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As PWInsider.com has broken in recent weeks, there are expected to be major changes to the WWE hierarchy over the next year as Bruce Prichard intends to retire from his current position as as Executive Director - Creative Writing & Talent (CWT) after Wrestlemania season. The current plan is for Prichard to move back home to Texas, where he would continue on with the company as a consultant. The current internal plan is for Shawn Michaels, current head of WWE NXT and Senior Vice President of Talent Development and Creative to step into Prichard's role. We are told Michaels is expected to start splitting his time between NXT and WWE HQ to prepare for that transition.
One of the major questions that has been asked is who will take over WWE NXT. PWInsider.com can confirm that the person the company is currently looking towards for that role is former WWE Champion CM Punk. We are told that Punk has been at the majority of WWE NXT broadcasts in recent weeks alongside Michaels and is currently being prepped for that role. This opens up questions of whether Punk is looking towards retirement for a full-time behind the scenes role or if he would shift into a schedule that would see him still perform for the WWE roster as he works to guide and shape the developmental system. We are told there is no firm timeline for Punk to step into the role as the company wants everyone involved to take time to ensure it's the right fit for all involved, but internally, Punk is who they are currently looking towards to slip into Michaels' position when Michaels needs to step into Prichard's responsibilities.
There had been rumors of AJ Styles taking over NXT, but we are told that while Styles has been more involved in producing there (in part of cover Terry Taylor as he recovered from a knee surgery), currently WWE is looking to use Styles to assist in scouting and the WWE ID program.
There have also been rumors of Bobby Roode stepping into Prichard's role but we have been told that Roode is being more prepped to step into the role Michael Hayes holds as a top producer and creative mind - but one WWE source cautioned that the company will likely tab several people to cover everything under Prichard's umbrella.
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