WWE News: Shawn Michaels on his backstage role in NXT

What's the story?

In a recent interview to promote his new movie Pure Country: Pure Heart, Shawn Michaels explained his backstage role in WWE’s NXT brand.

Speaking to Scott Fishman of Channel Guide Magazine, Michaels revealed that his role in NXT isn’t clearly defined and that he just hangs around backstage at the Performance Center beside getting out on the road and feeling the energy of the up-and-coming Superstars and the crowds; and helping said Superstars with his veteran advice.

In case you didn't know...

Having competed as a professional wrestler from 1984 until 2010, Shawn Michaels is close friends in real-life with WWE Executive and fellow pro-wrestling legend Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque.

Michaels often spends time backstage in order to help the WWE nurture the next generation of talent, with the WWE Performance Center providing the company’s athletes with a platform to hone their craft and fitness; to help them ascend to the next level.

The heart of the matter

‘The Heart Break Kid’ Shawn Michaels elucidated on his backstage role in NXT, stating-

I would clearly define my role if my role was clearly defined and knew what it was, but I don’t. That has sort of been the way I have been most of my life, most of my career. I just hang around so often that people just eventually are too afraid to tell me to leave

Furthermore, HBK had words of high praise for WWE Performance Center trainers Matt Bloom, Sara Amato as well as NXT pioneer Triple H; for making the PC and NXT so successful.

Additionally, Michaels spoke about his liking for NXT performers Roderick Strong, Aleister Black, Johnny Gargano, Velveteen Dream, Heavy Machinery, Authors of Pain, Sanity, Ember Moon and Asuka. HBK added-

The wrestling business is ripe with a great deal of young, up-and-coming talent. To me, that is exciting. I got way too positive of an outlook to jump into all the other stuff

What's next?

Shawn Michaels presently works with the WWE as an ambassador and trainer, making sporadic appearances on the promotion’s main shows for non-wrestling appearances.

Author's take

Shawn Michaels is one of the most charismatic pro-wrestlers to have ever stepped foot inside the squared-circle; and as for the NXT Superstars, who better to learn from than the Heart Break Kid himself?

In my opinion, today’s performers need to take notes from veterans like HBK, in order to add that much-needed edge to their cookie-cutter characters in today’s WWE landscape.

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