WWE NXT Returns to Full Sail University for Special 'Homecoming' Episode

The special episode, which is titled Homecoming, is set for Tuesday, September 16. Just a few days before WWE’s first PLE, Wrestlepalooza, which is set to stream on ESPN’s new direct-to-consumer service. In an official press release, John P. Saboor, Executive Director, Head of Partnerships at Full Sail University, noted how they were “thrilled” to welcome WWE back to the campus. He said:

"We are thrilled to welcome our partners from WWE back to campus for NXT Homecoming. We're excited to celebrate NXT's history and meteoric growth, and to amplify our long-standing partnership that has generated countless opportunities for our students to gain dynamic real-world experience alongside best-in-class professionals and many Full Sail grads who ultimately joined as next-gen workforce for one of the world's iconic sports & entertainment brands.”

WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque also commented on the return. He added:

"Alongside our incredible partners at Full Sail University, we're coming back to where it all began. NXT returns to Full Sail live.”

As of this writing, no matches have been announced yet for the event. The news was announced during NXT’s Heatwave PLE.

A Look Back At The Days Of The WWE/Full Sail University Partnership

The partnership was from 2012 to 2020. During that time, NXT saw a lot of talent that would go on to have success on the main roster. This long list includes the likes of Becky Lynch, Alexa Bliss, Kevin Owens, Bayley, Charlotte Flair, The Usos, Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns, Finn Balor, Rhea Ripley, Asuka, and the late Bray Wyatt. The developmental brand at that time was best known then as the “black and gold” era. It was definitely a golden era of talent.

There were plenty of great matches from that time period. One that stands out was the Shinsuke Nakamura and Finn Balor match that aired on the July 13, 2016, episode. This televised match was beyond PLE worthy. Another one goes to Rhea Ripley vs. Shayna Baszler, when Ripley defeated Baszler for the NXT Women’s Championship. The match aired on December 18, 2019.

The last NXT episode to be filmed at the university was the September 23, 2020, episode. The episode featured the first-ever Gauntlet Eliminator Match for an NXT Championship opportunity. The winner was current AEW star Kyle O’Reilly. Other former WWE Superstars who were in the match included KUSHIDA, Velveteen Dream, Cameron Grimes, and Timothy Thatcher.

The episode also featured Candice LeRae winning a Battle Royal to become the No. 1 Contender to the NXT Women's Title. She won the match by defeating former WWE Superstar Shotzi Blackheart. So it was a very good time for NXT, though the current era isn’t terrible, especially with the fun influx of TNA talent.