[OFFICIAL] NXT Aftermath, Review, and Ratings Thread

[ncwriter2908]

Thank god ECW name is being taken off that crap brand. Vince is truly a moron when it came to purchasing ECW. He should have let Heyman run ECW the way it was. The same look it had. I guess since it was on mainstream TV maybe a little less bloody. Heyman was a master at developing talent. Hell what was ECW but a stepping stone for young guys to go to WWE or WCW in the past. Lets look at all the guys ECW helped produce....Jericho,Beniot,Dudleys,RVD,Eddie Geurrero,Dean Melenko,Rey Jr,Rhino,Dreamer,TAZ and that list would go on.....ECW was a development company for WWE in some ways and it was the best when Heyman ran it he was a master at exposing peoples talents and hiding thier flaws. He took Johnny Polo out of WWE and made him into Raven for go sakes.


Vince could have had his show basically the way he wanted it if he just let the real ECW comeback and let Heyman run it. ECW always let younger guys be exposed and then they moved on to the bigger feds. Also the original ECW was full of old vets helping out the young stars Bigelow,Funk,Dusty Rhodes,Sid, and others all had a stop in ECW at one point.

When ECW came back it did put on better ratings than SD and I think Vince got a little worried. He worried that if Heyman had been a little wiser and richer ECW may have caught fire and be the number one brand. How perfect would the original ECW be for Spike TV which was formerly TNN. When ECW left TNN changed to Spike TV and wanted to target men. That was to little to late ECw was the perfect product for male viewers.

Long live ECW and thank god its over on SyFY

 

[Davi323]

I am in full support of the rebranding of ECW. ECW isn't ECW. It never was. Not since the WWE brought it back. I have long wanted ECW to transform itself into more of a developmental brand, something like simply televising Florida Championship Wrestling, or something like that. I think it will be more accepted than ECW was, simply because it will be more honest. ECW was trying to cling to a name it never truly represented, but NXT (I do hate the name) will be exactly what it claims, a brand designed to polish the skills of the younger generation. This is what ECW should have been all along, but not called ECW. It won't be a sheep in wolf's clothing, like ECW living off of the reputation Paul Heyman built. ECW was the third wheel, and never worked, because the WWE pretended that ECW was a legitimate 3rd brand. The WWE was 2 and a half brands. They tried to make the ECW title count the same as the WHC or WWE title, but, we all knew it wasn't. No matter how much they wanted us to believe otherwise, ECW was always the lesser brand. Me and friends get together every Monday to watch Raw, and we sometimes discuss Smackdown. We never talk about ECW, because, we all understand that ECW simply doesn't count. It doesn't matter.

I applaud the WWE for doing what should have been done years ago.

 

[<your random vulgar emoticon here>]

i love the rebranding of ECW. this is because ecw was the stepping stone for kofi,cm punk,ezekiel jackson, and even sheamus. But I hate the name NXT. What im going to suggest is bring the ECW title to raw or sd! and jus repackage it the hardcore title. for guys like kane,christian, r-truth, evan bourne, carlito, chavo, and the big show to do something. All in all think the rebranding is a great idea

 

[Dagger Dias]

First, what do you think of the reported concept of WWE NXT as has been reported on the newsboards? Do you see it being any more advantageous to what WWE is currently doing with ECW?

I have somewhat mixed feelings. The name "ECW" stopped sounding good for this show after December to Dismember. Then the name kept feeling more out of place when the New Talent Initiative(s) began, despite me being a huge fan of that. Right around the time Matt Hardy became ECW Champion, I finally said to myself "This just does NOT feel right". However, a name change could be all this show really needs. It would do away with the uncomfortably forced link to the original ECW, and NXT (while not the best name) plays well into the theme of the show, which is the next group of wrestlers who might be the future of the federation. I think that this will be more advantageous to WWE than the current format because a developmental show is far better than a third brand no one cares about.

Secondly, do you have a better suggestion for what WWE should do with the show? It's obvious they do NOT want another third major brand at this point in time, however should they just replace the show with another show like Superstars instead, or should they even just cancel the show, based on the news of the intentions for it?

