VIDEO: Ricochet defends WWE Speed title against Tyler Bate
Ricochet’s first defense of the WWE Speed Championship was a successful one.
On Friday, a new episode of WWE Speed aired with Ricochet defending his title against Tyler Bate. The match was taped prior to Monday’s episode of Raw in Greensboro, North Carolina. A flipping cutter got Ricochet the win with 1:52 left on the clock.
Matches on WWE Speed usually have a three-minute time limit, but that’s extended to five minutes for championship matches. The show typically premieres on Wednesdays, but there have been special Friday episodes for title bouts.
Bate got this title shot by winning a four-man number one contender’s tournament on WWE Speed. He defeated Berto (Humberto Carrillo) in the first round and Apollo Crews in the second round. Ivar was originally supposed to be Bate’s second-round opponent instead of Crews, but Ivar is dealing with a legitimate injury and had to be pulled from the tournament.
WWE Speed airs on X/Twitter as part of a two-year deal between WWE and the social media company. It debuted last month and features a tournament-style format. Ricochet became the inaugural champion by winning title tournament matches against Dragon Lee, JD McDonagh, and Johnny Gargano.
Joseph Currier is the lead editor of F4WOnline.com, directing daily news coverage and writing articles on professional wrestling. He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, obtaining a journalism degree in 2016. Joseph joined F4W during his time at UMass and has now been writing about the industry for nearly a decade.
In addition to his work with F4W, Joseph has previously contributed to Sports Illustrated's wrestling coverage. He lives in Massachusetts and is a diehard fan of the Boston sports teams and Liverpool Football Club.