Striker recalls the early WWE NXT format and explains how he learned to spot future stars

In a recent interview, Matt Striker, former host of the original WWE NXT, shared his memories of working on a show that combined a game show format with the showcasing of young talent. According to him, that experience taught him to recognize promising wrestlers long before their breakthrough to the main roster.

What NXT looked like in the very beginning

The WWE NXT brand first appeared on screens in 2010 and bore little resemblance to the flagship product it would eventually become. The program combined elements of a game show with the presentation of talent from the WWE developmental system — a kind of “casting under the spotlight,” where newcomers faced challenges while also competing in matches.

For several years, while the format remained exactly that, Matt Striker served as the host of the program. His remarks about this period came during an interview with MuscleManMalcolm, where the conversation centered on observing rising stars and the significance of the early NXT for Striker’s own career.

Interestingly, the live game show format with a dedicated host that WWE used in the early NXT gradually fell out of favor on television. Audiences grew less interested in such programs, and producers were forced to seek new approaches. However, several years later, the concept experienced an unexpected revival — this time in the online environment. Live Game Shows proved surprisingly in demand in digital spaces, where interactivity and sense of presence became key factors in audience engagement. A format that had seemed outdated for TV found a second life in the digital space and continues to gain momentum. For WWE, the decision to move away from the game show element in NXT ultimately proved to be the right call, allowing the brand to focus on what truly worked — wrestling and talent development.

Why the trust of leadership proved to be a turning point

Striker explained that the launch of the format was overseen by the company’s top leadership, and the creative role placed upon him served as a sign of serious trust.

“The idea came from the top. It came from the executive producer and the Chairman. When they trust you with their creative vision, that’s a feather in your cap,” said Striker.

“I had a wonderful opportunity to work with so many rising stars, and it really helped my eye to notice: this one is going to be a star. And this one is going to be a star too. And when I look at the PWE roster, there are quite a few people who remind me that the future of wrestling is bright. So it was a great opportunity for me.”

Striker’s key point is that the role of host became a daily exercise in professional vision — the ability to see potential at an early stage.

The Bryan Danielson example and a behind-the-scenes look at the “pre-breakthrough” stage

Striker separately mentioned observing talent before they had achieved Superstar status, citing Bryan Danielson as an example. The point was precisely about the ability to spot a wrestler’s potential at a stage when recognition was still months or years away.

“My path started from the bottom”

Striker connected his impressions of the early NXT to his own biography, emphasizing that his career grew out of the indie scene and that what he witnessed on the show resonated with his personal experience.

“For me it was especially meaningful, because my path started from the bottom. First and foremost, I’m an indie guy. Seeing my friends and colleagues, people I knew from the independent scene, get the chance to stand under the bright lights — that strengthened my faith,” he noted.

“I know it’s a cliché, but if you have a dream… There are plenty of people out there who will say: ‘You’ll never make it, you’re too small, you’re too this, you’re too that.’ No. Because you have to seize the opportunity. It proved to me again and again that dreams come true, and I think people need to hear that every single day.”

In this way, Striker shifts the conversation from the realm of personal memories toward a broader idea — that the chance is real for anyone willing to fight for it.

Parallels with the PWE roster

During the interview, Striker drew a parallel between his impressions of the early NXT and what he observes now in the PWE roster, noting that its current members remind him of that very atmosphere in which future stars were born.

The experience of working on the early NXT, by Striker’s own admission, simultaneously taught him to identify future stars and reinforced his conviction that opportunities can be realized regardless of one’s starting conditions.