Shawn Michaels Addresses Plans To Separate WWE NXT And NXT Europe Roster

The "NXT UK" brand looks to be winding down soon, but that does not mean bigger things are not still to come on the other side of the pond. WWE revealed on Thursday that they would be launching WWE Europe in 2023 and that "NXT UK" would be taking a brief hiatus as they "reimagine the brand and talent pipeline." "NXT UK" will continue until they have their Worlds Collide premiere live event on September 4.

"It's what NXT has always been and that is to be a pipeline for the WWE in support of RAW and SmackDown," said Shawn Michaels to Fox News Digital. "That process is going to continue. We're going to use the UK talent that we can to go into Worlds Collide and keep that representation out there for as long as we can. And as we move things over here in the process, we'll make all those decisions in 2023 about who's a part of NXT Europe and who continues to stay here in NXT in hopes of getting a main roster call up."

Seeds were planted for Worlds Collide at this past Tuesday's "NXT Heatwave" when "NXT UK" Champion Tyler Bate confronted "NXT" Champion Bron Breakker. Encounters like this aid in WWE's goal to make their brand in Europe "bigger and better." With that said, Michaels commented on the idea of having European-based events in major cities like Paris or Venice.

"We just want to go and represent our brand across the world. I certainly have some favorite places I would like to go."