Various: Triple H on NXT’s Status for WWE Draft, Andre the Giant Biography, Indies

Triple H Comments on If WWE’s Upcoming Draft Will Include the NXT Brand

Triple H held an NXT media call earlier this week and one of the topics discussed included his thoughts on if the NXT brand will be included in WWE’s upcoming draft.

“Everybody is gonna have to wait and see. I don’t foresee [NXT being part of the draft]. Right now, the main focus of the draft itself is Raw and SmackDown. As October 4 comes along and moves forward, with Fox broadcast taking SmackDown and us staying with USA and NBCU, those become two competitive landscapes. I’m of the opinion that the NXT brand would continue to grow. Down the line, you will see — NXT has grown to where it shouldn’t be referred to as a developmental brand, even though we tend to debut newer stars, especially over the years. I think people lose perspective of the amount of stars that are homegrown that have never stepped into the ring before, that stepped into the Performance Center, made their mark in NXT, and moved up the line and are now on Raw and SmackDown. I think [NXT] needs more time to be considered in the same breath (as Raw and SmackDown), hopefully over the next few months we’re going to get there. The draft is much more about creating the brand split, having two distinct rosters between Raw and SmackDown. That’s what this draft is about.”

Full NXT media call audio:

Transcript h/t: Fightful.com

Andre the Giant Biography Currently Planned for April 2020 Release

Canadian book publisher ECW Press announced that an official biography on the life and wrestling career of Andre the Giant is currently scheduled to be released in April 2020.

The book is titled The Eighth Wonder of the World: The True Story of André the Giant and is being co-written by Pat Laprade and Bertrand Hebert. Laparde previously worked as one of the producers for HBO’s 2018 André the Giant documentary film.

Official press statement:

Is there a way to find truth in the stuff of legend? You may think you know André the Giant — but who was André Roussimoff? This comprehensive biography addresses the burning questions, outrageous stories, and common misconceptions about his height, his weight, his drawing power as a superstar, and his seemingly unparalleled capacity for food and alcohol. But more importantly, The Eighth Wonder of the World: The True Story of André the Giant transports readers beyond the smoke and mirrors of professional wrestling into the life of a real man.

Born in France, André worked on his family’s farm until he was 18, when he moved to Paris to pursue professional wrestling. A truly extraordinary figure, André went on to become an international icon and world traveler, all while battling acromegaly. While his disorder is what made him a giant and a household name, it’s also what caused his untimely death at 46.

With exhaustive research, exclusive interviews with family and friends, and an exploration of André’s amazing in-ring career and the indelible mark he left on pop culture, Laprade and Hébert have crafted the most complete portrait of a modern-day mythical being.

Misc. Wrestling News & Notes

Former ECW and WWE wrestler Taz revealed on Twitter that he has had recent talks with several promotions regarding a potential return to commentary in the future.

Major League Wrestling announced that the MLW World Heavyweight Championship match between LA Park and Jacob Fatu at their Saturday Night SuperFight event on November 2nd will now be held under No Disqualification rules.

Lenny Leonard announced that he will be providing English commentary for Pro Wrestling NOAH at their The Gate of Destiny 2019 event on November 4th in Osaka, Japan. Leonard will be working with Larry Dallas for the event’s English commentary team.

ROH announced a new match for the card of their Death Before Dishonor 2019 event on September 27th in Las Vegas, Nevada:
– Pre-show match – Jeff Cobb vs. Brody King