The announcement of NXT Europe took many by surprise on 18 August – including those within NXT itself, who were seemingly kept in the dark!
NXT Europe was officially confirmed on Thursday, 18 August, scheduled to launch in 2023. In essence, the brand will take over from the current NXT UK brand to expand operations beyond Great Britain; NXT UK will go on a hiatus following the Worlds Collide event on 4 September.
Those within NXT reportedly weren’t even told of the change in direction either. Per Dave Meltzer in the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, talent weren’t aware until the announcement was made on social media:
“The talent and company officials in Orlando were not told of a relaunch of the brand until it was announced on 8/18.”
NXT Europe will launch on an undisclosed date in 2023, though it’s unknown what sort of roster this will encompass. The vast majority of NXT UK Superstars were released on the day of the announcement, with the few remaining expected to go either to the main roster or to NXT 2.0.
Worlds Collide will be the official sendoff for WWE’s United Kingdom developmental brand. Slated for Sunday, 4 September – one day removed from WWE Clash At The Castle and the day of AEW All Out – the NXT 2.0 and NXT UK brands will go head-to-head.
No matches have yet been confirmed, though a handful were teased on the Heatwave special promoted by the former this past Tuesday. There, Tyler Bate, Blair Davenport, and Gallus all returned/debuted, targeting Bron Breakker, The Diamond Mine, and Indi Hartwell, respectively.