Shawn Michaels kept in dark over major NXT decision – Reports

Dave Meltzer has reported that nobody in NXT knew Cruz Montana was joining 946. He also added that Shawn Michaels and his creative team might have been kept in the dark regarding this decision.

Writing in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the veteran journalist described the move as a late decision, and one WWE was always going to keep quiet.

Montana, a former TNA World Champion, appeared at the end of the November 2 episode of Raw in Brooklyn. 946 had already wrecked Royce Keys’ main event against Solo Sikoa when a masked man hit Roman Reigns with a chair as the world heavyweight champion lined up a spear, then revealed himself and helped Keys up. He is now the fifth male member of the group alongside Keys, Carmelo Hayes, Bronco Nima and Lucien Price, with Jaida Parker also part of the faction.

Meltzer added that this was a late call, and WWE tries to keep such moves a secret (h/t RingSide News):

“The biggest news was Cruz Montana joining 946 and becoming their fifth member of War Games against the Bloodline team which will likely being back Jacob Fatu shortly. It appears this was a late decision. Nobody in NXT was aware of it, but then again, WWE tries to keep these type of thing secret.”

The timing matters because Survivor Series: WarGames is set for November 28 at Daikin Park in Houston. Meltzer expects The Bloodline’s fifth man to be Jacob Fatu.

However, Meltzer was careful to point out that Michaels never said this particular move caught him out. The report adds that HBK, nevertheless, gets “no warning” about such call-ups and has to deal with it on the fly.

“Shawn Michaels didn’t reference not knowing about this in specific but right after it did talk about how he gets no warning about main roster call-ups and they have to adjust. NXT absolutely had plans going forward with Montana as a top babyface including a match two nights later where he was a babyface and 946 were babyfaces as well.”

Cruz Montana’s debut attack for 946 turned NXT’s plans upside down

Two nights after Raw, Cruz Montana worked the November 4 episode of NXT in an unsanctioned match against Dion Lennox, a bout announced at Halloween Havoc with UFC veteran Michael Chandler as special guest enforcer.

It was Montana that got the win thanks to some help from his faction, and there could be some major moves from 946 in the coming weeks.

Shawn Michaels, for his part, congratulated Montana on X after Raw, writing:

“Another one moving on up! Congratulations to @Montana_NYPR on making the jump to the main roster!”

He also noted that 19 NXT stars had moved up to Raw and SmackDown in the previous 12 months.

Check out Shawn Michaels congratulating Cruz Montana in the message below:

Edited by Saiyed Adeem Karim