NXT

[PEN15v2]

It was an Adam Cole match, so I barely watched. I always appreciated how Velveteen had a basic moveset compared to others, so I've never noticed him spamming finishers, and I thought his version of the Sister Abigail had a variation to it. Small touches like that make it easier for me to accept it.


Too often, NXT depends on in ring work to propel the show. Maybe it's the competition with AEW that's made that more apparent. But last night's show was really about moving the stories to the next chapter. Where does Lumis fit into things? Charlotte vs Io vs the returning Rhea? Who's attacking Balor? Dream vs Cole isn't over yet, so how do we get to their next match? How essential will Kross and Scarlett be after that huge debut?

Those elements are what bring me to the TV. This is what I feel is lacking from all wrestling and needs to be worked on. It's these elements having slowly disappeared that led to decrease in wrestling interest (in my opinion).

WWE got a lot of flak in the 80s for not having the in ring work of the NWA and Japan. But they were still #1 because they excelled with stories, characters, and production value. Today, the production is still there for when they broadcast with live audiences, but with the PC shows, they look no different than ROH or Impact. And characters/stories have not been as good for decades (though I can't begin to understand how tough it is to deliver solid stories 7 hours a week plus PPVs).

Last night's NXT showcased a lot of WWE has lacked, and it made for a great show.

[Powder]

From the main page, and a recent interview with Arn Anderson, where he discussed why he thinks NXT has lost his edge:

Do you think that some of the guys from the main roster have been bumped back down so that you have more star power on that show? Now, this is in the, you know, the front office’s mind. ‘Okay, we’ll take some of these proven talent and bump ’em back down to make that a more competitive brand with those people.’ But when they come back down, they bring the Raw or Smackdown, whichever show they came from, they bring their style with them. So it’s not NXT and NXT-style matches. Now it’s guys from Raw or Smackdown that are bringing their style of work back down with them, so that show dynamic changes … they’re seeing a lot of the stuff that they’re seeing on Monday, or they see on Friday. Now it’s on NXT, so it’s not a pure NXT show.

You know, I do not disagree. I think thaT NXT was better prior to being on broadcast TV every week. When NXT was trying to rove that they were a legit 3rd brand, when they had a huge chip on their shoulders, when HHH was in complete control. Now, to me, it seems like Vince has a lot more input and it shows.

[PEN15v2]

What about NXT makes you think Vince has more input?

[Powder]

Balor, Charlotte, and it just feels like more of a RAW and SD. NXT used to feel more unpolished, and everyone was working and fighting for their spot. Now it just seems less NXT and more Main Roster. Which to me indicates that Vince has his hand in the cookie jar looking at ratings and messing around to do what he thinks is best. NXT was firing on all cylinders with HHH in charge, now it just feels like something is missing, and it isn't just the crowd.

[Prime Time]

When I heard (on the Scarlett/Kross debut) "Boy Marc Mero has really changed" I spat my coffee out laughing.

[Oliver]

NXT was firing on all cylinders with HHH in charge.

The thing about this statement is that I don't think NXT has ever truly topped it's creative high point of 2013/14/15. I know I rag on him more than most, but there's a pretty clear line for me between the pre-Balor and post-Balor NXT, when they took their foot off the gas on actually telling really compelling stories from the top to the bottom of the card. Take Ciampa and Gargano out of the picture and can you tell me a single really interesting storyline they've told since Balor became champion?

This isn't necessarily a Balor point, mind you - it's just that he's the easiest reference point for when NXT stopped being a 'small' project that just ran out of Full Sail and shifted into a National, and International, brand. But that is also where it started to become a case of who's the better athlete and less emphasis on character and characterisation. That, in my opinion, is why it feels more 'main roster' than 'NXT'. I mean, some of that stuff wouldn't work - The Mechanics, for example - but then there was a chance for them to go back to the drawing board and revise where they were going with something which helped them immensely.

