Triple H talks NXT and Brock Lesnar in ESPN interview
With the WWE draft on the horizon, one of the still unresolved questions has been what the upcoming brand extension would mean for NXT.
But in an interview that appeared on ESPN.com on Thursday, WWE Chief Operating Officer Triple H (real name Paul Levesque) downplayed the effect that losing some of its top talent could have on the developmental territory-turned brand.
“It’s funny that when people talk about it to me, some will say, ‘Well, isn’t that the downfall of NXT because when a superstar becomes big enough that he’s immediately going to be taken away from you?’ I feel that’s the strength of the brand.”
He further elaborated and said that NXT provides an opportunity for talent to showcase themselves to a segment of the audience before debuting on the main roster.
“Then, if you’re following NXT, you’re ahead of the curve when they come to Raw and SmackDown. You know everything about them and their backstories. It’s like being a fan of the band before they hit it big.”
Levesque, described in the interview as the father of NXT, also raved about the unique talent that is Shinsuke Nakamura.
“Shinsuke brings something to the table that I haven’t seen for a long time. He brings a level of charisma, a level of showmanship, that you don’t see a lot of times with guys that have an aggressive style, with the striking and skill set, that he does.”
On the topic of Brock Lesnar, Levesque again repeated the company line that Lesnar is a “once-in-a-lifetime combat athlete.” And he had interesting thoughts on what Lesnar has meant for both UFC and WWE business.
“Certainly he helps UFC, banking on Brock Lesnar’s name in the very beginning of him becoming a UFC star and showing his dominance in it. And now it’s the same thing, back and forth. They benefit from it, we benefit from it and it has been great.”
