'Papa' Shawn Michaels Describes 'Unique Camaraderie' In WWE's NXT
Over the years, "WWE NXT" head booker Shawn Michaels has done wonders to change his perception within the wrestling community, going from a rebellious troublemaker to the adult in the room. Today, Michaels is seen as a father figure by scores of wrestlers, and he is grateful to have the opportunity to mentor the superstars of tomorrow.
In a recent interview with "Busted Open," Michaels explained what it's like to be called "Papa" by younger wrestlers, many of whom weren't even born when he was selling out arenas and electrifying fans.
"Obviously, my wife and kids mellowed me out," Michaels said of his metamorphosis. "It's also the Performance Center ... it brings out that hunger and passion. And it's at the beginning when you're dealing with [young men and women] who just want to be pro wrestlers. They're not aware of the backstabbing and whatnot ... they just want to [train] and the fact you're getting paid is a bonus. I've been down the road many times, and I also feel like I can be a cautionary tale. I want to help people get through this process — they're not gonna go through anything I haven't."
Michaels acknowledges that it's only natural for young wrestlers to second-guess themselves, and he wants to serve as a calming and reassuring presence. "I'm there as a resource to try and help them get through it, help them avoid some of the pitfalls that either myself or [I] saw someone else go through. That's where you go from being the rebellious guy to 'papa' because you want what's best for them."
Michaels On The Joy Of Watching Others Succeed
As he continues to mentor young wrestlers, Shawn Michaels often experiences a sense of validation when one of his pupils puts on a stellar match or cuts a solid promo. Much like the atmosphere surrounding a collegiate sports team, he believes that everyone in "NXT" is rooting for each others' success, which creates a sense of camaraderie that he's never experienced before.
"It's a unique camaraderie, much like y'all had in ECW," Michaels told "Busted Open" panelists Bully Ray and Tommy Dreamer. "It's when you feel like you're doing something special together, something different and innovative — that's what we have going on there. Because we have so many young men and women, it's the purest form of that you're going to get in this business. Because they haven't been too jaded and that cynicism hasn't seeped in yet ... that's one of the reasons I use family-like ... at least in the beginning, it is genuine. At least for me, being the sort of papa of all this, it's a nice feeling."
Michaels admits that once one of his pupils gets called up to the main roster, a part of him worries that they don't fall under the same traps he did in his younger years. He is confident, though, that he's done enough to prepare them for uncharted waters.
"A lot of people think that 'NXT' is the best two-hour wrestling show out there today. And we will stand by that," Michaels stressed. "We'll put our show up against anybody, because we think we've got a great show, and we'll compete with anybody. Our young men and women know that, believe that, and they're ready to go to battle."