Pete Dunne Discusses What Sets NXT UK Apart, Talks Facing Ricochet & More

– Pete Dunne spoke with the Mirror for a new interview promoting this Saturday’s NXT UK Takeover: Blackpool. Highlights are below:

On being the longest-reigning current champion in WWE: “There you go – I’m breaking my own record every day…It’s brilliant. I think so early in my career as well, a few of these little notches on my belt is brilliant, it’s something I can take forward with me. I was worried AJ Styles was catching me, but I’m okay for now. It’s a cool achievement so early in my career.”

On the most recent NXT UK tapings javing a special atmosphere: “Yeah, I think that’s been the case with every UK taping we’ve done. You see the same when Raw is over here or various WWE live events, but it’s even greater when it’s an NXT show and specifically NXT UK, which has the hottest crowds. I’d say we have the best audiences in the whole of WWE and Liverpool was no different – although I wouldn’t expect less from Liverpool to be honest. The big cities are always the same.”

On the progress of the NXT UK brand: “To see how far we’ve come already, is amazing. It’s two years officially since the first tournament, but we’re only a few tapings into the actual start of this weekly NXT UK show. If you want to talk about the perfect venue for wrestling, that is the Empress Ballroom in Blackpool. It was the same last time we were there, the atmosphere there, the way it looks, I think that’s what really set apart the initial WWE UK Championship Tournament. So I can’t wait to go back and obviously it’s extra special for me, because that’s what sort of made me and Tyler pre-NXT TakeOver: Chicago. It will be really cool to go back, kind of on this side of the fence, and re-live that.”

On what sets NXT UK apart: “I think what gave us a massive edge was the fact it was live. There was a lot of people tuning in to see what it was about and it felt like they unloaded all this brand and characters, specifically in the case of me and Tyler, but obviously there were a full 16-man roster that benefited from it. I think what’s going to happen this time is going to be the same, the fact that it’s live, it’s going to feel like an introduction to so many new people. Even though they’ve been on TV each week, TakeOvers are a different level, it’s a different feel. I even feel it now, doing NXT TakeOver: Wargames, you get such a different level of reaction and exposure than you would get from doing a weekly episode of NXT. This is going to be no different. It will feel like another introduction and on top of that, people are going to be on top form, on top of their game, bringing their best. They do that every week, but like I say, TakeOver is a completely different feel, it’s a different animal. It’s going to be so exciting to go back there and introduce new people and show everyone what NXT UK is about.”

On Joe Coffey, his opponent at NXT UK Takeover: Blackpool: “Joe is great. He is one of many people on this roster that I feel is ready to be in that title position. I’m excited to get in there with him. Everyone on this roster I seem to have a history with, I’ve wrestled them in multiple companies, and Joe is one of them on that list that I’ve wanted to face again here for some time. I can’t wait to get in that ring with him and hopefully expose him to everybody and show them that this roster is deeper than just British Strong Style.”

On facing Ricochet in NXTL “I’d wrestled him once before on the independents, but he was always someone I wanted to get back in the ring with. This was pre my Bruiserweight era, if you want to call it that. I’ve always wanted to go again with him, especially with the stakes of title versus title. I think it’s great now, it shows that start of a crossbrand that I hope we see more of, people like Joe Coffey are hopefully going to get the chance to go over there and do TakeOvers like I have and keep exposing the deep talent pool that we have in the UK.”