WWE’s plans to expand NXT to different countries around the world have hit a few roadblocks over the years, but it sounds like some new NXT brands will still be launching down the road. Triple H famously gave a presentation at WWE’s 2018 Business Partner Summit in which he proposed that WWE Performance Centers be launched in a variety of countries, effectively giving WWE the chance to create new territories in a variety of countries. That initial pitch proposed countries like Brazil, India, China and Japan, though that last one wound up with issues before it could even get off the ground.
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WWE’s attempt to purchase the Japanese promotion Pro Wrestling NOAH in 2019 and the shuttering of WWE Japan LLC in 2021 seemed to indicate the plan was dead in the water. But ever since Triple H took over as WWE’s Chief Content Officer some changes have taken place. NXT has dropped the “2.0” moniker it had been carrying around for the past year and NXT UK was shuttered in order to be replaced by NXT Europe next year. Shawn Michaels then stated a few more NXT brands are close to being confirmed.
Shawn Michaels on WWE NXT Japan and NXT Mexico
“When it comes to NXT expanding outside of the US, NXT Europe is going to be coming in 2023 and I know there have been talks of NXT Japan and NXT Mexico,” Michaels said (h/t 411Mania) during the post-show media conference call for Halloween Havoc on Saturday night. “Those are probably farther down the road but it’s my understanding that those are some announcements that could be coming not too far down the road in 2023. The one thing everyone is excited about is, this company never sleeps and we are constantly trying to grow and expand. I have no doubt, I can’t tell you how I know, but I know a guy that is pretty interested in NXT and its expansion. I’m sure those things are not far down the road at all.”
Elsewhere in the same call, Michaels talked about plans for NXT touring domestically — “From an NXT standpoint, we’ve been getting out live events here in Florida and we certainly look forward to getting out of Orlando in 2023. From an NXT standpoint, getting out for our Premium Live Events. Hopefully, that means getting out for live events as well outside of Florida. Those are decisions that come from people above me. We certainly want to do it, and we’re excited to do it, but we’re going to start with Premium Live Events and see how that goes first.”
