Grayson Waller is riding high as the top star in NXT right now — and he says three veterans are the reason the brand’s future looks bright: Shawn Michaels, AJ Styles, and CM Punk.
Grayson Waller (Credits: WWE)
Waller returned to NXT in July and wasted no time, capturing the NXT Championship and calling out anyone he feels isn’t pulling their weight. But in a new interview with Chris Van Vliet on Insight, the champion shifted the spotlight to the three legends mentoring the next generation.
AJ Styles’ Hands-On Coaching
Waller singled out AJ Styles, who has been coming down to NXT to produce matches and work in the ring with younger talent. “AJ is a big one,” Waller said. “He lets you go and lets you do you, and just makes everything better. He doesn’t force you to do things.”
He recalled the moment that told him everything about the industry’s future. After his match with EK Prosper — a young wrestler thrown into the biggest match of his life on just 24 hours’ notice — Waller came through the curtain to find Shawn, AJ, and CM Punk all standing there waiting.
“Those Three Guys Are Shaping the Future”
“That’s three generations of guys who know how much they care about the business and how much they want to give back,” Waller said, describing how the three veterans greeted Prosper — who had just lost — with warmth. “Seeing the look on their face when he came back through tells me everything I need to know about the future of the industry because those three guys are shaping it.”
The trio’s influence runs deep in NXT’s current era: Shawn Michaels leads creative, Styles has taken on a bigger coaching and producer role, and Punk makes frequent visits to check in on the brand’s young talent.
In a related development, Michaels is reportedly set to step into Bruce Prichard’s role as WWE Executive Director when Prichard retires after WrestleMania 43 — a move that would give him even more influence over WWE’s future.
Also Read: Grayson Waller Breaks Silence on Invading Tony D’Angelo’s Home: ‘This Is All Mind Games’ | Elayna Black Claims WWE Told Her She’d Never Be Champion Because of Her Appearance
Source: Fightful — read the full story there.
