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Triple H met with reporters today to promote Saturday’s NXT Takeover show from Brooklyn, NY. Of course, we will have full coverage of the event here on the site as it happens.
Adam Hopkins turned the call over to HHH right away. H thanked us for coming. He said it’s an exciting time, with the Brand Extension. The call ups of talent is a huge opportunity for the talents and Raw and Smackdown. He said it’s also an exciting time for NXT coming into NY, with the card sold out. He was excited that the Cruiserweights are going to Raw. He talked about how great it was for the industry right now.
He talked about a poster he has in his office from last year’s Takeover Brooklyn and how now half of the wrestlers are on the main roster. He said he is excited for Ember Moon’s debut. She will be a key part of the women’s division going forward. He talked about the veteran Austin Aries take on the rookie, No Way Jose. H wants to see if Jose can hang with Aries. He thinks Almas vs. Roode will be glorious. He thinks Gargano and Ciampa vs. The Revival can steal the show. He said all four guys are great. He is also excited about the rematch between Bayley and Asuka. Can Bayley repeat her career making moment from last year? And Asuka is dominating the division. There are a lot of candidates to steal the show, and the weekend. That led him to Samoa Joe vs. Shinsuke Nakamura. He is intrigued by the styles that they have.
There will be a few matches shot before they go live and they will air the following week.
There will be another All Access at the Performance Center on 11/14. He also talked about how excited he is about the Cruiserweight Classic. He is happy to give the lighter guys the opportunity.
The Q and A is next.
The first question came from Mike Johnson. HHH said he never let him down. Mike asked about the Cruisers and them going to Raw. Are they being signed to NXT deals, RAW deals or both. And why did they go to Raw instead of Smackdown.
H agreed that Mauro and Bryan have a claim since they announce the matches but Raw being the three hour show that needs more talent, it’s the right place for them. They bring something different and we will see that. He doesn’t mean from the work standpoint but more in the presentation. It’s about creating something different for Raw and its format. He is signing a lot of guys, creating a division, and also looking towards the future. They will be working both NXT and Raw events. He wants the guys to be able to work and keep them doing what they do. It’s a big opportunity for them and he is excited about the process.
Mike asked about Takeover and keeping the brand evolving when Raw and Smackdown are there to take talent. H mentioned how that poster showed how many people from last year are gone. Part of what makes NXT fun is the freshness and the way it always evolves. He said that by the time they leave NXT they are ready to move up. They use their time in NXT to build their characters and get them ready for television on the main roster. He did acknowledge that some people can be brought up before they are ready if there is a role for them but that is rare.
I wanted Mike to ask about the moment with Cedric last week but he forgot. Hopefully someone else does.
I have no idea what the guy asked, either did H.
He asked again if Brooklyn is the WrestleMania of NXT. He said right now it is since they did it the last two years but they haven’t been at this level this long. It will be interesting to see where it goes. It definitely feels special.
He was asked something I couldn’t understand, but he mentioned women so HHH talked about the evolution of women in the industry and they are training the women to be Superstars. The women want to have the best match on the show, not just the best match for the women. Asuka and Bayley want to steal the show. Asuka wants to be the lead story in Japan, not Nakamura.
He was asked about NXT running in this guy’s country, Spain. H said that they are willing to go anywhere. They will officially announce their Australian tour this weekend. He sees NXT as its own global brand now. He thinks that people around the world would come to NXT now if WWE wasn’t being offered.
The guy kept asking questions, ignoring the rule, so he was given the hook. Thank God.
A guy from Germany kind of babbled before asking about Alexander Wolfe and whether he would get on a card. H put him over and said he learned a lot since coming in. He expects big things.
The guy asked about other German guys in the system. Jeez, these guys need to be reporters not homers. It’s not just about your country. Bring something to the table or don’t ask questions.
Dave Meltzer asked about Kota Ibushi in saying he wants to work both NXT and Japan. Are they open to that or do they want exclusivity? HHH said that they’re open to doing different things, mentioning working with Jushin Liger last year. He said with the Cruisers, he wants to keep them exclusive to WWE. It’s a process though. He is open to things but at the end of the day, they want to create WWE Superstars.
He was asked about the nature of training guys, and the different kinds of training methods. Has there been any change in how guys train down in NXT?
HHH said that it’s hard to blame specific styes for injuries. He said at the end of the day, it’s a physical business. But they are looking at all of the aspects of training. They want their guys to be healthy and do the best that they can to make them as bulletproof as possible. If they start feeling an injury, they do what they can to make them as healthy as possible. He said it’s great that technology is so great that they can tap into all of the assets out there to learn all that they can.
Jason Powell asked who the broadcast team will be the weekend, with Corey Graves being promoted. They are working on that H said. He said it’s the constant of change. He is happy for Corey and they are trying to work out what’s best for NXT. Does Vince want guys to be exclusive? It’s a work in process. He is just as happy that NXT created Corey as a Raw announcer. He wants to help develop all aspects for the company.
He was asked about the differences between NXT and Raw. One hour vs. three hours is a huge difference. 50/50 booking happens more on Raw while with one hour, he can book more by feel in NXT. He listens to the audience but also thinks about what he wants to see as a fan and he keeps that in mind. There is no right or wrong, it’s different flavors. It's not an exact science.
The last question came from someone that was excited. He asked about Shawn Michaels coming in to NXT as a trainer. He and Shawn are in talks all the time about things. Shawn is in the process of deciding, whether he wants to move or not. He hasn’t talked to him in a couple of days. But, he has spent time recently in the Performance Center. Shawn loves the brand and after spending some time there, it reinvigorated him. He asked about spending time with talent. He said now it comes down to what Shawn wants to do. If he wants full time, it’s the greatest thing ever. If he wants part time, that is great too. He said there is no one better at teaching how to be stars. He is one of the best out there. It’s sort of up in the air right now. They will work on it. He will be a giddy kid if Shawn comes in.
Will the Cruiserweight Champion be crowned in the finals of the tournament. HHH said you will have to wait and see. He talked about all of the guys that they have brought in and the amazing performers that they are. It has created something special. He told them there was opportunity when they came and he hoped there would be more. They knocked it out of the park and created more. It’s a work in progress so he can’t say for sure what will happen with the Title but he is excited and it will bring something special into Raw.
HHH thanked us. He referenced last week's Cruiser show and wondered how it could be followed. He said it was and tonight's show will be great as well.
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