WWE News: Huge Plans For WWE NXT By 2017, Aim To Be Full-Time Touring Brand
Much like the Attitude Era created a revolution in pro wrestling over a decade ago, the WWE is once again changing the game. WWE NXT started several years ago, but the talented wrestlers from NXT are becoming more popular every single day. A lot of former-NXT superstars used to talk about how it was special back then, but guys like Bo Dallas and Neville are talking about how good it is now. They were fortunate enough to start the revolution and see it expand.
Sami Zayn is another guy that has been with WWE NXT for quite awhile. Currently on the injured list, Zayn was with WWE NXT near the beginning, and his chase for the NXT Heavyweight championship set the bar for matches going forward. That’s not even including his bouts with Cesaro that are considered some of the best matches in WWE history.
As the revolution continues, more WWE stars are being created that began in WWE NXT. Finn Balor, Apollo Crews, Baron Corbin, Samoa Joe, the Vaudevillians, Blake and Murphy, Alexa Bliss, Bayley, and others are the current generation of WWE NXT superstars. More than half of them will assist in making the WWE main roster a much better place to be.
Ratings are in decline for WWE Raw, but NXT is just getting better. According to Daily Wrestling News,huge plans are in effect for WWE NXT that could include a United States presence full-time.
“If Triple H and others have their way, NXT will be a full-time touring brand by the end of 2017, which means a lot of growth in 2016. Apparently there’s talk of WWN helping to fill some of the void that’s created when NXT goes on the road full-time. The idea would be that NXT talents who aren’t ready for NXT tours can go to WWN for bookings in Florida and WWE helps with some costs.”
Nothing better could happen to the WWE. WWE NXT is what’s keeping the WWE Network relevant, and they can’t rely on pay-per-views to get their subscription rate high all the time. It’s easy to see that WWE NXT is the most-beloved product the WWE has going on right now. Raw and Smackdown are experiencing record-low ratings, and nothing is changing.
The only negative opinion that WWE NXT is involved in is the “destruction” of the Independent scene. Mick Foley, WWE legend, commented on NXT reportedly “ruining” the Indy scene.
“I certainly think it shines a light on how much great talent is out there on the scene. We used to have a tendency to look down on indy wrestlers. Now indy wrestlers are looked at and treated with a new respect. It’s a conversation I just had with some of the indy guys. Having come from an indy background myself, I understood how difficult it is to work hard each night and, in “wrestle speak,” get over with a different audience without the benefit of known entrance music, that Pavlovian response, and an established fan base. So I think NXT is great for indy wrestling, and knowing that when we come to Auburn, fans may very well be seeing the stars of the future of the wrestling business.”
WWN and Evolve wrestling are still linked to WWE NXT. Whether that happens or not, they will have a big part of the Independent scene. It certainly won’t kill it, because Ring of Honor and Lucha Underground are still prominent.
Can NXT get even bigger in 2016? Even still, their success doesn’t have a ceiling too high to break. When Balor, Crews, Itami, and others graduate to the main roster, it will be mid-2016. By that point, NXT officials will have built new stars to showcase. Don’t be surprised if NXT is an official third brand of the WWE.
[Image via twitter.com]
