CD: MIKE LOWE. I: VANYA SACHA. W: HUMZA HUSSIAN AP: SARA BARROW. H&M: STEPHANIE SILV LUI

“MY MISSION IS TO LET [PEOPLE] KNOW THAT YOU CAN ACHIEVE ANYTHING YOU SET YOUR MIND TO WITH HARD WORK, DESPITE HOWEVER OLD YOU MAY BE OR WHATEVER YOUR BACKGROUND IS.”

Ty l e r B a t e i s a W W E s u p e r s t a r. H e i s a l s o t h e f i r s t - e v e r W W E United K i n g d o m C h a m p i o n , a n d a m a s t e r o f p e r f o r m a n c e . A c o n v e r s a t i o n o f f e r s a n i n s i g h t i n t o t h e l i f e a n d w o r k o f t h i s i n c r e d i b l e m a n .

The WWE superstar Tyler Bate is standing in the ring for a photoshoot. He’s almost irresistibly charismatic. There’s a unique charm & swagger that the Dudley-born superstar, in this moment, is bringing before the lens.
As we speak, our conversation makes a natural progression towards his involvement in the WWE. “It has been a great experience working for the WWE,” Bate tells me. “I have learned many new things during my short time working there, and I hope to continue learning and growing to become one of the greatest
WWE superstars ever.” He also shed light on what it’s like inside the WWE’s training facility, the Performance Centre: “I’ve got to visit the Performance Centre in Orlando - maybe one of the most
advanced training complexes in the world, and is way more than just a gym. It has seven rings of varying softness so you can train your aerial style offense, and harder mats for drills.

There’s also an arena where you can practise cutting promos and your ring entrance. It’s there to create
superstars, not just athletes, and there’s always an expert on hand to give you tips on how to master the craft.”

'I focus mainly on just trying to be different from everybody else, that way people will remember me better than if I’m just a regular guy in trunks'

There’s also an arena where you can practise cutting promos and your ring entrance. It’s there to create
superstars, not just athletes, and there’s always an expert on hand to give you tips on how to master the craft.”

One of those experts is “The Heartbreak Kid”, Shawn Michaels, who as both a WWE Hall of Famer and decorated sports-entertainer is considered by many as the greatest WWE star of all time. The significance of being able to learn from someone as eminent as Michaels is not lost on Bate. “Shawn Michaels is a very down to earth and humble man.

He had nothing but nice things to say about us
Brits, which is a great honour coming from one
of the greatest ever,” Bate enthuses. “We have
only had brief interactions, but I’d like to have the chance to sit with
him for longer to really pick his brain about performing.” Before all
of this, Bate’s journey began with an unexpected fascination. ”

“It’s always funny answering that question because nobody expects it,” says Bate when asked who his greatest influence is. “My favourite wrestler growing up was and always has been Kane. I just liked how he could just beat anybody up.

“For a while, I tried to adopt Kane’s style as my own. But as I grew older, I realised that when you just be yourself, you resonate a lot more with the audience. When I decided to be Tyler Bate and not Kane, I really began to grow as a performer and looked to build on my character.”

It was this thinking that led to his career-defining moment at the WWE’s U.K. Tournament in January of 2017, where he was crowned the first-ever WWE United Kingdom Champion. On the experience, Bate tells me: “Since the WWE U.K. Championship Tournament, I have been able to live the best of both worlds in
professional wrestling, on the independents and WWE.

I love the indies but it’s also great to be able to have the WWE banner above my name too, and be able to perform in front of millions on the WWE network.

The two days in Blackpool for the tournament itself had one of the best atmospheres I’ve ever performed in front of. On my WWE debut, I had one arm raised with the WWE United Kingdom Championship in one hand, and my other
being raised by Triple H. I wouldn’t say I’m the type to get starstruck, but that moment was surreal.”

However, it is performers like him that make a tournament like this possible in the first place. In recent years, the U.K.’s wrestling scene has rapidly grown due to the rise in great performers such as Bate, and his contemporaries, Pete Dunne
and Trent Seven. So much, in fact, that during this time the WWE sold out London’s Wembley Arena with their NXT brand for an historic WWE Network special. “I think it is because everybody on the scene has really upped their game in the past few years,” says Bate in admiration of his British confrères.
“The U.K. has been overlooked for a long time, which really motivates us to get our names out there more for people to see what we are all about.

The tournament was a high point in Bate’s unfurling career. However, it is performers like him that make a tournament like this possible in the first place. In recent years, the U.K.’s wrestling scene has rapidly grown due to the rise in great performers such as Bate, and his contemporaries, Pete Dunne
and Trent Seven. So much, in fact, that during this time the WWE sold out London’s Wembley Arena with their NXT brand for an historic WWE Network special. “I think it is because everybody on the scene has really upped their game in the past few years,” says Bate in admiration of his British confrères.
“The U.K. has been overlooked for a long time, which really motivates us to get our names out there more for people to see what we are all about.

Just look at the talent that was in the 16-man United Kingdom Championship Tournament, and I know for a fact there are more out there.”

While storylines in WWE are ultimately settled inside the ring, WWE is more than just in-ring performances. They look for someone who has charisma and an oratorical capability, a figure who can draw throngs of onlookers to bare witness to a spectacle. “I focus mainly on just trying to be different from everybody else, that way people will remember me better than if I’m just a regular guy in trunks,” Bate explains. “Trent and I have quite distinctive styles, and it’s having that unique brand that gets the crowd to engage with you

We’re here to entertain, and the more you can connect with the audience, the more you’ll get them on their feet.” It’s that connection with the audience that allows Bate to not enter the ring only with the force of a phenomenon, but also become an inspiration. “I like to consider myself a role model for young men and women in the U.K.

My mission is to let them know that you can achieve anything you set your mind to with hard work, Despite however old you may be or whatever your background is.”

And this even extends to his eating habits. “I’m one of a few WWE U.K. stars to be a proud vegan, which surprises a few people,” the wrestler adds. “It’s a myth that you need to be a heavy meat eater to be an athlete; we eat a lot of lentils, oats, nuts, and seeds. It’s a lifestyle, but I strongly believe in it. I’d
love to inspire people to also try a vegan diet.”

Bate’s journey thus far has been nothing short of remarkable. But perhaps the most incredible thing of all is that his journey has only just begun, and one suspects that the bravura executant is on an upward trajectory.

After all, he is already immortalised in history.