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Category: NXT

  • Top WWE NXT Star Could be a Free Agent Soon

    Top WWE NXT Star Could be a Free Agent Soon

    Last month, it was reported that Io Shirai is dealing with an injury, after being out of action for quite some time.

    Shirai’s last match was back at NXT Stand and Deliver in April 2022, where she came up short against NXT Women’s Champion Mandy Rose.

    That match also included Cora Jade and Kay Lee Ray, but this may also be the last time fans see Shirai in a WWE ring.

    Is Shirai leaving WWE?

    In the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, it’s reported that Shirai is yet to sign a new contract with WWE.

    If she does not re-sign, the former NXT Women’s Champion will finish with WWE next month and will leave without a non-compete clause.

    Shirai has reportedly told those close to her in Japan that she will return to her homeland if she does not re-sign with WWE.

    The 32-year-old wrestler wishes to spend more time with her family according to the report by the Observer.

    Shirai in WWE

    In October 2016, Shirai (alongside KAIRI) were contacted by WWE and offered contracts, which the former accepted in May 2017.

    Unfortunately, WWE rescinded the deal the same day Io accepted, as WWE doctors suggested the company pass on signing her due to a neck injury.

    In May 2018, Shirai was once again in discussions with WWE, who signed her to a deal, with June 2018 marking her debut.

    Since coming to the company, Shirai has captured the NXT Women’s Championship and NXT Women’s Tag Team Champion alongside Zoey Stark.

    She is also a Women’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Classic winner (with Kay Lee Ray) and three-time NXT Year-End Award winner.

    Io Shirai Out Of Action With An Injury
  • WWE Considering Calling up Two NXT Names for Main Roster

    WWE Considering Calling up Two NXT Names for Main Roster

    Two NXT prospects are said to be on the radar of WWE management for potential callups to the main roster.

    WWE has made many changes to NXT over the years. The brand has gone from the black and gold look to a more colorful vibe. With its current iteration also came a change in direction.

    NXT is now a true developmental system, preparing stars for the main roster. It’s no longer considered its own top brand filled with high-level indie talent and international stars.

    It appears WWE feels two NXT talents have been doing well enough to potentially earn main roster spots.

    Sanaga & Xyon Quinn to the Main Roster?

    Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio is reporting that WWE management is mulling over the possibility of adding Sanga and Xyon Quinn to the main roster.

    Furthermore, Meltzer claims WWE sees Quinn as “the total package.”

    Sanga and Quinn shared the ring on the June 28 episode of NXT 2.0. Sanga emerged victorious.

    It’s unknown which brands are being discussed should Sanga and Xyon Quinn make the jump to the main roster.

    At the moment, SmackDown is depleted of babyfaces so perhaps Sanga could be a good fit there but nothing has been confirmed.

  • Another WWE Talent Suffers Injury

    Another WWE Talent Suffers Injury

    With all the injuries piling up, one would imagine the wrestling Gods are not pleased.

    It seems promotions just can’t shake the injury bug. The among of injuries, and key ones at that, are seemingly at an all-time high.

    AEW has been harder than anyone during this stretch but WWE has also had to deal with some brutal timing when it comes to injuries. Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton are out of commission for months due to injury.

    One NXT superstar who has quickly been on the rise is now dealing with his own bump in the road.

    Nathan Frazer Injured

    Nathan Frazer has been on a roll on NXT. Many have been impressed by the Seth Rollins-trained standout on WWE’s developmental brand.

    Unfortunately, he has suffered an injury and has been off the show as a result.

    The good news is Frazer doesn’t expect to be out of action for long.

    “Dealing with a little injury right now, I’ll be back before you know it.”

    Nathan Frazer on injury

    Frazer had been making a splash on the NXT UK brand before making the move over to NXT 2.0.

    He challenged Carmelo Hayes for the NXT North American Championship at a live event on June 10, which may have been where he suffered the injury.

