Noah's Ark of Wrestling: BWOTW Special: Your Guide to the United Kingdom Championship Tournament

Yes, I've managed to do another guide. In this 'BWOTW Special' we'll be taking a look at the 16 men competing in the upcoming WWE United Kingdom Championship Tournament. Over the two nights, Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th January, this single elimination tournament will turn one of them into a champion, the inaugural champion to something I have high hopes for.

Truth be told, I don't know a fair few of these competitors so this is going to be a lovely learning experience for the both of us, dear reader. So, some insights might not be as in depth as others, I wasn't able to find everything out, missing a couple details here and there, but hey ho, lets get to it.

The Dudes I Know

Pete Dunne

Age: 23

Pro Debut: 2005

Billed From: Birmingham, West Midlands, England

Associated Companies: PROGRESS, RevPro, Attack!, WCPW, wXw, Over The Top Wrestling (OTT), Fight Club: PRO, Pro Wrestling Guerrilla (PWG)

Notable Accomplishments: Current PROGRESS Wrestling Champion, Current Fight Club: PRO Champion, Current OTT No Limits Champion, Former PROGRESS Tag Team Champion (w/ Trent Seven), Former RevPro British Cruiserweight Champion, Former 5x Attack! 24/7 Champion, Former wXw Shotgun Champion

Pete Dunne has quickly become one of the biggest names in British wrestling, being a major player in several of the largest British companies, as well as having competed in the States for Pro Wrestling Guerrilla, debuting in the 2016 Battle of Los Angeles tournament. Utilising what he has coined as 'British Strong Style', Dunne is one nasty bastard to be in the ring with, and I expect that he will be just as mean in the tournament. He is my prediction to be the winner of this whole thing, so c'mon Dunne!

Mark Andrews

Age: 24

Pro Debut: 2006

Billed From: Cardiff, Wales

Associated Companies: Total Nonstop Action (TNA), PROGRESS, Attack!, PWG, SWE

Notable Accomplishments: TNA British Bootcamp 2 Winner, Former PROGRESS Champion, Former PROGRESS Tag Team Champion (w/ Eddie Dennis), PROGRESS Natural Progression Series 2013 Winner, Former 5x Attack! 24/7 Champion, Former Attack! Tag Team Trophy Champion (w/ Nixon Newell)

Perhaps the most well known competitor in this tournament, Mark Andrews has wrestled at a high level in the British scene, as well as abroad, tenuring in TNA under the name 'Mandrews', which, in my opinion, is a fairly terrible name. Nevertheless, he is one hell of a high flyer, busting out Shooting Star Presses in the most beautiful way. Andrews usually assumes the more underdog type role, and I think that will work well not only in this tournament, but also going forward in WWE's new weekly show for these guys.

Danny Burch

Age: 35

Pro Debut: 2003

Billed From: London, England

Associated Companies: NXT, Insane Championship Wrestling (ICW), IPW:UK, RevPro, wXw, Full Impact Pro (FIP)

Notable Accomplishments: Current FIP Florida Heritage Champion, Former 3x IPW:UK Champion, Former RevPro British Tag Team Champion (w/ Joel Redman), Former wXw Tag Team Champion (w/ Douglas Williams)

It's Danny Burch, that one that has appeared on NXT a few times, and I think got released at one point maybe, Danny Burch! I do not know a whole lot about this guy outside of his NXT appearances, so it should be interesting to see how he fairs now that he is being something more than enhancement talent. He might have a sort of Brian Kendrick role, being the grizzled vet looking to show why he's better.

Trent Seven

Age: 35

Pro Debut: 2009

Billed From: Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England

Associated Companies: ICW, RevPro, PROGRESS, WhatCulture Pro Wrestling (WCPW), wXw, Fight Club: PRO, Chikara

Notable Accomplishments: Former 2x PROGRESS Tag Team Champion (1x w/ Pete Dunne, 1x w/ Tyler Bate), Former Fight Club: PRO Champion, Former Chikara Campeonatos de Parejas (w/ Tyler Bate)

Son of Trent Six (I can only assume), Trent Seven has been growing in star power of the last few years, wrestling for the bigger companies in the UK. The tag team partner of Dunne in the team of 'British Strong Style', and also former partner of fellow competitor Tyler Bate, I can imagine that they might play up these connections in the tournament. Plus, just look at that facial hair, I can only dream of having something like that.

The Dudes I Sorta Know

Joseph Conners

Age: 29

Pro Debut: 2006

Billed From: Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England

Associated Companies: WCPW, SWE, IPW:UK

Notable Accomplishments: Former WCPW World Champion, Former 2x SWE Heavyweight Champion, Former 2x SWE Tag Team Champion (1x w/ Paul Malen, 1x w/ Jimmy Havoc)

I don't know a whole lot about Joseph Conners, but it appears he's one of the major WCPW guys that WWE have tempted away. From the looks of him, I can imagine he's all about a rougher style, but don't take my word as gospel.

