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SHAWN MICHAELS DISCUSSES THE IRON SURVIVOR MATCH, TRICK WILLIAMS, LEXIS KING AND MORE

Shawn Michaels took part in a media conference call earlier today to promote Saturday's WWE NXT Deadline 2023 in Bridgeport, CT.  Some highlights from the conference call:

The Iron Survivor Match:

"There's already a great deal of pressure on the young men and women that come through NXT, especially when they, again, they make it to the level of being on PLEs.   Then you come to a match like this, the Iron Survivor match that, as you, as you mentioned,  certainly propels guys to even more success down the line, but this match in and of itself is a tough match. It's 25 minutes, multiple falls, a lot of working pieces in this match. I don't think that's something that a lot of times people understand all the mental capacity that this kind of match takes on you as well as a physical toll. Look, I think there's a lot of pressure going into premium live events as a performer anyway.  Then, you add a match that is difficult on top of it. I'll say this.  My advice would be to everybody in the matches. I wouldn't worry about my future so much as I would worry about Saturday and having a great performance at deadline on December 9th in Bridgeport, Connecticut. To me, nothing should be more important than the match that they're having this Saturday.  They focus on that and do well, I'm sure they'll be fine."

Lexis King:

"As you mentioned, toss him in the deep end and we've been doing that from day one. Look, I'll say this. I think he's been doing a great job. It's been I think he understands he's gotten tossed in. He's been doing everything he can. He's been working with us. He asks a lot of questions.  He's a hungry kid. I think he's someone that has adapted and adjusted to the structure that we have in NXT in a real positive way. I think he is someone that is was a prime and will be, I think, a prime example of what NXT,  uh, can do for you because he is someone that did need that structure but look, he's gonna, you're gonna be out there with Carmelo Hayes, gonna have a hell of a dance partner to be out there with. But look Mike, I won't lie we're looking forward to it as much as you are. We want to see what he's got. We believe there's a lot of potential there and again, not to say that this whole career will rest on this performance by any stretch, but look, I think we, we all know the lineage, right? He's got a little experience, but I don't know that he's got experience quite on this level yet and to be perfectly honest, there's only one way to find out, and that's to rip the band-aid off. So, that's what we're doing. But, I'm with you. I'm looking forward to see how he does wishing him the best. I like the young man a great deal and he's embraced the help.   The coaching that we have there in NXT, like I said, I guess I'm just, I'm happy for him because you can, when you see him and how he came in, you can see that was someone who needed our structure.   Who needs what we do in NXT and at the Performance Center. Like I said, I don't know. It's just nice when those worlds come together. And like I said, and now we'll see at least what a taste of it looks like on Saturday."

Trick Williams:

"Trick's passion and his hunger....look it's, that's what we enjoy about him and he's a kid. It's not afraid of the pressure whether he's ready for it or not. We will see Saturday and, no matter where he comes in. Look, I don't think it's any secret. We see a great deal of potential in Trick.  It's been, it's on record, obviously, how much I appreciate and enjoy him and like him and I want him to enjoy this process. I want him to do great. He's a young man.  He's somebody that desires that spotlight. He's not afraid of it, whether he should be or not. There are times that....Trick is not afraid to get out there and stumble right in front of your face, and he'll get right back up and give it another shot. Look, I appreciate that about him, and, I don't know, for me, it's just, it's hard to not love a dude that's just not afraid to get knocked down and get back up again.  It's going to be really big night for Trick Saturday.  I'm looking forward to it with him and like I said, there's one of those things we, it is for me, it's always this balance of where I've got this business job that we've got this, premium live event that we're putting on.  But then there's different opportunities that we've given, there's one for, there's one for Lexis King and there's one for Trick, there's Briggs out there, Fallon Henley, Kalani, we've got a lot of people that are stepping out into that spotlight for the first time.  I can't lie, there's the dad in me that gets a little nervous, but you want them to you do you want them to walk across that stage? You want them to grab that diploma and just have a great night. So that's really what I'm hoping for. For Trick as well as a couple others on that show.   So it's gonna, it's going to be exciting. It's going to be anxiety filled for me as well,  but it's going to be a good night and a great way to end the year.  I was just going to say, yeah I imagine you see a little of yourself in him at times. Yeah, no, look he's he is, he's I just, that's all I can say is I like him a bunch.  I do. He's a he's a good kid and again, I, again I'm happy that he's getting this opportunity and I really do. I want it to go well for him on Saturday night."

What he hopes for the final show of the year:

"I think again, I think having a great show.  Honestly, that's what from an NXT standpoint, even from a WWE standpoint  going into the holidays. The premium live event. We obviously we want to continue to expand storylines, continue to grow, continue to again, develop all of the stories that we're doing, but we're going to be coming, into the holidays here, and so I think you just want to end the year with the bag.  Look, it won't be long. It'll be 2 or 3 weeks before we're saying. Start the year with a bang. That's the, again, the reality of this is it is a weekly live television show. You either enjoy that if you're in this line of work, or you don't.  If you don't, you shouldn't be in this line of work. So look, the you're only as good as your last television show right now, a premium live event is what we're focused on for this Saturday, a deadline, and the men and women of NXT are ready to go. So look, I guess what I want top to bottom, a quality show that you, again, the people who watch it, the people who invest your two hours a week with us at NXT, want you to enjoy it.  Again, I said it earlier. We all sat under the same learning tree and the reality is we put ourselves in the seats and I am still a wrestling fan and so that's what I want. I want us to put on a great show that you all enjoy and that you all say dang, I, I love NXT.  I love what they're doing there. I'm going to continue to support it and sounds unbelievably cliche, but it is in fact the truth. "

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