Shawn Michaels Comments On WWE's Decision To Rebrand NXT UK
As noted earlier, "WWE NXT UK" is receiving a massive overhaul in 2023 and will subsequently be deemed "WWE NXT Europe." Excitement is already building for a re-working of the promotion that shaped main roster stars like Gunther, Butch, Rhea Ripley, and Dakota Kai. "We've developed a lot of people since [the beginning], a lot of them going to the main roster," Shawn Michaels, WWE's Vice President of Talent Development Creative, told Metro News. "I feel like we did a fantastic job with that. But now it is time to grow it internationally, and that's what NXT Europe is planning to do in 2023."
Alongside his longtime friend and the head of WWE's creative department, Triple H, Michaels sees the potential for "NXT Europe" to expand further than "NXT UK" ever could. "We are in the beginning stages; these are all things we are going to be talking about – but I'll say this. I really think – I always hate to speak for Hunter, but I always feel like we're of the same mindset a lot of the time, and I think it's about balance," he explained.
The two members of D-Generation X have the shared goal of finding homegrown talent to groom for WWE superstardom. HBK makes it clear that all international talent will be considered for the re-worked brand, "Certainly, we're always going to continue to go out there and recruit young, sports-minded athletes, young men, and women that want to help WWE grow and expand ... I don't think anything is going to be off the table."