  • WWE Title Match Added to Upcoming Event

    WWE Title Match Added to Upcoming Event

    A WWE championship match has been added to a card set for early July.

    The wrestling industry is no stranger to big title matches. WWE has plenty of gold, which means title matches are easy to come by.

    There are also three brands under the WWE banner, all of which are on TV networks so there are championships galore.

    This latest title match announcement is for NXT.

    NXT Women’s Tag Titles On The Line

    Toxic Attraction

    During the June 28 episode of NXT 2.0, new NXT Women’s Tag Team Title contenders were determined. Roxanne Perez and Cora Jade defeated Katana Chance and Kayden Carter to earn a title opportunity.

    They will meet the current title holders, Toxic Attraction (Gigi Dolin & Jacy Jayne) at NXT Great American Bash on July 5.

    Dolin and Jayne are in their second run as the NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions. They’ve held the gold since April.

    NXT Great American Bash will be held inside the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida. Check back on the SEScoops homepage for coverage of the event.

  • Nikkita Lyons Return Update

    Nikkita Lyons Return Update

    There is a positive update on Nikkita Lyons made official by WWE.

    Lyons was expected to perform in the semifinals of the NXT Women’s Breakout Tournament on May 24. She ended up being pulled due to an injury.

    Lyons revealed that she had suffered a partially torn MCL. She referred to it as just a sprain and didn’t expect to be out of action for long.

    Nikkita Lyons Returns Next Week

    Nikkita Lyons
    (via WWE)

    During the June 21 episode of NXT 2.0, it was announced that Nikkita Lyons will be making her return during next week’s episode (June 28).

    Some had Lyons as the favorite to win the NXT Breakout Tournament before she suffered her injury. Roxanne Perez ended up defeating Tiffany Stratton in the finals to take that honor.

    It’ll be interesting to see what Lyons has in store upon her return to WWE’s developmental brand.

    She hasn’t competed since the first round of the tournament when she defeated Arianna Grace.

  • WWE Had Plans For Troy Donovan Before Sudden Release

    WWE Had Plans For Troy Donovan Before Sudden Release

    Troy Donovan was released from WWE earlier this month, but this wasn’t a decision that been in the works.

    Donovan had served as ‘Two Dimes,’ one of Tony D’Angelo’s ‘family’ on WWE NXT 2.0, but was cut due to what’s being described as a “policy issue.”

    Plans for Donovan

    On Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer said that WWE had taped several weeks of segments for D’Angelo’s family in advance and that these segments included Donovan (via Sporto.)

    “So they taped the stuff with Tony D’Angelo’s family, so they may have to re-edit this thing because Two Dimes was already taped for two more weeks. Although, I guess they don’t have to. They could probably still show him for those two weeks, it’s not the end of the world. ”

    Meltzer didn’t specify whether the segments will be scrapped entirely, whether they will be edited to remove Donovan or if they will need to be refilmed.

    While this isn’t “the end of the world” as Meltzer has made clear, it does reveal that WWE had no plans on releasing Donovan up until very recently.

    Neither WWE nor Donovan have said what the policy issue was that led to his abrupt release.

    Donovan’s Statement

    We may never learn what led to Troy Donovan’s release, but the former NXT 2.0 Superstar has addressed his departure on social media.

    While he didn’t specify what led to his departure, Donovan did say that mistakes were made and lessons learned during his brief tenure with the company.

    Donovan also thanked fans for their support, calling his release a “bump in the road.”

  • Troy Donovan Reacts To WWE Release

    Troy Donovan Reacts To WWE Release

    Troy “Two Dimes” Donovan was unexpectedly released from his NXT contract earlier this week, but he appears to be in good spirit despite it.

    The now former WWE star reacted to his departure from the promotion on Twitter. He thanked the people who reached out to him and called his release ‘a bump in the road’ that doesn’t define him:

    “Thank you to everyone who’s reached out.” wrote Troy Donovan, “Mistakes happen and lessons are learned. A bump in the road doesn’t define me though. I’ll be back.”

