since becoming a team, Dunne and Bate have impressed WWE fans and added a new level of interest in the tag division.
That said, Balor and Priest are seemingly the favorites to retain their titles at WWE Elimination Chamber. Although the tag titles are set to be defended this Saturday, the company seems to already be teasing R-Truth and The Miz as possible future challengers for Balor and Priest.
The Judgement Day has held the tag championship since the October 16 WWE Monday Night Raw episode last year. Since then, they have only defended their belts four times but have looked dominant everytime they have put the titles on the line.
The new Catch Republic vs. The Judgement Day still has the potential to be one of the best matches at the upcoming premium live event. While they may not win, an excellent showing for Dunne and Bate could garner more fan attention and make WWE consider featuring them more on TV.
Paul Heyman has a long history of managing clients in the pro wrestling world. The Bloodline might not last forever, especially as the road to WrestleMania 40 becomes even more tumultuous. There are many more Superstars in WWE who may benefit from Heyman’s guidance, and we collected a list to explore a few options.
Throughout his career, Heyman has managed many top names including Brock Lesnar, CM Punk, Kurt Angle, Big Show, Rob Van Dam, The Dudley Boyz, Steve Austin, Rick Rude, and Matt Hardy. Additionally, Heyman has had stints managing factions such as The Dangerous Alliance in WCW and The Dangerous Alliance and The Alliance in WWE. That doesn’t even count his position as The Bloodline’s Wise Man.
Brock Lesnar is no longer in any WWE creative plans due to his name being connected to Janel Grant’s lawsuit. I asked just last week and was able to confirm that is still the case, and Lesnar’s name is not coming up in any creative fashion. Since the Beast Incarnate’s return to WWE might take a long while, let’s see who might be next for Heyman if the Bloodline implodes.
Bron Breakker
It seems that Breakker is the #1 candidate to become the next Paul Heyman Guy after The Wise Man’s Bloodline tenure is over. Heyman paid special attention to Breakker during SmackDown, as he made extra effort to introduce himself. Heyman and Breakker also had a segment on NXT months ago. The former NXT Champion also has all the tools needed to become a breakout star for the main roster once he can get things moving for himself after his NXT obligations are over.
GUNTHER
GUNTHER’s imposing presence and hard-hitting style would make him a perfect candidate for Paul Heyman’s stable. Heyman could amplify the IC Champion’s intimidating persona and help him become a dominant force in WWE, both in the ring and on the microphone. The Ring General has a pretty great thing going with Imperium right now, but that stable has showed signs of cracks in the past, and GUNTHER’s domination in WWE will not end with the stable’s eventual demise.
Pete Dunne
The former Butch is known for his intense in-ring style and captivating presence. Triple H gave Pete Dunne is name back, and the Brawling Brutes is now over. He teamed up with Tyler Bate, and they are getting a chance as a tandem. Some would say that Dunne may thrive under Paul Heyman’s guidance. Heyman could help Dunne further develop his character and storytelling abilities, solidifying his status as a top star in WWE.
Dexter Lumis
With his unique character and silent intensity, Dexter Lumis would be an intriguing addition to Paul Heyman’s stable. Heyman could help Lumis further develop his character and storytelling abilities, positioning him as a standout star in WWE. If anything, it would give Lumis something to do. I’ve asked around about his status many times, and I’ve been told that he’s not injured. Hopefully, WWE will figure out a way to use the serial killer with a heart of gold soon.
Raquel Rodriguez
As the current NXT Women’s Champion, Raquel Rodriguez has already proven herself as a dominant force in WWE. With Paul Heyman’s guidance, she could further elevate her character and mic skills, establishing herself as a top star on the main roster. She hasn’t been able to find her footing on the main roster since her call-up, although she has seen glimpses of good booking. Perhaps, Heyman advocating for her may do the trick.
Shotzi Blackheart
With her unique look, high-flying style, and charismatic personality, Shotzi Blackheart would be an excellent addition to Paul Heyman’s stable of clients. Heyman could help Blackheart refine her character and mic skills, positioning her as a standout star in WWE’s women’s division. Sadly, Shotzi is out of action with a knee injury which will keep her on the shelf for a majority of 2024, but her return as a Paul Heyman Girl may be just what she needs.
