Shawn Michaels Confirms Plans For Two International WWE NXTs
For the last two years, "WWE NXT" has primarily run shows out of the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida. Since "NXT" founder Paul "Triple H" Levesque's rise to power in WWE over the summer, however, it's been revealed that the developmental brand is set to start touring the show outside of Florida, something "NXT's" SVP of Talent Development Creative, Shawn Michaels, confirmed during tonight's Halloween Havoc post-show media call.
"We've been getting out live events in Florida and we've been looking forward to getting out of Orlando in 2023," Michaels said. "Those are decisions that come from people above me, we certainly want to do it and we're excited to do it, but we're going to start with a [premium live event] and see how that goes first."
"NXT's" live touring might be just beginning to emerge from the Orlando area, but internationally, plans are in place for the brand's institutional expansion. The recent demise of "NXT UK" is part of a larger plan to open "NXT Europe," which will be launching in 2023. Levesque has previously discussed "World-Cup type" scenarios involving "NXT" brands all over the globe, and in the post-show call, Michaels seemingly confirmed "NXT" expansion plans to two other nations with a long history of professional wrestling.
"I know there's been talks of NXT Japan and NXT Mexico," Michaels said. "Those are obviously probably farther down the road, but it's my understanding those are some announcements that could be coming not too far down the road in 2023."
The news comes more than a year after WWE seemingly shut down its presence in Japan, effectively ending prior rumors of an "NXT Japan" brand. "NXT" talent have previously only traveled to the Land of the Rising Sun twice — when Finn Balor retained his "NXT" Championship over Kevin Owens at WWE"s Beast in the East show in 2015, and when the promotion ran two shows in Osaka in 2016, one of which was televised. "NXT" has never appeared in Mexico in its current incarnation, though one episode of "NXT Redemption" did take place in Mexico City back in 2011.