NXT: what stands out?

[CyberPunk]

First off, I love NXT. I love what they put forward for me. I love the wrestling content, including women/divas and the storylines. So, there's a lot to love in NXT.

Now, comparing NXT to WWE main shows is a bit unfair because of the amount of programming to be filled for WWE main shows; however, it doesn't take away the fact that at this point, NXT puts on a better a show. I was looking forward to R Evolution more than TLC. Why? I was trying to find an answer to that, and in process went back to watch some other NXT stuff. I wanted to see what stands out in NXT? What makes it 'special?'

After looking at NXT, I think the biggest plus point for me is NXT's simple storylines. Look at this year's NXT shows. Most were built around very simple stories which had purpose. Zayn's journey from trying to earn respect of Cesaro to finally winning the NXT championship; Paige's women's championship domination to Charlotte's current run; Neville's quest to keep the championship which finally turned him; even the tag team scene; all are built around very simple backdrop. They create a simplistic story, back it up with consistent logical booking and let the matches tell the story. Whether it's Hideo Itami's struggle in NXT or Kevin Owens' debut and impact. Or simply a story about earning respect. Even Bailey's story of coming of age was well told in the ring. I feel connected to the faces and their quests and understand the motives of heels and their tactics. Even the duds of the main roster can come back to NXT and re-invent themselves (see Tyson Kidd). I mean, you can have awesome matches (we have them on RAW as well), but somewhere I feel that NXT's approach to storytelling gives me a reason to care about those matches. For me, their storytelling stands out the most.

So, what in NXT stands out to you?

 

[Jack-Hammer]

I think what stands out the most to me is the simple consistency of the stories & booking, that NXT is generally able to make the most of the time they have and that everything that happens does have some type of point to it beyond just taking up some time.

It's true that the main roster shows have a lot more time to fill than NXT but, at the same time, that still doesn't mean that the main roster can't fill its air time with as much good quality stuff as possible instead of lackadaisical, uninteresting filler matches & segments. If Vince wants to fill up as much air time as he can, I don't think it'd be difficult to find a means of doing that with stuff that people care about or could grow to care about. He's got 3 hours on Monday nights and there's nothing to stop him from using every minute of those 3 hours to build the strongest show he can. For instance, instead of showing Kane destroying Adam Rose & The Bunny, use that time to give some mic time to The New Day & Gold and Stardust. Give them an opportunity to build interest in their program, give them a chance to get fans to invest their time in them. You know, try to use time that'd be devoted to pointless filler to accomplish something of relevance. Don't just toss us as 3 minute filler match between Natalya & Alicia Fox, give us a reason for the match to be happening and give them a good 10-15 minutes to put on a good, strong women's wrestling match.

 

[TheICChampion]

For me, it says a lot about how far apart the two rosters/shows are in terms of the content they use to fill their shows. I almost never miss RAW but more often than not miss NXT. Now, my attention to either show is usually not 100%, but if I see a match on NXT that interests me in the slightest, I'll put down whatever I'm doing (laptop, 3DS, 360, etc) and watch the match. That doesn't really happen on RAW. I might look up every now and then, but I don't pay attention for very long. What is it that makes me want to stop what I'm doing and watch NXT, but not RAW? Better match quality, simple storytelling and even their filler matches seem to have some sort of meaning to them (Baron Corbin and Bull Dempsey's squash matches, for one thing, because they're using those filler squashes to build a program between the two, and we KNOW that it's going to happen, not get thrown out the window in a week).

 

[L@RISANO]

Whilst I do catch a few videos of NXT, generally, given I don't have the Network...I can't really be bothered to watch it properly.

That said, I can totally understand why people are turned from RAW, because as I am typing this, RAW is on LIVE atm(albeit an Xmas Special)... yet, every week I tend to virtually skip around half the show since there is so much filler crap going on most of the time by way of celeb appearances and comedy skits.


As someone who plays TEW, I am baffled as to why so many lower card guys are feautured so often on RAW...why not leave such crap to a max of about 15mins overall during the entire show, whilst there is obviously time for commercials as well...however, out of 3 hrs, at least 2 hrs absolutely Has to feuture guys that people care about and thus WWE needs to build enough Superstars for that to actually happen and also storylines need to be thought out and not have to be rewritten on a whim 20mins before the show goes live.


Only then will RAW become anywhere close to a must-watch. Of course, some good wrestling happening on RAW wouldn't be much of a bad idea, either.