Rhea Ripley
The Nightmare could be a good fit as a Paul Heyman Girl due to her distinct appearance, impressive in-ring skills, and ability on the microphone. Ripley’s unique look and imposing presence make her stand out performer. With Heyman’s guidance, Ripley could further develop her in-ring storytelling and refine her microphone skills, enhancing her ability to connect with the audience and establish herself as a dominant force in the women’s division. She is currently in the Judgment Day, but that stable may open the door to Heyman swooping in eventually.
There are many options for WWE Superstars that would make fine Paul Heyman clients. SEScoops will have continued coverage of WWE, just in case any of these prospective pairings becomes a reality.
WWE fans resisted Pete Dunne’s name change to Butch at first. That one-word name grew on people eventually, but it appears more changes are coming for the former NXT UK Champion.
Changes Coming For Butch
The Brawling Brutes stable, consisting of Sheamus, Ridge Holland, and Butch, are no more. The faction quietly broke up, as Butch made mention of that fact during a promo with Tyler Bate a couple of weeks ago.
Now, Sean Ross Sapp reports on Fightful Select that Butch is in for a presentation change. Those hints were already dropped on SmackDown.
It was noted that, during that pre-produced vignette on Smackdown where Butch revealed that the Brawling Brutes broke up, he said he had to make a name for himself. Now, a change back to Pete Dunne is being discussed.
Fightful has confirmed that a change back to Pete Dunne has long been discussed, with one source in WWE telling Corey Brennan “it’s exactly what it looks like.”
Backstage Reaction To Butch’s Initial Name Change
The report further noted that when “Butch’s name was changed from Dunne, it got some of the heaviest pushback in recent WWE memory.” Fans did not love the name change at first, either.
One source reportedly brought up Bushwhacker Butch as they said, “It wasn’t even that it was a bad name. The name was okay, it was fine. But there was already a Butch. An actual wrestler named Butch already in our Hall of Fame.”
WWE has changed Superstar names for one reason or another throughout the years, for any number of reasons. While Butch did have a good run on the WWE main roster, it appears that Vince McMahon change to Pete Dunne’s character may get swapped back by Triple H.
Pete Dunne returned this week on SmackDown, under that name, He received a massive pop as he came out to team with Tyler Bate. The team took on Pretty Deadly, and his change back to the Dunne name received a great reaction.
Tyler Bate made his debut on WWE’s January 5th episode of SmackDown, as he helped Butch pick up an important win against Pretty Deadly. Triple H calls the shots in WWE, and he’s always been a fan of Bate. Now he gets to book him on a much larger stage.
Tyler Bate’s WWE Main Roster Debut
Pretty Deadly was slated to take on Butch on SmackDown, yet Butch lacked a partner. Despite the absence of a designated teammate, the match was scheduled for SmackDown’s New Year’s Revolution episode, offering fans an unexpected twist.
Butch chose Tyler Bate as his partner, marking the NXT Superstar’s first appearance on SmackDown, but it will not be his last. Tyler Bate is now officially a SmackDown Superstar.
After Butch and Tyler Bate picked up a win over Pretty Deadly on SmackDown, the Big Stong Boi made it very clear that he’s on SmackDown for the long haul.
“Finally, it’s been a long time coming, but the Big Strong Boi has finally arrived on SmackDown — and I am here to stay.”
Following his debut on the show, Bate is now featured on the SmackDown roster page on WWE’s website. A video posted on Instagram by WWE features Bate stating that he has made his presence known on SmackDown and intends to remain.
Tyler Bate is a wrestler from England who worked in WWE. He became the first WWE United Kingdom Champion in January 2017 at 19 years old. Bate was a proud part of NXT UK, until the brand closed down, which opened the door for his NXT debut.
Tyler Bate’s wrestling style is known for strength and agility, and he’s been part of important matches in WWE. He’s also raked up a ton of accomplishments in WWE so far in his career.
Tyler Bate is a two-time WWE/NXT United Kingdom Champion, he not only claimed the inaugural title but also secured the final one. Bate further solidified his standing by winning the NXT UK Heritage Cup.
