For the first time in NXT Stand & Deliver’s history, the premium live event showcasing the best talent in WWE’s so-called developmental brand will be detached from WrestleMania.
Stand & Deliver will truly stand on its own as it is set to take place at The Factory in St. Louis, Missouri at 7 p.m. ET on Saturday night. The show will be broadcast on YouTube.
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Usually, Stand & Deliver would be the appetizer for WrestleMania and take place the morning before Night 1 of WWE’s biggest premium live event of the year. The last time it wasn’t on the same day as WrestleMania was in its first iteration when it took place in Tampa, Florida, days before the show.
Being on its own has its advantages. NXT can pack an arena without forcing the fans to wake up early and run back and forth from place to place just to catch the show and WrestleMania at the same time.
“I think it’s good. I mean, it has its pros and cons, but I think this one specifically, it’s not on the same weekend so we can get more eyes on the event,” NXT Championship contender Tony D’Angelo told Fox News Digital earlier this week. “Every year prior, it’s always the morning of WrestleMania Night 1, so, some people don’t feel like getting up and going to a show and then going to WrestleMania on top of it. I think it’s a good thing. Everybody can see, everybody can watch, all wrestling fans are focused on NXT Stand & Deliver.”
Sol Ruca, who will likely be ending her feud with Zaria at the event, was optimistic about being able to draw a big crowd for the show.
Ruca also suggested she was looking forward to a calmer pace during WrestleMania weekend as she is one of the dozens of WWE superstars who will make appearances at WWE World in Las Vegas to meet and take photos with fans.
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“I think it’s pretty cool. I think a lot of us would love to be involved in the whole WrestleMania weekend, but I do think this gives us an opportunity to potentially draw a bigger crowd now that we’re separate because having to go to multiple shows in the same weekend – it can be a lot for the fans,” she said. “I think us having it a little bit separate from everything else and still having our own moment can also be beneficial. I know a lot of us are gonna be at WWE World anyway, so it’ll be kind of like having the two little WrestleMania moments. I think some of us are a little bummed about it, but I think it’ll be a good thing for us.”
Ricky Saints, who will be going up against Tony D’Angelo, Ethan Page and Joe Hendry for the NXT Championship, said it was an opportunity for fans who may not have the extra cash to spend for a trip to Las Vegas to come and see what NXT has to offer.
“I think it’s a good opportunity for people who may not have the time, the money, or whatever the case may be, to go see it during ‘Mania weekend,” he said. “So, to have it on a standalone, you don’t have to wake up early. You can go to another place and just get to chill out and not feel so overwhelmed with things that you have to do or want to do. I think that’s a really good move for everyone involved, to be honest with you. That’s from production people to the wrestler.”
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Jacy Jayne, the NXT women’s champion, admitted she had “mixed feelings” about having the event outside of WrestleMania, but looked forward to keeping NXT as the third brand in WWE and not just a developmental show.
“Yeah, I have mixed feelings about it, but I feel like this is the perfect opportunity for us to show that we really are the third brand,” she told Fox News Digital. “It’s not just a developmental brand. We can stand on our own. We can sell tickets. We’re not just the future, we’re the now.”
Stand & Deliver is truly a glimpse into WWE’s future, and that is underscored by who is on the WrestleMania 42 card this year.
Last year, Stand & Deliver featured NXT stars Stephanie Vaquer, Lash Legend, Oba Femi and Trick Williams in action. Each of those four competitors received their WWE call-up over the last year and are going to be competing at WrestleMania 42.
Roxanne Perez, Nathan Frazer and Axiom were also on the Stand & Deliver card and have become top stars on the main roster.
From the looks of this year’s Stand & Deliver card, there could be a few more call-ups by this time next year. Jayne and Ruca already got a taste of the main roster. Jayne appeared at the Royal Rumble, as did Ruca. The latter was also involved on Saturday Night’s Main Event for John Cena’s final show.
