Bruce Prichard is not retiring from WWE right away and is instead moving toward a work-from-home arrangement, Fightful Select reported on November 3. The report describes a transition rather than a departure.
Prichard is WWE's Executive Director of Creative Writing and Talent, according to 411Mania. Fightful Select said he has a six-month plan in mind to work from home instead of fully retiring. The change stems from neck surgery he needs, which has made travel difficult.
Earlier reports suggested Shawn Michaels could take over Prichard's role. WWE sources pushed back on that, telling Fightful that most of the reporting on NXT succession was either not true or not yet close to solidified. Fightful also reported that proposed plans for NXT's future were considered unfeasible because of the effects they would have across WWE, NXT, WWE EVOLVE and the WWE ID program.
The report touched on two other names. AJ Styles is expected to gain influence in scouting, per Fightful. A Performance Center source said Styles has not been running things at the training center but called him a regular and positive presence there. Bobby Roode has been floated for a role similar to Prichard's or Michael Hayes', though Fightful describes those plans as far from solidified and said they could take shape over the next few months if necessary.
No successor has been named, and WWE has not announced who would handle Prichard's duties or when any handoff would happen. As of November 3, Fightful's report describes a plan, not an announced change.
