WWE will expand its reach internationally with the creation of its new NXT Europe brand.
On Thursday, WWE announced the creation of NXT Europe; the news was first reported by FOX News. According to the report, the NXT Europe brand will launch in 2023, and it also means the existing NXT UK brand will “go on hiatus for a few months.”
WWE also announced the next Worlds Collide premium live event will take place on Sunday, September 4. The match card will feature NXT and NXT UK Superstars. Shawn Michaels, WWE Vice President of Talent Development Creative, told FOX News that the final NXT UK event will be at Worlds Collide and explained how the new NXT Europe brand will factor into plans for WWE.
“So some of it, like everything with the WWE and NXT, that pipeline is always fluid. It’s going to be one of those situations where we’re going to have a lot of representation going into Worlds Collide,” Shawn Michaels told Fox News. “It’s what NXT has always been and that is to be a pipeline for the WWE in support of RAW and SmackDown. That process is going to continue. We’re going to use the UK talent that we can to go into Worlds Collide and keep that representation out there for as long as we can. And as we move things over here in the process, we’ll make all those decisions in 2023 about who’s a part of NXT Europe and who continues to stay here in NXT in hopes of getting a main roster call up.”
The news of the NXT UK hiatus comes days after it was reported that the next two sets of television tapings were cancelled at BT Sports Studios.
WWE later issued a press release confirming plans for the new brand and the Worlds Collide premium live event.
From WWE:
STAMFORD, Conn., August 18, 2022 – WWE® (NYSE: WWE) today announced that the NXT brand will grow internationally with the creation of an all-new NXT Europe, with the launch planned for 2023.
“Following the success of our live events and talent identification efforts throughout all of Europe, we believe this is the perfect time to expand NXT beyond the UK,” said Shawn Michaels, WWE Vice President of Talent Development Creative.
Launched in 2016, NXT UK has received critical acclaim and developed WWE main roster talent such as Rhea Ripley, Doudrop, Gunther and Butch. NXT Europe will reimagine the brand and its talent pipeline with a Pan European focus.
Prior to the debut of NXT Europe, Worlds Collide, a premium live event featuring NXT and NXT UK Superstars, will be presented live on Sunday, September 4 at 4 p.m. ET on Peacock in the United States and WWE Network everywhere else.
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