WWE's Shawn Michaels Says This NXT Star Has Jumped Into Their Character '110%'

WWE has a hectic week ahead, including NXT Stand & Deliver on Saturday before WWE WrestleMania 40 officially kicks off. Appearing on "Busted Open Radio" to promote the big event, Shawn Michaels took the opportunity to highlight one "WWE NXT" star who he feels has gone above and beyond in recent months.

"Tony is ... somebody that — from the beginning, he jumped in 110% into that character," Michaels said. "[He] has done a fantastic job. I gotta be honest with you. The [thing] that worries me about Tony D'Angelo is somebody from Hollywood giving him a call, and losing him to play the next mob boss for somebody because he does such a fantastic job."

Michaels said that he enjoyed seeing people notice and understand just how well D'Angelo has been performing as of late, and how much effort has gone into producing the storyline. According to the WWE executive, being able to bring characters like D'Angelo to life is one of the best parts of his role with the company.

D'Angelo has a big match ahead of him on Saturday, as he'll face Ilja Dragunov for the "WWE NXT" Championship, presumably in the main event. The WWE star defeated Carmelo Hayes on the March 5, 2024 edition of "WWE NXT" to become the new number-one contender to Dragunov's title. Earlier this year, D'Angelo held the "WWE NXT" Tag Team Championship alongside Channing "Stacks" Lorenzo, a fellow member of The Family. The two lost the championship in February in a match against Bron Breakker and Baron Corbin.

As for Dragunov, he's held the "NXT" Championship since September 30, 2023, when he defeated Carmelo Hayes at WWE NXT No Mercy. In the months since, he has successfully defended the title against Dominik Mysterio, Hayes, Corbin, and Trick Williams.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Busted Open Radio" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.