Tyler Bate is a darn good wrestler. During his time in NXT UK, he wrestled some of the best performers the world has to offer, from Pete ā€œButchā€ Dunn to Walter/Gunther, and through it all, held the brand up as one of the pillars of English wrestling. He worked his butt off during the salad days and the lean times, and will forever be remembered as the final proper NXT UK Champion, as the brand officially goes on ice in favor of the new NXT Europe that will launch in the not-too-distant future.

And yet, sometimes, your best just isn't good enough, as Bate learned firsthand when he went up against the certified buzzsaw known as Bron Breakker in the unification match to decide on the new NXT Championship.

Bate did a little bit of everything he's known for in the bout. He flipped from technical specialist, to heavy hitter, to high-flyer at the drop of a hat, and hit Breakker with some of his best moves, including a Tiger Driver 97 in the middle of the ring that was kicked out of at 2.9. Bate ate a powerbomb that he somehow survived due to some quick thinking and a foot on the ropes, and even got the momentum going on the way to another pinning predicament before Rick Steiner's son demolished him with a spear and ended the match right then and there, ending the ā€œBig Strong Boy'sā€ second reign with the belt at just 59 days.

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Bron Breakker with a text bubble reading "Goodbye NXT" next to Baron Corbin with the NXT logo as the background.

Matty Breisch Ā·

Paul Heyman with a text bubble reading "This crop of talent that is taking over the industry right now" with the blacked-out silhouette of Bron Breakker on his left and the blacked-out silhouette of Jade Cargill on his right with the WWE logo as the background.

Matty Breisch Ā·

The blacked-out silhouette of Riddick Moss with a text bubble reading ā€œIā€™m a huge fan of Bron Breakkerā€ next to Bron Breakker with the NXT logo as the background.

Matty Breisch Ā·

What's next for Bate? Will he continue to work in NXT and maybe take a shot at Carmelo Hayes' North American Championship? Or will he wait on the wings for NXT Europe to officially launch? Either way, Bate should hold his head up high, as he represented his brand with honor.