Triple H Explains Why NXT TakeOver: XXX, Future Episodes of NXT Won't Be Inside the ThunderDome

When WWE first announced their plans for the WWE ThunderDome earlier this week, it also released [...]

By Connor Casey

When WWE first announced their plans for the WWE ThunderDome earlier this week, it also released the event schedule for the rest of August. NXT TakeOver: XXX and the next episode of NXT were both on the list, but both were still set to take place at Full Sail Live rather than the Amway Center in downtown Orlando. During a media conference call on Wednesday, Triple H was asked why the Black and Gold Brand wasn't moving like Raw and SmackDown. "The Game" explained it had to do with the brand's current deal with Full Sail University.

"Right now, with trying to move SmackDown, SummerSlam, Raw for the foreseeable future and all the undertaking that is happening there, I'm very happy to be staying. As spectacular... as that's going to be, I feel they have enough on their hands right now. Our partnership with Full Sail is, to me, probably one of the most important partnerships we have, and I love it there. Right now we're there."

He did not shut down the idea of future NXT installments moving to the larger arena. But for now it sounds like no changes will be made.

NXT TakeOver: XXX was originally scheduled to take place at the TD Garden in Boston on Saturday. But, just like with SummerSlam, NXT TakeOver: In Your House, the last four WWE pay-per-views and every episode of Raw and SmackDown since mid-March, the show was scrapped due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Here's what WWE has on the schedule for its ThunderDome setup, beginning with this Friday's SmackDown:

  • Friday, August 21 – Friday Night SmackDown®, Amway Center, 8 pm ET on FOX
  • Sunday, August 23 – SummerSlam, Amway Center, 7 pm ET on WWE Network
  • Monday, August 24 – Monday Night Raw®, Amway Center, 8 pm ET on USA Network
  • Friday, August 28 – Friday Night SmackDown, Amway Center, 8 pm ET on FOX
  • Sunday, August 30 – Payback®, Amway Center, 7 pm ET on WWE Network
  • Monday, August 31 – Monday Night Raw, Amway Center, 8 pm ET on USA Network

And here's the lineup for this Saturday's NXT TakeOver: XXX:

  • NXT Championship: Keith Lee vs. Karrion Kross
  • NXT Women's Championship: Io Shirai vs. Dakota Kai
  • NXT North American Championship: Cameron Grimes vs. Damien Priest vs. Bronson Reed vs. Finn Balor/Velveteen Dream vs. Johnny Gargano/Ridge Holland
  • Adam Cole vs. Pat McAfee

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