How real is NXT... really??

[D-Man]

I must say that I'm a fan of the show. Sure, it has its ups and downs as the weeks go on... one week the show is great and the next week it's shit. But the thing that intrigues me the most about this show is that it really flirts with the borderline between reality and scripted/kayfabe storylines.

Since day one, the WWE has been advertising this show as a "reality" wrestling show. It was even announced this way on Entertainment Tonight by Maria Menoudos while she was interviewing David Otunga. Naturally, we're all skeptical of this theory, considering that the WWE has always been known as "Sports Entertainment"... a scripted, choreographed, 'fake' wrestling program. But there are so many factors that can easily make us think about what we're watching and try to determine how much of it is considered real, or in wrestling terms, a "shoot."

1. Challenge Segments
I don't see any way that the challenge segments could possibly be planned. During the promos and keg-carrying challenges, you could plainly see many of the rookies struggling with the task at hand. I highly doubt that the WWE had predetermined the winners of these contests and had them "acted out" in front of the live crowd without actually looking scripted.

2. On-the-spot Interview segments
I had been saying this since day one: The WWE appears to have given these rookies a "sink or swim" theme when it came to their interviews. Ever since Chris Jericho first appeared in the ring with Wade Barrett and corrected him in front of the live audience when Jericho requested that Barrett introduce him in his match, I was convinced that part the job of the pros was to guide their rookies, trip them up a bit in the process, and see their reaction. After all, not every promo in the wrestling business is 100% scripted. It's not like these guys memorize pages and pages of promo material each and every week and are expected to recite it verbatim. Promos have always been an art-form in wrestling, with the speaker fueling the words while WWE management gave them direction.

3. Determination of winners and losers during matches
I've been to wrestling school. I know that winners and losers of matches are predetermined. Allowing a "fake" wrestling match to be decided on the fly is dangerous to the competitors participating in the contest. However, the WWE really seemed to use the rookies' records as a deciding factor in their first set of eliminations. Now, I know this is a long shot, but it just makes me scratch my head as to whether the rookies' records are a realistic factor in the pros poll or not...

4. Post-Elimination "Shoot" Interviews
We received our first taste of this last night on NXT. After Tarver, Sheffield, and Danielson were eliminated, they were granted an exit interview and appeared to make shoot promos/interviews. Tarver's and Sheffield's seemed to be nothing out of the ordinary, but had a sense of realism to them. However, Bryan Danielson's really seemed to cross into the "shoot" category. He basically cut into WWE's direction of the "Daniel Bryan" character, praised his work in the indy scene, and plugged his true identity as Bryan Danielson. Judging from WWE's past in character development, this was very exciting to watch, but EXTREMELY out of the ordinary for the WWE. It was almost as if they gave him an opportunity similar to that given to Rob Van Dam during the very first (WWE) ECW One Night Stand pay per view when he was unable to compete due to injury. Was Danielson's post-elimination interview real or fake? Hmmm...


I'd really like to know what you all think about NXT's direction and purpose. Please think outside of the box here. The WWE has been doing a great job over the past 6 months in being unpredictable with their programming. This could be another example of that.

I believe I have some valid points and a lot of validity behind my way of thinking. Or, I could be totally crazy. But that's where all of you come in.

Let's discuss!!!

 

[The People's Peep]

I was thinking the same thing. There have been a few moments that really get me guessing whether this show is scripted or not. I understand what you're saying about the matches, but I dont see them doing it. I think most of it is scripted, like the challenges. But the interviews and promos are a different story. Otunga has a few comments that were questionable. He called Justin Gabriel "Justin Gay-briel" and called Heath Slater "the one man hick band". I dont know how PG those comments are and I have a hard time believing the WWE would have him say that. Then last night, you have the AWESOME Daniel Bryan exit interview where he mentions Bryan Danielson. HHH has been with the company for a while and I dont think I have heard any mention of Paul Levesque. Being that the WWE doesnt normally use actual names, I doubt that the WWE would want Bryan to say his true identity unless they were planning on using it.

I really believe that they are giving these guys freedom with the mic. Ive read that the WWE gets a lot of heat for their promos being too scripted. By training these young guys to improvise and make their own promos, they are setting up a future where there are less scripted promos.

 

[Remix]

Challenge Segments

Yeah, there's no feasible way to fake these. Whether it's Bryan struggling to carry the keg, Barrett destroying everybody in the promo competition, or Skip Sheffield showing us just how bad he is at selling there's no way to predetermine these without putting in a rediculous amount of effore that WWE would never put into their C-Show.

