Triple H Talks Why Running Empty Arena Shows Are Difficult For WWE NXT Talent

Triple H spoke with CBS Sports before tonight's NXT TakeOver: In Your House at 7 pm ET (Pre-Show at 6:30 pm ET). During the conversation, Triple H talked about WWE having to put on empty show arenas during the COVID-19 pandemic and the difficulties for those within NXT.

"Look, I'm very proud of the product we've continued to put out," Triple H said. "The one thing with NXT, we sort of had to drift along on the tail of RAW and SmackDown, so as things were moving, we were kind of the last in the movement. A lot of times we were kind of scrambling to pick up the chains last and move with it. That was difficult to do. I think talent has done a remarkable job. I read a quote the other day where a talent said everybody hates doing these empty-arena shows. Of course they do. No one wants to wrestle in an empty arena. No one wants to get COVID either."

For NXT talent, the change has been a bit tougher, since many of them are newer to performing, as a whole. Triple H noted this group has grown up with a crowd around them and have always been taught to react to an audience. Now there's suddenly none there to feed off of.

"These empty-arena shows are what they are," Triple H stated. "We feel like it's really important right now in the world for people to be entertained. We've done everything we can from a safety standpoint and from following guidelines to continue putting on a product. It's a different product and it's hard for talent, especially in NXT where some of the talent are younger and newer. I can't even imagine if I'd only been in the business for a couple of years and I'm just starting to get used to having a lot of fans at the shows and now they take all the fans away and I'm expected to do the matches still and put one-hundred percent into everything else. It'd be really hard. It's a tough thing.

"Everything we're taught to do is in reaction to where fans are going and being reactive to that. You guide them and be reactive to that. There's nothing there now to guide you and react to. It's really tough. This isn't going to last forever, and I'm just a big believer the talent will rise to the top, the cream will rise to the top. If we continue to put out great shows, people will continue to watch. That's truly what I believe."

NXT TakeOver: In Your House takes place at Full Sail University, featuring three title matches. Wrestling Inc. will have complete live coverage!