In an interview with new project The World According To Wrestling, the former head trainer at NXT Bill DeMott said he would put the ability of the NXT women’s division up against any wrestling locker room in the country. The former US and tag team champion heaped praise on the evolution of women’s wrestling in WWE spearheaded by Sasha Banks, Charlotte, Becky Lynch and Bayley.
In a candid interview that was also broadcast live on his own show, the former US and tag team champion waxed lyrical about NXT, talked about Bray Wyatt setting the benchmark for the main roster, glass ceilings, overexposure and that he’d only return to WWE after a long conversation with his wife.
To listen to the wide-ranging interview in full, click here, and below are some highlights:
On his role in the success of NXT:
It’s an honour to have been involved in the beginning stages of it. I had a small part in the Performance Center and NXT and I’m happy and so proud to see where it’s going. They are just going crazy and from Paul / Triple H and everyone involved up-and-down and all the coaches, the work ethic is crazy with NXT. Watching them grow to the main roster and seeing what the girls were doing, it’s just been awesome and I couldn’t be prouder of how it worked out. It’s got to light a spark. I imagine that everyone who is at the Performance Center now or anyone who has a notion of wanting to join the Performance Center, that’s got to be an incentive because it’s all happening from there. It’s all happening from NXT.
On how the presentation of women’s wrestling changing:
I’ve been in almost every development system there’s been and I remember years and systems where there were no women. The difference for me now is that these girls are athletes and they want to wrestle. Not only do they want to entertain but they want to wrestle. I think if they are given the opportunity to headline Raw, they are going to run with it. They are changing the face of sports entertainment now and the hard part is telling them they don’t have to do it all at once. And I think that’s what helped escalate NXT because two years ago the women’s division at the time wasn’t getting the opportunities on the two and three hour shows but on NXT they were featured. They answered the bell and when I was there I would put the women in that locker room up against any men’s locker room in the country.
On the breakout stars in wrestling:
I absolutely think that Bray Wyatt will be around for the next 100 years. I think we haven’t seen the surface of Luke Harper, guys like that. I think Ambrose is yet to see his highest level. And then you have guys like Rusev but to me Bray Wyatt is the benchmark for creative and that’s all him. Of the set he’s one of the most intelligent men, he does his homework and he’s all in, and its guys like Owens and Bray Wyatt. I think The Miz is brilliant and the flag bearer is Cena. So Bray Wyatt for me is the benchmark for those guys coming in: how can you get in the ring with a character like Bray Wyatt and be relevant?
On whether he would return to WWE:
Sure, I’m not the guy who says I have one more match in me. I don’t think I’d ever be that guy. I don’t think I’d turn it down if someone said “Hey we got the gimmick Battle Royal, do you wanna do it?” Yes, because it’d be fun but I’m not the guy who says I have another run in me. I am the guy who would love to be in the ring. I love to be around young talent. I love to be around talent that’s looking for another way to fix things or try things and I love training. I absolutely love wrestling and I take advantage of every opportunity from seminars to tryout camps and things like that and, if the opportunity ever comes again, you never say you’re not gonna do it because I’d be a liar but if it ever came up it’d be a serious conversation with my wife.
Nick was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, and lived there until the age of 18, when he decided to pack his flack jacket and move to New York City.