On-the-Spot Promos

You said it best D-Man. Since day one where Barrett got put on the spot ande interrupted twise, it's been sink or swim on the stick. Some swam, others drowned. Having these seemingly unscripted promos is a great idea and is an excellent way to test improvisation skills without killing anybody. Because sometimes, you really do need to improvise your ass off. Lance Storm wrote a blog about it, actually.

Determination of winners and losers

There's no way that they're letting the wrestlers decide during a match. They mught tell them just before the match that they're having a match, who's going to win, how long they've got and let them come up with the rest. That's as far as it's ever going to go. It wouldn't shock me if I was told that the first match last night was as much of a surprise to the participents as it was to those watching. Giving the rookies the ball and letting them run with it seems par for the course.

I'm not convinced that the W/L ratio was a factor in who stays and goes though. Yeah, the three that went had the worst records. However, if the Wins and losses were key criteria, Young would have finished above second to last place. I really wouldn't be shocked if the pros really did decide who went though. Those video packages about the pro's opinions were telling. Everyone thought Barrett was good (he was ranked number one), most were quite high on Otunga (with Miz fucking loving him, and Carlito being very critical of his ring skills), the jury was out on Gabriel and Slater, and most weren't too high on Young and Skip. Your take D-Man?

Post Elimination "Shoot Interviews"

That depends on the type. If it was done 'live' then, like other on the spot segments it's shoot. If it's in the back, no. Pretaped segments are shot with a plan in mind, and if WWE didn't like it they'll reshoot it.

 

[Ferbian]

1. Challenge Segments

I've always questioned whether this could possibly be scripted, and I have to admit I don't consider it to be scripted at all, especially not the one with the sales of magazines they had to go through, unless they had the whole crowd filled with plants.
The only part of this I could find remotely scripted is Daniel Bryan being told to take his time every time, and loose.

2. On-the-spot Interview segments

Partially scripted, they have their small taglines such as Michael Tarver talking about being the most dangerous rookie on NXT, and David Otunga with the A-list thing.
Although besides that, I have my doubts it's possibly scripted, seeing as David Otunga for example didn't get any GLAAD heat from the "Gay-briel" comment that he made last week, either that or they just didn't notice the insult, either way, I don't believe it's purely scripted.

3. Determination of winners and losers during matches

I believe this is scripted although, while I have to admit I don't know how they do it backstage, I believe it'd gonna be fairly hard to script a winner or a looser of a match, seeing as they script it into a storyline, like Daniel Bryan's loosing streak, Heath Slater's brief winning streak etc.

4. Post-Elimination "Shoot" Interviews

Could very well be unscripted, I'm not quite sure, writing this I still have to watch the NXT episode from last night, but I'll leave it to be the same answer as the "On-the-spot interview"

 

[Rayne]

It's as scripted as any other piece of WWE television. Remember Mark Henry spending 3 minutes trying to break into a cage? Or Jack Swagger desperately trying to figure out how to unhook the briefcase? Kurt Angle caught in Daniel Puder's kimura?

Sometimes the results don't matter. Does it truly matter who was able to race around with a keg fastest, in the long run? Are we going to be promoting a Keg Carrying Championship in the future?

I do view NXT as a training show for less established talent; sort of like a FCW with ratings and audience exposure. It gives you the chance to show new talent on TV without them having to take two years of asswhoopings to get over. But there are real skills that need to be built. You have to know how to get through a segment when everything's falling apart around you, and to do it in the camera time you've been given. You have to know how to work a match where perhaps the result is the only scripted part (which is a trait painfully lacking in a lot of the wrestlers who have come along over the past five years.) NXT gives the WWE a chance to give these guys a trial by fire, without having to waste segments on RAW or Smackdown. And, hey, it's better than WWECW.

Also- assume that everything prerecorded is scripted, and 99.9% of what happens live is scripted. It doesn't matter if it was or not, but if it's prerecorded and the execs decide to roll it on the show, it's now part of the script going forward. Live, well, every once in a while someone's balls pop out in the middle of a match. You have to roll with those things.

