Shawn Michaels Is The New Head Of WWE Performance Center
WWE's next generation get a new trainer.
It was reported a few months ago that Shawn Michaels had been offered a trainer's job at the WWE Performance Center. WWE never made an official announcement, but it seemed plausible: Michaels is widely regarded as the most influential wrestlers of all-time, and the man himself admitted to discussing the role with Triple H.
While HBK spent time training at the Performance Center in September, his full-time status remained a mystery, until now. Kevin Nash appeared alongside fellow Kliq members Sean Waltman and Scott Hall on the Kevin Gill Show podcast earlier this week, and he claims that Shawn has accepted a position as Head of the Performance Center.
Nash's comments are transcribed below:-
Nash: How many people, including the two guys to my left, know that the new Head of the WWE Performance Center is Shawn Michaels? Hall: Oh yeah, I knew that. Waltman: Is he actually moving to Florida? I can't believe that. Nash: Oh yeah, he's moving to Florida with the family and everything. If you thought that NXT was something wait til that son of a bitch gets down there and gives them his magic. There is nobody better than him. Physically nobody better. Psychology nobody better. It's going to be a game changer. I don't know what the hell they are paying him but it's got to be a lot because to get Shawn to do the 9-5... Waltman: Whatever it is is a bargain.Nash: His son wants to do graphic design. His daughter wants to be a veterinarian. Sea World is down there. There's a lot of advantages to being in Orlando over Abilene, TX. Nothing against Abilene. I hear there's a lot of good things going on there. Gill: I don't think Full Sail has opened a branch out there. Nash: Graphic design is something you have at Full Sail. "Go with Dad to work."
As exciting as this sounds, the news does bring Matt Bloom's status into question. Contrary to Nash's claims, the Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer notes that Bloom is still employed as the Performance Center's Head Coach:-
Kevin Nash was on the Kevin Gill show and said that Shawn Michaels was the new head instructor at the Performance Center. Michaels has been coaching there, but the WWE confirmed that Matt Bloom is still the the head coach.
Regardless of whether HBK is Head Coach or a regular trainer, this is a huge boost for the Performance Center. Many of WWE's current trainees will have grown-up idolising Michaels, and they'll now have the opportunity to learn from him after years of watching him on television. As one of the most highly-regarded and charismatic wrestlers of all-time, Michaels' presence will only benefit WWE's next generation.