Op, I totally see where you are coming from. Wrestling is like a circus because there are things you just don't see in every day life that is supposed to amaze you. It's "Sports Entertainment", not "Sport". Andre The Giant was an attraction because he was enormous. People of larger sizes have always been more compelling to watch and I think it's due to the fact that most of us are average sized human beings. This isn't my biggest problem with this most recent WWE Network tournament.
My issue at first was "They should have did this years ago when they signed Finn Balor". It would have been a great way to introduce he and Neville. That ship has clearly passed. Now my greatest issue was the lack of star power, or familiar faces that this tournament suffered from. Also, the small amount of participants in the tournament was a huge issue for me. Merely 16 men involved just doesn't do it for me. I want to see WWE talent, main roster talent, NXT talent, and everyone else. When you look at the talent that the WWE has right now from the United Kingdom this tournament turns into something special. After all this new title is for the entire WWE roster, right?
Where were the returns of Wade Barrett and Drew Galloway? I know that sounds a bit out of place, but just consider this. First, this is the WWE we're talking about. Stars leave and come back rather often and I don't blame them, or the company. Alberto Del Rio is a perfect example of what I am suggesting. He left on some bad terms and said some bad things while on the outside. They still brought him back. What would be the difference with either Wade, or Drew? We're talking two talents who never had the opportunity to represent the United Kingdom. They return to either join the tourney, or ruin it in the finals by interfering.
Sheamus, Neville, Apollo Crews, Jack Gallagher, Killian Dain, and Finn Balor are all from the United Kingdom. Why aren't they in the tournament? Granted Finn Balor is injured, so he is a clear exception, but face it he wouldn't be in it right now either. I think the talent the WWE has really would have helped legitimize this whole tourney and at the same time possibly put some of the talent outside of the main roster and the WWE in general over. I realize the point is to put some non WWE talent over, but why? Just being in the tournament alone for someone not signed to a long term WWE contract is a big enough deal for that star. Put them down in NXT as it's expected and let them go from there. The United Kingdom tournament is for the main roster. Sheamus vs Killian Dain would have been epic for the title. I'm sure others would think the same, but two huge, brutes, beating one another up would have been a great way to show this title off.