Tag: NXT

Backstage News On Changes To WWE NXT’s Creative Team

WWE has reportedly made changes to the creative team setup in regards to NXT 2.0. According to PWInsider.com, things will be getting switched around internally with the third brand continuing to evolve. These alterations come following the recent releases.

WWE cut several long-term employees during the latest batch of cuts. The focus was more behind the scenes than in-ring talent, although Samoa Joe was released as well. The company let go of Gabe Sapolsky, William Regal, and Road Dogg during the re-shuffle.

Moving forward, the WWE NXT creative team will not operate independently, as it has done in the past. Previously, Paul Levesque oversaw things with his own team, which was separate from everything else in WWE. However, that is no longer the case.

Instead, the team will now work under Bruce Prichard and Christine Lubrano. Decisions will be reported to them, with WWE looking to streamline the operation to be consistent with how the Raw and SmackDown creative departments work.

Johnny Russo (no relation to Vince Russo) will be heading up WWE NXT’s writing team, working under Prichard and Lubrano. He originally joined WWE in the fall of 2011, and has been involved with the main roster from 2015-2018. However, he does also have experience with NXT, working within the creative department for the black and gold brand since August 2019.

Russo has also been working as the lead writer for the show since July 2020 and therefore knows how things work. Elsewhere on the creative team, Dewey Foley, who is the son of Hall Of Famer, Mick Foley, will remain on the team. He has been working on the 205 Live product as well.

Meanwhile, Anthony Golden Jr. will also still be on the NT creative team. He joined WWE in March 2020 and has a background in theatre, while he also boasts a Master’s in Film and Television production.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Samoa Joe Released By WWE

On Thursday, WWE released former NXT Champion Samoa Joe from his contract.

Following the news of his release, Samoa Joe issued a statement on social media that you can read below:

This is the second time WWE has released Samoa Joe over the past nine months. He was also let go from the company on Apr. 15 of last year, but WWE wound up bringing him back on a new deal. Samoa Joe returned to television as William Regal’s “Special Enforcer”.

He would go on to claim the NXT Championship at NXT TakeOver 36. Joe defeated Karrion Kross that night. Kross was among the company’s round of cuts in early November. In WWE, Joe won the NXT Championship three times and the United States Championship on two occasions. In 2015, he and Finn Balor teamed up to win the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic.

WWE has released several NXT wrestlers and employees since Wednesday. This included the stunning release of NXT mainstay William Regal, Scott Armstrong and WWE Hall of Famer Road Dogg. Wrestlers Hideki Suzuki, Timothy Thatcher, Danny Burch and Allison Danger were also released.

NXT talent contracts usually consist of 30-day non-compete clauses, and the clauses for main roster talents are traditionally for 90 days. It’s unclear how long Samoa Joe’s non-compete clause is for, but the well-respected wrestling legend shouldn’t have any problems finding a new home. Impact Wrestling could very well look to bring him back, and it obviously wouldn’t be a surprise if AEW made a play for the 42-year-old.

Various injuries unfortunately sidelined Samoa Joe for long periods of time in WWE after he joined the main roster in 2017. Still, Joe had high popularity among the fans and is an elite in-ring worker. Simply put, he should have had at least one world championship reign on the main roster, but WWE often failed to fully maximize his star power and potential. There’s little doubt that Samoa Joe will enjoy great success in his next stop.

Source: TheSportster

Rick Steiner Appears With Bron Breakker After WWE NXT New Year’s Evil

The legendary Rick Steiner watched from ringside as his son Bron Breakker defeated Tommaso Ciampa for the WWE NXT Title in the main event of last night’s NXT New Year’s Evil event.

As seen in the photos and videos below, Steiner cheered his son on throughout the match, and then joined him in the ring for the post-match celebration after NXT went off the air.

Steiner was also greeted by Ciampa after the match. While Steiner was still in the crowd, Ciampa went over and shared a moment of respect with the former World Tag Team Champion, former WCW World Television Champion and former WCW United States Champion.

