Andy Shepherd, who is the ring announcer for the WWE United Kingdom matches recently spoke with Cult Of Whatever. During the discussion, Shepherd spoke on working with Triple H, William Regal & Michael Cole. He also touched on what it was like watching Tyler Bate and Pete Dunne put on a match of the year performance at NXT Takeover: Chicago, along with much more.
Here are the highlights:
What Was It Like Calling The UK Championship Tournament:
“It was amazing, first and foremost I’m a big wrestling fan and I’ve watched it for years so to be part of it was out of this world. It was great to see how they put a show together from behind the scenes it was so enlightening and amazing to see everyone working there. I got to see Paul Levesque and all of the other guys in action and how motivating they are. When the likes of Paul, William Regal and Michael Cole speak, you listen and I was just captivated, they’re inspiring. Getting to meet all of the superstars who were involved in the tournament was amazing. Those guys were just workhorses that entire weekend. What really stands out for me was walking out on the first night before we went on air, I was in the ring and welcoming the crowd and I remember saying that everyone in that building was going to witness history being made and the reaction of the crowd was a reaction I don’t think I will forget for a long time.”
“The venue as well, The Winter Gardens in Blackpool was a perfectly sized venue, it wasn’t too small, we had a lot of people in there but again it wasn’t too big. It felt intimate so we were connecting with everyone in there. It looked great on television as well, it really helped the UK Championship stand out from other shows. It reminded me of the early Monday Night RAW’s from the Grand Ballroom and the ECW and ROH shows from the Hammerstein Ballroom in the Manhattan Center. I really do think it was history making and one day we will all look back and perhaps look at the start of something that began that night.”
Shepherd On Working With Michael Cole, Triple H & William Regal:
“Absolutely incredible. Michael Cole had been amazing to me throughout this entire process, he helped me through everything; I can’t say enough good things about him. The same goes for all of the guys backstage, William Regal, the word legend doesn’t sum that guy up. The stories he can tell and he is so nice to everyone and will always make time for you. Until you see it with your own eyes it is hard to describe. Hunter is really helping push so many different avenues of this business forward and the talks he gives you before the show starts and when the show finishes are so inspirational. It’s little things when William or Paul will come up to you shake hands and say well done, it means so much. All of the guys that came over from the States, I can’t say enough good things about them, how supportive they were to everyone throughout the roster.”
Announcing For The UK Championship Special:
“It was another great show. It was a very different venue to Blackpool and it was a different kind of show but it was nice to get the gang back together. Again, the crowd were so hot, everyone just wanted to see more of this stuff, it was great that the first two shows that WWE did from Blackpool had grown and got its own fan base of people that wanted to see it again and they were emotionally involved in what was going on.”
Tyler Bate vs. Pete Dunne At NXT Takeover: Chicago:
“Honestly watching that match, it made my hair stand up. Pete and Tyler are two of the hottest guys in the UK and with this exposure they are getting through their work with WWE, their worldwide profiles have grown massively. I remember them doing a spot outside of the ring on the steps and you could just see the scale of that show, how many people were in that arena, everything just looked huge. As much as these two guys have achieved, I’m pretty sure that was the biggest crowd they had ever performed in front of. They stole the show that night and if you ask people their match of the year so far, I think for a lot of people that would be it and to see them achieve that and rise to the occasion was amazing.”
Has There Been Any Talks Of Another UK Show?:
“I know what you guys know, we all want it to happen. I think as fans first and foremost we want to see WWE do something over here in the UK. The guys have shown we have the talent and not just in the UK scene like with Pete and Tyler showcasing the best of British at NXT TakeOver: Chicago. These guys are the real deal, they are superstars and I think people want to see that. Personally, myself like you guys do want to see a regular show from the UK. If they start to build a brand over here, I can see them filling the bigger arenas but I love venues with character like the Winter Gardens in Blackpool and York Hall in London. Those types of venues give the show real character and charm, it looks different to RAW, SmackDown and NXT. It sets itself apart which I think is really cool.”
You can read the rest of Cult Of Whatever’s interview with Andy Shepherd by clicking here.
