Triple H On NXT: “We Say It’s Developmental, But At the Same Time…”

NXT had a weak few months in the latter part of the year, but it’s righting the course and still accurately called WWE’s fan-favorite brand. Stars like Samoa Joe, Shinsuke Nakamura, and Bobby Roode have been anchoring the show for some time, and that’s left a major question in many fans’ minds: is NXT still developmental?

In a recent interview with ESPN, Triple H essentially says “well, sort of.” The mastermind of NXT says that the role of the brand has changed, and will continue to change in the future.

“We say that it’s developmental, but at the same time it’s a third brand — 200 events this year, specials and the weekly show itself which are one of the most popular things on the Network. I think over the years you’re gonna begin to see Raw is its own brand, SmackDown is its own brand, NXT — you’re gonna see people move around. It’s no longer gonna be just, this guy got called up, it’s gonna be maybe ‘this guy got moved over, she got moved here,’ and see that transference of talent. At the end of the day, it’s all content; it’s all product that our fans wanna see. The difference in those products is big, but there’s something there for everybody. I think that’s what’s exciting about it.”

Even with that being said, the Man With Three Hs doesn’t discount NXT’s historical role. “Guys have things to learn along the way,” he said. “Unless you’ve done this, you can’t understand the difference in what the television product is at a Wrestlemania level, to a Raw level, to an NXT level. We’re trying to create that product.”

“The first NXT event we did,” Hunter says, “[Finn Balor] looked at me afterwards and was like, ‘Dude, my mind is blown, because I never once thought where cameras were, or any of the other things that we do.'”

“You get guys that when they come out of NXT, they’re TV-ready,” Triple H said. “You pull the trigger, and they’re ready to roll on Raw or SmackDown. You didn’t see that before. It was a big learning curve when they got up there. We’re taking that learning curve and putting it way earlier in the process. That’s where you’re gonna see guys over the years be able to succeed and deepen that talent roster and that talent pool.”

WWE is putting a big focus on making their non-televised content more meaningful as they continue to push for more content on their streaming service. Superstars was recently replaced with the far more interesting 205 Live, and NXT’s evolution into something more than developmental is another facet of that.

NXT, according to numerous reports, does not turn a profit on its own. But the value it adds to the WWE Network and WWE’s brand overall means that it’s likely to have a lengthy life.

Remember, NXT fans, the show is going to be airing a lengthy special this Wednesday. Enjoy!