This Saturday the superstars of NXT invade the Barclays Center for the four consecutive year for NXT Takeover: Brooklyn IV. Ahead of this weekend’s big event, Triple H speaks with members of the pro wrestling media to discuss Takeover, the future of the NXT brand, the WWE Performance Center and more. Follow along with our live updates below.
And we’re live!
— Triple H opens running down the card Takeover card. He says the depth of the brand is “really, really strong” right now because you make a list of the talent NOT on this card and there’s a lot of great names there.
— It’s not a “stretch” to consider main roster stars possibly coming back to the NXT brand, especially with the talent that got it’s start there, which is something like “80% of the roster”.
— No real answer on NXT possibly being brought to Fox or USA when next year’s new TV deals go into effect. “Never say never” and “right now we’re concentrating on the deals we have”.
— Triple H isn’t interesting in making Takeover shows longer. He doesn’t want to force anything that doesn’t belong on the card, and he doesn’t want to have to start cutting important things because the cards start getting over-stacked. That said, it’s on the WWE Network so they can pretty much go as long as they need to, to accommodate their vision for the show.
Click Here: cheap gold coast titans jerseys
— There may be some crossover between NXT and NXT UK. Triple H compared it to the old territory system where the main NXT Champion may end up being like the traveling world champion who goes from place to place. Says it gives talent the opportunity to learn how to get over in different markets and keep things fresh.
— Triple H “not 100% positive” on the status of Neville and did not want to give an answer on his status without checking on his information first. He did call him “one of the most talented guys in the world” and praised him for his work on 205 Live building up the Cruiserweight division.
— Announcements “in the coming weeks” surrounding NXT UK and its broadcasting future and where fans can watch it. Triple H said they taped in advance because he didn’t want to wait, and the product is “really good”. Things are taking longer than he anticipated, but “I promise you it will be worth the wait” and he’ll let us know as soon as he has more information to share.
— Triple H says they are in the process of figuring out scheduling and how things are going to work next October when the Fox deal goes into effect. With them taping on Mondays and Fridays in 2019 it changes everything from live events on the weekends, talent’s days off, the routing of their trucks, how they build from show to show, etc. Everything changes, but he says it’s a great opportunity to reevaluate and make some changes.
— No update on Aleister Black yet, as far as when he’ll be back. Part of that is he’s not sure on the injury yet, and part of it is they have to figure out how to handle it in story as far as who attacked him, and how they’re going to play that out.
— Every single match on the NXT Takeover: Brooklyn IV card has the potential to steal the show. Calls Shayna/Sane a “sleeper” match with the history to be really, really good. Says Ciampa/Gargano have stolen the show on every show they’ve been on this year.
— Triple H said Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir are “like sponges”. They haven’t been wrestling for very long but they’re already scary good. Whether or not the Four Horsewomen come back together at some point will depend on the creative and how things play out in the future, but he’s concerned about it right now.
— Triple H:
“This is one of those businesses to me, where you have to love it to be really good at it. It’s got to become your passion. It’s difficult, it’s a lot of work. Physically very daunting, taxing, and the schedule; all of it. You have to really love it. You see some talent and they give it a try, and they like it, but their hearts not in it – they’ll never make it. There are some where the lightbulb goes off shortly after they start, and suddenly it’s everything to them. It’s a passion to them. Those are the ones that will make it. That’s really what we’re looking for, but it doesn’t really matter where you come from.”