History
The series was announced in December 2024, as part of WWE Studios' ongoing partnership with A+E Global Media (which, up until then, had primarily consisted of factual and documentary-style programming covering WWE and its history). In preparation for the series, WWE cancelled its in-ring program NXT Level Up in December 2024.
In March 2025, A&E announced that the series had been renewed for a second season, later announcing a premiere on June 22, 2025. Michelle McCool joined the series as a new mentor replacing Mickie James.
In December 2025, it was reported that the third season was in production, with active wrestlers Kevin Owens and Nattie replacing McCool and Mark "The Undertaker" Calaway, the latter of which was due to taking charge of AAA, which was owned by WWE since April of that same year, as rotating mentors, along with the show changing into a non-competitive format, making it more closer to a traditional weekly WWE TV show. Matt Bloom also joined as a mentor and match arranger. During the season, Johnny Gargano and Terry Taylor joined the cast as mentors.
Premise
The series features up-and-coming talent from the WWE Performance Center system competing for a contract in WWE's NXT division. The competitors are mentored by WWE Hall of Famers, veterans, and active wrestlers consisting of Bubba Ray Dudley, Mark "The Undertaker" Calaway (seasons 1 and 2), Shawn Michaels, Mickie James (season 1), Michelle McCool (season 2), Booker T, Kevin Owens (season 3), Nattie (season 3) Matt Bloom (season 3; mentor and match arranger), Johnny Gargano (season 3) and Terry Taylor (season 3). According to Nattie and Booker T, starting from Season 3 will be more focused on the wrestlers, consisting of rosters from the first two seasons, as well as new ones, rather than being a competition between the coaches, in which Bloom arranges matches for them to coach, alongside mentoring the wrestlers, making it more closer to a traditional weekly WWE TV show.
At the end of the Season 1 finale, which took place at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, Jasper Troy (mentored by Booker) and Tyra Mae Steele (mentored by Calaway) were the winners and earned NXT contracts, following their performances which led them to winning their respective matches. Calaway also earned the LFG Championship as best mentor, as he had the most team points. Most of the Season 1 roster, most notably the season's runner-ups, Zena Sterling (mentored by Dudley) and Shiloh Hill (mentored by Callaway), joined the Season 2 roster to get another shot at winning an NXT contract in addition to four newcomers. Hill went on to win season 2 alongside Dani Sekelsky (mentored by Callaway), following their performances which led them to winning their respective matches, which took place at the 713 Music Hall in Houston, while McCool won the LFG Championship.
Even though some wrestlers did not win the competition, they still went on to wrestle on the NXT and Evolve brands, as well as WWE's sister promoter, AAA (in which Calaway is in charge of) after their time on the show. Starting from Season 3, some wrestlers would be called up and receive an NXT contract, even in the weeks after WrestleMania Weekend, get dismissed from the Performance Center and/or sent to AAA. Furthermore, unlike the finale of the first two seasons, which narrows the field in the playoffs, two male and female competitors will be selected to go to WWE World at WrestleMania, where they battle each other in their respective singles matches, as akin to the final matches for the first two seasons, on WrestleMania Saturday, and team up in a mixed tag team match in the main event on WrestleMania Sunday.
.jpg)
2.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
