NXT UK fans did not have to wait for a championship coronation to receive a glimpse of the NXT UK Women’s Championship belt.
During the NXT UK tapings at the Insomnia Festival in Birmingham, England, Triple H unveiled the NXT UK Women’s title.
BREAKING: @TripleH unveils the #NXTUK Women’s Championship at #NXTUKBirmingham! Who will make HISTORY and be crowned the FIRST EVER #NXTUK Women’s Champion tomorrow night?! pic.twitter.com/kDdgOlnlwc
— WWE UK (@WWEUK) August 25, 2018
The inaugural NXT UK Women’s Champion will be crowned this weekend during a two-day tournament featuring the following competitors: Toni Storm, Dakota Kai, Rhea Ripley, Jinny, Isla Dawn, Killer Kelly, Millie McKenzie, Nina Samuels, and Xia Brookside. The finals of the tournament is scheduled for Aug. 26.
Fans will not have to wait too long to see the NXT UK Women’s titleholder to defend their belt. The NXT UK Women’s is scheduled to be defended at WWE Evolution pay per view on Oct. 28.
via Wikipedia
The NXT UK Women’s title design appears to have elements of current championships shown on WWE programming. It has a white leather strap like the Raw and Smackdown women’s titles, as well as the WWE Intercontinental Championship. The belt’s center and side plates have the same design and detail as the WWE United Kingdom Championship, currently held by Pete Dunne.
While the men’s UK title has the WWE logo in the middle of the center plate, this new belt has NXT etched in the middle of the plate.
Fan reception of the new championship has been positive so far, with some folks even saying the design of the women’s and men’s UK titles are better than the belts on the WWE main roster.
When it comes to championships, WWE likes to use different design concepts, especially when it comes to championships with continents or countries in their name. The center plate design of both the men’s and women’s UK belts is based on the United Kingdom’s royal coat of arms.
via Wikipedia
The NXT North American Championship’s design has a center plate with a globe showing only the North American continent.
The Greatest Royal Rumble title belt, which Braun Strowman won at the event with the same name, received a title belt for winning a 50-man Royal Rumble. For the belt’s center plate, designers used an Arabic pattern with the WWE logo in the middle. The title’s side plates were modeled after the the official logo of Saudi General Sports Authority, which is identical to the country’s emblem. The belt’s green leather strap was modeled after the color of the Saudi Arabian national flag.
WWE unveiling the NXT UK Women’s title shows the company is taking the first step to establish the UK women’s division. If the company allows the titleholder to defend the belt in other promotions – like they have with the men’s UK title – then fans will likely see the championship at European independent events.
Any of the women competing in the tournament would make a great inaugural champion for the title. A seasoned veteran like Storm, who has been all over the world, would bring legitimacy to the title right off the bat. Meanwhile an up-and-comer like Brookside could raise her stock by winning and holding on to that title.
Critics could say the title doesn’t really mean anything outside of a WWE ring because NXT is considered a developmental brand. Yet the wrestling world at large knows that being a part of WWE whether it’s through the main roster or NXT is still a big accomplishment.
Part of what separates a good champion from a great one, is a great titleholder will elevate that title and make it as important to them as a world champion would with their title. If WWE and the wrestlers invest their time and energy into growing the NXT UK Women’s division, this new championship could have a the same prestige as any of the women’s titles on WWE’s main roster.
