NXT Expansion Plans: Uncertainty Surrounds Long-Awaited NXT Europe
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WWE’s developmental brand NXT has long been discussed as a pivotal global expansion project. With NXT UK previously set as a stepping stone to a broader NXT Europe initiative, there has been significant anticipation and speculation in recent years surrounding when and how this expansion will take shape. However, recent insights from wrestling expert Dave Meltzer cast doubt on the timeline and feasibility of these plans.
According to Meltzer:
“I just keep thinking like remember when they closed NXT UK? This was a couple of years ago now and they were going to immediately re-open NXT Europe and then they fired almost everyone. Most of the people that worked NXT UK were fired, and I thought if you’re going to do NXT Europe like you say, why are you firing people? They were under $25,000 a year contracts, it’s not like they were paying giant money to these people. The cost saving was negligible. Other people were telling me they’re never gonna do this Europe thing, they say it because they didn’t want to admit to shutting down the UK thing because the UK thing was their original idea to offset that ITV show. I always hear ‘we’re doing the European thing,’ but it’s been years now, and I’m hearing less now than I heard years ago that they are. Maybe someday we’ll hear about it, but now there’s new ownership, maybe they are not down with that.”
Meltzer’s reflections highlight the complexities and inconsistencies surrounding WWE’s NXT Europe announcement. The closure of NXT UK and the subsequent release of its roster have raised questions about WWE’s commitment to expanding the brand within Europe. The financial implications appear minimal given the low annual contracts of NXT UK talent, which suggests deeper strategic reasons might be at play.
Additionally, the notion that NXT UK was initially intended as a competitive response to ITV’s wrestling expansion emphasizes that the original plans may have been more reactionary than long-term strategic. With new ownership now overseeing WWE operations, there is a fresh layer of uncertainty regarding the continuation or revision of international expansion goals.
As WWE evolves under new leadership, the industry will be closely monitoring whether NXT Europe will resurface as a priority. Until then, fans and wrestlers alike remain in suspense over the future of WWE’s developmental reach across Europe.
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