Wolfgang

Age: 30

Pro Debut: 2003

Billed From: Glasgow, Scotland

Associated Companies: ICW

Notable Accomplishments: Current ICW Heavyweight Champion, Former ICW Zero-G Champion

We've got our first hoss! Wolfgang, the current ICW Champion, is here in the tournament. We can assume ICW and WWE are on good terms what with Balor appearing at Fear and Loathing, so this is even more crossover, similar to Dunne being PROGRESS Champion. I imagine Wolfgang is the biggest lad in this tournament, so they'll probably play that up.

Tyler Bate

Age: 19

Pro Debut: 2012

Billed From: Netherton, Dudley, England

Associated Companies: wXw, Attack!, RevPro, Chikara

Notable Accomplishments: Former wXw Shotgun Champion, Former 3x Attack! 24/7 Champion, Former Chikara Campeonatos de Parejas (w/ Trent Seven)

Tyler Bate, only 19 and look where he is. Not only a mainstay in Britain but also a name in Germany's wXw. At this age, the sky's the limit for Bate. Now I've seen Bate live at a Global Force Wrestling show in 2015 against Trevor Lee. But, it being in my rural town, they didn't go all out, so I am expecting some nice stuff from this one.

Jordan Devlin

Age: 26

Pro Debut: 2006

Billed From: Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland

Associated Companies: OTT

Notable Accomplishments: N/A

Trained by Finn Balor himself, Devlin is based in and around the Ireland area. I know hardly anything else about the man, but from the looks of him, he's got a solid chin and a lovely beard. From the little clips I've seen on OTT's YouTube, it appears he may have a similar style to Balor.

The Dudes I Don't Know

Sam Gradwell

Age: ???

Pro Debut: 2009

Billed From: Blackpool, Lancashire, England

Associated Companies: Grand Pro Wrestling (GPW)

Notable Accomplishments: Former GPW Champion, Former GPW Tag Team Champion (w/ Chris Echo)

Initial Impressions: Something about the shape of his head unsettles me. That's all really.

James Drake

Age: 23

Pro Debut: 2010

Billed From: Blackpool, Lancashire, England

Associated Companies: Future Shock Wrestling (FSW), PROGRESS

Notable Accomplishments: Former FSW Adrenaline Champion, Former FSW Tag Team Champion (w/ Axl Rage)

Initial Impressions: I don't know what it is, but something about Drake's look makes me interested in him. It might be because I am a fellow long haired guy, but I dunno. There's something there.

Tucker

Age: 26

Pro Debut: ???

Billed From: Belfast, Northern Ireland

Associated Companies: Pro Wrestling Ulster (PWU), OTT

Notable Accomplishments: Former 2x PWU Champion, Former PWU All-Ulster Champion

Initial Impressions: Tucker's the only Northern Irish wrestler in the bracket, and I couldn't really find much of him. Just having 'Tucker' to base searches on wasn't the most helpful thing in the world.

Tyson T-Bone

Age: ???

Pro Debut: 2007

Billed From: Malvern, Worcestershire (pronounced 'wuss-tuh-sher'), England

Associated Companies: Preston City Wresting (PCW), FSW, Combat Zone Wrestling (CZW), PROGRESS, SWE

Notable Accomplishments: Former 2x PCW Champion, Former PCW Tag Team Champion (w/ Rampage Brown), Former FSW Champion, Former Southside Wrestling Heavyweight Champion

Initial Impressions: Right, as I was looking this guy up, it appears his whole gimmick is that he is a gypsy fighter. I have no idea what to make of this.

Dan Moloney

Age: 19

Pro Debut: 2013

Billed From: Birmingham, West Midlands, England

Associated Companies: Kamikaze Pro, Fight Club: PRO, Attack!, SWE

Notable Accomplishments: Former Kamikaze Pro Tag Team Champion (w/ Tyler Bate), Former Attack! Tag Team Trophy (w/ Elephant Mask), Former Attack! 24/7 Champion

Initial Impressions: Look at that singlet! Dan Maloney, another young 'un here in the tournament, my money's on him being a big suplex-throwing powerhouse.

Roy Johnson

Age: ???

Pro Debut: 2014

Billed From: South London, England

Associated Companies: PROGRESS, IPW:UK

Notable Accomplishments: N/A

Initial Impressions: In looking up Roy, I have gotten quite excited about this one, as from what I've gathered, he challenges people to battles on the mic. Yes please, take me back to Chain Gang Cena!

H.C. Dyer

Age: 20

Pro Debut: ???

Billed From: Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England

Associated Companies: Southside Wrestling Entertainment (SWE)

Notable Accomplishments: N/A

Initial Impressions: It's the closest thing I've got to a hometown boy (Cambridgeshire FTW!), so I guess I should have some support from him, but hey ho, we're all British here and I don't know anyone who really cares about counties. Dunno what to make of him, I can't wait to see how many people have plain black trunks.

Saxon Huxley

Age: 29

Pro Debut: ???

Billed From: Hartlepool, County Durham, England

Associated Companies: ???

Notable Accomplishments: N/A

Initial Impressions: This dude looks cool, its that long hair effect, but from what I've seen, he appears to be a real big man. I saw that he spent some time in Canada if my memory serves me right, and Italy. Fun facts for you there.

And as I was writing this up, the tournament bracket has been revealed. My bet is it comes down to Dunne vs Seven. But what do you think? Lots of possible outcomes.