Breakker had noted in previous interviews that his father was supposed to be in the crowd for his first title match against Ciampa, back at Halloween Havoc in October, but he wasn’t there. There was no sign of Breakker’s legendary uncle, Scott Steiner, at tonight’s show.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

For full results from last night’s WWE NXT New Year’s Evil click HERE – Wrestling INC

WWE NXT ‘New Year’s Evil’ Preview 1/4/22

NXT Title Match
Bron Breakker vs. Tommaso Ciampa (c)

Triple Threat for the NXT Women’s Title
Cora Jade vs. Raquel Gonzalez vs. Mandy Rose (c)

Title vs. Title Unification Match: NXT North American Cruiserweight Championship
NXT Cruiserweight Champion Roderick Strong vs. NXT North American Champion Carmelo Hayes

AJ Styles appears live to confront Grayson Waller

Imperium (WALTER, NXT Tag Team Champions Marcel Barthel and Fabian Aichner) vs. RAW Tag Team Champion Riddle and MSK (Wes Lee, Nash Carter)

WWE NXT Preview 12/28/21, Brian Kendrick Returns

Tonight’s WWE NXT 2.0 episode on the USA Network will feature the go-home build for next week’s New Year’s Evil special.

WWE has announced that Grayson Waller will appear on tonight’s show as a follow-up to last night’s RAW segment with AJ Styles. He is also scheduled to face Dexter Lumis. Tonight’s NXT will also see Brian Kendrick return to the ring to face Harland. RAW Tag Team Champion Riddle is also scheduled to appear tonight as MSK calls out NXT Tag Team Champions Imperium.

WWE has announced the following for tonight’s NXT:

* The go-home build for New Year’s Evil

* Grayson Waller vs. Dexter Lumis, Waller goes viral following his RAW appearance

* Harland vs. Brian Kendrick

* NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions Gigi Dolin and Jacy Jayne vs. Cora Jade and Raquel Gonzalez in a non-title match

* RAW Tag Team Champion Riddle joins MSK as they call out NXT Tag Team Champions Imperium

* Wade Barrett moderates New Year’s Evil contract signing for the Title vs. Title Unification Match between NXT Cruiserweight Champion Roderick Strong and NXT North American Champion Carmelo Hayes

AJ Styles Appears On NXT 2.0, Confronts Grayson Waller

AJ Styles showed up at the WWE Performance Center on Tuesday, December 21 … but he wasn’t there for a workout. Instead, “The Phenomenal One” was there to confront the most hated man in NXT; Aussie upstart Grayson Waller.

It all went down on this week’s edition of NXT 2.0 when Styles confronted Waller, who earned the ire of the entire NXT locker room when he interrupted Johnny Gargano’s departure speech a few weeks ago, has been roasting Styles on social media over the last few days. As a result, Styles put Waller on notice and told him to expect a visit soon.

In case you missed it, Waller senselessly attacked Dexter Lumis with a steel chair following Dexter’s victory ver Trick Williams on Tuesday. As Waller gloated from inside the ring, live footage of Styles arriving at the Performance Center appeared on the screen. The arrogant Waller didn’t look perturbed in the slightest.

Following a commercial break, Styles made his way to the ring and came face-to-face with the dude who insulted his hairstyle on Instagram earlier in the week. Waller and Styles went back and forth on the mic, with Styles attempting to bury Waller by pointing out his shallow attempt to get a rub from a bigger star. Waller talked a big game and threatened to “end” the former WWE Champion.

The situation almost got physical, and Waller even took off his shirt in an attempt to goad Styles. When Styles called his bluff, Waller backed down and left the ring, telling Styles that he wants Omos to take care of Styles first.

As you might recall, Omos and AJ split on the latest edition of Raw after AJ loudly chastised Omos and Omos retaliated.

Source: TheSportster

WWE NXT Preview 12/21/21, AJ Styles

Tonight’s WWE NXT 2.0 episode will feature more build for the upcoming New Year’s Evil event.

* AJ Styles appears for new feud with Grayson Waller

* Dakota Kai vs. Raquel Gonzalez in a Street Fight

* Pete Dunne vs. Tony D’Angelo

* Trick Williams vs. Dexter Lumis

* The Grizzled Young Veterans vs. The Creed Brothers

* Von Wagner will appear

NXT 2.0’s Grayson Waller posted a video on Twitter this week in which he mocked former WWE Champion AJ Styles and even stole his phenomenal moniker. Styles responded to the video on Twitter and will seemingly follow up on that via a physical confrontation.

