Previewing NXT's Women Championship with Shawn Michaels and Triple H
Long time buddies Triple H and Shawn Michaels have stood atop the WWE as both rivals and allies... Madelyn Burke talks to Justin Barrasso after he got a chance to speak with both men about their thoughts on the NXT Women's Division, and what's at stake for Charlotte Flair, Io Shirai, and Rhea Ripley on Sunday.
Read the full video transcript below:
Madelyn Burke: Longtime buddies Triple H and Shawn Michaels have stood atop the WWE as both rivals and allies. Our Justin Barrasso got a chance to speak with both men about their thoughts on the NXT women's division. Justin, first of all, what was your biggest takeaway in these conversations?
Justin Barrasso: I think if the respect and admiration they have, especially for two guys who are -- it's funny to call the Heartbreak Kid an old-timer -- but two guys have been around the business for so long. And, you know, women have always been especially in the highest levels of pro-wrestling, confined and restricted. And I think that Triple H, one of his goals, to make NXT different and stand out was to give women an opportunity that really in WWE they hadn't had before. That's what NXT's done since its creation in 2013. Shawn Michaels obviously plays a big role in that working at the performance center. So it was interesting to hear how they feel about the women, the women's division, and how much of it's come from stars of the past, like Asuka or, Charlotte Flair, who's back now or or Bayley and Sasha Banks and and carried over today into Shayna Baszler and Rhea Ripley. So I think there's a lot of respect and admiration for what the women have built and continue to build in NXT.
Madelyn Burke: And as you mentioned, Charlotte Flair, she'll defend the NXT Women's Championship and a triple threat match at NXT takeover on Sunday. Who needs to win Sunday's triple threat the most? Charlotte Flair, Io Shirai or Rhea Ripley.
Justin Barrasso: Wins and losses are so funny in pro-wrestling. I think to me it's the positioning. This match, it needs to be the main event. And that's tricky because the men usually close the show and Adam Cole has a big title match against the Velveteen Dream and that likely closes the show. But I would go with the women here. It's a big story. Charlotte Flair has been positioned, rightfully so, as a major star from the main roster. She won the Royal Rumble. She decided to come to NXT, take Rhea Ripley's title and Wrestlemania. I would make that the main event. I just think Charlotte Flair is that big of star. And to me, the whole point is Flair's your champion, so you can put a bigger spotlight on the next champ. I think he Io Shirai needs to win. I wouldn't be devastated if it was a Rhea Ripley, but I just think there's a time and a place. And the timing's right right now for Shirai.
Madelyn Burke: You and I have had a lot of conversations about women's empowerment and wrestling and got to respect Heartbreak Kid and the game kind of lifting these women up in this scenario. Justin Barrasso, thanks so much for the time.
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