Former WWE champion handed new role ahead of WrestleMania appearance - Reports
The WWE locker rooms are full of natural talent, and often, wrestlers find themselves working various roles outside of the ring. A fan-favorite multi-time champion began wearing a new hat for the company during WrestleMania season, and new details have just surfaced from backstage.
Pete Dunne is set to make his debut on The Grandest Stage of Them All. WrestleMania XL will see Dunne and Tyler Bate compete in the Six-Pack Ladder Match for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship, held by Finn Balor and Damian Priest. The other four teams are The New Day, #DIY, Awesome Truth, and A-Town Down Under.
The former Butch recently produced two matches for the upcoming WWE Speed series. Dunne was the booker for the March 22 Speed matches taped before SmackDown - Cedric Alexander vs. Odyssey Jones and Tyler Bate vs. Angel. A new report from Fightful Select notes that Dunne has continued producing matches for the new show.
The Bruiserweight was also listed as the producer for Speed matches taped at Friday's SmackDown in Uncasville, CT. The matches taped were Alexander vs. Bronson Reed and Dragon Lee vs. Ricochet. Full details on the inaugural Speed Champion and more have been revealed.
Wrestlers are regularly brought in to work tryouts for potential producer roles. The process is usually done with an experienced producer guiding the newcomer, but Dunne was listed as the sole producer for his Speed matches.
WWE fans call for Pete Dunne to be pushed
Pete Dunne was already an established superstar when he was re-packaged as Butch of The Brawling Brutes in March 2022. Fans began calling for the company to do away with the change from day one.
There were rumors on Triple H reversing the gimmick change after he took on more creative control due to Vince McMahon's scandals. The return of Pete Dunne finally happened this past January as he reunited the British Strong Style tag team with Tyler Bate. They are now called New Catch Republic.
The WWE Universe immediately began buzzing for Dunne's road to WrestleMania XL. Fans called on the company to book him against United States Champion Logan Paul, but the viral pitch came when The Bruiserweight teased another showdown with his longtime rival - Intercontinental Champion GUNTHER.
It remains to be seen if the company will book another Dunne vs. GUNTHER match. The Ring General has defeated the Brawling Brute on SmackDown and in dark matches in the last year, but they made history in NXT UK.
The former WALTER won a 26-minute match to claim the UK Championship from Dunne at NXT TakeOver: New York in 2019, then retained in the rematch days later.