 

[RKGO2SLEEP]

After Daniel Bryan's post-elimination interview i was thinking the exact same thing, and i have been for a while.
the challenges: no i don't think they are scripted, i think they use them as filler segments so creative doesnt have to write scripts, but at the same time they are watching the rookies on how well they do their job, like the promo challenge, any person in the world can read a promo out loud, so they tested the rookies by seeing their true promo skills by making them think on the spot on a topic they had no preparation for.
on the spot interviews again, on the spot thinking. Bryan Danielson even commented on that off-air saying striker comes up to them and says "in 30 seconds you are going to cut a promo about your match later" and they have to deliver on the spot.
match win/loss this is the one thing on the show i think is 100% scripted, but win/loss is it, not the match itself, creative sits down the guys and says. in 10 minutes you two have a match, person 1 is going to win within 5-7 minutes. good luck. and the rookies must plan a little, but in most part go out there and wing it.
eliminations i am unsure on this one, the pros had some un-kayfabed things to say about the rookies which makes me think they did decide eliminations, but at the same time, creative has to have something to do with it, and i do think its kayfabe because they eliminated the worst 3 gimmicks last night, not the worst 3 wrestlers.

by the way, a little off topic but wade barrett winning the promo challenge was supposed to win him a real entrance, that was what 5 weeks ago? still havent seen it.

 

[Honkey_Kong]

I don't think NXT is entirely scripted.

The challenges would require more effort to script (as a previous poster said) and they really don't matter too much.

Their backstage interviews, I think are either scripted entirely or they are given points and allowed to do them in their own words. Of course if their own words aren't what the WWE is looking for they'd just redo the interview. Which makes me kind of want to see their b-roll.


The in-ring promos and interviews I think are a combination of scripting and improv. If you guys ever have done a course in public speaking. Most speeches you give aren't written out word for word. You typically have points you want to come across and that way you don't get tripped up if you forget a line. In fact, i don't think the promos and interviews on the main shows are scripted word for word exactly. That would lead too much of a chance for major botches, or forgetting where you were mid sentence.

The matches are obviously pre-determined. And the announcers make a big to do over W-L records, but if the matches are pre-determined, they obviously don't matter.

As far as judging goes, I really don't think it the Pros that are deciding who is winning the competition, but rather creative/vince. I also don't think the winner is determined. I recall the first weeks it was the daniel bryan/david otunga show and look what happened. Wade Barrett stepped up and stole the show.

 

[Yodude "The Rock" Barber]

1. Challenge Segments
I like to think these are fake, but then again, maybe not. The one with the keg carrying, seemed a tad fake on the part of Micheal Tarver, considering he dropped it..

On the spot interviews
IMO, these aren't fake. Maybe WWE wants to see if they have what it takes to keep a promo going without any material, but they probably have a backup plan or something to get them going. If they mess up, whats there to do?

Win/loss records
100% Fake. The crew isn't going to let the wrestlers decide it on the spot, doubt anyone's going to want to lose, or Daniel would want to win at least ONE match.(I guess the match on RAW doesn't count.)

Post-Elimination "Shoot" Interviews
I would like to say 50/50 on this one. They probably know they're going to go, so it's something they have to think about. I really liked Daniel Bryans ( Or is it Bryan Danielson again? ) promo, maybe to give them some momentum as the leave, trying for RAW And/or SD.

 

[Lee]

Nice thread man.

1. Challenge Segments
This is obviously not scripted, as could be told by DB's annoyance at the interview segment when Striker interrupted him as well as the really vague prizes.

2. On-the-spot Interview segments
I think they may be told briefly in advance what the interview would be about, which is obvious sometimes when they seem like rabbits in headlights. All in all this is a good way to do it.

3. Determination of winners and losers during matches
100% fake, no arguing.

4. Post-Elimination "Shoot" Interviews

Hmm this was a tough one, if you noticed Tarver and Sheffield almost went into 'normal' mode and had their interview there and then at the side of the ring. I feel this was not prescripted, I think they knew the eliminations were coming, but the interview wasn't scripted.

Bryans on the other hand, clearly was. It had the shoot feel to it for sure, but the fact it was backstage (when the other two were at the ring) and seemed a great promo mention Bryan Danielson (which was brought up on wwe.com, if it wasn't meant to be mentioned why was it on the website?!). So yeah NXT is a mix.

 

[Remix]

Wade apparently got his theme 3 weeks ago, but didn't like it and told Jim Johnson to redo it to match his exacting specifications. Maybe they've decided to save it until he wins NXT and gets his title shot.

