Triple H discussed how the WWE Performance Center was transformed into the Capitol Wrestling Center during his media call held after Sunday’s WWE NXT “Takeover: 31” event.
As noted, WWE announced earlier in the day that the newly-revamped Performance Center will now be known as the Capitol Wrestling Center, which gets its name from the Capitol Wrestling Corporation promotion that was founded by Jess McMahon, and ran by Vince J. McMahon, or Vince McMahon, Sr.
Triple H was asked what the new setup means for what used to be known as the Performance Center, and how it changes the training regime and curriculum, what the new identity is and what the purpose for the new building is each week. He talked about how the new main room of the venue is a show-place, and gave more insight into the makeshift facility that was recently set up for training.
“That’s something that we’re working through as we speak,” Triple H responded. “It changes the dynamic of what this main room of the Performance Center was, and now it’s a show-place, as it has been, sort of since the beginning of COVID, but it’s just a funny thing because people talk about us getting back to training again, but it hasn’t been here, it hasn’t been in this building. It hasn’t been in what everybody visited, it’s in another location where we’ve put less rings, but used it to socially distance, and created the space that we needed to, to create the open environment that is needed in today’s moment in time,but we will amplify that now.
“So while this becomes the shooting location, there are certain aspects of it that will remain the Performance Center, the rehab facility, medical facility, the strength & conditioning facility. We’ve got other spaces that we’re doing in-ring training from. So, it really shifts through different locations, and us being a bit more nimble, and having talent just not showing up in one place for all the things that they’re going to do on a daily basis, and having to shift around a little bit more.”
He also revealed how talents have been training in small groups amid the coronavirus pandemic.
“But in this given time, when talent come in to train, even in the ring, they’re doing it in small batches,” he revealed. “Those small batches train together on the regular with their coaches and that’s kind of their little bubble group, and once they’re done and they leave, and everything’s cleaned and sanitized, a new group comes in, goes through the protocols and then they change. So, there’s a lot different manner from how we were doing things, and even in recent times when we got back to training.
“It all had to be shifted anyways, in the Performance Center itself, the main room where the rings were, we had to get cleared out of all the equipment that was in there, then ThunderDome was built, and then it was fixing everything that was here. Then we decided to move in a different direction. It was sort of gutting that and starting over with what the process of what the building was. So, a lot of work has been done here, but we’re shifting to the other locations and making it all work.”
Triple H was also asked about WWE possibly bringing RAW and SmackDown to the Capitol Wrestling Center when the contract for the Amway Center expires. He said he believes WWE will move to a larger venue, if the contract with the Amway Center does expire. He also confirmed that WWE still has a relationship with Full Sail University, even though NXT TV is moving to CWC.
“No, I think [ThunderDome works where it is] and RAW and SmackDown having a different feel, and different vibe and energy, is important,” he said. “I think that if they move from Amway, I think that will be to a larger facility, and if that happens it will be to a large facility and it will maintain being the ThunderDome, and it will be different, but in that you need a standpoint.
“For us in this venue, and I want to stress how great our partnership wit Full Sail is, in that we still have it, and we’re still utilizing that in the way that… in any way that we can. Part of this was wanting to be able to do what we’re doing here, and not being able to have the ability to do that and be able to move it. This kind of layout needs to stay in a place and have a residency, and we can do that here.”
Regarding COVID-19 protocols in the Capitol Wrestling Center for Takeover, Triple H said they followed every safety measure as they have since the beginning of the pandemic. He also revealed how the crowd was kept separated in their pods.
“As far as the protocols, just like we have since the beginning, is taken every precaution that we can,” he confirmed. “We work with the CDC, we work with local officials, we work with our medical staff and our medical experts, and they create protocols and systems for us that we then follow, and that’s what you saw here tonight. All the people that were in the building were tested, as well scanned, here again, they were tested today, scanned today, before they walked in the door.
“They were kept in groups in the pods, kept separated. They walked from the door into their pods, stayed there, walked back out the door. We have every precaution that we can to make sure that not only their health and safety, but our talent, staff and crew as well, going forward, and we’ll continue to follow that. But as you know with these safety protocols, all you have to do is follow the CDC to know their thoughts and protocols change. So, you have to constantly keep an eye on it and change with it, and make sure you’re doing the best thing possible, and that’s really what everybody is doing now – the best that they possibly can. And as you know here in Florida, things have opened up quite a lot, but we’re still taking every precaution that we can.”
