Details On Backstage Reaction to End of NXT UK, Plans For NXT Europe and More

As previously reported, WWE is planning to end the NXT UK brand and launch NXT Europe instead in 2023, with Worlds Collide set to be the final NXT UK show. This has resulted in numerous releases from the brand over the past 24 hours.

PWInsider reports that the viewpoint in WWE about ending NXT UK is that they are “taking a step back to take a step forward.” The reason they are shuttering the brand is to figure out what they want to do to launch NXT Europe next year. They will have a local staff for the brand and there are said to be plans to tour in the area eventually.

In regards to the released talent, it was said “the door is open” to bring some of them back when the time is right. However, it didn’t make sense to keep them under contract with the brand going on such a long hiatus. Most of the talents have 30-45 day time period before they can go somewhere else, except for local independents.

There has been some wondering if Triple H is planning to move forward with an international Performance Center and international NXT companies in other countries. This was a plan for WWE before the pandemic hit. Shawn Michaels, who is the Vice President of Talent Development Creative, was actually given that title two years ago.

There are some backstage talking about recent changes that Triple H, Nick Khan, Stephanie McMahon and others will be making now that the regime has changed. There’s been a lot of talk of hiring new wrestlers and staff, particularly from the Black and Gold era of NXT. One person said it was a “hiring spree” but another said that term was “way too dramatic.” There have been attempts to confirm the contract status of those in other companies, so WWE knows when they might be available to come back.