While teaming up with Trent Seven, Bate won both the NXT Tag Team Championship and the NXT UK Tag Team Championship. Notably, he holds the distinction of being the first NXT UK Triple Crown Champion as well. He also won the NXT Tag Team Championship Invitational in 2018 with Seven.
Tyler Bate picked up the NXT Year-End Award for Match of the Year in 2017, recognized for his outstanding bout against Pete Dunne for the WWE United Kingdom Championship at NXT TakeOver: Chicago. Now, he is teaming with Dunne, as Butch, on WWE SmackDown.
Former NXT UK champion Butch apparently got his old gimmick back during tonight’s double SmackDown tapings in Detroit before the Clash At The Castle PPV.
This week’s episode of SmackDown saw a confrontation between the current IC champion Gunther and the #1 contender for his title Sheamus.
The Intercontinental champion had Ludwig Kaiser on his side while Sheamus was accompanied by Butch and Ridge Holland.
The ending of this segment saw Butch attacking Kaiser. Sheamus and Gunther later broke them up. The IC champion then had a stare down with the Celtic Warrior before he left the ring.
Though this wasn’t the last of these two groups fans saw on the night. They came out again during the second set of SmackDown tapings.
Pete ‘Butch’ Dunn
The tapings for next week’s SmackDown saw Butch taking on Ludwig Kaiser in a singles match. Though what’s interesting is that the former NXT UK Champion, previously known as Pete Dunn brought back his old ring attire for this bout:
Dunn has been teasing the return of his old character after Triple H took over WWE creative. He recently changed his name on Twitter to suggest the same.
This SmackDown appearance seems to be another sign that Pete Dunn will be returning to his roots sooner rather than later. He might even get his old ring name back after the Clash At The Castle PPV.
Pete Dunne is the latest Superstar to receive a new ring name on WWE’s main roster. Fans have widely mocked his new name, Butch, but he’s trying to keep a positive outlook on things.
The former NXT UK champion appeared on Mark Andrews: My Love Letter to Wrestling. Among other things, he revealed his reaction to his new name.
The superstar now known as Butch suggested that it may be a good time to change things up since he has been in NXT for 5 years. Dunne then explained that his persona will remain the same despite the renaming:
“The thing is with me, whether it’s a name or whatever changes, that’s not what really endeared me to the audience in the first place, right?
I’d like to think anyway it’s the quality of the in-ring work,” said Pete Dunne, “and that’s what I’m going to keep the same, of course. And it’s going to get better, it’s going to improve as time goes.”
The English star signed with WWE way back in 2016. He first had a successful run in NXT UK before he moved to the main NXT brand in 2020.
After competing in dark matches for months, Dunne finally made his main roster debut during the March 11 episode of SmackDown. He aligned himself with Sheamus and Ridge Holland, and revealed his new name Butch.
Pete Dunne is now a member of the main roster as part of WWE SmackDown. The former NXT UK star was shown on this week’s episode of SmackDown in a backstage segment where he was introduced by Sheamus with a new name, which is “Butch.”
Sheamus stated that he goes way back with Butch and called him more powerful than two sledgehammers combined. The former Pete Dunne is now in a group with Sheamus and Ridge Holland as the fellow former NXT star has been teaming with Sheamus for several months on SmackDown.
Butch and Holland had an alliance while in NXT before Holland was moved to SmackDown.
Butch accompanied Sheamus and Holland to the ring for their match with Big E and Kofi Kingston where the heels went over. During it, Big E had a rough fall for his bump outside of the ring and he landed right on his head. Post-match, Butch attacked Kingston.
Butch has found success since arriving in WWE back in 2016 as he is a former WWE United Kingdom Champion and also a former NXT Tag Team Champion alongside Matt Riddle.
Both former NXT champion Tommaso Ciampa and former NXT UK champion Pete Dunne were brought in to the main roster for trial matches once again this week. They were in the arena for the Raw episode from Philadelphia, PA.
Though, unlike the last time, their matches were taped this time around and they will be airing as part of this week’s episode of Main Event.
