Shawn Michaels has no interest in turning WWE NXT into a watered-down version of Raw or SmackDown.
During a recent appearance on Busted Open Radio (full episode below), Michaels discussed his vision for NXT and why he believes the developmental brand needs to maintain an identity separate from WWE’s main-roster programming.
The WWE Senior Vice President of Talent Development Creative said Raw and SmackDown already fill their respective roles, and he wants NXT to offer viewers something different.
“I don’t want NXT to be a SmackDown or a Raw lite. We have those. I want it to be a totally different show. It needs to be a brand that also stands on its own, and it is. It’s totally different. It’s unlike any other brand out there in the world, if you ask me, because nobody has the model that we have.”
Michaels pointed specifically to NXT’s developmental structure, where wrestlers are prepared for eventual moves to WWE’s main roster, as something that separates the brand from other wrestling promotions.
“Nobody builds people up just to lose them. Everybody builds people up to build around those guys. We’re unlike any other beast out there,” Michaels added.
Michaels took over NXT creative after Paul “Triple H” Levesque stepped away from his duties with the brand in 2021 following a serious cardiac event.
In September 2022, Michaels was promoted to Senior Vice President of Talent Development Creative, putting him in charge of both the creative direction and development of talent in NXT.
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