Update on NXT Releases and Possible Changes to NXT

Following the release of 13 NXT wrestlers on Friday, there were reports that there are “major changes” coming to NXT, including a focus on younger talent, different format to the TV show, a new logo and new lighting.

Dave Meltzer spoke more about the releases and possible changes on an episode of Wrestling Observer Radio.

“The basic gist is that NXT is going to change in some ways,” Meltzer said. “They think that a lot of the competitors are too small and too old. The original idea was for NXT to be developmental, to get guys with the mentality of we’re trying to find people who can main event WrestleMania. That’s always what they said. What that means is they want more Roman Reigns-looking guys. The basic feeling is they lost the war [with AEW] and now it’s time to get it back to a new direction – younger guys and bigger guys.”

Meltzer said that the wording he got from an apparent WWE source is, “No more midgets, no one starting in their 30s” and WWE wants “people who can be box office attractions and main characters.”

The people who decided to make the releases on Friday were Vince McMahon, Bruce Prichard and John Laurinaitis, Meltzer said, and Triple H and Shawn Michaels “didn’t have anything to do with the cuts.”

“There’s divisive opinions about wrestling among the key people and they’re fighting for Vince’s ear, and this is the ear that Vince has this week,” Meltzer said. “Next week he may listen to somebody else and may go in a completely different direction.”

Meltzer called Adam Cole, who is not very big, an “exception to the rule” and said WWE was trying to keep him and didn’t want the perception of losing him to AEW. Cole met with Vince McMahon on Friday to discuss his contract situation and Meltzer said that the impression he got was that Cole got an offer to come to the main roster and WWE told their writers that they want storylines for him on Raw or SmackDown.