Ciampa faced off against former Retribution member T-Bar during the show while Pete Dunne ended up competing against Akira Tozawa.
Both these NXT stars were brought in for the SmackDown tapings last week as well. They had competed in a dark match against each other. That match was won by the former DIY member.
Tommaso Ciampa dropped the NXT championship to Bron Breakker during New Year’s Evil. He seemed to suggest a main roster move with his post-match tweet.
Pete Dunne on the other hand, has been feuding with Tony D’Angelo. The former NXT UK star will be facing D’Angelo in a “Crowbar on a Pole” match on NXT this Tuesday.
The officials seem to be evaluating both the NXT stars for an official main roster call-up soon. With the Royal Rumble being around the corner, it will be interesting to see if they enter the upcoming battle royal.
Former NXT champion Tommaso Ciampa and former NXT UK champion Pete Dunne were both at this week’s episode of SmackDown.
The two competed in a dark match before the show went on air. The match was won by Ciampa and Dunne apparently got his old entrance music back for his appearance:
Tonight’s #SmackDown dark match: Tommaso Ciampa beat Pete Dunne in a great match! AND DUNNE HAD HIS OLD ENTRANCE MUSIC BACK!!! pic.twitter.com/shFZkDuQlC
WWE officials have recently been evaluating talents for a main roster call up through dark matches before SmackDown and Raw.
People such as Austin Theory, Karrion Kross, Shotzi Blackheart, Xia Li among others have similarly competed in dark matches before being called up to the main roster.
Pete Dunne has wrestled only one televised match since the Team Black and Gold lost to Team 2.0 at the NXT Takeover: WarGames event last month.
Tommaso Ciampa similarly dropped the NXT title to Bron Breakker at New Year’s Evil and teased his departure from the brand with his post-match tweet.
All signs seem to be pointing towards these two former champions heading to the main roster sooner rather than later.
With the Royal Rumble coming up later this month, the only question that remains is whether WWE will confirm their main roster call up before that or use them as surprise entrances.
The WWE has reportedly offered NXT talent Pete Dunne a contract extension. Dunne’s contract issue is similar to Cole’s in that WWE was unaware that it was expiring. Fightful Select reports that WWE offered him an extension but was unsure if he signed.
“The length of the offered extension has not been confirmed and varied based on who we spoke to, but the offer was confirmed by an anonymous WWE rep.”
– Fightful Select
Pete Dunne WWE Status
While it’s unclear if WWE re-signed Dunne, NXT featured him on yesterday’s episode. In the recent episode, he teased a feud with NXT Champion Samoa Joe. He also has a newly formed faction with Ridge Holland, Oney Lorcan, and Danny Burch. Unlike Cole, it seems that WWE has immediate plans for Dunne in NXT.
Contract issues in WWE
WWE is hoping to re-sign both Dunne and Cole to avoid them testing free agency. WrestlingInc’s Marc Middleton reported Cole’s contract situation caught WWE executives off guard. Middleton also stated that the departure of former Senior Vice President of Talent Development Canyon Ceman is related to the sudden Cole’s contract issue. “…PWInsider noted that the timing of the company learning of the Cole contract issue “very much lines up with the timing of” Ceman’s departure,” said Middleton.
While it’s unclear if Cole will re-sign, WWE seems to be confident Dunne will. PWInsider Mike Johnson reported that WWE plans to make him a featured heel in NXT. However, as Fightful Select said, it’s unknown if Dunne “…has re-signed or if he plans to.”
The NXT brand will be looking to make Johnny Gargano the next major heel.
PWInsider Mike Johnson reports that Gargano will be the next top heel in NXT. This report responds to former NXT champion Karrion Kross moving to the main roster and Adam Cole’s contract status.
“With Adam Cole and Karrion Kross gone, we are told the current plan is for Johnny Gargano to be positioned as the top heel for the brand,” said Johnson.
Johnny Gargano Current Situation
Gargano is currently in a storyline with his faction “The Way” and Dexter Lumus. He and Candice Lerae has tried to prevent Hartwell and Lumis from being together. PWinsider’s Billy Krotchsen shared results for upcoming NXT tapings. From the tapings, it would seem the current storyline will continue in September. However, the report revealed that he might start a feud with LA Knight.