    The young star previously known as Cole Karter in the independent circuit was signed by WWE in March. He had recently joined Tony D’Angelo’s stable in NXT alongside Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo.

    After his unexpected WWE firing, it was reported that Donovan wasn’t let go because of budget cuts like many other in recent months. His release was instead attributed to an undisclosed policy issue.

    Reports also suggested that the former NXT star could be brought back by the company in a year or so. The latest tweet from the young prospect also suggests that he hasn’t given up on his wrestling career after his release.

    Though there aren’t enough details available about Troy’s WWE release to say whether or not we can expect him to be back in WWE.

  • WWE Releases NXT 2.0 Superstar

    WWE Releases NXT 2.0 Superstar

    WWE has released another NXT 2.0 star but this situation is a bit different.

    The company has had a sizable amount of roster cuts in recent months. Most of the time, budget cuts are the main reason given by the company. In some situations, budget cuts are simply used as an excuse.

    In this case, however, it was a different issue entirely.

    Troy “Two Dimes” Donovan Released

    (via WWE)

    Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer is reporting that WWE has released Troy “Two Dimes” Donovan. The report notes that this was due to a policy issue.

    Meltzer notes that it’s possible Donovan could be brought back in a year if both parties are interested by that time.

    Bryan Alvarez had reported that more NXT talent cuts were coming but that those were related to improvement issues. Bryan never made mention of cuts being made as a result of policy matters.

    Donovan had signed with WWE back in March. He recently aligned with Tony D’Angelo and Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo on NXT TV.

  • Top NXT 2.0 Star Seemingly Injured At Live Event

    Top NXT 2.0 Star Seemingly Injured At Live Event

    NXT 2.0 Star Tony D’Angelo seemingly suffered a shoulder or arm injury during the latest WWE Live Event from Largo, Florida.

    The young star was scheduled to face Cameron Grimes in a one-on-one match at the show on Saturday but the bout had to be stopped mid-way.

    There is no word yet on what caused the injury and if it was any specific move that resulted in the damage. Some photos of D’Angelo holding his shoulder from the show have surfaced online which you can see below:

    Tony D’Angelo made his WWE debut back in October 2021 and quickly became one of the faces of the revamped NXT 2.0 brand.

    He took part in a WarGames match only a month after his NXT debut. D’Angelo also defeated Pete Dunne in a Crowbar On a Pole match in January.

    While WWE’s premier shows have been touring since last year, the NXT 2.0 only just returned to touring this week. It provides many of the young talents the opportunity to experience life on the road for the first time.

    There is no word on how serious D’Angelo’s condition is. So it’s hard to say if he will miss any ring time due to it. We will keep you posted about his health.

  • Quote: WWE Were “Idiots” for Not Pushing Eric Young as NXT Champion

    Quote: WWE Were “Idiots” for Not Pushing Eric Young as NXT Champion

    As a wrestler of over 30 years, Eric Young is no stranger to championship gold, but one prize that has alluded him is the NXT Championship.

    In 2016, Young signed with WWE after a lengthy run in Impact Wrestling and formed the group Sanity alongside Killian Dain, Alexander Wolfe, Nikki Cross, and briefly Sawyer Fulton.

    The group did hold the NXT Tag Team Championships, but Young never captured the brand’s top prize, despite at least one of his Sanity cohorts thinking he was ready.

    Speaking to the Two Man Power Trip Of Wrestling podcast, Dain said there was a window of time when he felt Young could’ve feuded with Shinsuke Nakamura who at the time held the NXT Championship.

    That feud never transpired which remains a sore spot for Dain who said (via Bodyslam):

    “WWE were idiots for not putting the NXT Championship on Eric Young while we were in NXT.”

    Killian Dain on Young’s push in WWE.

    Young after WWE

    IMPACT: Eric Young si è infortunato | Zona Wrestling
    Young captured his second Impact World Championship upon his return to the company following his April 2020 WWE release.

