Shawn Michael's NXT Battleground media call notes

[Chris]

Shawn Michaels addressed the media on a conference call to promote NXT Battleground.

Here are notes from the call:

• Regarding Bron Breakker not getting drafted to the main roster: Michaels said there are still some "really great matches" left for Bron Breakker in NXT. He's under the impression that Breakker will still be part of the brand for a while.
• When asked about Blair Davenport, Michaels said they are interested in having her back in NXT but the ball is in her court. Davenport hasn't wrestled anywhere since the Worlds Collide special on September 4, 2022. Earlier this year, it was rumored that she was dealing with visa issues.
• Michaels mentioned Wes Lee as a standout performer on the current roster. Also mentioned Gallus has done great since coming over from NXT UK.
• Regarding the Dyad (Rip Fowler & Jagger Reid), he said there are no hard feelings regarding them requesting their release but while they are here he wants to put them in a prominent role. Says there is too much talent to waste there.
• There were plans for Indi Hartwell as champion before she got injured and then drafted to Raw. He loved the story of her winning the title.
• To the best of his knowledge, NXT will not be going head-to-head with AEW pay-per-views again but said those decisions are not made by him. The timing of NXT Battleground was to take advantage of the holiday weekend and also with Night of Champions the day before.
• There is nothing to update on the status of NXT Europe.
• Regarding Ilja Dragunov not being on the main roster, Michaels said he doesn't make the decisions regarding who gets called up but he's very excited about Dijak vs. Dragunov on Sunday. Also mentioned that Dragunov hasn't really been in NXT that long and there are still several interesting matches for him here.
• He feels that it's only a matter of time before Isla Dawn and Alba Fyre have to return in order to defend the NXT tag titles.
• Michaels was asked about his history in the city of Lowell. Michaels famously "lost his smile" in the city and also once dropped the European title to Triple H in a rather controversial fashion there as well. He responded that he may have lost his smile in Lowell but he'll find it again in Lowell too.
• Michaels said he had a pretty decent idea of who he was going to lose in the draft. He continued to say losing 15 wrestlers from their roster is an adjustment but he feels very comfortable with it.

https://www.f4wonline.com/news/nxt/wwe-nxt-media-call-notes-bron-breakker-blair-davenport-dyad-updates

 

[Dale]

Bron not moving up is a good decision because it'll allow him to grow even more now he's playing a heel. Had he stayed babyface then I would have said he should have moved up.

The answer he gave about Blair seems a little weird but maybe he's just being coy since the rumours of her being that mystery attacker.

 

[Dale]

During the call, Michaels would answer a ton of questions about the current incarnation of NXT and how they have been able to find their footing. The Heartbreak Kid takes the opportunity to sing the praises of Sara Amato, who he calls a pioneer for the NXT women’s division.

I feel the need to tout the system here. To tout the system, I have to give a lot of credit to Sara Amato [Sara Del Ray]. The women’s division, not just here in NXT, even on the main roster, is on a level that I think is off the charts. When everything is said and done, everything comes down to the work of Sara, she had been the one that has been the pioneer of that here in NXT for the longest time.
Michaels continued…

I know there are a lot times…Sara is a mom now, and we obviously work around her schedule, but she is so good at staying in the background and saying she doesn’t like to get noticed that much and she’ll probably get mad at me for talking about her here. She is the single greatest secret, I think, that NXT had because she does absolute wonders with the women that come through the doors of NXT. I need to get that out there on Sara. She does an amazing job here.
Sara Amato signed with WWE back in 2012 and has remained a head coach at the company’s Performance Center ever since.