Shawn Michaels: There's 'so much talent' in AEW

Shawn Michaels is impressed by the talent on the AEW roster.

On Friday, Michaels took part in a press conference in advance of NXT Stand & Deliver. One of the media members asked Michaels if there's any AEW talent he would love to have in NXT. Though he didn't want to list names or get anyone in trouble, Michael said there's so much talent in AEW. He would take "darn near anybody."

In his answer, Michaels praised former AEW wrestler Shawn Spears as someone who is a "formidable, secure, professional dude." Spears made his return to NXT this February after departing AEW in December 2023. 

Michaels said:

Well, look, I guess I always go back to - I would take darn near anybody. I'll say this: I can't say specifically because I think there's so much talent there. I never know where I'm supposed to list names. I don't know everybody's situation. The last thing I want to do is get anyone in trouble. A lot of guys that used to be in NXT are up there that I've always loved. I don't get the opportunity to watch as much as I would like to.

But I know that I love working with young talent, especially when I get to know them and I understand their passion. Until I know what your desire is in this business, it's hard for me to say whether you are the one that I'm gonna work really hard for. I don't know - it's become so personal to me on that level. There's certainly people that I see from just a talent standpoint that you go, 'Oh my goodness, they've got a great deal of ability. Boy, if we ever got a chance to work with them, I think we could really do something special with them.'

The person we got, Shawn Spears, he was a guy that I worked with a little bit here in NXT before he got called up and eventually left. But I always liked him because I just always thought he was a formidable, secure, professional dude that could give you anything you asked for.

I'll say this, we enjoy working with darn near anybody and trying to make them better than whatever they were doing before. Whether it's coming out of college or you were with another promotion. I do know that if you'll give us at NXT the opportunity to work with you, I think we can get you at least closer, a hell of a lot closer, to your goals and what you want to accomplish out of this business than anybody else. Because that's what we do, and we work really hard at doing that. So we're more than happy - whether it's AEW, whether it's Japan, TNA, go around the globe - I'm really excited about NXT having the opportunity to make anybody's career better than what it is they're currently doing and allow them to have the opportunity to enjoy weekends like the one we're about to have.

Spears is facing Joe Gacy on the NXT Stand & Deliver pre-show this Saturday. The pre-show has a start time of 11 a.m. Eastern, with the main card then beginning at noon. The event will stream live on Peacock/WWE Network.

Michaels has worked in NXT since 2016 and has been in charge of the brand since 2021. His job title in WWE is Senior Vice President of Talent Development Creative.