[PEN15v2]

I don't think the line is as clear to you as it is for me. I recognize that the NXT product has changed, but I don't think the characterizations and stories all drastically different from 2013-2015. There is more "pure competition" based gimmicks, but I fail to see what Baron Corbin was doing in NXT as different from Damian Priest. Finn Balor and Sami Zayn weren't drastically different than Jonny Gargano or Tomasso Ciampa as top babyfaces (one pure baby, the other with a dark side).

I think the only aspect that's changed is the match style. I didn't think Sami or Finn were amazing in the ring, but I'll take their matches over anything Cole or Gargano does today.

[Powder]

Teagan Nox needs new entrance music in the worst way. Her music is like what the generic music for the jobber wrestler from a wrestling video game from the 1980s.

[comfortablynumb]

That Kross/Scarlett promo was fantastic and using the old Armageddon theme was a great touch.

[PEN15v2]

Malcolm Bivens and his Indian monster team seemed to just disappear.

[Powder]

Maybe they are having transportation issues. Do they live in Canada? All/most Canadians cannot come into the US right now

[PEN15v2]

Most WWE and especially NXT talent moved to Orlando to be near Full Sail and the PC, so I don't think that's the issue.

[PEN15v2]

Much better show last night. I'm loving the direction of the CW tournament, and I love the Drake story overall. If he's still released at the end of this, it'll be such a major bummer, so I just don't see that being the case. But if it is, they put him over more than ever on his way out, so he can be an asset anywhere, and with momentum.

Io vs Charlotte vs Rhea is going great, but I hate the trope of the champion attacking both challengers so that it leads to the triple threat.

Karrion vs Ciampa looks to be explosive.

I'm loving anything involving Dexter Lumis. I realized that Lumis, Kross's entrance, Drake, and the Rhea vs Io match had my complete focus, while I tuned in and out of the rest of the show. Some really good stories and character work by all involved, plus solid matches.

[Powder]

For once, I mostly agree with Pen.

I don't know if it is the lack of audience, but for all of the potential I saw in Keith Lee a few months ago, I see his star fading. His matches have been hohum, and his promos are nothing special. With that NXT has found some big, athletic guys who will be the future, real soon in Kross and Lumis. Yesterday I finally got what Vince was talking about that size matters. I know there is a level of disbelief that we have to have to enjoy wrestling, but when Lumis was wrestling Strong, Strong looked so small. Lumis is listed at 6'2" and 230lbs, but comes across much bigger, and Strong is 5'10" and 200lbs and came across so much smaller. None of the UE have the personality, and wrestling ability of Bryan, nor the athletic ability and charisma of Rey to overcome their lack of size. Lumis and Kross will be on the main roster very soon.

I said it in the Undertaker thread, but the WWE needs to continually build up Kross, and promote him to the main roster soon. I am hoping for a Kross vs Taker at Mania 37. You would finally have someone who faces Taker whose entrance would be just as, if not better than his. And Kross has been wrestling for 6+ years, so he is experienced and not a kid who is still wet behind his ears.

The time away for Ripley has done her good, but I see a problem with the Women's division in general, and that is lack of size. Charlotte is so much bigger than the entire division with the exception of Ripley. So when anyone from NXT (sans Ripley) steps up to Charlotte, I simply do not believe that they can beat her.

Size does matter.

I personally do not like the Cruiserweights at all. Not the division or in general, but every single performer in the WWE in that division does not appeal to me, and I have skipped the entire tournament.

[PEN15v2]

Powder, we agree more often than you know. I just don't think either of us are the type to post "I agree" without adding anything else... so in those cases I just don't post. When I disagree, I have extra to say about it, so we tend to have more worth posting about.

Such as, I disagree about the cruiserweights. I didn't get into it at the beginning, and I feel most of the competitors are cookie cutter CWs indy darlings. But Drake, Tozawa, and Kushida have been very good in my opinion.

I'm not that into the Taker vs Kross idea. IT's not bad, but I just don't think Taker has enough left for this to work out well.