Grayson Waller Shares Shawn Michaels' Reaction To NXT Pipebomb
“And it’s funny because I said to Shawn [Michaels] before I went out, ‘I hope one of these kids comes and says something to me. That’s what we want.’ And Shawn said, ‘I hope one of these kids slaps you.’ And he meant that.— Grayson Waller
Grayson Waller returned to WWE NXT earlier this year and delivered a shoot-style pipebomb promo that became one of the most discussed segments of the year. The promo saw him eviscerate the young NXT roster.
Waller later revealed Shawn Michaels' reaction to the planned promo. Michaels reportedly told Waller beforehand that he hoped one of the NXT wrestlers would slap him in response, emphasizing that he meant it.
According to Waller, the goal was to test whether the young wrestlers had any fight in them after being targeted in the promo. The segment was intended to provoke a reaction from the locker room.
Waller noted that the atmosphere backstage afterward felt awkward, with no one confronting him about the promo. He stated that he meant every word of what he said on the show.
Several weeks after the return and pipebomb, Waller defeated Tony D’Angelo to win the NXT Championship.
Source: Wrestling Observer
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