Triple H took part in a pre WWE NXT Takeover: New Orleans conference call earlier today to promote the event which takes place on April 7th and airs live on the WWE Network. Adam Hopkins opened the call and welcomed everyone before introducing Triple H who apologized for being late, stating that he was coming back from the Andre The Giant documentary premiere in Los Angeles and that WrestleMania has been keeping them busy. Triple H put over the Takeover card and the matches, stating that he feels that this show is something special and is one of the most stacked cards from top to bottom, noting that there is lots of long-term stories and new stars and that they are firing on all cylinders. Triple H then said that the floor was open for the question and answer session.

Mike Johnson was the first caller and asked about the NXT North American Title being added and whether this was a precursor for the growth in the brand, meaning that there could always be a title on the different tours that they do and if this would give talents something new to aspire to. Triple H said that it was the right time to do something with it and that it was a long-term play as part of their strategy and it allows new ways to create new opportunities. HHH said that the title was a long-term play, similar to how the UK Title is part of a long-term move and that it will assist with both domestic and international tours and teased an announcement coming soon regarding the UK. Johnson asked if there would be a similar title added for the NXT Women’s division, to which HHH said that there was not anything immediate right now, but when the time and the talent are right and it helps the brand, then he is open to it as he just wants the brand to be the strongest that it can be and said that they have to make sure that the creative is there to support the idea. HHH said that he looks at the female division as no different from the men’s division and said that he just wants what is best for the brand on a long-term basis and noted that the NXT North American Title is being created for the men, because there is a need for it right now.

Jason Powell was the next caller and asked about the process of how talents are brought up to the main roster from NXT. HHH said that it is an ongoing process strategically over the course of the year between his NXT team and the team that are responsible for main roster movement, comparing it to a football player going from playing college football to playing professionally and said that they try to move talents to where they can fit, where they are needed and where there are opportunities for them and that it also comes down to Vince McMahon, as Vince is not aware of everyone in the system and that there is a process there. Powell asked about other companies running events during WrestleMania weekend and how he feels. HHH said that he likes it and he personally has no problems with it as long as they are quality events. HHH said that the only issue he would have is when fans who come to WrestleMania week make the choice to go to another event and are let down with that experience, noting that WWE can not provide everything for every single fan, but that WrestleMania week is about them celebrating their fans, so they want those fans to have the best overall WrestleMania experience and said that they are open to working with other groups if it makes the overall experience and process better for those fans who come in for WrestleMania weekend.

Dave Meltzer was the next caller, with Triple H putting him over for his appearance in the upcoming Andre The Giant documentary. Meltzer asked about how long they could keep the NXT shows and the Takeover going with the right time and balance in terms of time, because the shows could end up getting so much longer with all the talent and attractions that they have. HHH said that could indeed happen, but you could also make assumptions that some of the talent will thin out and leave the brand to move up and that from there, he is not a believer that every single person has to be on every single card, as that is something that does not happen in UFC or boxing and noted that you can shift the storylines and they do not have to match where every talent has to be on every live event. HHH said that if they got so fortunate that the talent roster got so deep that he had to leave certain talents off events all the time, then he would prefer to add a second, meaningful event, as opposed to making a Takeover event longer and less meaningful. Meltzer asked about storylines that seem to repeat themselves on NXT and the main roster, to which HHH said that it sometimes happens and said that he is booked in advance and that NXT films in advance, but does ask if there is something like a Ladder Match planned for the main roster and said that they try to work it out, but that sometimes, four weeks later, they end up with a similar story and that it is what it is.

Raj Giri was the next caller and asked about how HHH balances the increased responsibilities that he has with NXT and 205 Live and whether there was any talk of changing 205 Live overall. HHH said that it is a creative addition, but one that he enjoys and welcomes and said that there is a great team that works on 205 Live, but he gets to be the final part of all that process and said that he gives a long-term idea and then they go and create, while he helps to guide it and said that he is not there writing every moment and that he has the oversight, stating that not being in the weeds every second is helpful. HHH said that he is happy with the 205 Live product and their feedback and viewership is up and it trends now where it had not been, before noting that the NXT viewership and excitement is up as well and that is a good thing, as long as the fans enjoy it.

