NXT Media Call notes: Paul “Triple H” Levesque addresses whether Karrion Kross and Adam Cole made it overly personal in their promos, more

Today I was on the Paul “Triple H” Levesque media call. The full audio will be available later as part of a Wade Keller podcast, but here are the main points…

*Jason Powell asked about the comments lobbed at Karrion Kross on TV, playing on genuine online criticisms of his work. Levesque took some time with this question and answered carefully, opening by saying that of course it’s more realistic that a competitor will want to point out the holes in their opponent’s game rather than put them over. He insinuated that some of the comments cut pretty deep. He said, partially paraphrased: “Did Adam Cole and Karrion Kross go over the line? Yes. Did the crowd reaction make it all worth it? Yes.” He said a wrestler has to have thick skin, because “all you have to do is go online, and your skin’s gone.”

*A caller praised the Cameron Grimes and Karrion Kross vignettes on Tuesday’s show and said they felt like “Jeremy Borash specials.” Levesque said that Borash’s hands are all over vignettes whether more comedic or not, and brought up the Tian Sha storyline as an example.

*Levesque was asked about MSK and what classic teams they remind him of. He said they bring a lot of energy and to some extent remind him of the Rock’n’Roll Express or the Midnight Rockers, but he doesn’t like to make a lot of comparisons because he just wants MSK to be the first MSK. He praised their work and said they knocked everything they were given out of the park.

*A caller brought up Mickie James’s comment that NWA wanted to do an all-women’s show and wanted all the best workers “regardless of contract status,” and asked if anyone from NXT might appear. Levesque said they’d already done all-women’s shows and all of the best women’s wrestlers were in NXT already. He asked rhetorically, “If they could get everyone regardless of contract status, what’s the point of having someone under contract status?”

*Dave Meltzer asked about the shift from NXT being a proving ground to a brand where workers stay for years, and what became of that concept. Levesque expressed frustration that fans are rarely happy with how things are when they spend so much time thinking about how things could be in other ways. He asked: “Do you like it?” He suggested that if one does, they needn’t deconstruct it so much.

*A caller asked about Ted DiBiase’s backstage involvement. Levesque said it was wonderful to have a guy like DiBiase around so wrestlers can pick his brain. He said not everyone who shows up has the same mentality as DiBiase, but DiBiase genuinely loves to help in any way he can. He said that when the Million Dollar Belt was revealed to the talent backstage, it was great to watch their genuinely overwhelmed reactions. Another caller asked if the belt would be defended on NXT TV, which Levesque essentially dodged and said we’d have to wait and see.

*A caller asked if NXT would be heading back to Full Sail anytime soon. Levesque said their partnership is still very strong but for now, NXT’s home is the CWC.

I’ll also be covering the post-TakeOver media call, and will post any particularly juicy bits here, and will also talk about the call when I join Wrestling Night in America already in progress.