By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
WWE executive Shawn Michaels spoke with the pro wresting media on Thursday, May 25 to promote Sunday’s NXT Battleground premium live event. Refresh the page for the latest updates.
-Michaels was asked about Bron Breakker potentially moving up to the main roster after Battleground. He noted that he has no say beyond recommendations. He said there are still plenty of interesting matches for Breakker in NXT.
-Michaels was asked about Blair Davenport. He said they have reached out to her to see if she wants to be part of NXT and feels she would do well if she chooses to.
-Michaels was asked about how the remaining NXT talents have been doing now that they’ve been asked to step up. Michaels praised Wes Lee for going above and beyond what anyone expected. Michaels also spoke positively about Carmelo Hayes.
-The subject of Jagger Reid and Rip Fowler requesting their release came up. Michaels said he hopes they opt to stay. He said he wanted to bring them over from the UK because they are very talented.
-A caller asked about Indi Hartwell and whether there were plans to have her at Battleground. Michaels said there were absolutely plans for that. He spoke about adapting and making changes on the fly, which keeps things interesting. Michaels said that if call-ups are bad news, he’ll take that kind of bad news all day long.
-Michaels was asked about going head-to-head against AEW and whether it’s a coincidence or something they intend to do going forward. Michaels said no to the best of his knowledge. He said it’s about having a big Memorial Day weekend for WWE and a throwback to when they had WWE and NXT events on the same weekend.
-A caller asked about NXT Europe. Michaels said he’s good to go, but he has nothing to really add. He said it’s prudent from a company standpoint to wait.
-Michaels responded to a question about Ilja Dragunov by singing his praises. Michaels said that his match with Dijak will be tough to top. The next caller asked about Dijak returning to NXT. Michaels said he sat down with Dijak to get a feel for what he wanted to do, just as he’s done with other talents. He said Dijak is a criminal justice major. Michaels said he didn’t think it would be long before Dijak returns to the main roster.
-Michaels was asked whether there’s been any talk of adding a second women’s championship. Michaels said he plays with the idea, but he also doesn’t know what the title would be. He said they lost a lot of veterans and leaders, leaving them with a very young women’s locker room.
-The next caller asked how far Grayson Waller and Xyon Quinn can go on the main roster. Michaels said he thinks they can have great success. Michaels said he leaned more toward Waller. “I like him a lot,” Michaels said. He labeled Waller a pro and said there’s nothing he can’t adjust to.
-Michaels spoke more about Breakker and really sang his praises. He predicted that Breakker will have a blast because the fans at Battleground will boo him out of the building.
-A caller asked about expansion into South America. Michaels said the company in general wants to expand and grow, and they want to do the same in NXT.
-Michaels was asked whether the NXT Women’s Tag Team Titles will return to NXT. Michaels said he hopes the champions will return. He said he thinks it is only a matter of time before Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn have to come back to defend the titles.
-Michaels spoke about Lyra Valkyria and Tiffany Stratton. He also praised WWE Performance Center coach Sara Amato.
-Michaels spoke enthusiastically about bringing back the Heritage Cup format and the overall Battleground card. He later spoke about returning to Lowell and said he would find his smile after losing it there.
-I asked how much notice they were given regarding talents that were drafted to Raw and Smackdown and whether it was different from past times when wrestlers were called up. Michaels didn’t offer specifics, but he said he was comfortable with the way everything played out. He said he expected to lose certain acts and pointed to Pretty Deadly, Alba Fyre, and Isla Dawn. They wrapped up the call shortly thereafter.
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