    Eric Young’s career in WWE may not have gone as he (or Dain) may have hoped, but the Canadian wrestler has done well for him since.

    At July 2020’s Slammiversary event, Young returned to Impact Wrestling and captured the promotion’s World Championship in September that same year.

    Young’s reign would end the following month when he lost the title to Rich Swann.

    At next weekend’s Slammiversary, Young will once again challenge for the Impact World Championship, now held by fellow Canadian Josh Alexander.

  • WWE Champion Possibly Injured During Tapings

    WWE Champion Possibly Injured During Tapings

    One WWE superstar may have sustained an injury during a recent taping.

    As they say in WWE, “this ain’t ballet.” There is a risk that superstars run every time they step inside the ring. Even doing routine moves can lead to serious injury, which is why the company advises fans not to try these acts at home.

    For one NXT Champion, she may have been injured but it’s also possible she avoided anything serious.

    Gigi Dolin’s Injury Scare

    Gigi Dolin
    (via WWE)

    A spoiler report from PWInsider noted that there was a moment during a recent set of NXT tapings where Gigi Dolin was on the receiving end of a cannonball from Cora Jade. Gigi did not get up, so Cora pinned her immediately.

    Gigi, one-half of the NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions, had to be helped to the back.

    In some good news, the report noted that Gigi was out for a promo segment later and didn’t appear to show lingering effects.

    With that said, she didn’t get physical during the segment.

    Time will tell whether Gigi simply got the wind knocked out of her or if there’s something more serious at play.

  • NXT Champ Bron Breakker’s Next Challenger Revealed (Spoiler)

    NXT Champ Bron Breakker’s Next Challenger Revealed (Spoiler)

    NXT Champion Bron Breakker will be putting his title on the line against Cameron Grimes at the upcoming NXT Great American Bash special.

    This week, WWE recorded both the June 14 and June 21, editions of NXT 2.0 with the current plan being for the show to go back to being live on June 28.

    During the June 14, episode, Breakker will defeat Duke Hudson to retain his title only to be confronted after the match by Grimes.

    Grimes will challenge Breakker for a title match at the Great American Bash on July 5, which the NXT Champion will accept.

    Bron Breakker’s rise to the top

    Bron Breakker is still in his rookie year in WWE, but the second-generation Superstar has made serious waves so far.

    Breakker is already a two-time NXT Champion, having dethroned Tommaso Ciampa and Dolph Ziggler, but has quickly established himself as a bonafide main eventer on WWE’s weekly Tuesday show.

    It’s been reported that WWE has plans to fast-track Breakker to the main roster which explains his brief run on Raw earlier this year.

    Can Grimes win the big one?

    At the recent In Your House special this past Saturday, Cameron Grimes’ reign as NXT North American Champion was ended by Carmelo Hayes.

    This was Grimes’ first reign as North American Champion, which ended at 65 days, but not his first time holding a title in NXT 2.0.

    Grimes previously held the Million Dollar Championship but handed the title back to Ted DiBiase Sr. last August.

    The Great American Bash will mark Grimes’ first shot at the brand’s top prize: the NXT Championship.

  • Update on WWE Superstar’s Gimmick Change

    Update on WWE Superstar’s Gimmick Change

    Character changes seem to be in the air over in WWE.

    We’ve seen the likes of Madcap Moss recently undergo a much-needed change in direction. In Madcap’s case, he has ditched the suspenders and the bad joke gimmick in favor of a more serious attitude.

    Fans have also seen Xia Li tease going back to her Tian Sha gimmick from NXT. That hasn’t materialized on WWE TV, however.

    This WWE superstar, however, seems to have his new gimmick set for a big TV debut.

    Fabian Aichner is Giovanni Vinci

    Back in May, WrestlingNews.co reported that WWE officials had been discussing dropping aspects of Fabian Aichner’s character since he split from The Imperium. The thought was that he’d take on the Giovanni Vinci character on NXT.