And I'm going to expand on my point about eliminations (because I don't want to push my luck regarding spam). I've come to the conclusion that the pros actually are judging the rookies and ranking them. Looking at the promo packages (which I believe were shoots. Otherwise Regal would have put on his fake accent, and CM Punk would have been pumping out his SES spiel if it was a work) the pros really do have opinions on the rookies, and the rankings do correspond to that. Nobody had a bad thing to say about Wade. Otunga had 2 people hate him (Punk and Carlito), 3 say he's number one (Miz, Jericho and Hardy) with the rest somewhere in the middle, and he came second as a result (he probably got 2 1s, 2 6s and the rest somewhere in the middle). Gabriel got middling reviews as everybody loves the 450 splash but he has no personality. Slater likewise got middling reviews, as he's got a personality but is 'almost too much annoying' and is decent in the ring. Darren Young got low reviews, but the pros were unanimous that he's got something there and was worth keeping. OTOH, Skippy likewise got bad reviews but the most praise he got was 'I like Skip Sheffield, he's a nice guy' and his elimination wasn't a huge shock as a consiquence.

Based of that, it does seem likely that the WWE pros are chosing the next big thing, which is pretty cool.

 

[RVDgurl]

NXT has been billed from the beginning as "reality" TV therefore we're supposed to believe that nothing is scripted. I don't buy that for a second. RAW and SD! have been WWE mainstays for over a decade. For the most part, we all know that the guys on these rosters have their matches and promos pretty much scripted. Letting the talent put together their own matches and deliver their own promos is a privilege in the WWE and it takes alot of trust and confidence in a performer to allow that to happen. I just don't see Vince McMahon allowing the NXT roster to do things that the RAW and SD! guys don't have the opportunity to do.

I think the matches, polls and eliminations are 100% scripted. The promos and elimination interviews are, at the very least, outlined for the talent. They may not be memorizing a written script and delivering it word for word, but talent are probably given points that they need to hit. Bryan Danielson delivered a knockout elimination interview which came across as very genuine. If it was a shoot, it was approved by McMahon to air. Lets remember that most backstage interviews are taped earlier in the day and NXT is not a live show, it's on a time delay. The powers that be were either aware of what Danielson was going to say or they were ok with it.

The challenges are the only thing that throw me for a loop. I have to say that while I think the challenges are terrible, the WWE has done a great job of making them look real. At the very least, the winners have to be scripted. If the matches and eliminations are scripted, then the challenges have to be as well.

 

[Ruthless-RKO]

Quite siimple really, we know it's all a set-up, with the matches, who wins/loses, who wins the challenges etc...then when an elimination is made, they try to make it look like a real contest like its Hulk Hogans Celebrity Championship Wrestling...

Well, thats my views on it..

 

[DrEwMcInTyRe503]

nice thread.

theres no doubt that the determination of the matches are scripted because of bryans losing streak.

the challenges i think are not scripted. its debatable but do u remember the seal the deal challenge? it cant be scripted that otunga just so happens to sell the most programs...

 

[Madico_Fs]

HHH has been with the company for a while and I dont think I have heard any mention of Paul Levesque. Being that the WWE doesnt normally use actual names, I doubt that the WWE would want Bryan to say his true identity unless they were planning on using it.

When Vince was "crushed" (WORST STORYLINE EVER!), he kept calling out "PAUL!, PAUL!" to which Triple H was saying "Vince, man you ganna be okay, im here man! (etc)", i guess that kinda uses his real name just not his last name, back to the thread,

I think some of the Promo's have to be on the spot because of how green some of the rookies are, like someone mentioned before Ootunga's quote Justin "Gay"-briel (see seperate thread for that lol), the challanges are mixed for me, the keg challange couldnt have been "fake" whereas the rock-em-sockem rookies could have been scriped. The Daniel Bryan/Bryan Danielson shoot on Michael Cole........wow....... nothing could break kayfable like that, "your just the poor mans JR!" and the last kick to the head, hmmmmm made me wonder considering the wwe's issuses with good ol JR.

I think NXT is going to be out there and umpredictalble, i think we all were expecting Taver to go, but not Bryan or the that matter Skip Shefeild. I no something im ganna be excited to watch NXT each week.

Also side note: anyone notice how ironic it is to have an nXt T-Shirt in the design of nWo? esspessially when "The Band" (Original nWo) has re-formed in TNA? I saw that and loled myself, btw can we buy those nWo/nXt shirts off WWESHOP.COM?

