By James Caldwell, PWTorch assistant editor

WWE executive/wrestler Triple H sees NXT no longer as a developmental territory, but as a third brand on-par with WWE's Raw and Smackdown shows.

Hunter noted in an NXT conference call on Wednesday that there is a fine line of wrestlers still wanting to make it to Raw and Smackdown. But, with WWE shifting their business model to being Network-centric, NXT is getting closer to the main roster brands, especially with each passing Network special, such as "Takeover 2" on Thursday.

Included are long-term plans to take "NXT" on the road as a traveling brand. "Absolutely. It's something we have been working on," Hunter said. "I want NXT to be a brand in every way possible."

Hunter added: "If I can grow this to where we can travel and people are seeing NXT all over the globe (through the Network) where we can open it up and continue to give these guys - not losing perspective on the learning experience. I'm open to that. I want it to grow. I want to take it on the road."

Hunter said his ultimate goal is for NXT to be "so good" and the wrestlers so advanced in "Developmental" that Vince McMahon says, "I want that guy. I want that guy on Raw. I want him now. And I have to argue, 'I don't want him to go. I want to keep him."

Hunter said putting top NXT stars Adrian Neville, Sami Zayn, Tyler Breeze, and Tyson Kidd on Monday's Raw helped advance their objective to make the NXT roster seem like it's on equal footing with the main roster.

WWE does not want a situation where the NXT wrestlers are viewed as inferior just because they're not on the roster. Not only to build the NXT brand but to push current main roster stars.

Hunter said he was paying attention to how main roster stars reacted to the NXT talent being given a match segment on Raw. He noted they were initially excited for the guys getting a shot, but then had to take a step back and see if the NXT stars are a threat to their roster spot. Hunter said it's about breeding competition and hopefully "lighting a fire" under some main roster stars seeing the next wave of talent coming for their spots.

As for current NXT stars wanting to make it to the main roster, Hunter said he is hopeful that turning "NXT" into a third WWE brand will give wrestlers a greater sense of purpose and ownership while waiting to make the main roster.

"With NXT becoming its own brand and its own living, breathing entity of a brand, they now - it's still going to be frustrating as they wait for that process to happen and feeling like, 'I'm ready and I want to get on that main roster and I want to go.' It's still going to be a long, frustrating process and you're anxious to do it," Hunter said.

"That being said, you now have the creative and the performing outlet that is legitimate. And legitimately rewarding to you. It's not just, 'I go perform in front of 25 people over here and we do this little TV shoot now and then with two cameras.' This is a legitimate brand with a legitimate following. ... It's not just sitting around doing nothing while waiting for that call-up. You're still getting out there and playing the game; you're not just playing in Yankee Stadium yet."

Overall, Hunter is hopeful the NXT wrestlers will be completely ready for WWE when the call comes after treating NXT like they're already on the main roster as a third brand.

"They performed at a level that they belong there now," Hunter said of the NXT Foursome that appeared on Raw. "And now it's just a matter of 'When do we need them? When is the right time? How do you want to bring them up and in what way?'"

If nothing else, NXT is at least a "petri dish" to experiment with different characters and gimmicks, such as Adam Rose, as well as try out lower-end writers, directors, producers, and cameraman who will also be called up to the main WWE production team.

Caldwell's Analysis: It will be interesting to see how the rest of the wrestling industry reacts if WWE takes NXT on the road outside of 300-400-seat venues in Florida they're already running. With the large collection of former independent and international stars on the NXT roster and high quality of matches on the NXT Network specials thus far, it's apparent that part of WWE's objective is creating the ultimate independent promotion. If WWE takes these stars on the road with their resources and production values, it will be difficult for independent promotions to compete unless they have strong marketing to counter WWE's own "indie promotion" featuring fan-favorite wrestlers. This is a story to watch in 2015.

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