Report: AJ Styles Eyed to Take Over WWE NXT Creative

Speculation is building around AJ Styles potentially stepping into the head of creative role for WWE NXT, with reports suggesting he could eventually replace Shawn Michaels as Michaels moves up to the main roster to take over for Bruce Prichard. Styles, who retired from in-ring competition, has spent recent months working closely behind the scenes with the NXT brand, producing matches and shaping storylines even before any official change has been made.

While nothing is confirmed about a formal transition of power, Styles’ fingerprints are already visible on several of NXT’s rising stars, which has fueled speculation about who would benefit most if he were handed full creative control.

Kendal Grey, the reigning NXT Women’s Champion and former Iron Survivor winner, is one name tied closely to Styles, who has reportedly produced several of her matches and praised her work. Zilla Fatu, part of the extended Anoa’i family and one of NXT’s breakout stars since his debut, has also worked directly with Styles during this stretch.

EK Prosper, who came up through WWE ID and Booker T’s Reality of Wrestling academy, has turned heads with a credible NXT Championship challenge against Grayson Waller, positioning him as another candidate for a bigger push. The faction known as The Vanity Project — Jackson Drake, Brad Baylor, Ricky Smokes and newest addition Myka Lockwood — has also become a focal point of the brand, with Drake holding the NXT North American Championship and Baylor and Smokes currently NXT Tag Team Champions.

Then there’s Cruz Montana, whose history with Styles predates his WWE run. The two developed a mentor-mentee relationship during Montana’s time with TNA, and the parallels in their career paths have led to speculation that Styles could view him as a future top champion if he takes the reins of NXT’s direction.

None of this is confirmed booking — it’s read into Styles’ current involvement and relationships rather than anything WWE has announced. But the pattern is hard to ignore. NXT under Shawn Michaels has built a reputation for identifying future main-roster talent and giving it room to develop, and any change in creative leadership typically brings a shift in which performers get prioritized.

If Styles does inherit the role, his history as both a performer and a locker-room mentor could shape how NXT approaches its next wave of call-ups. His reputation for in-ring storytelling and his relationships with younger talent — particularly Montana — suggest he’d lean into character work and competitive, hard-hitting matches rather than pure spectacle.

For now, this remains speculation rather than official word from WWE. But with Michaels’ main-roster move reportedly in the pipeline, the question of who runs NXT next — and who they choose to spotlight — is one worth watching closely in the months ahead.