NXT United Kingdom Championship

Statistics
First champion(s)	Tyler Bate
Most reigns	All titleholders (1)
Longest reign	Pete Dunne (685 days)
Shortest reign	Tyler Bate (125 days)
Oldest champion	Walter (31 years, 228 days)
Youngest champion	Tyler Bate (19 years, 314 days)
Heaviest champion	Walter (297 lb (135 kg))
Lightest champion	Tyler Bate (175 lb (79 kg))

NXT United Kingdom Championship
	The current NXT United Kingdom Championship belt with default side plates; (2020–present)
Details
Promotion	WWE
Brand	NXT UK
Date established	15 December 2016
Current champion(s)	Walter
Date won	5 April 2019
Other name(s)
	WWE United Kingdom Championship; (2016–2020); NXT United Kingdom Championship; (2020–present);
Statistics
First champion(s)	Tyler Bate
Most reigns	All titleholders (1)
Longest reign	Pete Dunne (685 days)
Shortest reign	Tyler Bate (125 days)
Oldest champion	Walter (31 years, 228 days)
Youngest champion	Tyler Bate (19 years, 314 days)
Heaviest champion	Walter (297 lb (135 kg))
Lightest champion	Tyler Bate (175 lb (79 kg))

The NXT United Kingdom Championship is a professional wrestling championship created and promoted by the promotion WWE. It is primarily defended as the top championship of their NXT UK brand division, a sister brand of NXT based in the United Kingdom. The title is also occasionally defended at NXT events and independent wrestling shows in the United Kingdom. The current champion is Walter, who is in his first reign.

Established on 15 December 2016 as the WWE United Kingdom Championship, the title was first awarded to Tyler Bate, who won the inaugural WWE United Kingdom Championship Tournament on 15 January 2017. The brand's show of the same name had its first tapings in August 2018, which began airing in October on the WWE Network. From its inception up until the debut of NXT UK, the title was primarily defended on the NXT brand and shows produced by UK-based independent wrestling promotions. In January 2020, the title was renamed to reflect its status as the top title of NXT UK. Although it is the top title of NXT UK, it is viewed as a step below its sister brand's NXT Championship.

History

In a press conference at The O2 Arena on 15 December 2016, Triple H, the Chief Operating Officer and head of NXT for the American professional wrestling promotion WWE, revealed that there would be a 16-man single-elimination tournament to crown the inaugural WWE United Kingdom Champion for the promotion's new United Kingdom division. The tournament was held over a two-day period, 14 and 15 January 2017, and aired exclusively on the WWE Network. Tyler Bate won the inaugural tournament to become the first WWE United Kingdom Champion.[1]

Following the inaugural tournament in 2017, the title began being featured on WWE's NXT brand when Bate debuted during the 28 January 2017, tapings of NXT in San Antonio, Texas, which aired 1 February.[2] During the 1 February tapings at the brand's home base of Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida, the title's very first defense took place, where Bate defeated Trent Seven (aired 15 February).[3] The title was defended for the first time outside of WWE when Bate retained the title against Mark Andrews on a show for the London-based promotion, Progress Wrestling; the show took place in Orlando, Florida on 31 March as part of WrestleMania Axxess.[4] The first title change, as well as the first defense to air live, took place on 20 May 2017 at TakeOver: Chicago, where Pete Dunne defeated Bate to become champion.[5][6] Although unsuccessful, Johnny Gargano was the first wrestler from outside of the United Kingdom division to challenge for the UK title on the 18 November taping of NXT (aired on 22 November).[7]

When the championship was unveiled in December 2016, it was announced to be the top championship of a new WWE Network show, produced in the United Kingdom.[8][9] However, it was not until mid-2018 when WWE formally established NXT UK as the brand for their United Kingdom division and sister brand of their American-based NXT.[10][11] The brand's show, also titled NXT UK, had its first tapings in August, which began airing on 17 October.[12] On the premiere episode, Dunne retained the UK Championship against Noam Dar.[13] During the 17 January 2020 taping of NXT UK, the title was renamed to NXT United Kingdom Championship to reflect its status as the top title of NXT UK.[14]

Inaugural tournament

Inaugural champion Tyler Bate, after winning the first United Kingdom Championship Tournament

Longest reigning champion Pete Dunne, who held the title for 685 days

First Round
14 January 2017[15]

Quarter-Finals
15 January 2017[1]

Semi-Finals
15 January 2017[1]

Final
15 January 2017[1]

Tyler Bate

Tucker

10:34

Tyler Bate

Jordan Devlin

6:05

Danny Burch

8:55

Jordan Devlin

Tyler Bate

Wolfgang

5:55

Trent Seven

H.C. Dyer

5:25

Trent Seven