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What is the future of NXT?


Dylan Waco

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Steven and I talked about this very thing on the PWSS podcast we did this week. I basically asked if NXT was even an developmental territory at this point considering the talent they have there and how even if they are considered "WWE main roster ready" that they still have what it takes to build a successful brand. I do like Loss' theory about HHH basically building up a shadow promotion of sorts.

We talked about so much I don't even remember this coming up. I'm sure I gave a great answer though.

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Will those are pretty good points. Dealing with money be paid the NXT talent they have been making exceptions . Balor is a guy I believe Meltzer has mentioned is getting paid much more than the normal guy they've signed .Which is step one in setting up a caste system of talent.

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As someone who was at the Columbus show, they could absolutely tour with that show. It was a really great live experience and I think everyone that went came away wanting to see more. It was also a really interesting group of people that showed up. A lot of women compared to other smaller shows I went to. I think it would really damage RoH as a brand and might even drive them out of business. I also get the feeling that the people that watch NXT are totally willing to buy into this as something separate from the WWE.

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So the guys in ROH have their travel paid for by Sinclair ? I mean,I get it if it's a Star they're bringing in for a few shots, but the regulars get that now?

 

Dylan would obviously know more, but from everything I've read and saw in shoots and such, I'd imagine every main ROH roster guy gets trans taken care of. So, maybe Cheeseburger isn't getting trans paid for, but probably almost everybody on the last iPPV likely got a plane ticket.

 

Same thing w/ most 'name' indy guys - it's usually $x,000 amount + trans & hotel.

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As someone who was at the Columbus show, they could absolutely tour with that show. It was a really great live experience and I think everyone that went came away wanting to see more. It was also a really interesting group of people that showed up. A lot of women compared to other smaller shows I went to. I think it would really damage RoH as a brand and might even drive them out of business. I also get the feeling that the people that watch NXT are totally willing to buy into this as something separate from the WWE.

 

I think this is interesting. Perhaps I am over thinking all of this, but if one of the set objectives for NXT is to drive out the indies? Yes, Joe Blow can break open his penny bank and start an indy promotion tomorrow. I am not talking about that. I am talking about the promotions that have actual relevancy. ROH, CZW, PWG, SHIMMER, Chikara, Evolve, etc. WWE could take the top 5 acts from each of the companies and come away with 20 or so (as the companies use a lot of the same talent in some cases) big name stars. I wonder how aggressive WWE will be in the future? Perhaps WWE will treat NXT as Zuffa has done in 2015 with the UFC brand in signing ANYONE who is a free-agent and a name just to prevent those people from going to Bellator.

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So the guys in ROH have their travel paid for by Sinclair ? I mean,I get it if it's a Star they're bringing in for a few shots, but the regulars get that now?

Dylan would obviously know more, but from everything I've read and saw in shoots and such, I'd imagine every main ROH roster guy gets trans taken care of. So, maybe Cheeseburger isn't getting trans paid for, but probably almost everybody on the last iPPV likely got a plane ticket.

 

Same thing w/ most 'name' indy guys - it's usually $x,000 amount + trans & hotel.

Wow, that's a big change from ten years ago.
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.Money and exposure on the indies has steadily gone up in the last ten years. It's been incremental, but the gains from the indie infrastructure are there.

 

Which is a big question if NXT is going to tour or be a promotion or something. Can it make money?

 

As R&D, it's sunk cost. As a new brand there needs to be return on revenue.

 

The fact that no one can discern what NXT's supposed to be is kind of funny. But it's definitely about developing HHH as a P, or at least the idea he's one.

 

Outside of that, I'm not sure most know what purpose NXT is serving now.

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I'm not sure most know what purpose NXT is serving now.

 

The company line is to "teach them how to work our style", but I'm not seeing Zayn throw 500 irish whips into his matches, so not sure if that ever held water. But if you're Baron Corbin, you're likely leaning harder on their blueprint than an indie star would.

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Most of the time, NXT exists as a place for already talented workers to put in time so they can be needlessly repackaged and WWE can push them while mentally considering them their own creations. It's a way to make them feel good about themselves and above pro wrestling. Vince's daddy issues are quite the expense for the company.

 

The so-called WWE style is exaggerated. It's basically:

 

- Do everything toward the hard camera, but don't look directly at it

- Work a double KO spot into each match

- Come up with a ridiculous gesture to pop the crowd before hitting your finisher, but don't play to them otherwise

- Pattern your matches so they are basically the same - if you aren't willing to make moves signature spots, don't do them

- Walk backwards when leaving the ringside area

 

Nothing that couldn't be emphasized in a simple orientation, other than nailing down their exact overblown entrance.

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The so-called WWE style is exaggerated. It's basically:

 

- Do everything toward the hard camera, but don't look directly at it

- Work a double KO spot into each match

- Come up with a ridiculous gesture to pop the crowd before hitting your finisher, but don't play to them otherwise

- Pattern your matches so they are basically the same - if you aren't willing to make moves signature spots, don't do them

- Walk backwards when leaving the ringside area

 

That's the one I find the most annoying. It's like everything has to be trademarked, even the slighest body movement.

 

But yeah, it's a pretty accurate definition of the so-called "WWE style". I call it watering down.

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Even at NXT it's interesting how forced everything is. They really push catchphrases and do a lot of stuff to get a certain reaction from the crowd. It was interesting to see Big Show just decide to roll with what the crowd was giving him and realizing guys don't do that much these days.

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Why aren't WWE wrestlers supposed to play to the crowds? Is this another crazy Vince directive?

Maybe TV is different, but at house shows they all completely play to the crowd. Shit in the Rollins/ Cena match I saw last month Rollins grabbed the mic in the middle of the match to fuck with the crowd, and Cena was interacting with the kids at ringside.
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The NXT style seems like a sort of indy hybrid with WWE tropes. All of the things Loss hit on are a part of NXT style, but to a much lesser degree. I will say that I abhor most of those things despite really liking some of the workers in both NXT and WWE.

 

A little off-topic, but are all the hyped WWE matches in the 2010s and 2000s forums?

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I've said this before, but I suspect that the underlying goal is for HHH to create a shadow promotion of wrestlers, announcers, referees, a crew and a production team that is loyal to him first and foremost. One day, we'll look up and Vince will still have his title but will be almost a non-factor in day-to-day operations, because nearly everyone in the company is an HHH guy as opposed to a Vince guy. It's actually a wise play on HHH's part, because if he sits around and waits for Vince to retire, he will never get there.

 

For what it's worth, I'm listening right now to the October 2014 Good Will Wrestling podcast about "Fixing the WWE PPV schedule", and Bix/Will/Charles discuss this same idea at show's end, esp. the possibility that HHH may be using NXT not just as a means of proving himself, but as a contingency plan of sorts, full of guys who will be loyal to him down the road.

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