Do you think NXT could work as a 3rd "main roster" brand?

[Sepholio]

Just something I was thinking about a little while ago while posting in some rassling threads on the book. I think they should make NXT an equal brand and not just developmental.

They have the talent for it in main roster guys that aren't being used as much or are lost in the shuffle. I'm talking about sending guys like Ziggler, AJ Styles, Nakamura, Ciampa, Gargano, Riddle back to NXT, among others. Maybe throw a big name or 2 in there, Rollins maybe or KO. Imagine having those guys in your main event scene without having to compete with everyone else for time.

Send some women back too, but not just the NXT call ups, throw in some vets for them as well to bolster that division.

I guess my thought process is to get these guys that have all the talent in the world to main event but aren't being used there for whatever reason somewhere where they can shine at the top of the card and put on the bangers they are capable of but don't really mesh with the style of the ME mainstays on RAW and SD. Matches that are more akin to what AEW shoots for, but not so over the top as them.

Obviously you'll still have the developmental talents there. And considering WWE has sent people down before to work with them, having more of those highly skilled guys there to work with them will prob greatly benefit them and their careers.

Also I think if they shifted a few guys over there and treated NXT more seriously that they could in fact compete with and beat AEW Dynamite in ratings as well. They have the guys to do it. It's just a matter of actually letting them.

[Sepholio]

Imagine Cody leading NXT to victory over AEW. That would be something there.

[Destor]

The problem is perception. People are training to view it as inferior and you'd have to make a great effort to change that. It would be easier to rebrand the programming block altogether.

[Sepholio]

Actually letting Cody lead the way wouldn't be a terrible idea. It's clear that he had grander designs for what he wanted to mold AEW into and when TK let the Elite have their way and it strayed from Codys vision, he bailed.

So make him the guy in NXT. I don't mean total control, but bring him in on the decision making and try to shoot for what he wanted out of AEW when it started. Make this show actual professional wrestling, not sports entertainment, and not sports choreography.

Building Codys AEW in NXT and having it overtake Dynamite would make for a hell of a legend.

[Sepholio]

The problem is perception. People are training to view it as inferior and you'd have to make a great effort to change that. It would be easier to rebrand the programming block altogether.

Yeah this is true. It's hard to undo the damage that's been done to the brand. Would have been much easier before that stupid NXT 2.0 phase of Vince's happened.

[Sepholio]

But I'm also hopeful that HHH/HBK returning to the black and gold means they are going to push this brand and try to rehab that image. You have to think HHH really wants that because NXT was his baby and everyone knows it was better under his regime than when Vince took control.

[Lock Jaw]

I think they should bring back NXT: Redemption featuring Johnny Curtis and Maxine

[Mr. Nerfect]

I’ve been thinking about this the last couple of days. Destor’s right in that perception is the key. But selfishly I think it would be hilarious if NXT got hotter and started beating AEW. It’s probably more popular worldwide, but a US cable win would be amazing.

The problem back when the AEW/NXT thing started was that AEW was fresh and NXT had to fit into an established paradigm. That’s why they can’t tour to big arenas (although that might soon change with AEW cooling). Now that Vince is gone, Triple H can book NXT to better feed Raw and SmackDown, but he can also book Raw and SmackDown to feed NXT, if that’s what they want to do.

Problems still exist. Back when NXT was the darling show, it had a special crop of talent and existed as the port of call to be different to the main roster shows. It was also only 1 hr. It was also almost a decade ago.

What do people want from it now? Would they like to see these celebrities who dip their toes in the water test it out as a proving ground or as the hot new thing? Is it developmental? Is it a place for guys who aren’t being used to go and have great matches? Given it is hour 6 and 7 of WWE programming now and also takes backseat to Dynamite for a lot of people, I don’t know what the recipe should be. Solid, sensible storytelling that builds to 5 match Takeover cards? That worked then, but do people want WWE Extra?

I’ve thought that could bring Goldberg in for a special match teaming with Bron Breakker (they’re apparently tight). You could be clever and get stars down there. You can also try and really hit it out of the park with better storytelling.

If I was involved in NXT myself and a rebranding was off the table, I’d at least do my best to work out what my big stories are going to be for the next year at least (maybe even further) and do my best to start dropping crumbs now and having a few things going on that people care about. Not just good matches and athletic stuff, although that is going to gain traction with a certain crowd. And move away from the silly gimmicks. These are young athletes trying to win wrestling matches.

I did have this idea that maybe you could have a few guys draw lines in the sand and really declare themselves NXT guys. Bron Breakker could reject a deal from Adam Pearce or something to stay down in NXT and not vacate the belt. A heel can call it a mistake or what have you.

[Mr. Nerfect]

I can see them wanting NXT to beat AEW on its own merits with largely unrecognized people, and I do think that is entirely possible.

Dynamite and NXT are going head-to-head the week heading into Halloween Havoc. That would be the time to put on the better show and build to a Halloween Havoc that hits it out of the park and generates some interest for the show. I think I know what I’d do. I think I’d book it to basically come from the talent that is already down there (+ Dolph Ziggler). Just bringing in a bunch on main roster guys and girls would feel hollow in its own way.

[Mr. Nerfect]

Here would be my go-home for Halloween Havoc:



* Open with Charlie Dempsey vs. Andre Chase. Technical wrestling match. Dempsey squeaks out a win with a cradle. He winks at Thea Hail to tease some sort of romantic entanglement with her.