Sean Ross Sapp was the next caller and asked about talents that made it to the main roster on WWE RAW and WWE SmackDown Live without an extended run in NXT and whether there may be others who can do that. HHH said that it may seem like NXT and the Performance Center are the same thing, but it is not and that anyone who goes through the system are taught with the idea of them going to the main roster and that is a learning curve, with anyone who thinks otherwise being wrong. HHH said that they want to figure out where they can fit such a person into the brands and the feel of those shows and that the personality and level of entertainment all depends on the talent and said that the general entertainment of what Elias does and how he puts it out there was more suitable for the main roster than in NXT, but they had him in the system to polish him, so that he could learn the process and give him experience and that it was all about getting him ready, noting that if Elias was moved up a year before, then he feels that he would not have been ready and noted that the level of talent can make bad creative awesome and that the business is a marathon and not a spring. Sapp then asked about the influx of MMA talent and how they are doing in the company. HHH said that it seems now like the doors are open and it is like a huge influx, noting that they would sign an NFL guy and suddenly, they would get a lot of calls from people in that circle. HHH said that a lot of the MMA talents are well suited because of the mannerisms and other things that are similar to what they do and said that the more pieces you have, then the more successful you can be and noted that not everyone has to be a great in-ring talent if they can excel in other aspects and that the ones that will succeed will be the ones that pick up all the pieces.

Greg Oliver was the next caller and asked about NXT storylines and how they are crafted and how they compare to the main roster creative team. HHH said that he did not want to say that they were structured differently and that there are three different teams that write, format, time and do everything else that goes into creating the show. HHH talked about them crafting the destination that they want to go to, but the difficulty that comes with the changes that come over time. HHH said that they ask talents for creative input and feedback and help them try different characterizations to try and help them develop different aspects. HHH said that the live events that they do in Florida sometimes features them trying out characters and promos, as well as potential ideas and said that it is not about failing and more about learning, noting that all of NXT and the Performance Center is about learning, because you can never stop learning and said that they are building the foundation of the learning that is needed for this business.

Ryan Bowman was the final caller and asked HHH what performers he has been the happiest with in terms of development and who has been the most pleasant surprise over the years. Triple H said that is a tough question because there are so many talents there and said that when you look at someone like Adam Cole who had a following and a brand that was built, dealing with him and seeing the level of professionalism and understanding and the right thoughts coming out of him and the way he approaches things shows that he has changed so much since has joined them and that he has shown that he has the right thoughts towards everything. HHH then put over Lars Sullivan and Velveteen Dream, noting that he does not know of anyone in the system that has improved as fast and as greatly as what Dream has. HHH then put over Ember Moon, noting how she has found herself and changed since coming in. HHH then put over Shayna Baszler for becoming more well rounded and said that there are so many names who have improved dramatically, noting that while he does not watch them every day, he can see the changes in their conversations, in their mentality and in how they approach the business and said that it speaks well of the system and the tools that they have and that if you are in the system and do not improve, then that is on you, because the tools are there. HHH said that the exciting part of all of this is seeing how everyone has improved and said that it is hard to say who has stood out more than anyone else. HHH then put over Pete Dunne, saying that even with him, there has been a huge step forward in who he is and how he approaches wrestling and puts things together, noting that it is night and day from when they first met. HHH said that when you look at talents who had no experience or minimal experience such as Braun Strowman and seeing how they are handling things and where they are, compared to the first day that he met someone like Braun, that is a shining example of their system in its best form.

Triple H thanked everyone for their questions and apologized once again for being late to the call, before putting over NXT Takeover: New Orleans and WrestleMania 34, noting that he hopes those going have a great time in New Orleans and that those watching on the WWE Network will enjoy the entire weekend of shows.