Shawn Michaels is proud of how the NXT roster has responded to what he considers an unusually significant period of turnover for the brand.
Ahead of WWE NXT Heatwave, Michaels appeared on Busted Open on WWE Radio and discussed the number of talent departures NXT has dealt with in 2026, particularly as wrestlers have moved to Raw and SmackDown.
While roster turnover is naturally part of NXT’s purpose as a developmental brand, Michaels said he cannot remember another stretch where the show has lost this much talent to the main roster in such a short period of time.
“Very (proud of the NXT roster). It happens on a regular basis. Obviously, that’s what NXT is as a brand. It’s about preparing WWE superstars for Raw and SmackDown. But, I can’t remember a year where we went through this many talent going up… At the least, a year but certainly an eight-month span and we always understand there’s going to be a rebuilding process but this was a yeoman’s effort,” Michaels said.
Michaels pointed to the difference between the roster around Great American Bash and the one heading into Heatwave, noting that the additions of Mike Santana, Grayson Waller and Zilla Fatu have provided a major boost while also pushing the rest of the men’s division.
“I think this year, to the point of, you look at the difference between Great American Bash and now Heatwave and you just see, obviously, it really jumps off the page, the difference in this show… The addition of Mike (Santana) and (Grayson) Waller and Zilla (Fatu), obviously a huge boost… It’s challenged all the other men on our roster to step up, and look, it challenges us as a creative team as well. So, it’s one of those things that you have to rise to the difficulty in front of you and again, that’s what we get a kick out of doing here so, very proud of everybody, again, that’s pulled together.”
Michaels believes the roster has weathered that rebuilding period and regained momentum, particularly as NXT moves toward the closing months of 2026.
“All of our talent has done a great job. They understood the pressure that was on their shoulders, and I think we easily have momentum now and I think we’re gonna be hitting our groove, again, coming to the end of the year and obviously into 2027 so, once again, the future is very bright for NXT and I couldn’t be more proud of all of our talent for working so hard.”
Michaels expanded on the effect the roster changes had on NXT’s men’s division, saying the departures initially left some talent “shell-shocked.” However, he believes the newer additions have simultaneously challenged the roster and taken some of the pressure off those who suddenly found themselves being asked to fill bigger roles.
“The men understood the challenge that was in front of them, and like I said, with the additions we have, I think it also, in a strange way, it challenged everybody but I also feel like it took a lot of pressure off of our men’s division to where they now understood, like, oh, okay, this is going to take time. Yes, we can do this. It’s tough. I think for a lot of ‘em, it was their first time just really seeing us being stripped away of so much talent, and you’re kind of just shell-shocked for a little bit…”
Michaels compared the situation to a wrestler returning from an injury and needing time to regain their confidence.
“It’s like being off after an injury. You still wonder is it gonna be the same when I come back from injury? Can I still get in there and do that? But then you gotta get in there. You get that first one under your belt and you realize, okay, yeah, this is the same stuff that I’ve always been doing… It just takes time to get into your comfort zone again but that’s what our men’s division has done, and obviously our ladies are who they are which is fantastic.”
One wrestler Michaels specifically praised was NXT Champion Tony D’Angelo. Michaels revealed that he spoke with D’Angelo about criticism surrounding his championship reign and compared the situation to the narrative surrounding Michaels’ own run as WWE Champion during a difficult period for the company.
“I had a chat with Tony and one of the things you can enjoy about the job, I said, ‘Tony, the narrative on Shawn Michaels is he’s the worst-drawing WWE Champion of all-time,’ and I said, ‘Nobody says that’s when everybody was leaving. WCW was coming on, and Tony, you’re in that same boat; that everybody got called up. You’re the champion in this time.’ I said, ‘It isn’t fun,’ and I said, ‘But, I can tell you this much: I’m the one that’s still here… I created my space, and you can do the same thing. Once again, you just have to be able to silence the noise around you.’”
Michaels said D’Angelo was someone NXT officials trusted to carry the men’s division through the transition while the roster was being rebuilt.
“I told him exactly what I was told, which is, ‘Hey, you’re the guy who carried us through this tough time. That’s the difference.’ Yes, all those things went on but Tony D’Angelo is the guy who we knew that could carry us and had the shoulders strong enough to carry us through this time that we could rebuild this men’s division and he’s been the one that’s done that.”
Michaels added that he expects history to ultimately look favorably on D’Angelo’s championship run.
“Tony D’Angelo is one of the hardest workers in this place. He’s a phenomenal human being, and he has done a great job as champion. It is just, once again, one of those things that you can’t control, a narrative that goes out there about you but I will say that time usually begins and history begins to tell a different story when everything’s said and done and I think that’s gonna be the case with Tony D’Angelo.”
Michaels also discussed the development process after wrestlers leave NXT, revealing that the NXT coaching staff receives feedback from the main roster about areas where certain talent can continue to improve.
“Matt Bloom and all his team of coaches do a fantastic job… I get reports from the main roster and I see areas where they’re talking about certain NXT talent and, ‘They need to work on this, they need to work on that,’ and it’s something we have to get word to them every now and then like, ‘Hey, you have to tell them. Let them know about this. Let them know we’re always here,’ but, once you go out of our hands, it’s kind of up to you how much you put into your job…”
NXT has continued to experience roster movement recently, with Bronco Nima and Lucien Price of O.T.M. appearing on Raw alongside Royce Keys, while Lola Vice has been advertised for the September 14 edition of Raw in Mexico City.
NXT Heatwave takes place Sunday, August 30 from the Bert Ogden Arena in Edinburg, Texas. AAA will also present Ola de Calor from the same venue earlier that day.
Make sure to join us here at WrestlingHeadlines.com on 8/30 for live WWE NXT Heatwave 2026 Results coverage from Edinburg, TX.