Madico

 

[Mustang Sally]

I think NXT is a good answer to those who have always accused Vince McMahon of scripting every minute of every show, including the matches. Of course, NXT does have scripting but I believe they've allowed more freedom of expression (and ad-libbing) by the performers than pro wrestling has seen before.

The show is also an interesting answer to people who have been crying for something new. For years, they've been complaining that WWE gives us the same old thing, yet when something truly unique comes along, those folks don't like this, either.

I don't know if the concept will be continued, but management should realize that the format they've invented is in it's infancy and can be refined and improved if they stick with it.

My only negative thought is how some people think that the "mentoring" concept is real. One poster on this forum said a few weeks ago that perhaps Carlito will regain some of his enthusiasm for WWE now that he's mentoring a NXT competitor.

Come on now! Nobody is actually mentoring anyone; the concept is nothing more than the wrestlers performing their on-screen roles, same as they always do.

 

[waylonmercy]

Can someone please comfirm if this show is scripted as to who will win it all or will these pro's seriously choose the winner based on their knowledge of the ring? I've been watching wrestling for over 25 years so I'm not some little child whos oblivious. It just baffles me as to what really is happening.

 

[D-Man]

Can someone please comfirm if this show is scripted as to who will win it all or will these pro's seriously choose the winner based on their knowledge of the ring? I've been watching wrestling for over 25 years so I'm not some little child whos oblivious. It just baffles me as to what really is happening.

This is the beauty of NXT. You are a prime example of EXACTLY what they wanted to do with the audience. And to be quite honest with you, I'm not 100% sure how to answer your question and I don't think anyone else really can.

The only thing we know for sure is that there is a good portion of the show that is scripted and a good portion of the show that isn't. Most promos have been a "shoot from the hip" style, with little to no preparation for the rookies. That's plain to see, considering that they all act as if they were put on the spot whenever they're interviewed in front of the crowd. I'll also assume that the matches are scripted because it would be too dangerous otherwise.

As for the pros voting, this is the grey area that we seem to have trouble with. Sure, the WWE has the final say in things, but I really feel that the "shoot" interactions with the pros (when asked about who should be eliminated, or post-elimination interviews) have been ad-libbed to an extent, but the segments with Daniel Bryan Danielson have obviously been planned out with brilliant execution, utilizing a play on reality based television shows.

I can tell you this; anyone that comes on this forum claiming to "know it all" is talking out of their asses. No one knows the exact truth of things except for WWE management. And, like I said, that is the beauty of NXT.

 

[Mighty NorCal]

0%.

Its just as scripted as anything else. All of it. I think all this has become quite clear over the last few weeks especially, with the way the chracters have developed, and the way things have gone. Its clearly just one huge angle, and really, the lot of us are foolish for ever thinking otherwise. Its been a stupid, shit angle here and there, but an angle nontheless.

 

[Vanderhook]

Mostly scripted, but I think there are parts that aren't.

MATCHES AND WIN/LOSS RECORD

This is as scripted as anything else in WWE, and I don't see any reason to think otherwise

BACKSTAGE INTERVIEWS

These are about 90% scripted I'd say with some stuff ad-libbed in here and there.

INTERVIEWS IN FRONT OF THE AUDIENCE

I believe these are mostly unscripted. They might have a slight outline but its pretty you can see that a lot of these guys legitimately don't know what to do and reference thigns that break kayfabe (praising mic work over inring working and such).

CHALLENGES

I think it varies from challenge to challenge. I think the obstacle course was supposed to have a winner but they ended up screwing it up. The promo one was probably unscripted.

PRO'S OPINIONS IN THE VIGNETTES

I'm almost positive that these are legit and are the pro's actual opinions

PRO'S POLL AND ELIMINATION

I can't buy that elimination isn't scripted. The polls are probably somewhat legit as they try to script it to what the pro's actually think but whoever is on the bottom is likely set in stone before the pros "vote".

DANIEL BRYAN/MICHAEL COLE FEUD

....Really? This is scripted! Durr.

 

[dialect]

everything is scripted... wwe has done a great job of adding elements of reality to the show but in the end, that was their intention...

the keg carrying contest was the ONLY thing that threw me for a loop, but in the end, it's easy to fake that too.

it was obvious that they wanted to barrett to win the on-the-spot promos. i mean honestly, "winds of change" and using elements of his uk background to really get the crowd behind him is childsplay for the machine that is wwe...

BUT, again, wwe has done a great job of making this seem like reality, i give them kudos for making the iwc consider how much, if any, of nxt is shoot. but truth is, it's alllllll scripted