William Regal, Rich Swann and Latest WWE NXT Developmental News

NXT general manager William Regal took an unexpected trip to the surgeon's table. Rich Swann made his debut for the WWE developmental brand just days after the company officially announced his arrival.

For Regal, fans pining for the British bruiser to make a comeback at NXT TakeOver: London now have reason to put hopes of that happening aside. Regal is in no shape to train.

As for Swann, he took the first steps of his WWE career. And he did so in full Halloween garb.

In other news, NXT will be a part of an early WrestleMania 32 celebration, there's not much clarity yet on James Storm's relationship with the company and Seth Rollins offered a tip of the hat to an NXT tag team.

William Regal Undergoes Neck Surgery

William Regal will be at NXT TakeOver: London, but he won't be battling between the ropes as many fans speculated.

A recent check-up revealed damage in Regal's neck that he was not aware of. That led to him undergoing a second neck surgery, one that left him with a gnarly set of stitches (note: photo is graphic) running up the back of his head. 

John Clapp of WWE.com wrote that Dr. Joseph Maroon performed the surgery. Regal told Clapp that he will "definitely be at all the shows" when NXT heads to Europe later this year, but that he won't be wrestling.

After a serious procedure like that, fans can count on him not making any appearances for NXT TV right now either.

NXT Presence at WrestleMania Event

The NXT and WWE overlap will continue as the road to WrestleMania officially begins.

WWE will be hosting a party inside AT&T Stadium on Thursday night where fans can buy tickets for WrestleMania 32 a few hours early. NXT will be there to provide in-ring entertainment.

As announced on WWE.com, the free event will feature these live NXT matches:

• Samoa Joe vs. Baron Corbin
• Apollo Crews vs. Tye Dillinger
• Asuka vs. Peyton Royce
• The Hype Bros. vs. Blake and Murphy
• Carmella vs. Alexa Bliss

This is the kind of event where Joe's value is most evident. The card without him would still be intriguing, but his name on it makes it a bigger show. 

For other NXT wrestlers, this is another great chance to work in front of a crowd other than the one at Full Sail University. And the NXT brand always benefits big time from exposure like this.

Indy Stars Make NXT Live-Event Debuts

Rich Swann and Biff Busick, part of a new 19-recruit class, didn't have to wait long to taste some action.

The indy stars both made their NXT debuts in Gainesville, Florida, per Pro Wrestling Torch, in a Halloween-themed Battle Royal. Serbian-born Radomir Petkovic also made his first NXT in-ring appearance in that bout.

Swann and Busick have both been on the independent circuit for years. Swann debuted in 2008; Busick's first match came a year before that. They have since captured a number of championships from places like Beyond Wrestling, Combat Zone Wrestling and EVOLVE.

It's no surprise then that they got fast-tracked through the developmental process. Chances are, they are on TV before long, as well.

Petkovic will come along a lot slower. He's a former amateur wrestler and has more of a learning curve ahead of him.

Still No Confirmation of James Storm Deal

Is NXT James Storm's home now? That's not clear after his surprise debut a few weeks ago and WWE talking up his appearance since.

PWInsider's Mike Johnson wrote, "We don't have any confirmation Storm has signed a deal. Joe has been seen at the Performance Center but doesn't have to be there daily. He came in on a specific deal but not one that sees him considered a developmental talent."

If WWE was going to do a one-shot deal with The Cowboy, one would imagine it wouldn't involve him steamrolling Danny Burch in a hype-less match. Perhaps Storm and WWE are just working out some details, but he'll presumably get a part-time spot on the roster much like Rhyno's.

Either way, his involvement with NXT is another example of how surreal this year has been. Storm, Jushin Liger, Sting and Samoa Joe all wrestled for WWE this year, as crazy as that sounds.

Other News, Notes

In what may be a clue as to which NXT prospects will next receive a call-up, Finn Balor and Baron Corbin are set for some work alongside the main-roster stars.

As noted on Wrestling Inc, Balor and Corbin are advertised for two WWE house shows in late November, one in Kansas City, Missouri, and the other in Huntington, West Virginia. These opportunities are no guarantee of a promotion, but we have seen men like Rusev, Neville and Tyler Breeze work these kinds of events before making their debut on Raw.

The WWE champ saluted a pinning combination that has earned Chad Gable and Jason Jordan a number of wins lately. Seth Rollins tweeted that Gable and Jordan's double-team maneuver is his "favorite tag team finisher in years."

Larry Zbyszko recently commented on a visit to the WWE Performance Center.

On the Two Man Power Trip of Wrestling podcast, the Hall of Famer talked about his experience with some of the NXT prospects. He was clearly impressed with the promise he saw.

Zbyszko noted, "Some of these guys and chicks at the school are great and are going to be good and have great potential."