A former WWE star has looked back on their NXT debut and how changes had to be made as the powers that be thought they looked too similar to Edge.
In 2010, 8 wrestlers were given the chance to become the next breakout star by competing on NXT. However, unlike the current format, the first 5 seasons were presented like a game show with challenges such as obstacle courses, impromptu promos and attempting to sell merchandise to the fans while also under the mentorship of their “pros.”
One of the contestants on the first season was Heath Slater, who was mentored by Christian. Called up to NXT from FCW, Slater was informed that he needed to change his appearance.
“They Thought I Looked Too Much Like Edge”: Heath Slater
Speaking with Kenny McIntosh for Issue 55 of Inside The Ropes Magazine, Slater recalled being chosen for season 1 of NXT and how he was told to make multiple alterations before appearing on TV:
“Dr. Tom (Prichard) pulled eight of us in the room, and he had an email saying “we need your eight best down there that are ready for TV.” I was one of the eight. Next thing I know, they thought that I looked too much like Edge. My hair was long, I had the long coat, I had long tights with emblems on the side that resembled, but didn’t look like [Edge’s]. But they told me before I got called up to go to NXT that I need to cut my hair off, gotta go to trunks and all this stuff to where I’m like, are you just changing everything about me?”
I was a bad guy in developmental. They wanted me to be a good guy on television to the point that they were stripping from us everything that we’d done, and now we were going on this game show and being people that we don’t know how to be.”
Continuing, Slater also recalled being pitched the points system for NXT but later found out that the show would be completely different:
“But the way that it was explained to us was that it was going to be like a points bracket system. If you win, you get five points. If you lose, you get zero. If it’s a draw, you get one, stuff like that. But then again, it was nothing like that.
It became each week us going to TV not knowing what the hell we’re doing. Not knowing if it’s a match or a keg carry contest, or we’re having a tag match or an obstacle course. It became a running joke, to where each week I’d be like, “Gosh, you hear what we’re doing? We’re having a hot dog eating contest!” I feel like we were guinea pigs on television with a game show that they were trying to make good.”
Additionally, Heath Slater spoke about his time in The Corre.
The full interview with Heath Slater is available in the latest issue of Inside The Ropes Magazine, which can be purchased here.
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