NXT is moving in a new direction soon. With the departure of Cole and Kross, the brand has a unique opportunity for heels to become fill their role. Johnson reported that along with Gargano, Pete Dunne and Roderick Strong would have new positions within the brand. “We are told Pete Dunne, and Roderick Strong will also be main players on the heel side of things,” said Johnson.
It was recently reported by Fightful Select that WWE NXT Superstar Pete Dunne is extremely close to the end of his WWE contract and that he has not as of yet signed an extension to remain with the company.
This week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter noted that Pete Dunne’s WWE NXT contract is up at the end of August.
Prior to this report, there were no reports as to when Dunne’s contract was up, only that he is in a situation similar to Adam Cole, whose own contract ended around NXT Great American Bash and he signed a extension up to WWE SummerSlam 2021.
“Pete Dunne’s deal is also coming due on either 8/31 or 9/1. He’s another super worker who has been in the system for years and should have been a main roster star, even if he started as part of a tag team, long ago.”
WRESTLING OBSERVER NEWSLETTER
Pete Dunne Moving To AEW
Pete Dunne began on the WWE NXT UK roster, holding on to the WWE United Kingdom Championship for 685 days. Dunne was then moved to NXT in the United States ‘officially’, where he then won the NXT Tag Team Championships with Matt Riddle in early 2020.
Dunne is considered a hot commodity, with WWE eager to keep the 27-year-old performer and stop him moving over to AEW. The former PROGRESS World Champion could be a major player if he were to make the move to All Elite, with a wealth of experience but youth meaning that he’s got at least another potential 15 years left in his career, should he wish to wrestle for that long.
WWE NXT Superstar and former PROGRESS Champion Pete Dunne recently spoke to Mike Johnson of PWInsider. The Bruiserweight discussed a number of topics, including a potential bout between himself and the NXT Champion, Karrion Kross.
“With my style being as physical as it is, and the way the Kross wrestles, I think it does mesh together quite well” Pete Dunne would begin, discussing the potential match. “He’s somebody that I had my eye on just before he got to the company, and then seeing the way he’s come in, and he’s breezing through so fast.”
“Obviously, he had the injury” Dunne added, alluding to the injury Kross suffered after winning the NXT Championship for the first time. “But to come back and do it all over again is impressive; and I definitely would like to work with him down the line.”
Pete Dunne on Karrion Kross
“And for me personally, it’s just a case of, I’ve been in NXT now for coming up to five years, I had that obviously long run in the UK with the UK title; I had a brief run with Matt Riddle as the tag champion” Dunne added.
The Bruiserweight finished by discussing how his current work compares to his time in NXT UK and the independents; saying that he is producing the best work of his career.
“But I really do feel like now I’m here, I’m in the best shape of my life” Pete Dunne noted. “I’m doing the best work I’ve ever done, and it’s time to take that next step. And if Kross’ is who I’d do that against, then so be it. I can’t wait to get rolling” The Bruiserweight concluded.
NXT Superstar Pete Dunne has reflected on this past summer’s #SpeakingOut movement that took place across social media. Speaking with the Daily Star, Dunne acknowledged how it was “horrible” to see the stories pouring out. This past June, people shared their stories of emotional abuse, physical abuse, and sexual harassment within the pro wrestling industry.
“It was horrible to hear these stories come out and everything that came with that because British wrestling was, alongside my own career, something I was trying to build,” Dunne said. “The whole time, I was trying to give back as much as I could, but with the pandemic and, of course, the Speaking Out stuff, that combination has really hurt British wrestling. But that doesn’t mean that it’s all over for British wrestling.”
Dunne continued, “Things are starting to move back to normal and [Speaking Out] is now at a Parliamentary level which is great. I was doing the best I could, and so were a lot of people, but it’s above us, and we need people who actually know how to make the correct changes. I am glad it is in their hands… hopefully from here it can only move in the right direction and people are aware of the changes that need to be made. Fingers crossed, in a year’s time, British wrestling looks completely different.”
