NXT UK has been taping in Birmingham this weekend alongside Insomnia Gaming Festival. It was previously announced that the tapings would host a tournament to crown the brand’s first ever women’s champion, featuring Toni Storm, Jinny, Dakota Kai, Rhea Ripley, Nia Samuels, Xia Brookside, Isla Dawn and Millie McKenzie. Pictures of the title began circulating on Saturday with the title following other women’s titles in the company and being quite similar to the male titles.
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
NXT UK Crowns First Women’s Champion
The two heavy favourites going into the tournament were UK scene standouts Jinny and Toni Storm. The two met instead in the semifinals as Storm emerged triumphantly and would face fellow Australian Rhea Ripley in the final. Ripley’s run certainly came out of left field with many fans questioning if she would make it past the first round. Storm and Ripley clashed in the night’s main event and to the shock of everyone Ripley emerged victorious and is the inaugural NXT UK Women’s Champion. Both competitors will be in the Mae Young Classic 2 which is debuting soon. While Storm was always a hot favourite, Ripley now must emerge as a potential dark horse to go far in the MYC, if not even win the tournament.
Great #NXTUK event in #Birmingham at the NEC. We have now crowned our new @NXTUK women's champion. Well done @RheaRipley_WWE pic.twitter.com/n8a8tXnNlE
— Aman Singh (@amans1ngh) August 26, 2018
Who Is Rhea Ripley
In retrospect, the 2017 Mae Young Classic competitor should not have been overlooked. While Ripley signed to NXT in 2017, she has spent time improving all areas of her game and flying under the radar. The 21-year-old was a prodigy on the Australian scene where she mainly competed for Riot City Wrestling (RCW) as Demi Bennett as she became a 2x RCW Women’s Champion. Ripley signed with NXT in 2017 and after a second-round exit from the Mae Young Classic, began to work house shows and has been honing her skills ever since, something made easier by the fact she shared the ring with amazing wrestlers like Kairi Sane, Ember Moon, Ruby Riott and Dakota Kai on a nightly basis. She also wrestled for Sendai Girls against legendary Meiko Satomura while still a teenager. Ripley always had potential and NXT UK her new home we may see her rise to the challenge and become the star she always knew she would be.
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