Blair Davenport Details How WWE NXT UK Move Happened: "It Was The Right Opportunity And The Right Timing"

Blair Davenport has spoken in detail about how her move to WWE NXT UK finally came about, revealing she first spoke to the promotion in 2018.

The former Bea Priestley made her debut on WWE's UK brand at the start of July, moving back to her homeland from Japan after a spell with World Wonder Ring Stardom and New Japan Pro Wrestling.

Davenport says the chance to work with WWE NXT UK now was 'the right opportunity and the right timing', saying there were other things she wanted to do before jumping into WWE.

The Harrogate-born superstar also revealed how WWE tried to bring her into NXT UK in 2018 and had another chat about a move to the promotion in 2019.

Speaking to Alex McCarthy of TalkSPORT, she said: "It was the right opportunity and the right timing for me. There were so many other things that I wanted to do first and I didn't want to be in the position where I would make such big jump in my career and wish I could've done things before coming here. I wanted to do everything that I wanted to do, then come to this part in my life. 

"During the pandemic, there was a small window. Obviously, I got cut from AEW because my visa expired and there was no hope for a new visa happening at that time. There was a tiny window in August where people who had Japan visas could go back, so I went back to Japan. I loved STARDOM so much, but this time I think I was the only foreigner there where before, I had a group of friends with me. I love the roster, but I did feel very isolated and I started to feel stagnant with my role and feeling like there was only so much more I could do with this company before I stay in my same position. 

"I hate being stagnant and I wanted to be like, 'I need to do something for me now.' This is when we got in touch with WWE and we were chatting. I almost wanted a bit of time at home as well to have a bit of a rest, but I love NXT UK so much and it's definitely where I want to be right now.

"NXT UK reached out to me when they were first making the roster in 2018 but it was the day after I signed my World of Sport contract. They reached out again the beginning of 2019 and I spoke to Canyon Ceman. I was going to sign, but I wanted to do more in Japan and I said that to Canyon. He said, 'Okay, cool, we'll keep in touch and call you back in six months.'

"Literally, two days later, AEW got in contact with me and offered me the schedule where I could live in Japan but still work for them and have best of both worlds. At that point, it was great for me. This time around, I reached out to Jim Smallman, who I know from PROGRESS, and he put in connection and I had a call with Canyon again.

"We got the wheels moving this time. It wasn't that I didn't want to go at those (past) points, it was just the timing and my situation that fit the best."

H/T Fightful