    Fightful has followed up on this report, confirming that Aichner will indeed be the one to take on the role of Giovanni Vinci.

    It’s important to note that WWE has also trademarked “Gio Vinci,” so it’s possible there could be a slight alteration to the name in the future.

  • Joe Gacy Names Main Roster WWE Superstars He Plans on Facing

    Joe Gacy Names Main Roster WWE Superstars He Plans on Facing

    WWE NXT 2.0 Superstar Joe Gacy has set his sights on some of the promotion’s biggest names on the main roster.

    Gacy was introduced as part of last September’s revamp of NXT into NXT 2.0 and has been prominently featured ever since.

    The 34-year-old wrestler had been teaming with Parker Boudreaux, aka Harland, but he was released in April this year.

    Speaking to The Wrestling Inc Daily, Gacy discussed his career so far and was asked who he’d like to face when called up to the main roster.

    “Everyone can say they want a shot at Roman Reigns, right? That’s an easy answer. I would have to pick somebody like Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, Matt Riddle, I mean, any of these guys. I’ve never actually had an opportunity in the past, so for me, it would be pretty big to be able to do that.”

    Prior to coming to WWE, Gacy worked for CZW, where he is a three-time World Heavyweight Champion, and Evolve where he is a one-time Tag Team Champion with AEW’s Eddie Kingston.

    At last night’s NXT: In Your House, Gacy came up short in the main event against NXT Champion Bron Breakker.

    Per the stipulation, Gacy would have won the title had Breakker been disqualified.

    Thanks to Wrestling Inc for the transcription.

  • WWE Hall of Famer Moving From Producer To NXT Coach

    WWE Hall of Famer Moving From Producer To NXT Coach

    D-Von Dudley’s role within WWE is changing.

    D-Von Undergoing Change In Position Within WWE

    On the last episode of D-Von’s Table Talk podcast, he revealed that he will be moving from a producer to a coaching position in NXT. He will begin his new role in NXT on June 15.

    Due to the chance of D-Von’s schedule and the schedule of his co-hosts, Table Talk has come to an end for now.

    D-Von’s Spinal Fusion Surgery

    Back in February, Dudley underwent spinal fusion surgery. He recently announced that he would be returning to work. As a part of the 2018 class, The Dudley Boyz (D-Von and Bubba Ray Dudley) were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.

    D-Von may be one of the most decorated and highly regarded tag team wrestlers in history, but he hasn’t wrestled since 2016. He did once joke about returning and making an appearance in the WWE Royal Rumble.

  • Bianca Belair is Interested in Going to WWE NXT 2.0

    Bianca Belair is Interested in Going to WWE NXT 2.0

    Bianca Belair may be riding high as the WWE Raw Women’s Champion, but she could soon be competing on Tuesday nights.

    Before coming to the main roster, Belair made a name for herself in NXT but never held gold as part of the brand.

    While speaking to Lucas Charpiot of VL Media, Belair expressed a desire to go to NXT, now NXT 2.0.

    “I have never won the NXT Women’s Championship. It was quite a complicated thing to do at the time. I saw that Natalya was currently there. Natalya is a legend in this medium. It’s great to see her wrestle in NXT 2.0 with these young wrestlers. This isn’t the first time she’s wrestled in NXT. As far as I’m concerned, NXT is where I learned it all.

    “NXT is my home.”

    – Bianca Belair

    Belair gave props to NXT star Amari Miller, saying she’s one of the most passionate performers she’s ever come across.

    “NXT is my home. It would be nice to be able to come back there to face these young wrestlers. I’ve always loved Io (Shirai) and had the chance to wrestle her when I was in NXT. I’m seeing Amari (Miller). I love her to death. She’s so passionate. I don’t know if I’ve ever met someone with as much passion as her.”

    A policy from WWE has said that at least one main roster Superstar should be appearing for the paint-splattered brand at all times.

