For the first time in several years, WWE’s NXT Stand & Deliver event will not take place during WrestleMania weekend. Instead, the 2026 edition of the premium live event will be held on April 4, roughly two weeks before WrestleMania 42. While the change could provide the show with more breathing room, NXT commentator Booker T admits he isn’t sure whether the move will ultimately benefit the event or not.
Speaking on the “Hall of Fame” podcast, Booker T shared mixed feelings about Stand & Deliver being separated from the annual WrestleMania festivities. In previous years, the show served as part of the packed WrestleMania weekend schedule, giving NXT talent a chance to perform in front of the same fans who traveled for WWE’s biggest event of the year.
“I don’t know, man,” Booker said when asked if the move would be a positive for the event. “I don’t mind being an add-on because we know we ain’t going to have a problem selling tickets. We’re going to be around everything that’s going on.”
Booker emphasized that being tied to WrestleMania week allowed younger NXT talent to experience the atmosphere surrounding WWE’s biggest annual event.
“Actually, having the young guys still have a piece of that feeling of WrestleMania, I thought was very, very, very important. I really did. So yeah, it’s going to be different.”
This year’s Stand & Deliver event will take place at The Factory at The District in St. Louis and is currently advertised to feature several of NXT’s top stars, including NXT Champion Joe Hendry, NXT Women’s Champion Jacy Jayne, and NXT North American Champion Myles Borne.
According to reports, WWE’s decision to move the event away from WrestleMania weekend was influenced by several factors. In previous years, WWE’s production team had the challenging task of producing multiple major events within a 24-hour window, including “WWE SmackDown,” the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony, and NXT Stand & Deliver ahead of WrestleMania night one.
By separating the events, WWE can ease that production workload while also giving the NXT show its own spotlight rather than having it compete for attention during one of the busiest weeks in professional wrestling.
WrestleMania 42 will still take place in Las Vegas later in the month, with the two-night event scheduled for April 18 and April 19. With NXT Stand & Deliver now positioned weeks earlier, it represents a noticeable shift in how WWE is presenting its developmental brand and its major events throughout the year.
The change also raises interesting questions about NXT’s role within WWE’s overall structure. For years, Stand & Deliver benefitted from the massive WrestleMania crowd and global attention surrounding that weekend, but moving the show could allow the brand to stand on its own while giving its roster more room to showcase themselves without being overshadowed by WWE’s biggest spectacle.
Do you think moving NXT Stand & Deliver away from WrestleMania weekend will help or hurt the event?
