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WWE has returned to these shores and the Brits are taking centre stage as part of the company's NXT UK TV tapings.

The new brand is filming matches at Insomnia gaming festival at the Birmingham NEC over two days this weekend.

The first NXT UK Women's Champion will be crowned at the conclusion of a tournament featuring eight rising stars.

But the men will also be in action, including Zack Gibson, the winner of this year's WWE UK Championship Tournament.

(Image: © WWE)

‘Liverpool’s No. 1’, who just missed out on claiming the WWE UK Championship in June, has a degree in accountancy.

However, the submission king pursued his dream of becoming a wrestler and now stands on the precipice of stardom.

Mirror Sport's Scott Felstead talked to Gibson, who covered a range of subjects, ahead of bell time in Birmingham.

(Image: © WWE)

Standing tall at 6ft 3in, Gibson, the powerhouse from Merseyside found success on the British wrestling scene, before signing with WWE earlier this year.

Since then he’s been taking his opponents and his aggression to new limits.

For Gibson, finding a character than resonates with fans has been an important key to growth within the industry.

“I had long blonde hair if you can believe that!” recalls Gibson. "I remember very clearly being at a show and [British wrestling legend and NXT general manager] William Regal told me that I looked very nice and that I would turn a few heads”, laughs the 28-year-old.

But Gibson didn’t want to look ‘nice’, he wanted to win titles and be taken seriously, so he set about an image change.

Out was the long hair and pretty boy looks and in became a more straightforward, rougher style that he’s now coined "Scouse Strong Style".

"I’ve chipped loads of teeth but I won’t get them fixed", says the rugged wrestling superstar, who is all business in the ring. If you look at some of us British wrestlers, we have an authenticity," adds Gibson.

(Image: Tony Knox)

As for his training, Gibson has been working hard in the gym but is quick to share that getting bigger muscles is no longer a prerequisite to success in the larger-than-life world of WWE.

"If you look at the biggest grossing fight in history, it was Floyd Mayweather versus Conor McGregor . That’s a fact and they both weigh around 150lbs.

"Look at Pete Dunne [the WWE UK Champion]. He’s shown that you don’t have to be the biggest guy to find success.

"That said, for me, I have chosen to get in the gym because I want to be as strong as possible.

"That, to me, is more important than being chiselled or having a six-pack”, he shares.

"I have to work really hard because I’m naturally skinny. I think God wanted me to be an accountant!" laughs ‘Liverpool’s No. 1’.

(Image: © WWE)

Gibson hopes that all the hours of training and learning his craft against some of the best opponents in the world of wrestling will pay off as he sets his sights on Trent Seven in Birmingham.

"Seven and his ‘British Strong Style’ allies are no fans of Gibson.

"I don’t know who I’m scheduled to face yet, but I do know that I want to get my hands on Trent," he says.

And it’s not just Trent Seven that Gibson is targeting. The Liverpool lad is ready to take on the whole gang.

"If you look at Trent Seven, Tyler Bate and Pete Dunne, they got to the WWE’s United Kingdom division a year ahead of me. They have dominated in that time,

but now I’m here and I’m coming for them," asserts Gibson.

We certainly wouldn’t stand in his way.

NXT UK will be visiting Birmingham Insomnia Gaming Festival this weekend, August 25 and 26. Tickets do not need to be purchased for the festival, and can be bought from: www.livenation.co.uk.