    Since this policy was implemented, fans have seen AJ Styles, Dolph Ziggler, Natalya, Robert Roode and the Viking Raiders all appear in NXT

    Belair will defend her Raw Women’s Championship against Becky Lynch and Asuka at WWE Hell in a Cell 2022.

    Quotes via Cultaholic

  • Nikkita Lyons Injury Update

    Nikkita Lyons Injury Update

    Nikkita Lyons has a legit injury and she’s shared what has gone wrong.

    Lyons was expected to compete in the semifinals of the NXT Women’s Breakout Tournament on May 24.

    Plans changed as WWE announced that Lyons suffered an injury but didn’t provide further details.

    WWE ended up replacing Lyons with Fallon Henley. Henley lost the semifinal match to Tiffany Stratton.

    Nikkita Lyons took to her Instagram account to reveal that she has a partially torn MCL.

    “Just wanted to give a little detail on what exactly happened as far as the condition. My knee is it.

    “I have a partial tear on my MCL, just a sprain.

    “So, it could’ve been worse but it did refrain me from being able to compete in the Women’s Breakout Tournament.

    “So, that is why your girl is out but only for — you know the comeback is always stronger than the setback.”

    The good news is that Lyons says she will not need surgery. She revealed the MCL will be able to heal on its own in due time.

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  • Another WWE Star Likely Undergoing Gimmick Change

    Another WWE Star Likely Undergoing Gimmick Change

    ‘Tis the season for gimmick changes.

    It looks like another WWE superstar will be getting a massive change. It had already been reported that discussions for a change in character for Madcap Moss were held.

    As it turns out, now an NXT star will be getting that same treatment but he won’t be going to the main roster just yet.

    Giovanni Vinci Is Fabian Aichner?

    Since Gunther and Ludwig Kaiser made their main roster debuts, Fabian Aichner has seemingly been the odd man out. He has not been called up to the SmackDown roster and it looks like his days with Gunther and Kaiser are over.

    During the May 24 episode of NXT 2.0, a vignette aired introducing the Giovanni Vinci character.

    Speculation has run rampant that this will be a gimmick change for Fabian Aichner. Aichner hasn’t been seen on WWE TV since April 5.

    It’s been reported by WrestlingNews.co that WWE has talked about dropping aspects of Aichner’s character when he was a member of The Imperium.

  • NXT 2.0’s Nikkita Lyons Suffers Injury, Pulled From Breakout Tournament

    NXT 2.0’s Nikkita Lyons Suffers Injury, Pulled From Breakout Tournament

    It appears an injury will be keeping Nikkita Lyons sidelined for now.

    WWE announced that Lyons had been removed from the NXT Women’s Breakout Tournament due to an undisclosed injury.

    At this time, it isn’t known if the injury is legit or a part of a storyline.

    Taking the place of Lyons was Fallon Henley, who collided with Tiffany Stratton.

    “BREAKING: With @nikkita_wwe suffering an injury, @FallonHenleyWWE will now take on @tiffstrattonwwe TONIGHT in the Women’s #NXTBreakout Tournament!”

    Stratton ended up defeating Henley to move onto the finals of the Breakout Tournament. She will meet Roxanne Perez in the final match of the tourney.

    Earlier this month, Dave Meltzer reported that WWE management is high on Nikkita Lyons. Company officials see big potential in her as she’s already garnered a sizable social media presence.

    WWE Management High on Nikkita Lyons (Report)
  • Johnny Gargano Reveals Original Creative Plans for The Way in WWE NXT

    Johnny Gargano Reveals Original Creative Plans for The Way in WWE NXT

    Former WWE NXT Superstar Johnny Gargano has said that The Way was meant to be much more serious than what fans saw.

    The Way, comprising of Gargano, Candice LeRae, Indi Hartwell, and Theory was a dominant force in NXT, capturing both the North American and NXT Women’s Championships.

    Dexter Lumis joined the stable in late 2021 after marrying Hartwell in the premiere episode of WWE NXT 2.0.