 

[hatehabsforever]

For me, what stands out about NXT is, for the most part, the lack of bullshit. No bunnies. No bulls. No ballroom dancers. No laptops. No trying to cram 3 hours of television into a program when they should be trying to do it in two. Less talking. More action. That's not to say I love everything about NXT. I'm not a big fan of Tyler Breeze or the VaudeVillains, for example, but I don't expect to like every character on every show anyway. For me, RAW has become far too cartoony, far too much nonsense, reminiscent of the pre-Attitude Era days when we were subjected to Goons, garbagemen, and that crap. NXT, for the most part, steers clear of all that. Actual wrestling on a wrestling program, what a novel concept.

 

[rmp0012002]

It's simplified as the sport use to be. Everything has to be condensed down like old studio shows because you're limited by time and have to get all your angles and work in. The program doesn't have the time to do long monologues to tell the storyline of everything going on, it's narrated by the wrestling. And since the wrestlers are being critiqued they have to to put out their best every show.

 

[Sheamus' Suntan]

It's hard to say what stands out. Where there's so little time on the show, they have to cut out a lot of the rubbish, and work on gimmicks that WORK. The show works on Wrestling ability more than it does anything else, and feels like a WWE level production of an ROH show. That - to me - is what makes NXT so good. They've also got a GREAT roster which helps massively.

 

[Rane]

NXT has become a revelation for many WWE fans. I feel as if NXT has become a new pipeline for die hard WWE fans who really enjoy wrestling and appreciate the story that is expressed in the ring. Unfortunately I believe there are only a minority of the main roster who are able to express it in a similar or better way and technically it all comes to down to the booking of the show.

The final decisions of NXT all run through Triple H. Being apart of the main roster and business for so many years there is not really a better person who you would want to be making those decisions than him. His been the subject of excellent booking throughout the years and understands what draws. A big factor of what stands out in NXT is the majority of the stars get to be themselves, such as Finn Balor and Kevin Owens for example. (Balor using his old entrance with paint, Owens a psychotic rebel)

The problem with RAW is as many would know is Vince changing his mind all the damn time. You would think of having a team of over 20 writers in creative you would be able to be provide a great show to watch each and every week. Like many have said above me, there is not much consistency when it comes to booking and a big victim of it this year was Cesaro.

I had watched an interview Sam Roberts conducted on HHH not too long ago asking him on his thoughts of people saying the NXT product was better than Raw's. Triple H replied with and I absolutely agreed that the difference between the show is the amount of time. He said it's easier to book a 1 hour show than a 3 hour one. Which leaves me to believe that Vince's creative team is running out of ideas.

 

[capnwillie]

Consistency, consistency, consistency. Storylines in NXT have a purpose and match outcomes are more unpredictable than on main roster shows. I also feel like NXT doesn't insult my intelligence as much as a lot of the crap that happens on Raw and Smackdown. It's all killer, no filler.

 

[NxtBigThing]

I'm in the majority saying NXT is great because of it's simplicity. I will read the spoilers for Smack Down, but not NXT because nothing about it really bores me or feels shoved down your throat. I like the wrestling and feel good about the future of the WWE if we get to see them compete someday soon with the Ambrose's, Ziggler's, Rollin's, Reign's, Wyatt's etc. The one thing I like that I don't think anyone said, and if I missed it I apologize, but what also makes NXT stand out is that the championships don't constantly keep switching over and over. I liked when you had a few belts and none of them were switched constantly and while the champion did defend on tv on occassion they usually saved the big match ups for either a special or ppv. To me that made title switches more important and gave the belt more prestige. In WWE they do RAW, Smack Down, Main Event, Superstars, etc and you tend to see some of the same matches and results on a regular basis or recycled. With NXT they only have 4 specials which makes them feel more important since that's when some story lines end or begin. People have to remember that Pro Wrestling is story telling and without a good story even good wresling can take away from the excitement a bit. In NXT there are fewer story lines, and the story lines are realistic and believable which fans seem to appreciate more.

 

[Navi]

So, what in NXT stands out to you?

I would have to say just about everything. They have one hour a week to showcase their talent, and they waste no time, never miss a beat and it never looks hurried or rushed.

The wrestling is fast paced and exciting, heel turns don't take months, they happen during debuts. There is no 20 minute promo's cause they don't need them. The storylines are pretty basic and easy to follow, none of this garbage we put up with on the two main shows.

One of the most important things is the talent actually looks glad to be there. The matches aren't phoned in and everyone gives their all. Although Sin Cara at R Evolution wasn't himself that night for some reason.

