WWE News: Triple H Reportedly Told NXT Superstars They Can Talk To Him About Black Lives Matter Movement
With much of the United States still in a state of unrest amid protests over the death of George Floyd, WWE executive Paul “Triple H ” Levesque reportedly had some reassuring words for the men and women of the company’s black-and-gold brand, as recently related by NXT superstar and former NFL defensive lineman A.J. Francis.
In a pair of tweets posted on Sunday night, Francis called on the writers of wrestling “dirt sheets,” saying that instead of reporting on the usual backstage rumors, they should take note of how Triple H recently had an honest talk with NXT talents about the Black Lives Matter movement. He stressed that the veteran wrestler, who mainly serves as WWE’s executive vice president of global strategy and development, told him and his colleagues that this is a topic that can be discussed at any time.
“And HE DONT HAVE TO DO THAT and he still made sure we knew that we could… that’s an ally,” Francis continued in his second tweet, which also included a GIF of Jennifer Lopez enthusiastically applauding during an episode of NBC’s World of Dance.
— WWE (@WWE) June 2, 2020
Separately, Wrestling Inc. provided more details on what took place when Triple H met with NXT’s talents before and after Sunday’s NXT TakeOver: In Your House pay-per-view. The outlet noted that the 14-time world champion brought up Black Lives Matter during the pre-show meeting but did not have an “open conversation” with anyone at that specific time, despite the positive reception to his words.
During the post-show meeting, Triple H reportedly told the NXT roster that he was “proud” of the wrestlers for standing up for something they believe in. Wrestling Inc. added that he then became “emotional” as he said that regardless of one’s race, religious beliefs, or orientation, he wants “everyone to matter.” Triple H was also cited as saying he wants to see the black-and-gold brand’s wrestlers set a good example in challenging times such as this.
“It was said to be a powerful moment of uniting everyone together,” the publication added.
Triple H’s recent talks with the NXT roster appear to represent WWE’s latest attempt to help its talents cope amid the ongoing racial tension in the U.S. The company sent an email last week informing its employees that they can take advantage of mental health counseling at any day or time of the week. Employees were also given a link to visit for free diversity training courses and encouraged to report diversity-related issues to the company if and when needed.