Pete Dunne: Implementing Small Changes Will Lead To Major Improvements
Dunne explained how there are “small changes” he would love to see as a talent, including how every show should have first aiders in attendance. He noted how simple no-brainer changes like this will make a massive difference to the talent and industry as a whole.
“I’m so glad it has moved to a Parliamentary level. I get to have a meeting involved with the people involved in that party and they’re passionate about finding some kind of change. I really do want to urge people to listen to them and talk to them.”
He shared how, although people “perceive” him to be at the forefront of British wrestling, he is “not qualified” to suggest necessary change. According to Dunne, “it’s completely above me.”
“All I can say is that I fully support any positive, professional change to the industry. I want it to be better and, of course, safer. Fingers crossed they’re the people to do it, so I urge people to reach out to them and listen to what they’re saying.”
Pete Dunne has been back on NXT programming since aligning himself with Pat McAfee. He recently participated as a member of Team McAfee at NXT TakeOver: WarGames. They lost to the Undisputed Era.
Pete Dunne holds WWE NXT and NXT UK in high regard because that’s where he started in WWE.
The former NXT UK Champion did an interview with Scott Fishman of Wrestling Inc to discuss the importance of NXT to him.
He noted that NXT has always been what it is and never changed despite who is working on the brand. He put it over for having a competitive locker room and everyone trying to have the best match on the card.
Dunne then brought up why he thinks NXT should not be seen in the same light as RAW and SmackDown.
“It’s great to be part of Survivor Series and getting the chance to do that. At the same time, I want NXT to stand out on its own. NXT has been great to me. I love being able to wrestle the way I want to wrestle and be who I want to be. NXT is this amazing platform to do that. Raw and SmackDown, main roster, whatever you want to call it.
That’s its own thing too. Whether it’s progression or moving from brand to brand if I ever move to Raw or SmackDown, I want it to feel exciting and interesting. I feel like you can be overexposed there now.”
Dunne brought up how that wouldn’t do anything for the brand or himself even if it’s good for the pickets. He stated that being in the Royal Rumble and Survivor Series is great, but he’s not in any rush to get to the main roster.
Dunne also doesn’t think anyone should feel panic when NXT is not involved in Survivor Series, which it wasn’t this year.
“So having us as separate entities is not bad at all.”
Pete Dunne has made his return to WWE NXT after being associated with the NXT UK brand for the majority of his time with WWE.
The former NXT UK Champion had been sidelined due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which shut down not only the NXT UK brand but also prevented him from working in the United States for the NXT brand.
He spoke with SI.com about his return to the NXT brand.
“I couldn’t leave the U.K. because of the travel ban, so it became a chance to reset my goals. I’ve done this since I was 12 years old and this was the most time off I’ve ever had. When it’s your job and it’s day–in and day–out, you’re so close to it that you can lose focus of the bigger picture. I was able to get in the best shape of my life and completely focus on what I wanted. The NXT title is atop that list.”
He noted that he never had the time to just focus on training as his previous focus was about the performance in order to put on better matches in the ring and stay injury-free.
Dunne continued that mindset was something he could control and now feels better for it as he kept his muscle mass.
“I can carry a brand. I did it in the UK with an entire brand basically built around me, and my in-ring work speaks for itself. Now I’m with Pat McAfee, who is incredibly charismatic. It’s a winning combination.”
Dunne is aligned with the faction led by Pat McAfee.
Along with being a full-time star for WWE, Pete Dunne has also got a new role in the company.
The former NXT UK Champion is now working as a producer for the WWE NXT UK brand. The news was revealed when Dunne was labeled as an NXT UK Producer on the latest episode of the weekly NXT UK show on the WWE Network this past Thursday.
It should be noted that he is still a member of the NXT roster in the United States. However, he has not wrestled since March due to travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Thus, when WWE relaunched the NXT UK brand at BT Studios, WWE put him to work in this new role while he’s stuck in the country.
He’s slated to appear on next week’s episode of NXT UK as he’ll be doing a segment where he picks the match-ups for the Heritage Cup Tournament.