Diva's actually wrestle and wrestle well. They aren't just used as a promo for Total Diva's. One of the best parts of NXT is the crowd. Never do you see them sitting on their hands, they always have something to say, very vocal, and they're all on the same page.

The last thing about NXT I appreciate is the announce team, they are terrific, quite unlike the three sad sacks we have to put up with on RAW.

It's almost hard to believe both of them come from the same company. It's like night and day between NXT and the main roster.

 

[the_peoples_adam]

What stands out in NXT is FRESHNESS...
None of these guys have came into the main roster..If they come to the main roster eventually they will fall into a downward spiral..
Also NXT is just SIMPLE..
The small dynamic crowds and exceptional positiveness is helping NXT..Also it reminds us of
the Attitude Era and the Golden Era at times..That is what makes it Stand out..

 

[A11oftheLights]

NXT can be summarised in the exchange between The Vaudevillians and Regal last week. I noticed at R Evoloution that the Lucha Dragons picked up the pin on the illegal man, this was then seamlessly dealt with while i feel this would be ignored on the main shows

 

[The Samoan Heritage]

What stands out to me are the characters and the fans.
Everyone in NXT has some type of character, and for the most part everyone plays there part exceptionally well. Enzo and Cass, Vaudevillians, Lucha Dragons, CJ Parker, Tyler Breeze(*off topic, but were has he been?) The Ascension, etc. Everyone has something different about them that allows them to stand out, which I enjoy. That was an issue wwe main roster had not to long ago, were Ziggler, Cody, Barrett, etc were all heel and acting just about the same way, none of which trully stood out.
Another thing I enjoy about NXT are their fans. The fans are interactive, which makes the superstars want to be interactive as well. What made me first love NXT was seeing the fans interact so well with the superstar's characters like Big E's 5 gimmick, Emma's and her bubble entrance, Cass and Enzo Sawft phrase, and even now with Baron Corbins squashes, the fans count how long it takes for him to defeat his opponent(thats pretty cool and creative). You also don't have smart *** fans that feel like they should chant Husky Harris(at Wyatt when he re-debuted), or Goldberg at Ryback, or boring during matches, or The Commentaries names during a match/segment.
NXT is simple and straight to the point. Also there's no backstage drama/politics, everyone is trying to work hard to get to the top.

 

[RenegadeDX]

tbh I prefer NXT from 2013 then now.

 

[DCLXVI]

Well, all you have to think about is last night's Christmas special Ho Ho Hogan RAW... complete with a "Miracle on 34th" street fight involving what are supposed to be their most dangerous, unhinged characters hitting each other with candy cane kendo sticks, Christmas trees, and boxes of presents. Their "Superstar of the Year" new main event guy winning by count out after using two moves to an overexposed, older wrestler who has schitzo heel/face turns to the tune of "Boring" chants.

Don't get me started about WWE commentary...

I understand that a lot has to be for kids, but suspension of believe is just totally thrown out the window. The storylines are usually flat, don't make sense, change midway, or carry on too long or end too abruptly. NXT is simply a good wrestling show, no compete silliness... You don't feel embarrassed watching plus better matches - some of the better ones being *shocker* female matches that go past the 2 minute mark.

 

[King Patrick Star]

To me, what stands out in NXT are the Championship Title Belts…and not in a good way.

I think the NXT Championship Title Belt looks too plain, for a lack of a better term. I think it needs some stones or something, maybe 3 different side plates, I don’t know, but something is missing. I’m thinking instead of 3 Ws, they could have gone with an N, an X, and a T on the side plates.

The NXT Tag Team Championship Title Belt only looks good if the other version is right next to it. Other than that, it looks like a heavily painted trophy shop Belt.

The NXT Women’s Championship Title Belt looks better than the WWE Divas Championship Title Belt, but that’s not saying much, as I think the TNA Knockouts Championship Title Belt looks much better than both of them.

NXT got the show right, but I think they got the Belts wrong…kind of a Bizarro WWE, if you will.

 

[stingray11214]

NXT has an "old school" vibe that is very contagious. The booking makes sense. The wrestlers are all very unique, and gives people something to enjoy. RAW is very pretentious. The storylines are ridiculous and idiotic. Last night's "Ho Ho Hogan" pile of steaming crap was beyond pathetic. Peppermint stick Singapore canes? Really? And, the future face of your company did next to nothing in his match..and won?!? Really?!? Give me a break.