    Speaking to The Bob Culture Podcast on YouTube, Gargano said that factors outside of WWE made the group become much more fun than first planned.

    “That was never going to be the way that character was supposed to be. It was going to be a lot more serious, but I just kind of felt like with everything going on with the pandemic and with COVID and things like that, I felt like NXT just needed a little bit of levity, a little bit of funniness, silliness, goofiness, and I was happy that I was able to provide that.”

    The Way disbanded in late 2021 following Gargano’s departure from WWE.

    Lumis was released from WWE earlier this year, ending his on-screen relationship to Hartwell, with the explanation on TV being that Lumis left her.

    Thanks to Wrestling Inc for the transcription.

  • Road Dogg On How Higher Ups Viewed NXT During Triple H’s Time

    Road Dogg On How Higher Ups Viewed NXT During Triple H’s Time

    A lot of fans were upset with WWE getting rid of Triple H’s NXT team and revamping the brand. Many believed that it killed the show’s unique identity that The Game had worked hard to build. Though according to Brian ‘Road Dogg’ James, the top brass never really saw it as the third brand. For them, NXT was always the developmental.

    The former SmackDown head writer recently spoke to WrestleZone. He talked about WWE releasing talents such as Dexter Lumis. James explained that while Lumis was very talented, he didn’t fit into the plans because of his age. WWE’s focus now is on developing younger talents:

    “Right now, what they’re trying to do is get as many young talent up and running as they possibly can, because then you’re gonna see a few of those thoroughbreds stick out, and you’re gonna go ‘Okay, so there’s so and so. We’re gonna sent her to SmackDown. We’re gonna send him to Raw.’

    Road Dogg continued, “Because that’s what NXT was originally. It became because of the TV rights deal, a third brand. But it was never really intended to be a third brand. It was never thought about, from a business standpoint, as a third brand. It was kind of always thought of, really high up, as developmental. I think it got away from its roots a little bit. I think Vince came down there and said ‘we’re going to do things a little differently now.’ I think he saw an opportunity to do that and he took it. I think that’s how he’s wanted it to be run so that’s how it’s being run now.”

    You can watch Road Dogg’s interview below:

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  • Malcolm Bivens’ WWE Release Blindsided NXT Creative (Report)

    Malcolm Bivens’ WWE Release Blindsided NXT Creative (Report)

    The WWE release of Malcolm Bivens reportedly took NXT creative by surprise.

    As we’ve noted, Bivens was let go from the company late last month as part of several names that were also handed their walking papers. Other names released included; Dakota Kai, Malcolm Bivens, Dexter Lumis, Harland, Blair Baldwin, Draco Anthony, Mila Malani, Persia Pirotta, Sanjana George, and Raelyn Divine.

    According to a report from Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the NXT creative team was caught off guard by Bivens being amongst the names that were cut. Bivens was in the midst of a storyline with his Diamond Mine stable, who had some tension with Roderick Strong.

    NXT creative was working on ways to further the angle upon Bivens’ release. Bivens broke into the professional wrestling industry back in 2014 for Ring Of Honor (ROH). He worked the independent circuit for the next several years, including appearances for EVOLVE, and Major League Wrestling (MLW).

    Bivens addressed his WWE exit during a recent comedy show (via POST Wrestling):

    “All right, so here’s the truth: There’s a lot of rumors, a lot of speculation. Was I offered a contract in February? Yes. Did I say no to said contract? Yes. Was I offered to be with Omos? No. No one said a word to me about managing Omos. Was I told about the main roster? Yes, and people, they think I’m crazy. Like, ‘Malcolm, you threw away millions potentially, you walked away.’ Yeah, I did, because I didn’t wanna do it anymore and unfortunately, I wasn’t happy.“

    In 2019, Bivens inked a WWE deal and joined the Performance Center before making his NXT TV debut soon after. Now, it will be interesting to see where Bivens lands next after departing from the company. We’ll keep you updated as we learn more about what Bivens plans to do next.

