WWE News: Backstage Tension In WWE, Main Roster Jealous Of Freedom Given To NXT?
Vince McMahon said in a past interview that he loves competition. Whether it is between the WWE and WCW, or Raw vs. Smackdown, McMahon thrives off competition. Since WCW’s closure in the early-2000s, the WWE made competition for themselves. Monday Night Raw and Thursday Night Smackdown were split, and the two brands were left to compete against each other.
The idea was brilliant, as the WWE had no main competitor. As of a few years ago, the same was happening. Both Raw and Smackdown were engulfed in the new “WWE Raw Supershow” gimmick. There was one moment that changed everything. That moment came from WWE’s developmental system, NXT.
NXT R Evolution is still called the best wrestling show in the past five years, according to select WWE fans. It had everything a wrestling show could contain. After this past Wednesday’s NXT Takeover special, NXT Takeover: Rival, the NXT roster put on another five-star show that many WWE fans dream of occurring once every 10 years. This time, NXT put on two five-star shows within two moths. What’s the problem then?
It appears that frustration is beginning to grow on the main roster, stemming from the previous agitation that took place after NXT R Evolution. According to Bryan Alvarez of the Bryan and Vinny Show, the discontent is starting to grow on the main roster, particularly with the divas.
“WWE’s main roster is growing discontent with the freedom given to NXT wrestlers.
“An inside source told Alvarez that the WWE Divas are particularly frustrated at the freedom NXT Divas are getting to perform big spots and long matches.
The agitation in the main roster is that they are being booked as performers, whereas the NXT crew are being booked as wrestlers. The WWE Divas are particularly aggravated when they see NXT women presented as co-main events and getting ample time to develop matches.”
NXT has done something that only Smackdown was able to do in the mid-2000s with the “Smackdown 6.” NXT is making wrestling fun again, even though they are a WWE Network exclusive show. Paul Heyman turned Smackdown into a better brand than Raw, which Vince McMahon didn’t care for. Triple H is making NXT the place to be. Frustration is beginning to grow at an alarming rate.
NXT is a glorified Indy show with money. However, that’s not a negative remark. Indy shows are known for their in-depth stories as well as the wrestling inside it. Both do coincide with each other, which makes Indy shows special. NXT is extremely special because nobody has witnessed anything like it in WWE before.
It’s an hour-long program on the WWE Network that showcases Indy mega-stars on their product. Each NXT wrestler, male and female, is hungry to make that main roster. Unlike the WWE’s main roster, they make more money and have a bigger audience. NXT’s arena is a tight-knit group at Full Sail University. NXT isn’t performing in arenas that seat 17,000 people.
If the WWE’s main roster is jealous of the success NXT is creating, they should be. Wrestling for NXT gives the people a voice, which isn’t seen at the main level. Would Sami Zayn or Kevin Owens get the pop they do on Raw? That’s debatable. Only a few exceptions like Finn Balor and Owens might have that innate ability to shine anywhere. If the divas on WWE’s main roster are jealous of the NXT women, they have every right to be. NXT women wrestling is the best in a long time if not ever.
[Image via bleacherreport.com]
