'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFQABAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAX/xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAF/9oADAMBAAIQAxAAAABPCWv/xAAhEAACAAUEAwAAAAAAAAAAAAACAwABBAUGERQhIkFi0f/aAAgBAQABPwDLbdW7RIPmgkvf00LmXUvWFYLXkoC1t/MvJH8j/8QAGBEAAgMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECERL/2gAIAQIBAT8A24pUf//EABYRAAMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACE//aAAgBAwEBPwCan//Z'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
WWE is gearing up for a big Labor Day Weekend as they will present two premium live events - Bash in Berlin and No Mercy. Eight championships will be on the line between Saturday and Sunday. However, officials have quietly booked another big title match to kick the weekend off, while preparing for another major happening to take place next week.
Pete Dunne is the new #1 contender to the WWE Speed Championship. The final of the latest eight-man Speed tournament aired today on X, featuring Dunne vs. Je'Von Evans. After a back-and-forth contest, the RAW Superstar rocked Evans and stomped his fingers, but the NXT Superstar fought back and nailed a leaping kick. With one minute to go, the 20-year-old launched himself from the apron but Dunne caught his arm, then snapped his fingers. The thirty-year-old UK grappler then nailed the Bitter End for the pin, with 37 seconds on the clock.
Trending
The Bruiserweight will now challenge WWE Speed Champion Andrade on Friday's episode. Championship episodes of Speed air on Fridays at 12pm ET, and title matches have a time limit of five minutes instead of the usual three.
New Champs in WWE! More RIGHT HERE
This latest Speed tournament saw Dunne defeat Julius Creed in the first round and Joaquin Wilde in the quarterfinals. Evans beat Ashante "Thee" Adonis in the opening round, but received a bye in the quarterfinals because he had no opponent after Austin Theory vs. Montez Ford in the opening round ended in a time limit draw, forcing both competitors to be eliminated.
Dunne vs. Evans was taped on August 16 at SmackDown. The Dunne vs. Andrade title match was taped one week later at SmackDown. El Idolo has previously retained over Baron Corbin and Xavier Woods after dethroning inaugural champion Ricochet in mid-June.
WWE Speed women's division to kick off next week
The inaugural WWE Speed Women's Champion will be crowned in the near future. The first-ever Speed women's tournament will kick off next Wednesday at 12pm ET on X.
The first round matches for the Speed women's tournament are Lyra Valkyria vs. IYO SKY, Naomi vs. Blair Davenport, Kairi Sane vs. Elektra Lopez, and Candice LeRae vs. Piper Niven. SKY vs. Valkyria was taped before last Friday's SmackDown in Washington, DC, to air next Wednesday on X. Naomi vs. Davenport will be taped on Friday in Berlin.
It's interesting that the bracket is labeled as a #1 contender's tournament, as if there was already a champion, but it's possible that WWE's graphics department just used the men's template for the women's bracket.
WWE wasn't clear if there will be another half-bracket. However, if this is the only bracket for the first tournament, it looks like the first Speed Women's Champion will be crowned on either Friday, October 16 or Friday, October 23. If they go with two episodes per week like seen as of late, the champion could be crowned on Wednesday, September 25 or Friday, September 27.