  • Watch: Bron Breakker Stretchered Out Of Arena By Hooded Figures After NXT

    Watch: Bron Breakker Stretchered Out Of Arena By Hooded Figures After NXT

    The NXT champion Bron Breakker was stretchered out of the arena by two hooded figures after this week’s episode of NXT went off air.

    This week’s Spring Breakin’ special of the show featured the current NXT champion defending his title against Joe Gacy in the main event.

    After a physical match, Breakker managed to hit Gacy with a big spear. Bron then pinned his challenger to retain the title.

    However, as the champion was celebrating his victory in the ring, two hooded figures appeared on the apron behind him. The show ended with them standing outside the ring ropes.

    WWE later posted a post-show video in which the two unknown figures are seen attacking Bron Breakker. They laid out the heavyweight star with the help of a chair.

    After having brutally attacked the NXT champion, the two figures retrieved a barbed wire stretcher from under the ring. They proceeded to put Breakker on it and take him out of the arena:

    The hooded figures were being instructed by Gacy. This attack is a confirmation that he is not done with Bron Breakker just yet. We will have to see when the identities of the unknown figures are revealed.

  • Ricochet Says NXT Is Home, Would Love To Go Back

    Ricochet Says NXT Is Home, Would Love To Go Back

    Ricochet wants to go back to WWE NXT. The former black-and-yellow brand has seen an influx of main roster WWE stars. Names like AJ Styles and Natalya have appeared on the brand and Ricochet says he wants to do the same.

    Ricochet signed with WWE in 2018 and would go on to become the NXT North American Champion in the same year. He started appearing on both the main roster brands Raw and SmackDown Live in early 2019. He teamed up with Aleister Black to win the fourth annual Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic.

    After WrestleMania 35, Ricochet moved to the main roster and won the United States and the Intercontinental titles. He is the current IC Champion in his first reign.

    In a recent interview with Cultaholic, Ricochet said that he is open to an NXT return. He mentioned AJ Styles and Natalya appearing on the show who seem to be having a great time there. Ricochet also mentioned Carmelo Hayes. They both have heat with each other as they have taken shots at each other on social media.

    Answering the question of whether he would like to go back to NXT, Ricochet said, “AJ went back and now Nattie’s down there and all these guys are going back down there and it seems like they’re having a great time. Me and Carmelo [Hayes] had a thing. If Carmelo wants the heat, he can have it but whoever it is I would love to go down there. That’s always been a home of mine so, any time.”

    A while ago, Ricochet sent out a friendly reminder for rude fans. He sent a stern message to fans telling them that he would send fans away if they bother him to get multiple things signed at the wrong time, like 4 am in the morning at a hotel, for example.

  • WWE Management High on Nikkita Lyons (Report)

    WWE Management High on Nikkita Lyons (Report)

    WWE reportedly sees a lot of potential in NXT star Nikkita Lyons.

    Lyons signed with WWE last year before making her NXT debut in February. Since, she’s been a regular feature on NXT 2.0. When Lyons isn’t wrestling in the ring, she’s also featured in video packages or backstage segments.

    She tends to get big reactions from the crowds at the Capitol Wrestling Center, and has also generated some buzz on social media. Recently, Wrestling Observer Newsletter’s Dave Meltzer discussed Lyons during an episode of Sunday Night’s Main Event podcast. Meltzer said WWE management sees big potential in Lyons.

    While WWE likes the reactions she’s getting, Meltzer doesn’t believe they’ll fast-track her the way the likes of Bron Breakker or Gable Steveson likely will to the main roster.

    He also added that he’s not even sure WWE knew how over she’d be at first. Another telling sign about how WWE feels in regards to Lyons is that she’s working with Natalya. Natalya currently works with young talent in NXT to help them improve their in-ring work.

    It will be interesting to see how much working with Natalya will help Lyons improve in regards to her in-ring work over time. If she continues to get big reactions in NXT, it will also be interesting to see if WWE decides to ultimately fast-track her to the main roster.