Kyle O’Reilly On How Triple H Compared NXT To WWE Main Roster, WWE Not Wanting Pro Wrestlers

In a recent interview on The Sessions with Renee Paquette, Kyle O’Reilly discussed how Triple H compared NXT to the WWE main roster, WWE not wanting pro wrestlers, and much more. You can read his comments below.

Kyle O’Reilly on his contract coming up with WWE: “When we were renegotiating, the powers that be were like, ‘Listen, this doesn’t typically happen. Usually, we re-sign guys six months out.’ “But talent relations at the time, I guess let things slip or weren’t as into re-upping NXT guys contracts is the only explanation I can give. I really don’t know. But I thought I had at least maybe six months to a year left. It was a real surprise to me knowing it was coming up in December – a pleasant surprise, just with the landscape and everything. It was really kind of a blessing that I was given the opportunity to make my own decision. I could stay, I could go. It wasn’t made up for me. I feel for people who get released and everything, and that’s happened way more than it should. It’s awful. I was just grateful that I was in a position where I could kind of look at the landscape and see what opportunities were out there. And luckily for me, AEW was the place and I was able to jump ship as it were.”

On how Triple H compared NXT to the WWE main roster: “When NXT got its TV deal, there was something Hunter said that I loved when he compared NXT to the main roster. He said NXT was like the broadway show. It’s where the real performers get out there. They’ve got the chops, they can act, they can sing, they can dance, they can do it all, and there are no special effects. There are no big-budget blockbuster movie special effects that are hiding it all like RAW and Smackdown would be. I just thought that was such a great analogy, and it really rang true.”

On WWE not wanting pro wrestlers: “‘We don’t want pro ‘rasslers was something I heard. And it was like, ‘Okay, well I am a pro wrestler. And I want to be a pro wrestler still. So I want to go where I can be a pro wrestler.’ And I know that the things are the same – sports entertainment, wrestling, it’s all the same. But I don’t know if everyone looks at it that way.”

If using any of the above quotes, please credit The Sessions with Renee Paquette with an h/t to 411mania.com for the transcription.