Shawn Michaels says he no longer “walks on water” in WWE NXT after a decade leading the brand’s developmental system. The Hall of Famer admits the mystique he carried as a freshly retired legend has faded into familiarity, and his lessons now often land with talents only after they leave for the main roster.
Michaels reflected on his evolution as a coach and mentor during an appearance on the Insight Podcast with Chris Van Vliet. He was candid about how his authority and impact have shifted over the years.
“I no longer walk on water,” Michaels said, joking that after 10 years the NXT roster has simply grown used to having him around.
“Now I’m just the guy that kind of yells at the television and every now and then, gets in their face or tries to tell them this or that,” he added.
Lessons That Click Later
Michaels explained that his coaching no longer carries the same weight in the moment, but the value often surfaces down the line. He said much of his guidance only resonates once performers reach the main roster and live through the realities he warned them about.
“It’s not quite the same that the things that I say may not always carry the weight that it once did at the beginning from a coaching level, but it is something that most of them, once they go up to the main roster and now they experience some of those things that I was talking about, that’s when it connects now,” he said. “So now a lot of the teaching isn’t right there in the moment. It’s a couple months or a year down the road.”
He also reflected on the doubts he carried when he first stepped into the role, questioning whether mentoring was even his strength.
“I don’t know if I am a great teacher. That was probably the most challenging thing about it when I came in first as a coach but I was very upfront with everybody, this is kind of my, it’s one thing to teach the basics and then share your experiences,” Michaels said. “I think what helped me teach was being able to connect with these people on such a personal level, a relationship level.”
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A Decade Shaping NXT
Michaels began working full-time with NXT at the WWE Performance Center as a coach and producer in 2016, expanding his role in 2018 alongside Triple H. WWE later promoted him to Senior Vice President of Talent Development Creative, the position he holds today overseeing the brand’s creative direction and talent development.
During that span, he has played a hand in developing many of the performers now featured on the main roster. His comments fit a broader theme he has touched on before, including his view that NXT’s pipeline keeps producing surprise stars even as talent losses to the main roster accelerate, and his belief that his real goal with NXT has little to do with wrestling ability.