NXT TakeOver: Blackpool was a huge success, as it announced the NXT UK brand’s huge aspirations to the WWE Universe. And Vince McMahon wants you to know that he watched the show.
WWE fans like to joke that Vince McMahon doesn’t pay attention to the NXT product, which is seen as Triple H’s “baby” since he takes charge there, but that has never appeared to be the truth.
Vince decided to poke some fun at this myth on Twitter in the aftermath of the widely praised NXT TakeOver: Blackpool, which was the first NXT UK special.
He told fans that he did indeed watch the show and that he thought it was “awesome”, backing up the “This is awesome!” chants bellowed by the wonderful Blackpool crowd throughout the show.
It will be interesting to see when the next NXT UK TakeOver Special takes place, as the usual NXT TakeOver specials occur every few months around “Big 5” Pay Per Views, with the next one being TakeOver: Phoenix on Jan. 26 prior to the Royal Rumble PPV on the 27th.
NXT TakeOver: Blackpool featured strong matches between Moustache Mountain and the Grizzled Young Vets, who became the first NXT UK Tag Team Champions, as well as Rhea Ripley and Toni Storm in Storm’s first championship win in WWE (she won the Mae Young Classic 2 at the Evolution PPV a few months ago).
Beyond the excellent matches, the TakeOver special also featured several notable WWE debuts. Kay Lee Ray and Jazzy Gabert appeared in the crowd, as NXT UK seemingly announced their signings to the NXT UK Women’s Division. Meanwhile, WALTER appeared to his Dvorak theme, staring face to face with United Kingdom Champion Pete Dunne following the latter’s successful title defense against Joe Coffey in the show’s main event.
Vince McMahon, Triple H, and the rest of the people responsible for NXT UK had to have been impressed with the show, especially with the wrestlers in the ring. The live crowd and the fans on social media thoroughly enjoyed TakeOver: Blackpool, and this likely sets up WWE to continue to push for more branding worldwide, noting this quote from Triple H about expanding Performance Centers (one in the UK was announced earlier this week) into other countries.