Development Hell: The NXT Story Book - Available For Pre-Order NOW!

The disaster, lunacy and eventual triumph of WWE's developmental system.

NXT Story Cover
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WhatCulture.com is pleased to announce that the latest release from its publishing division - Development Hell: The NXT Story - is available for pre-order NOW!

Penned by former Power Slam scribe and WhatCulture.com’s own Michael Sidgwick, the book chronicles the history of WWE’s NXT brand.

When the WWF won the expansion and Monday Night Wars, the Sports Entertainment monolith was left without their spoils. With no mettle-testing proving grounds remaining - at least, those he deigned to acknowledge - Vince McMahon had to create the next fleet of superstars by himself, from scratch. He did so with a curious detachment and myopic slant. His gift of creating stars was vaunted, especially per company rhetoric - but as his company wandered aimlessly along the post-Attitude Era landscape, the evidence betrayed the bluster.

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Part oral account of - and part insight into - the often inscrutable machinations of WWE’s in-house talent production factory, Development Hell: The NXT Story chronicles the requirement behind and history of its developmental system.

Documenting also the subsequent transition to NXT, this is a tale of fluffy ducks, jelly doughnuts, physical abuse, inexplicable budgets - and of how WWE grasped the elusive concept of critical acclaim.

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Pre-order your copy right now for May 2nd release.

Development Hell Cover
WhatCulture
Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and surefire Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!