Speaking of Dunne, he took to Twitter to show off his new physique as he has lost some weight. He wrote the following:
“I’ve had quite a few mentions saying I’ve lost weight and asking if I’m unwell etc. I’ve used lockdown to get in the best shape of my life and I’m excited for an eventual in-ring return when travel is possible.”
I’ve had quite a few mentions saying I’ve lost weight and asking if I’m unwell etc.
The tag team of Matt Riddle and Pete Dunne collectively known as the Broserweights had become a fan favourite but their pairing came to an abrupt end due to COVID-19.
The former UFC star recently had an interview with TalkSport, where he discussed a number of things and also revealed the original plans for their tag team.
Riddle revealed that their pairing was originally not supposed to last for long but they were kept together because the fans loved them and they were working well together:
“Bro, all my eggs were in that Broserweight basket, I’ll be honest, they put us together and we formed a team and I don’t think we were supposed to last more than a couple of weeks.
But the fans loved us, we were working really well together and me and Pete get along pretty well” said Matt Riddle “we have pretty good minds for wrestling. Be it on the indies or NXT/WWE, we had it going on and we had a history.”
The Broserweights were originally put together for the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic in January but they ended up sticking together after winning the tournament and the duo went on to win the NXT Tag Team Championships in February.
However, Pete Dunne ended up being stuck in UK due to coronavirus related travel restrictions. WWE then made Timothy Thatcher the temporary partner for Riddle. They lost the NXT titles to Imperium in May and Matt was called to the main roster.
During the interview, the former NXT star also talked about his main roster debut on SmackDown and Matt Riddle said that the real money would have been in him attacking Kurt Angle. You can check out his comments at this link.
Pete Dunne knows better than most people how the travel restrictions due to the coronavirus have impacted WWE being able to use stars.
The WWE NXT Tag Team Champion spoke with Alex McCarthy of TalkSport.com about his hiatus from WWE television. This is due to the outbreak of the coronavirus as most countries in the world have locked down their borders.
This means it’s difficult if not impossible for wrestlers traveling internationally for work. In the case of Dunne, he’s in the UK and not able to make it to the United States to work weekly NXT TV shows.
According to Dunne, he sees this as a much-needed break in some type of way.
“I think for years and years we talked about maybe, is there a way that wrestling could have a kind-of off-season. I think this is a good trial for that for some of us.”
Dunne continued by noting that being home with his family and able to train is different from how he would if he was on the road and wrestling all the time. He added that he’s just trying to put a positive spin on something that’s hugely negative.
“But if I was going to [have an off-season], then spending time with the family, training hard, recouping and then coming back better.”
The topic of an off-season in WWE has been a topic among fans and wrestlers alike for years due to WWE’s tough touring schedule. However, the case of having it has been dismissed.
Whether that’s due to revenue that WWE would lose from not holding shows or impacting their large TV deals. With this virus, it has proven the point that WWE can survive without holding events in front of fans.
Pete Dunne & Matt Riddle are the new NXT Tag Team Champions.
The unlikely tag team did so when they defeated The Undisputed Era (Bobby Fish & Kyle O’Reilly) in one of the top matches at the WWE NXT TakeOver: Portland event.
The Grizzled Young Veterans took on Pete Dunne and Matt Riddle in Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic with the winners being Dunne and Riddle. As a result, they earned the right to challenge for the straps and did so successfully.
In the first round of the tournament, Riddle and Dunne beat Mark Andrews & Flash Morgan Webster. In the semi-finals, they beat Imperium (Marcel Barthel & Fabian Aichner)
O’Reilly and Fish became champions when they beat Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford) for the titles on the August 15, 2019 episode of NXT.
As of this writing, there’s no word yet on when O’Reilly and Fish will get a rematch for the gold.
What are your thoughts on Pete Dunne & Matt Riddle beating The Undisputed Era (Bobby Fish & Kyle O’Reilly) for the NXT Tag Team Titles? Was this the right call by WWE officials? Sound off in the comment section.
Former NXT UK Champion Pete Dunne recently became a permanent fixture of WWE’s black-and-gold brand in America. In an interview with PWInsider, Dunne addressed this move to NXT as well as who his current dream match would be against.
