Now that WWE has finally launched it’s NXT UK brand, Triple H‘s vision of an NXT global territory may be looking further inland in Europe with a possible NXT brand setting up shop in Germany, which is gaining momentum as Europe’s second hottest indie scene after the UK, with the likes of German Wrestling Federation (GWF) and Westside Xtreme Wrestling (wXw), the latter of which was the home promotion of current WWE Superstar Alexander Wolfe, NXT UK Superstar Killer Kelly and NXT Superstar Marcel Barthel (formerly Axel Dieter Jr.) and current indie superstar WALTER.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtTrO4e-d9Y
At one time, wXw was considered to be a part of the IWGP Conception, New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW)‘s global alliance that also included Ring of Honor, UK’s Revolution Pro (RevPro) and Mexico’s CMLL, but when Last Word of Pro Wrestling contacted wXw officials, they responded that they were not officially tied to anyone at this point. “Frankly, we have been surprised by New Japan’s initial announcement of the IWGP conception as we hadn’t previously been contacted about it,” one wXw official told us. “We do keep in light contact with various promotions worldwide to keep communication channels open and to do certain project. However, there haven’t been projects we have been working on with New Japan in a while. At this point the major connection between the two companies is Zack Sabre Jr. being featured on both promotions.”
In the past year, WWE has swooped in and developed a new relationship with Germany’s premier indie promotion, which was founded in 2000, sending back Wolfe and Barthel to an wXw event in December of 2017 where the two reunited with their former Ringkampf stablemates WALTER and Timothy Thatcher.
https://twitter.com/ReallyVanni/status/944622124626477057
On September 30 of this year, wXw announcer Sebastian Hackl announced via Twitter that wXw had indeed entered into a working alliance with the WWE. “In my opinion, the German scene can only benefit from this partnership,” Hackl said. “To be part of this development & to be able to link people together is very nice.”
Es freut mich, dass eine offizielle Zusammenarbeit zwischen @wwe und @wXwGermany existiert. Von dieser Partnerschaft kann die deutsche Szene meiner Meinung nach nur profitieren. Ein Teil dieser Entwicklung zu sein & Menschen miteinander verknüpfen zu können ist sehr schön. #Stolz pic.twitter.com/zGicXjhNYU
— ᴴᵃᶜᵏᴹᵃⁿ (@SebastianHackl) September 30, 2018
The announcement from Hackl came just as the WWE was holding tryouts in Germany, which ended up being held by NXT trainer and former UK wrestler Robbie Brookside, and were held at wXw’s Wrestling Academy.
Before @WWE holds its first talent tryout in Germany next month, @WWEPerformCtr coach Robbie Brookside led a day of in-ring training for prospects at the wXw Wrestling Academy! https://t.co/JM1GhSM67M
— WWE (@WWE) October 1, 2018
Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer also noted the new alliance this week, suggesting that the alliance is in the same stages as when NXT first partnered up with UK indies PROGRESS and Insane Championship Wrestling (ICW). The alliance with these UK indies helped the NXT brand book it’s UK tours and since then PROGRESS’ management have reportedly been given creative duties with NXT UK going forward. The belief is that wXw would help NXT with their Germany dates on European tours and could potentially help with the direction of NXT Germany should that brand become a reality.
