Why WWE Needs To Hire The ENTIRE Kliq For NXT

Shawn Michaels referred to his NXT-branded snapback as a "billboard" on Twitter ahead of his Halftime Heat commentary appearance alongside Vic Joseph, perhaps in direct and sardonic response to the feedback he received for wearing it during his Royal Rumble pre-show turn.

Sartorial swagger hasn't been a part of Shawn's aesthetic since his first retirement in 1998, but it doesn't take his relentless shilling of the merch to know that 'HBK' is all in on his best buddy's brave venture. D-Generation-X may have donned black for their Crown Jewel catastrophe against The Brothers Of Destruction, but it was tinged with tacit tones of yellow rather than neon green - the duo had the brand's name sewn on to their gear there too, not-so-subtly suggesting that they were now far more invested in the bright future than the gaudy past.

If he's not doing the hard sell for the show, Shawn's doing it for himself. Ignoring the monumental Saudi payday last year, Michaels was legitimately retired until he took up a role in the Performance Center's "finishing" class in or around 2017. Alongside Terry Taylor, the 'Heartbreak Kid' tinkers only with the finer points of those at the top of the class rather than providing ground-up support with the rookies. And in much the same way Triple H always seemed suited for the suit, Michaels perhaps always fit the profile of a technique trainer.

At his peak, 'The Boy Toy' spilled over with the sort of intangibles he'd never be able to teach, but the knowledge base that supported his skills was far too valuable to go to waste. If November's deeply disappointing main event suggested that he could no longer give his body to the cause, the most recent crop of NXT nearly-men have given him back the motivation to use his mind.

In the mid-1990s, The Kliq were bonded by the ability to boast both. And if the gentle dip in TakeOver quality of late is to be reversed, Hunter and Shawn could do with a little help from their friends.

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