Triple H has been one of the prime visionaries for WWE's NXT brand. One considered only developmental, not serving more as a third touring group for WWE.
The man himself said as much in a recent interview with ESPN.
"We say that it's developmental, but at the same time it's a third brand -- 200 events this year, specials and the weekly show itself which are one of the most popular things on the Network. I think over the years you're gonna begin to see Raw is its own brand, SmackDown is its own brand, NXT -- you're gonna see people move around. It's no longer gonna be just, this guy got called up, it's gonna be maybe 'this guy got moved over, she got moved here,' and see that transference of talent," said Triple H.
As time goes on, stars leave, new stars arrive, others are created. With Shinsuke Nakamura's popularity reaching new heights in America this year, Triple H has been asked repeatedly what keeps the Japanese star in NXT.
"One of the things that's funny to me -- I always laugh at it -- is when people say to me, 'I watch Nakamura every week in NXT. I don't know why they don't put him on Raw so I can watch him on Raw every week. You're getting to see him, right? You're getting to see him doing what he does, in a big way," HHH said. "The opportunities are there. He's got that clean path now to get here, when he gets here he might go there, he might go back."
Nakamura is also getting accustomed to the changes between NJPW and WWE -- something Triple H noted that Finn Balor had to adjust to as well.
"Finn Bálor is a guy that came in from an indie group -- so successful, a great in-ring performer, but had never really talked much. The first NXT event we did, he looked at me afterwards and was like, 'Dude, my mind is blown, because I never once thought where cameras were, or any of the other things that we do," said HHH.