Shawn Michaels opened up about how losing talent to the main roster out of nowhere is one of NXT’s biggest challenges as WWE’s developmental brand.
On Busted Open Radio before Saturday’s NXT Halloween Havoc, Michaels said NXT always has to be ready to lose a top star in the middle of a storyline, especially when Raw or SmackDown is dealing with an injury.
“If an injury happens on a main roster standpoint and they were going towards certain storylines and a major person went out and they need somebody in there … they could pull out a person and boom, they’re there and then they’re done, and you don’t get an opportunity to finish up a storyline or something of that nature,” Michaels said.
But Michaels emphasized that he sees the situation as part of the job and that NXT needs a backup plan at all times.
“We find ourselves scrambling a lot, but that’s the joy of the job, to be perfectly honest,” Michaels said. “It’s tough sometimes, but it’s also exciting because it keeps you on your toes.”
Michaels’ comments turned out to be very relevant a few days later. On Monday’s Raw from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, Cruz Montana made his main roster debut and was officially revealed as the newest member of 946.
Montana appeared in a mask at the end of the show during the brawl between 946 and The Bloodline, hit Roman Reigns with a steel chair and only then took the mask off. He joins Royce Keys, Bronco Nima, Lucien Price, Jaida Parker and Carmelo Hayes.
For NXT, the call-up was exactly what Michaels was talking about. Montana, the former TNA World Champion who went by Mike Santana, joined NXT in July and was in the middle of a personal feud with Dion Lennox. Their last match, on October 20, ended in a double count-out as Montana attacked Lennox and members of DarkState.
Following Montana’s debut, Michaels celebrated the move on X and revealed how many NXT wrestlers have been called up.
“Another one moving on up!” Michaels wrote. “Congratulations to @Montana_NYPR on making the jump to the main roster! That’s 19 NXT Superstars making the leap to Raw and SmackDown in the last 12 months. Pretty proud of that number, but even prouder of the talent and crew who make it happen.”
Back in August, Michaels was a guest on Busted Open and said he couldn’t remember NXT losing so many wrestlers in such a short time.