During a new interview with CBS Sports to promote WWE NXT on the USA Network, Triple H discussed Elias’ main roster call-up and more. You can check out some highlights below:
On If WWE NXT Being On The USA Network Tonight Opens Doors For It To Compete With RAW & SmackDown: “It can be; at this point I don’t know. What I do know is it was a hell of an opportunity. If you look at NXT over the last few years, it has grown into something where NBCUniversal — USA [Network], the No. 1 cable channel in America — came to us and said we would like to take an hour of primetime and give to NXT. That’s awesome. To me, that says a lot about the brand, where it’s at, and the value of it. I’m really excited about that. We put together a hell of a show and hopefully it will be a lot of people because not everyone has been exposed to it.”
On WWE NXT Pushing The Main Roster To Do Better: “Over the last few years, in some ways, NXT has changed a little bit of what Raw and SmackDown do. Look at the women’s revolution. I believe that there was a moment in time where fans were chanting ‘Give Divas a chance’ because they were seeing what could be on NXT and that transitioned forward. I think that’s great. Anything that can push something to be better, to evolve and to become something more is a great opportunity to do that. People will often put labels on what it is. Is NXT a little bit of ‘old school territory’ or ‘indie this or that?’ I don’t know. To me, I just go, ‘Is it good or not?’ You can put whatever label on it you want.”
On Elias’ WWE NXT run: “The entire time [Elias] was there, I was trying to get him ready for Raw and SmackDown because I knew as a performer his value was there. I said to Dusty [Rhodes], ‘He is made for the roster and not for NXT.’ The gimmick, the way he is and his demeanor, he is suited for that. He is not a fit for NXT. It doesn’t mean he won’t be successful there and it doesn’t mean he won’t have a run there but that run was to get ready for the roster.”
