WWE NXT Europe Debuting In 2023 Replacing NXT UK, Worlds Collide PLE on Sept. 4
It has been announced by WWE that the NXT UK brand will be no more and its place will be a new creation called NXT Europe in 2023.
There was a lot of speculation about the NXT UK brand. As part of the announcement of NXT Europe, WWE also announced a Worlds Collide Premium Live Event on September 4 featuring NXT UK and NXT 2.0 superstars in action.
WWE issued the following press release announcing the change.
WWE to Launch NXT Europe In 2023
STAMFORD, Conn.– WWE today announced that the NXT brand will grow internationally with the creation of an all-new NXT Europe, with the launch planned for 2023.
“Following the success of our live events and talent identification efforts throughout all of Europe, we believe this is the perfect time to expand NXT beyond the UK,” said Shawn Michaels, WWE Vice President of Talent Development Creative.
Launched in 2016, NXT UK has received critical acclaim and developed WWE main roster talent such as Rhea Ripley, Doudrop, Gunther and Butch. NXT Europe will reimagine the brand and its talent pipeline with a Pan European focus.
Prior to the debut of NXT Europe, Worlds Collide, a premium live event featuring NXT and NXT UK Superstars, will be presented live on Sunday, September 4 at 4 p.m. ET on Peacock in the United States and WWE Network everywhere else.
Shawn Michaels, who is a WWE Hall of Famer that works closely with NXT and NXT UK talent as the WWE Vice President of Talent Development Creative, talked to Metro about how Triple H (Paul Levesque) has been wanting to do this.
“This has been a goal of Hunter’s for quite some time, and I think clearly with what has gone on recently with him taking on creative, he felt that now would be a great time to have the ability to do that. NXT UK was one of the first steps in that process.”
Michaels went on to speak about how while he was proud of the UK talent that WWE developed in NXT UK, it was time to grow by expanding internationally.
“We’ve developed a lot of people since that time, a lot of them going to the main roster. I feel like we did a fantastic job with that. But now it is time to grow it internationally, and that’s what NXT Europe is planning to do in 2023.”
WWE has announced that Worlds Collide will air on Sunday, September 4 on Peacock/WWE Network at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT. That will be one day after WWE Clash at the Castle. It will also be the same day as the AEW All Out pay-per-view event, which will have an 8 p.m. ET start time.
It was explained by Michaels that Worlds Collide will be like a final event for the NXT UK brand.
“It’s sort of a pseudo-final event for NXT UK at Worlds Collide. I’m just excited that we’re growing it. A lot of things we have talked about in the past, now they’re finally happening and this talent’s gonna have the opportunity to enjoy the fruits of all their hard work.”
This past Tuesday’s episode of NXT featured new NXT UK Champion Tyler Bate (a title win that hasn’t even aired on NXT UK television yet) standing face to face with NXT Champion Bron Breakker, which will likely lead to a match at Worlds Collide on September 4. This week’s NXT episode also featured appearances from NXT UK group Gallus and women’s wrestler Blair Davenport appeared as well.
The first-ever UK Champion was crowned in January 2017 when Tyler Bate defeated Pete Dunne (now known as Butch on Smackdown) to end a two-day tournament. In October 2018, WWE launched the NXT UK brand. With this new announcement, the NXT Europe brand will replace NXT UK moving forward.