Booker T on Having Ivy Nile Compete in Reality of Wrestling, Reports of ROW & NXT Partnership

– As previously reported, Booker T’s Reality of Wrestling promotion announced a partnership with WWE NXT that will see Ivy Nile competing at the next ROW event this weekend. During his Hall of Fame podcast, Booker T discussed Ivy Nile working the event and the reports of NXT partnering with Reality of Wrestling to have talent appear on their shows. Below are some highlights (via Fightful):

Booker T on having Ivy Nile compete in ROW: “For me, to work with the next generation and future talent at WWE as well in Ivy Nile, that’s my passion. That’s when I do my best work, working with young people and trying to guide them on this journey that I love so much. I’m still living my best life right now, totally content where I am. For me, to see something like this come together, it’s so awesome. I appreciate Shawn Michaels and WWE for giving me this opportunity to let one of my young talent in Reality of Wrestling shine. I hope to see her in WWE one day. Reality of Wrestling, we’re not like a lot of independent companies. Our goal is to get these guys to the next level, and that’s to a point where they’re making some money in their pocket, they’re getting a plane ticket and traveling around the world and seeing it all.”

On the reports of ROW partnering with NXT: “Immediately, we posted that Ivy Nile would be coming to Reality of Wrestling and we were going to give the independent wrestling world a match they can’t see anywhere else. Immediately after we post that, quotes popped up on the internet, ‘Reality of Wrestling is partnering with WWE.’ If you get those from someone in WWE, fine, but if you see an advertisement of someone being at a show and you formulate your own thought and create your own story, that’s when embellishment becomes something totally different. That’s when embellishment becomes blatant lying. No one called me and got that from me. I want to put it on record, I asked a favor for a NXT talent, someone who is one of my favorites, Ivy Nile, to be able to come to Reality of Wrestling and get in the ring with someone who I think may have next-level potential. I was granted that wish, and I appreciate that.”

It should be noted, Reality of Wrestling’s announcement with Ivy Nile did state, “We are proud to announce that Reality of Wrestling will be working with WWE/NXT to bring our fans incredible match ups they can’t see anywhere else.” WWE NXT executive Shawn Michaels later stated her appearance in ROW was a one-shot deal.