WWE.com has published a lengthy feature looking at the first incarnation of NXT to celebrate the brand’s 6-year anniversary. Several members from the early seasons were interviewed, including Chris Jericho, Kaitlyn, AJ Lee, Daniel Bryan, Bad News Barrett and more. Here are some quick highlights:
AJ Lee: “That was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life. I hope people realize how lucky they are that they don’t have to have chocolate-eating contests and gift-unwrapping contests and dance contests their first day on television [laughs]. We didn’t sleep. Just busy every day, working and training in locker-rooms that were basically large closets.”
Wade Barrett: “When I first heard the idea I didn’t like it. I thought it was like a Total Divas kind of reality show. I thought it was gonna be a bunch of us living outside the ring and being followed around, which I really didn’t like at all. But once I realized it was a competition based on in-ring talent and in-ring talent only, I got a lot more comfortable with it. That’s when I sized up the opposition and really felt confident of winning.”
On Wednesday afternoon, NXT Women’s Champion Bayley noted on Twitter that she was heading to WWE headquarters in Stamford, CT for a “very important business meeting.” Later in the day, she followed up and revealed that she was there to film an episode for the “Edge and Christian’s Show That Totally Reeks of Awesomeness” WWE Network show.