Waller questioned whether he had heard right, tweeting that Styles had better wipe his feet should he dare to show up in NXT tonight. WWE then retweeted Waller’s message, not confirming Styles is going to show up, but effectively doing so by ackowledging the whole thing. It’ll be a welcome break for Styles and a chance for him to be in a ring without having to check Omos isn’t lurking nearby.

WWE NXT Preview 12/14/21

Tonight’s WWE NXT 2.0 episode on the USA Network will feature more build for the upcoming New Year’s Evil episode on January 4.

Johnny Gargano Reportedly Rejects Multiple WWE Contract Offers, Becomes Free Agent

Johnny Gargano will reportedly become a free agent at midnight on Thursday, December 9 after rejecting WWE’s attempts to re-sign him.

Johnny Gargano has reportedly rejected several contract offers from WWE and is set to officially part ways with the company. Fightful Select’s Sean Ross Sapp reports that Gargano’s current WWE contract is set to expire at midnight on Thursday, December 9, at which point the former NXT Champion’s WWE tenure will officially come to an end after five years.

Gargano’s deal was initially due to expire on December 3, but he signed a brief extension that allowed him to tie up some loose ends on-screen.

https://twitter.com/JohnnyGargano/status/1467726092702294018

Gargano’s last WWE match was the men’s WarGames match at NXT WarGames on December 5. Johnny Wrestling teamed up with LA Knight, Pete Dunne, and his former DIY partner Tommaso Ciampa to represent the NXT old guard as part of Team Black & Gold in a WarGames match against Team 2.0 (Bron Breakker, Carmelo Hayes, Grayson Waller & Tony D’Angelo).

Gargano came out to his old “Rebel Heart” theme and was wearing gear that paid homage to some of his previous outfits. He had the adulation of the crowd, and the NXT commentary team appeared to imply that this was his last match in NXT … although they also used the word “if” a lot so it’s possible that Gargano hadn’t actually made a decision by that point.

https://twitter.com/WWE/status/1468988825624006660

The following Tuesday on NXT 2.0, Gargano cut an impassioned, emotional promo that felt very much like a farewell speech. Tragically, the NXT stalwart was unable to finish the speech because he was ambushed and brutally beaten down by Aussie upstart Grayson Waller. Waller’s attack on Gargano seemed to cause some confusion regarding whether Gargano was actually bidding NXT farewell, or whether the whole thing was just an angle.

https://twitter.com/SeanRossSapp/status/1469120452811448323

Source: TheSportster

Gargano Says Goodbye To WWE NXT, Kyle O’Reilly, Tommaso Ciampa And Shawn Michaels Say Goodbye To Johnny Gargano After NXT

Johnny Gargano’s potential NXT exit has been on the cards for a while now. As was the case with Adam Cole earlier this year, Gargano’s contract was coming to an end and WWE was keen to renew it. Again, just like Cole, Johnny Wrestling signed a short extension so that he could tie up some loose ends. In this instance, those loose ends were a WarGames match and the chance to say goodbye to the NXT Universe.

After losing what might be his final match in NXT on Sunday, Gargano promised fans he would tell them everything on NXT two nights later. That was sort of true, and it seems whatever Gargano has got going on next, he won’t be back on the formerly black and gold brand for a while. The segment ended with Grayson Waller cutting Gargano short by hitting him with a steel chair.

That might be where the episode ended, but the in-house show continued. Various other wrestlers and NXT staff came to the ring to share Gargano’s moment and say goodbye to him. Kyle O’Reilly was the first to join him, embracing his NXT peer. O’Reilly’s contract also comes to an end this week which means Tuesday’s episode could well have been a goodbye for him too.

Tommaso Ciampa was the next person to join Gargano and say goodbye. Best friends in real-life, the pair’s journey on-screen might well be one of the most iconic in NXT history. From a legendary run as the tag team DIY to their brutal and incredibly personal series of TakeOver matches. Gargano also embraced Shawn Michaels when he joined in on the goodbyes who came to the ring with the former NXT Champion’s wife, Candice LeRae.

That’s it for Gargano in NXT, at least for now. Although he promised to tell fans everything, there are still a few questions hanging over Gargano’s future. That might well be because he doesn’t know what that future holds himself. There’s a chance he could re-sign with WWE and be back for revenge on Waller, probably after the birth of his baby. However, if he allows his contract to run out later this week, Gargano will be free to show up anywhere he likes starting from December 11.

Source: TheSportster

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