6 WWE Superstars you forgot were British
WWE is indeed the biggest wrestling promotion in the world and is home to over 800 employees. The company prides itself on being an equal opportunity employer, choosing to recruit based on skill rather than race, religion or gender.
This is evident in the current WWE locker room, which is home to a diverse group of Superstars, who hail from many different countries and cultures all over the world.
WWE recently announced that they will be having their first major show in Cardiff later this year. This will be the company's first major show in the UK in over 30 years. While Superstars like Drew McIntyre, William Regal, and Davey Boy Smith are notably British, there are some British Superstars whose heritage is not as widely spoken of.
On the note, here is a list of WWE Superstars who you may have forgotten are from the United Kingdom. Note that Superstars are listed in alphabetical order as this list is not a ranking of any kind.
#6. Layla was born in London
The former Divas Champion made her way into WWE by winning the 2006 Diva Search contest. Before that, she was a dancer, notably being part of Miami Heat’s dance troupe. She was also one of John Legend’s backup dancers, having performed for P. Diddy and Kanye West at the MTV VMAs.
The London native made her first appearance on WWE television at SummerSlam 2006. She made her in-ring debut at the Trick or Treat Diva Battle Royal, which took place on the October 10, 2006 episode of SmackDown.
On the May 14, 2010 episode, Layla and partner Michelle McCool faced the Women’s Champion Beth Phoenix in a handicap match for the title. Layla pinned Beth to win the championship, becoming the first British WWE Women’s Champion.
Aside from her British roots, Layla’s grandparents were Spanish and she is also of Moroccan descent.
#5. Neville (PAC) moonsaulted his way onto WWE television from Newcastle
The Man That Gravity Forgot spent six years in WWE and made his television debut on the January 10, 2013 episode of NXT as part of British Ambition. He would become a two-time Tag Tram Champion on the brand, also capturing the NXT Championship after defeating Bo Dallas in a ladder match at NXT ArRIVAL in 2014.
He was called up to the main roster a few months later, debuting on the March 30, 2015 episode of RAW. Neville won the Cruiserweight Championship twice, before leaving WWE on October 9, 2018.
He is currently signed to AEW, where he competes under the name PAC.
#4. Nikki A.S.H is from Glasgow
Flying her way onto WWE screens, Glasgow's own Nikki A.S.H was signed to the Performance Center in April 2016. Before the Almost a Superhero gimmick, she wrestled as Nikki Cross, an aggressive character with frequent mood swings. She was part of Sanity, which featured leader Eric Young, Killian Dain, and Alexander Wolfe.
She made her main roster debut on the November 6, 2018 episode of SmackDown, where she faced SmackDown Women’s Champion Becky Lynch in a non-title match after answering her open challenge.
Nikki won the Women’s Tag Team Championship with her partner Alexa Bliss on the August 5, 2019 episode of RAW. The Almost a Superhero gimmick made its debut on June 21, 2021. This saw her win the Money in the Bank ladder match and cash in to become the RAW Women’s Champion.
#3. WWE ambassador Paige was born in Norwich, England
Paige signed with WWE in September 2011, and was assigned to FCW, where she made her televised debut on February 26, 2012. She was called up to the main roster on the April 7, 2014 episode of RAW, where she infamously defeated Divas Champion AJ Lee in an impromptu title match. She was 21 at the time, making her the youngest Divas Champion in history.
time flies man. Wow. Thanks to @VinceMcMahon for giving me that opportunity! youtu.be/JEYyTlTzKboIt was 8 YEARS yesterday that I won the divas championship 😭 time flies man. Wow. Thanks to @VinceMcMahon for giving me that opportunity! youtu.be/JEYyTlTzKbo
During her career, Paige won the Divas Championship twice, and held the NXT Women’s Championship for 308 days. This makes her the fourth-longest reigning titleholder in terms of overall days held.
Paige retired from professional wrestling on April 9, 2018 at the age of 25, following an impact injury to the neck. She was made general manager of SmackDown by Shane McMahon on April 10, 2018, a role she has maintained ever since.
#2. Pete Dunne was born in Birmingham
Born in Birmingham, England, Pete Dunne began training to become a wrestler at the age of 12.
Dunne spent his time wrestling in many different independent promotions all over the world. In 2011, he and ring announcer Jim Lee founded Attack! Pro Wrestling, an independent British wrestling promotion.
Dunne, the second-ever NXT UK Champion, is currently the second-longest reigning champion in the title’s short history. He was one of NXT UK’s biggest names in the time he wrestled there.
He has since moved up to the main roster, where he has been repackaged as Butch, an aggressive character associated with Sheamus and Ridge Holland.
#1. Wade Barrett hails from Manchester, England
The winner of the first season of NXT, Barrett has since returned to WWE after being absent for many years. He is currently the color commentator on NXT 2.0.
"This ain't 2010, I couldn't care less what you think of me."
#WWENXT @GraysonWWE @StuBennett https://t.co/ktNo32mrBs
Shortly after his NXT win, Barrett shocked the world when he emerged as the leader of The Nexus, a stable made up of competitors from the first season of NXT.
Together, they interfered in the main event of the June 7, 2010 episode of RAW, attacking John Cena and CM Punk, all ringside staff before dismantling the ring and equipment.
They would continue to do this for some time, feuding mainly with John Cena in an angle that saw him join the group.
Barrett is a five-time Intercontinental Champion and former King of the Ring. He decided not to sign a new contract in August 2015 and was released by the company on May 6, 2016.
So, what do you think of this list? Which entry surprised you the most? Let us know in the comments section below.