WWE has been planning to do a second NXT show for two years now with various iterations over time.
Back in November, it was reported Triple H had been going through the budgets to try to find a way to implement some type of a show that would get more NXT talent ring time and exposure. In December, it was revealed the WWE Executive had created a team to oversee the new NXT show with the idea that it would be a minor league system for NXT. WWE had this with EVOLVE, but the promotion was forced to shut down last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and WWE bought it.
Gabe Sapolsky, who had been the head booker of EVOLVE and working for WWE NXT before EVOLVE went out of business, is the leader of the team.
Fightful Select reported today that WWE has filmed content for a second NXT series that will tentatively be called NXT EVOLVE. It was also noted that graphics and a title belt have been made with that branding, but that could change. Dan Beltzer had mentioned a few days ago that he also heard of a new belt being made.
Belt news has been slow but I heard a new Evolve belt has been talked about for their WWE Network show.
— Dan Beltzer (@BeltFanDan) February 15, 2021
It was said Sapolsky and Jeremy Borash are ‘heavily involved’ with the production, which is ‘nothing like anything else’ WWE has done up to this point. The tapings were hosted in the warehouse that WWE used as a Performance Center during the COVID-19 pandemic before creating the ThunderDome.
Josiah Williams was the host, which has a “fight” feeling to it. It should be noted that there was no live commentary, but that could be added in post-production.
