As noted, WWE has moved NXT Stand & Deliver away from WrestleMania weekend for the first time in years, signaling a major shift in how the brand is positioned.

During an interview with ReviewSTL, Blake Monroe addressed the decision and made it clear she fully supports the move. She believes WWE NXT has grown beyond needing the added exposure of WrestleMania weekend and can now stand on its own as a major brand.

“I mean, it’s always business as usual, but I think for me, I always believe we call NXT the developmental, but I strongly believe we’re a third brand. We’re on the CW every Tuesday. We get a fantastic rating. We get a lot of social buzz. And I feel like we were attached to WrestleMania because we, you know, it used to be cool to take over as, you know, and it was kind of like to help NXT because we had so many people from all over the world coming to town to see WrestleMania. WrestleMania is like the Super Bowl of WWE, just takes over a city. So I think it was so beneficial for NXT to get that kind of all of that influx of people.”

“I now do believe that NXT has built itself to be such a strong brand and I think we can show we can hopefully bring some people to St. Louis, we can have this amazing show. I think the matches that we have so far, Joe Hendry, we’ve got JC Jane, myself, Tatum, I think we are going to have an amazing show and I don’t think that we need help in doing that. And I think this is a chance for us to prove ourselves as a third brand and show that we can run a huge event, run a huge show, have our own version of WrestleMania. And then we do have WWE World, which happens in Vegas on WrestleMania week. So I’m sure you will see some of the NXT talents. We still get to be a part of it, but I’m excited to kind of show like we can do our own thing.”

Monroe also spoke about her in-ring philosophy, stressing that storytelling is what truly defines great wrestling rather than constant high-risk moves.

“I think you can steal the show with a story. I mean, if you look at my career and my career highlights, I think all of them have come from a story. And I think I’m a fantastic wrestler in the ring. I don’t do 25 moonsaults or death defying stunts, but when I go out there I give 110% of what I do. And I feel like my in ring marries my character perfectly.”

“ I just think the most important part of wrestling is telling a story. If you think about the people on top right now and the WrestleMania main events we’ve had recently in the past sort of 10 years, you know, Cody and Roman, that was like a two year long epics. I mean it was incredible. If you like look at John Cena when I grew up too, like the stories I would watch when like Jeff Hardy finally won the world title, I mean those are the moments you remember. It’s the stories. Nobody cares if you can do some gymnastics. At least I don’t.”

By referencing names like Cody Rhodes, Roman Reigns, John Cena, and Jeff Hardy, Monroe pointed to long-term storytelling as the foundation of memorable moments in wrestling.

Her comments reflect a broader perspective within the industry, where emotional investment and character-driven narratives continue to outweigh purely athletic showcases. As NXT prepares to present Stand & Deliver outside the shadow of WrestleMania, Monroe’s confidence suggests the brand is ready to prove it can thrive independently.

Blake Monroe Backs NXT Stand & Deliver Move, Emphasizes Storytelling Over High Spots

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