As speculation continues to swirl around NXT 2.0, a new report has claimed that Shawn Michaels’ job with the brand is safe.
Since September 2021, WWE’s NXT brand has changed immeasurably. The entire presentation of the show has been changed and a number of more established Superstars have been moved on, making way for new stars such as Bron Breakker.
Although the changes haven’t been confined to just on-screen, with a number of backstage NXT figures such as William Regal also being released, while WWE’s recruitment policy has also shifted.
Much of the change has taken place during a period where Triple H has been away from NXT and WWE as he recovers from the “cardiac event” he suffered in September. It has also been noted that many of the backstage personnel who have left WWE and NXT in recent times worked closely with the Game during NXT’s ‘Black and Gold’ era.
This has naturally led to speculation around the future of Shawn Michaels. A long-time friend of Triple H, HBK began working in NXT in late 2018 and has seen his role increase in recent months with the NXT figurehead recuperating away from WWE.
However, it has now been reported that WWE are “very high” on Michaels’ work with NXT 2.0, and his job is safe. Speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer noted that Michaels’ is currently seen as “the guy” in NXT right now.
“It’s interesting because it’s basically Shawn Michaels’ thing right now, is this new NXT. When he was brought in, it was never to be this. He was brought in to be a coach, but now he’s pretty much ‘the guy’, and they’re very high on him right now as far as his work,” Meltzer said.
“When they got rid of everybody that was Levesque’s (Triple H’s) guys – they didn’t get rid of everyone who was Levesque’s guys but they got rid of a lot of people who were Levesque’s guys… they’re not gonna fire Shawn Michaels, at all. That would beyond stun me. Especially right now, because they’re very high on him right now.”
It was recently reported that as part of the backstage reshuffle, the NXT creative team now report directly to Bruce Prichard much like SmackDown and Raw.
H/t to Wrestle Talk for the transcription.