During a recent episode of the “Busted Open Radio” podcast, WWE Hall of Fame inductee Mark Henry spent some time reminiscing about the incredible talent that was birthed through WWE’s developmental league (OVW) in the early 2000s. He went on to share his observations on how NXT was able to flourish due to the sturdy groundwork laid by OVW and FCW.
Here are some noteworthy excerpts from the podcast:
With respect to the top-class talent that germinated in OVW, Mark Henry stated: “Consider the people who passed through there – myself, Big Show, CM Punk, Randy Orton, Brock Lesnar, Shelton Benjamin, Mickie James, John Cena, Batista, and many more. These individuals now hold Hall of Fame status. Initially, some among these weren’t all that good. But you’ll be surprised at the transformation after just six months. Look at where they are now.”
Speaking on how NXT was bolstered by the efforts of OVW and FCW, he said: “NXT is reaping the rewards of the labor put in by OVW and FCW. Those talents in NXT, who the world gets to observe every week till they ascend, are beneficiaries of this. It serves as a motivation to maintain physical fitness and to continuously improve. The process of growing gets expedited since it’s broadcasted on TV.”