Shawn Michaels is not apologizing for putting the NXT Women’s Championship on Jacy Jayne, and nearly 280 days of hindsight has given him plenty of ammunition to defend the decision.
The WWE Hall of Famer and NXT Head of Creative joined Peter Rosenberg on Cheap Heat during WrestleMania 42 weekend in Las Vegas to discuss the booking philosophy behind one of NXT’s most criticized title changes in recent memory.
When Jayne defeated Stephanie Vaquer for the NXT Women’s Championship in May 2025 with help from her Fatal Influence stablemates, the backlash was immediate and loud. Michaels was not spared from it.
“I was the worst dude in the world when Jacy Jayne beat Stephanie Vaquer for the title,” Michaels told Rosenberg. “Worst decision in the world, dumbest thing I’ve ever seen.”
Jayne held the title across two reigns spanning roughly 280 days before losing it to Lola Vice in a triple threat at Stand and Deliver on April 4. The length of that run, and what Jayne became during it, is Michaels’ answer to every critic.
“280-some odd days later, she is a complete superstar,” Michaels said. “I would argue that a lot of people when it came to Toxic Attraction, she was number three. And that is not the case these years later.”
He credited Jayne’s own self-awareness for the growth, suggesting the extended championship run served as the development tool she needed. “I have no doubt, and I’m sure Jacy would say the same, that at some point many of those years earlier, she felt she was ready then. She’s a more complete individual now. And we have to balance that.”
Michaels also used the moment to explain why NXT resists the pressure to reward rising talent too quickly, warning that modern wrestling audiences move on almost immediately when a title change does not land with the intended impact.
“It’s always kind of easy to go for the instant gratification. Sometimes that will work and be a positive thing,” Michaels said. “But my feeling is in today’s environment, they move on pretty quick. So you have to be very careful about when and where you do it.”
Jayne is now reportedly being considered for a main roster call-up following her Stand and Deliver loss, joining a list that includes Ethan Page, Ricky Saints, and Blake Monroe.