* Dolph Ziggler shows up because he’s in a Battle Royal for an NXT Title shot tonight. He shouldn’t need to toss out a bunch of rookies to earn that, but he’ll do it because this company has never appreciated what they have in him.

* Nigel McGuinness hosts a contract signing between Mandy Rose and Alba Fyre. Rose says everyone thinks they’re great until they come up against perfection. Fyre says she wishes she could say that Mandy is a diva, but she’s actually proven herself to be an outstanding champion and it’ll mean something taking the belt off her. Rose says she’s so confident she doesn’t even need to put Fyre through the table. Subvert that expectation. She’ll be watching Fyre vs. Meiko Satomura closely tonight.

* Axiom wins a four-way against Von Wagner, Carmelo Hayes and Wes Lee. Oro Mensah is the special guest ref. I don’t know if you have a week of TV to build to this, and it’s a little gimmicky, but I have Oro as ref via Beat the Clock stip or something. He gets an advantage over his opponents in the Ladder Match at Havoc. I’m also trying to make him a thorn in Wagner’s side. He gets a bit involved as ref and distracts VW long enough for the masked babyface to sneak out a win.

* Battle Royal featuring Apollo Crews, Grayson Waller, Dolph Ziggler, Joe Gacy, The Dyad, Quincy Elliot, Cameron Grimes and everyone else. Battle Royals are lazy, but this allows you to thread a bunch of stories in and out. Ziggler wins the Battle Royal with help from a returning Commander Azeez screwing over Crews. Tensions are developed between Ziggler and Crews, who obviously doesn’t like being called a rookie. Shows you’ve got some main roster guys there and puts them into a program with each other that is probably going to spill into the main event scene on that show in coming weeks.

* Ilya Dragunov beats Tyler Bate to build momentum for the NXT Title main event at Havoc. Should be a really good match.

* A sit-down interview between Damon Kemp and Julius Creed hosted by Shawn Michaels. If they fight their match at Halloween Havoc is off. Kemp doesn’t want to be in anyone’s shadow. It’s why he took the ring name he did and The Diamond Mine has tried to put Kemp in a corner but he’s the next NXT Champion. Creed tells Kemp he’s full of shit and he put his brother out and he’s looking past the Creeds which is a slap in the face. Kemp says he slapped Julius in the face by taking out Roderick Strong. He slapped him in the face by taking out his brother. He’s going to slap him in the face at Halloween Havoc and he’s going to get away with it. Julius is mad but Shawn Michaels talks him down.

* Fyre beats Meiko Satomura in what would hopefully be better than any women’s match AEW can put forward.

* An interviewer tries to get a word with Tyler Bate after his loss to Ilya Dragunov, but he walks off.

* Bron Breakker, Brooks Jensen & Josh Briggs beat JD McDonagh & Pretty Deadly. The Americans are getting a shot at the NXT Tag Titles at Halloween Havoc and team with Breakker here. Clear focus. Heels attack afterwards because they’re assholes. Ilya Dragunov makes the save because he’s a good guy and doesn’t want an unfair advantage.



This would lead into Halloween Havoc:



* Julius Creed is out and fired up. He wants Damon Kemp, who takes his time getting down to the ring. They get in the ring and Kemp does what he said he would and slaps Creed. Mistake. They hopefully have a good match. There’s a ref bump and Kemp low-blows Creed. He goes to get a steel chair. Roderick Strong makes his return with his own in hand. He slides into the ring…and cracks Julius Creed over the head (protected). Creed is busted open. Kemp gets the pin and wins the match.

* Earlier tonight, a scoundrel attacked Brooks Jensen and Josh Briggs in the parking lot and now Briggs has a bad wheel. They’re still taking the NXT Tag Team Title match though.

* Ilya Dragunov is interviewed and says that Triple Threats aren’t ideal. This isn’t how he’d like to challenge for the title. You need to use your instincts more, which makes him more dangerous. He apologizes if someone doesn’t walk out of the ring tonight.

* Wes Lee wins the NXT North American Title Ladder Match because he’s the guy with the charity kid. Trick Williams tries to get involved and goes through a ladder bridge. Oro Mensah is annoying and stops Von Wagner for reenterinng and stopping Lee from grabbing the belt after he knocks Hayes off.

* JD McDonagh says most people don’t deserve anything good. He’s entitled to the NXT Title tonight.

* Josh Briggs’ leg takes him out of the match for a long while. Brooks goes it on his own for a bit and tries to make a comeback. Eventually Briggs can get back in and tags in but is shut down. He tags out to the exhausted Brooks who is beaten. Pretty Deadly retain.

* Bron Breakker is in the back with Rick and Scott. They pump him up and Bron cuts a promo about how he isn’t at a disadvantage in this match, because he’s going to charge through the competition like he always does.

* Mandy Rose comes out with Toxic Attraction in skimpy Halloween costumes. They go to the back. Rose’s power play is that she is going this alone. She manages to retain the belt after Fyre kicks out of one Kiss the Rose but a second one puts her down.

* They show all three challengers getting pumped up backstage to the suspense-building music.

* Dragunov and McDonagh do their best to keep Bron Breakker out of the ring. He eventually storms it and starts tossing around both men again. Dragunov almost wins the title with submissions over both men but the other saves it. At some point McDonagh gestures to the back for help, but no one comes. A turnbuckle is exposed by McDonagh. Dragunov ends up going into it accidentally and Breakker doesn’t know. He takes out McDonagh and pins Dragunov with the Powerslam. He seems annoyed by the replay showing Dragunov being disadvantaged.