Dunne confirmed his move to NXT but stressed that he doesn’t believe it changes his status in the company.
“I think for the last three years I’ve been an independent wrestler, main roster wrestler, NXT wrestler and NXT UK wrestler. I’m all over the place, and I like the way that it’s opening up. Right? Cesaro can come do NXT UK, and I don’t want to close any door unnecessarily, but as of now the focus is USA every Wednesday.”
When asked who he’d consider a dream opponent, Dunne was quick to name a fellow NXT Superstar.
“First name [that] comes to mind would be Velveteen Dream. I just feel like me and him are on two opposite ends of the spectrum, character-wise. Right? And I feel like it’s an interesting dynamic that it’d be fun for me in front of him and obviously hopefully that translates out to the audience. Really, we’ve done a little bit in the past, but on TV at least, never had that singles match. Nothing. That’d be cool.”
Dunne is currently involved in a feud with Damian Priest, who attacked him from behind during a recent episode of NXT.
In recent weeks, WWE Superstars have been jumping across brands. Cesaro recently appeared on NXT UK TakeOver: Cardiff; Kassius Ohno has become a mainstay on NXT UK, and both NXT UK’s Pete Dunne and Rhea Ripley have been featured on WWE’s NXT brand.
According to PWInsider, there could be some permanent changes ahead once NXT has moved to USA Network as two NXT UK names are reportedly moving to NXT full-time.
The first is ‘The Bruiserweight’ Pete Dunne. Dunne is apparently in the process of attaining the necessary visas that would allow him to live in the United States, becoming a full-time member of the black-and-gold brand in the process.
He recently came back to NXT and competed in a triple-threat matchup against The Velveteen Dream and Roderick Strong at NXT TakeOver: Toronto in August. Velveteen Dream would successfully defend his NXT North American Championship. Dunne holds the record as NXT UK’s longest-running NXT UK Champion.
The second name is the former NXT UK Women’s Champion, Toni Storm. There are reportedly big plans in place for Storm if and when she becomes a permanent fixture on NXT. Storm recently dropped the championship to Kay Lee Ray at NXT UK TakeOver: Cardiff.
NXT moves to USA Network on September 18th, extending to a new two-hour time slot.
The Velveteen Dream is still the WWE NXT North American Champion.
He retained the title in the latest title defense against Pete Dunne and Roderick Strong in a triple threat match.
As expected, they put on one heck of a match that delivered on the main card of the WWE NXT TakeOver: Toronto II event in Toronto, Ontario at the Scotiabank Arena on Saturday night.
This match was set up when it was revealed by General Manager William Regal that The Velveteen Dream would make his next title defense at this show back on the July 24th episode of NXT TV.
Dream won the title from Johnny Gargano back on the January 30th episode of the weekly television show of the yellow brand. He’s only the fourth champion in the history of the strap.
WWE holds NXT TV tapings on Thursday, August 15th in Winter Park, Florida at Full Sail University where WWE will have the fallout from this event as well as this match. It will be interesting to see if WWE goes in a different direction.
What are your thoughts on Dream retaining the NXT North American Title? Was this the right call by WWE officials? Sound off in the comment section.
Fans have been wondering when the rematch between WALTER and Pete Dunne for the WWE NXT UK Title would take place. On Monday morning, WWE answered that question.
The WALTER captured the NXT UK Title when he dethroned Dune at the NXT TakeOver: New York event from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York earlier this month during WrestleMania weekend.
WWE revealed that the rematch would take place this coming weekend when the company holds NXT UK tapings on Friday and Saturday in Glasgow at the Intu Braehead. WWE did not mention which day this contest would be held. WWE made the news public to fans with this post shared on Twitter:
Many fans considered it in one of the best matches of the night outside of the main event that saw Johnny Gargano beat Adam Cole in a 2 out of 3 Falls Match to win the vacant NXT Title.
Dune held the title for 685 days after winning the title from inaugural champion Tyler Bate.
What are your thoughts on WWE holding this rematch at a TV taping? Was this the right call by WWE officials or should they have waited until the next TakeOver special? Sound off in the comment section.
