Top 10 British WWE Wrestlers

Jack Gallagher was a stand out when he burst onto WWE’s scene in the Cruiserweight Classic tournament, with his old school gentleman persona and wily technical in-ring style. He’s since gone on to make a name for himself in the cruiserweight division, as both a hero and villain. Perhaps his most notable achievement in the company to date however, is transcending the division and being chosen to make an appearance in the thirty man Royal Rumble. Clearly, the top brass have taken notice of his exploits!

Whilst her in-ring career may well be over (for the foreseeable future at least), Paige still managed to carve out an impressive legacy before her run being cut short way too soon due to an unfortunate neck injury. The star, who comes from an established British wrestling family, has been competing since her teens and was pivotal to the WWE’s women’s revolution. She changed the game with her run as NXT women’s champ and even managed to become the youngest ever Divas champion, winning it on her main roster debut nonetheless!

Our next wrestler would almost certainly rank higher on this list if it wasn’t for the fact that his singles career peaked outside of the WWE. He excelled in promotions in Japan and Canada, performing in some truly legendary bouts. However, his WWE stint (then known as WWF) was still a memorable one, achieving tag team gold success with partner Davey Boy Smith as the British Bulldogs. The seminal star’s high rate in-ring work ethic has influenced many a superstar in generations since, with many quoting him as an inspiration. Dynamite kid would pass on in late 2018, but his legacy well and truly lives on.

At the age of only nineteen, Tyler Bate was crowned the WWE’s first ever UK champion, becoming the company’s youngest ever singles title holder in the process! Since then, he’s added an NXT tag team title to his list of accolades, and there’ll surely be much more to come for the youngster. With a wrestling know-how well beyond his years, Bate is a show stealer in the squared circle in both singles competition as well as with his Moustache Mountain partner, Trent Seven. NXT UK is in safe hands with this prodigy in their ranks.

For now, Neville may be done with the WWE, but no one can deny that the high flying Geordie made a serious impact during his time there. Neville was one of the first NXT tag team champions, and for a while, held the record as the longest reigning NXT champion. His main roster run may not have gone as smoothly as some as hoped, but he still found success rebranding himself as the King of the Cruiserweights - capturing the top prize of the division and dominating for months to come. Though it stings not having him around any longer, at least he’s tearing it up in companies like Dragon Gate.

Another competitor who’s jumped ship from WWE for now, Wade Barrett is the former leader of the Nexus. Barrett seemed destined for great things, but if you thought he was going to become the first ever-British world champion for the company, well, to paraphrase the man, we’re afraid we’ve got some bad news! Barrett got unlucky with a string of injuries, however, he did manage to rack up an impressive list of accomplishments, becoming a King of the Ring winner and multi-time Intercontinental champ.

The second ever NXT UK champion, with a reign that goes beyond the word ‘dominant’, Pete Dunne seemingly has unlimited potential. He’s already the anchor the NXT UK brand is based around, and has proven his abilities as both a solid heel and babyface. Dunne has no shortage of natural charisma and with him only being in his mid twenties, he will surely thrive for years to come. Inventive in the ring, and armed with a great look and a cool entrance theme; the future’s bright for the Bruiserweight!

Branded the “chosen one” by Mr. Mcmahon himself, Drew McIntyre’s career started out promising with intercontinental and tag team championship reigns. Then he ended up in comedy faction 3MB before parting ways with the company, not exactly fulfilling the prophecy. However, a transformation on the independent scene saw the big Scotsman return to the WWE with improved mic skills, moveset and physique. It wasn’t long before he was holding the NXT title and now appears destined to be the first Brit to hold a world championship. Chosen one indeed.

Starting his tenure in the Federation in a tag team with the aforementioned Dynamite Kid, Davey Boy Smith aka The British Bulldog would go on to have an illustrious singles career. Unfortunately, he too couldn’t become the first man from UK shores to capture a heavyweight title, but he came close in bouts against the likes of Shawn Michaels and Diesel. Though the Manchester native’s crowning achievement came when he headlined Summerslam ‘92 at Wembley Stadium, capturing the Intercontinental title from his brother in law - Bret The Hitman Hart.

Narrowly beating out the Bulldog for our top spot, William Regal similarly never experienced world championship glory and that’s criminal; not that he didn’t rack up his share of gold plated straps. Whether it was as a vicious heel, in a comedy tag team or as a power hungry authority figure, Regal excelled in whatever role was given to him. Even off camera, his keen eye as a talent scout for the WWE has been impeccable, serving the wrestling conglomerate well; talents that secure his place as the greatest British wrestler ever!