WWE NXT GM Robert Stone Pushes Back On 'Developmental Brand' Label

The debate of "WWE NXT" as a third brand vs. developmental brand has continued, with "NXT" General Manager Robert Stone being the latest to weigh in.

Stone himself has personally pushed back on the "developmental" label, citing the brand as having a distinct aesthetic and style of on-screen performances. "I think NXT develops talent. Clearly that's the point of it for them to become 110%, hone their craft before they go to the next level. But I don't feel like it is a developmental brand," he said on "Busted Open Radio."

"It is its own brand with its own unique style, different from Raw, SmackDown and every other brand in WWE, everything else in wrestling. But yes, it does develop talent and that's the point of it. And kicking off the show last night with a match like that, Jaida [Parker] and Kelani [Jordan], I'll put that match up against any match right now on Raw or SmackDown. It's just as good or even better, proving that it's really not a developmental show."

In the past, WWE CCO Paul "Triple H" Levesque has referred to "NXT" as one of three main brands, alongside "WWE Raw" and "WWE SmackDown." In 2022, "NXT" head booker Shawn Michaels stood firm in the belief that "NXT" was actually a developmental program.

Michaels continues to run "NXT," which airs on The CW network on Tuesday nights, to this day, with Grayson Waller and Kelani Jordan currently reigning as the NXT and NXT Women's Champions, respectively. Both captured their titles at "NXT" Heatwave on August 30.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Busted Open Radio" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.