Shawn Michaels Addresses NXT 2.0 Criticism Following Black and Gold Era

Posted by admin on April 14th, 2026

When WWE transitioned from the Black and Gold era of NXT to NXT 2.0 in 2021, the shift brought major changes in presentation, talent, and overall direction. The darker, traditional look was replaced with a brighter style, along with the introduction of new characters that helped shape the brand into what it is today.

Shawn Michaels recently spoke with Adrian Hernandez of Unlikely about that transition and the reaction that followed. He acknowledged that stepping in after a well-regarded era came with challenges and criticism.

“Sure, oh yeah. It’s no different than trying to follow the Attitude Era and things of that nature. You’re always going to have people that look at the past through a lens in rose colored fashion. You’re always going to have people comparing eras, time, or talent. One of the things we try to tell everybody is, ‘comparison is the death of progress.’ It’s something that you keenly have to be aware of, but at the same time, I was very proud of all of those individuals because they understood what they were going up against, they heard the criticism, and the one really positive things, whether it was Bron (Breakker), Trick (Williams), Melo [Carmelo Hayes], Lash (Legend), they are all former athletes. Even from Carmelo and Je’Von’s standpoint, who are Indie guys, it put a chip on their shoulder and made them want to work harder to prove people wrong.”

Michaels explained that many of the performers who emerged during that time used the criticism as motivation. He pointed out that several talents, including Bron Breakker, Trick Williams, Carmelo Hayes, and Lash Legend, had athletic backgrounds that helped them handle pressure and expectations.

“That’s kind of an advantage from our standpoint. Everybody is a fighter if you get into this line of work. They understand that they are always going to be compared to somebody else and they have to withstand that. That’s one of the ways to build character in this line of work. Everybody has to face a little adversity in their careers, and those young men and women faced a lot of it early on and I think they’re better for it.”

The NXT 2.0 era officially ended in 2022, evolving into the current version of the brand. Today’s NXT blends athletes, character-driven talent, and independent wrestling experience, reflecting lessons learned during that transitional period.