William Regal Reveals Triple H's Original Vision For WWE's NXT
Triple H was watching a lot of TV shows when NXT first exploded; William Regal explains!
Triple H once told William Regal that he wanted NXT to mimic "great shows like Boardwalk Empire or The Sopranos".
Regal told listeners during into the pilot episode of his 'Gentleman Villain' podcast on AdFreeShows.com that 'The Game' specifically fancied turning WWE's third brand into a place where fans could "have a bit of everything". That, he reasoned, was the lifeblood of pro wrestling - it'd be a waste of screen time to present anything else.
Trips wanted "funny stuff, serious stuff, incredible-well done stuff" and everything in between. Further, when head-hunting talent who'd shape the NXT roster, Hunter told William to target those who'd fill every rung on the creative ladder.
"You never see anyone from the biggest to the smallest role look out of place", he said of shows like Boardwalk and Sopranos. That perfectly illustrated to Regal what NXT's chief wanted, and the Brit was determined to find workers who'd fit the bill.
William knew he wasn't just looking for great wrestlers. NXT needed good talkers, striking personalities and those who'd happily inhabit the undercard if it was going to succeed.
Triple H was inspired by telly outside the wrasslin' bubble, basically.