Since 2020, we’ve seen the scale of WWE’s NXT brand scaled back. Starting with the COVID-19 pandemic, the Takeover model was done – and NXT 2.0 only had one show run out of the WWE Performance Center since then. This is likely to remain the path of the brand going forward, as revealed by current head of creative in NXT and two time WWE Hall of Famer – Shawn Michaels.
Getting Into Bigger Venues Would Be A Plus, But Is Not The End Goal In WWE NXT Anymore
While speaking with Ariel Helwani on the MMA Hour podcast, Michaels was asked for his goal when it came to NXT and if he wanted to get back to running bigger venues. Michaels would be quoted saying the following about the NXT brand.
“Right now, it certainly is about development, but that is certainly not from the standpoint of forsaking real talent and real ability. You’re crazy if you don’t see people who are out there that are very valuable that you know can be valuable to the WWE. Even if it’s coming into NXT and maybe getting a feel for how life is in WWE and then quickly moving on. I know it sounds cliche and maybe not honest, but nothing really is off the table. If it’s a good idea, I’ll steal it from anybody. If there’s a really talented guy out there and we think he can help this company, we’re crazy not to take it.
We can still develop people at the same time. All of our younger talent is going to benefit from being in the ring with those guys, even if it’s just a handful of times. They’re gonna get such experience from that. I never want to take it off the table, not getting guys out there that can really contribute to Raw or SmackDown in the future. All of this is about feeding the machine. At the forefront, I’m more focused on development, on developing the young men and women that we have passed through here, getting them prepared for the main roster. In the process, if we’re able to build back this brand where we can get back in those arenas and start selling them out, that’s a bonus. I can’t say that’s the goal right now.”
Black & Gold Was Quality, But Produced Few Stars For WWE
During the Black & Gold era, this was an issue. Talent would be stars in NXT, selling out venues for Takeover events, but failing to actually translate to the WWE main roster. Stars in NXT would often stick around on the brand long past their time, with some like Adam Cole & Kyle O’Reilly not even making it to the WWE main roster – choosing to avoid potential disaster after seeing how the likes of Keith Lee & Karrion Kross were initially ruined.
Now, it’s easier to see the likes of Carmelo Hayes & Bron Breakker being stars when moving to Smackdown Live or Monday Night RAW. NXT is back to purely being used as a developmental system – instead of being a shaky third brand for the company. Will this approach in NXT pay off in the end?
Let us know what you think in the comment section down below.
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