UPDATE: WWE has posted a lengthy article looking back at the original NXT. You can check out the article at the link, which includes quotes from the likes of Wade Barrett, Daniel Bryan, AJ Lee, Chris Jericho, The Miz, Kaitlyn and more. Check out some highlights below:
Jericho on who he thought season one’s breakout stars would be: “For me, Barrett and Bryan were the two that I knew could be huge stars. Barrett is still working on it, but could easily, easily, easily be there. Bryan is already there. The first time he had a mic live without a net, he came up with something like, “You will tap out” or “I’m gonna make you tap out,” so he almost had a catchphrase right off the bat. He was good thinking on his feet, and he didn’t give a crap. He was gonna do his thing no matter what.”
Kaitlyn on what NXT has become: “What it’s transformed into is still, in a way, NXT. Because even though [the old show] was here with main roster talent, it was still a place where you got to be whatever you wanted to be and have a chance to develop who you are as a person and as a Superstar. So it still has that element of freedom. NXT is a show where you have the opportunity to develop yourself into whatever you want to be.”
AJ on the experience: “That was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life. I hope people realize how lucky they are that they don’t have to have chocolate-eating contests and gift-unwrapping contests and dance contests their first day on television [laughs]. We didn’t sleep. Just busy every day, working and training in locker-rooms that were basically large closets.”
Barrett’s original thoughts on the NXT show: “When I first heard the idea I didn’t like it. I thought it was like a Total Divas kind of reality show. I thought it was gonna be a bunch of us living outside the ring and being followed around, which I really didn’t like at all. But once I realized it was a competition based on in-ring talent and in-ring talent only, I got a lot more comfortable with it. That’s when I sized up the opposition and really felt confident of winning.”
AJ on the opportunity provided by NXT: “It was this giant opportunity for us. We were down in [Florida Championship Wrestling] for years and waiting for that break. We were kind of iffy about it because you don’t want to have to continue to prove yourself. You want to just make it on the road and you’re there. The idea of fighting and clawing and scratching in Developmental for years and then continuing to have to do that and fight and scratch and compete was not the easiest thing in the world.”
Naomi on the earlier seasons of NXT compared to the current product: “It definitely helped me out a lot. It was a way for me to debut, a way for the audience to get to know who I was. I was able to showcase my athletic ability. I was very new at the time, but I think it was a great starting point for all of us. I still have people coming up to me and asking me about things from NXT that I would rather forget. But that’s awesome, because that’s how people remember me.”
UPDATE: As noted yesterday here on the website, Monday was the sixth anniversary since the original iteration of NXT. WWE posted the following to Twitter to commemorate the date:
Today marks 6 YEARS of @WWENXT! Celebrate by reliving #WWENXT‘s epic history: https://t.co/xJc6woB7R4 #WeAreNXT pic.twitter.com/zm4JFYNLW5
— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) February 23, 2016