What I think they should do is go ahead and make this NXT show, and have it NOT be a third brand. Everyone currently assigned to the ECW roster should get promoted to Raw/Smackdown because they deserve it, especially Christian. The NXT show, in my opinion, should be a newer talent oriented version of Superstars. That way we still get a WWE show on tuesdays, the new guys have a developmental show to debut on, AND we no longer have to deal with a third brand few people care about anymore. Things were better when we had the setup of Raw and Smackdown as the main rosters, while Heat and Velocity were secondary shows. This can return now if NXT is going to be similar to Superstars. I also hope that they do not have a championship on this show because someone saying something that sounds like "I'm the next champion!" sounds like a contradiction when they currently ARE a champion.... lol

 

[Ballin247]

Is anyone actually gonna watch this new crap? NXT? That is like watching the NBDL or minor league baseball. I don't wanna watch a bunch of no name guys no one cares about. At least with the name ECW it gave the illusion that this is something I can care about. Even though ECW was more or less a development show, it felt more important because it had a name that sounds like a wrestling show. NXT will last about 3 months before the ratings tank and Vince pulls the plug. If you take Christian off the show why the fuck would anyone want to watch it at all? He basically carried the whole show on his back. No one want to watch a show centered completely around Caylen Croft, Trent Baretta, and Vance Archer. No one watches NBDL because no one wants to see a bunch of guys that can't play basketball. This is no different.

 

[JBK2008]

NXT is just another stupid renaming ploy that in the end won't work. Nobody is going to care. So even more new talent will come onto this program and fewer vets wlll be on the show. Where does that leave the vets, and more importantly, where does this leave Christian and his ECW Championship?

A lot more questions than answers came out of Vince's announcement last night, and I think this will be a failure down the road and we'll see two brands once again. A third brand is nice to see, but a unique name of something needs be found and then a decent roster needs to be put in place. Have new guys on each brand periodically, not all just on one brand. Change is good, but constant change eventually will bore the fans because there's never going to be one person to root for for that brand.

 

[AMH]

I didn't read every post in this thread, quite simply because it gets irritating reading post after post, thread after thread of WWE bashing. For as long as I've been reading these, I've heard nothing but how Vince destroyed ECW, that it's a watered down version of its past self, that it's a terrible show yada yada. Which is fine. Of course, nothing can ever be like the original, the past is the past.

But now, here's McMahon, introducing this new concept, eliminating this "watered down" ECW, and you the majority of you can do on here is bitch, and say it's a bad idea. I read these threads day after day and can't help but get sick and tired of all the WWE bashing. It gets old real fast.

TNA is great. TNA is on the right track. Give me a break!! Their ratings have gone up SLIGHTLY, they're main event last week consisted of two WWE mid-carders, and the great wrestling that they've become known for is diminishing week after week, due to one too many Bischoff/Hogan promos.

Now, I don't want to come on here to burn bridges. I'm just saying that it's the WWE. They ARE the number one company in the world. Who are we to criticize what decisions McMahon makes when he's been doing it successfully since many of us were in diapers.

I personally LIKE this idea. I think it'll be neat to see people we've never seen before, matches we've never seen before, superstars of the future, a whole new concept. Which I'm assuming they're going to do, although some say it'll just be ECW with a new name. But I hope not. I hope they bring guys up from FCW and let them go at it. All the wrestlers from Orton to Cena to Batista, they all got their start in the minors. Now wouldn't it have been cool to see these guys on television as they were developing? Well, that's what we're getting here. I just think that we shouldn't knock it till we see for ourselves that it sucks. Wait the three weeks then re-post this thread. I'm sure our opions will be a lot more valid then.

 

[Lexy]

I'll be honest, I would like to see the current ECW talent head over to Smackdown & maybe a couple go to RAW, and just eliminate a Tuesday night show all together. OR!!! They can do a talk-"Sportscenter"-type show on Tuesday night where they recap the previous Pay-Per-View and RAW, then go into some deep discussion about the storylines, characters, & speculation on possible future changes, etc. They could mix the show up and do some interviews with the wrestlers, give people an "All Access" look at shows, and maybe RELATE to folks better. Reach out and try to shake the hand, so to speak, of the viewers and buyers of the WWE Product(s). Their biggest problem right now is how cold they come across to people and to the general public. They are not very transparent and they don't do anything outside of charities to really get the public involved with the product. I don't know. Anyone kind of see where I'm going with this??

It's like when Professional Sports Teams come to a town, they go out of their way to get the public involved in things! They are very transparent with all that they can be and they actively seek out ways to involve the fans in everything they do. WWE just shows up, does a show, and moves to the next town. Then repeat. The only thing you get is an appearance by Cena or Big Show if your in the local Children's Hospital (which is awesome BTW!) and that's really it. WWE acts like they want nothing to do with PUBLIC RELATIONS and that's not good. Not now atleast. People want to feel like they are part of the program and the success, the WWE distances themselves too much for that.

I'll give the new show a chance! It sounds good enough to me for a good sit down. I'm new here and I typically don't bash either wrestling organization because they both have their places in this world. But with all due respect, Vince McMahon isn't known for always (and that's the key word, ALWAYS) making the right decision when it concerns the viewing public & what they see. *cough* XFL *cough*

 

[Achilles4]

In my opinion ECW did NOT elevate guys like kofi kingston and sheamus, it helped get theyre name out there, but the only way someone can be elevated to that level is by competing against wwe's top superstars.

If they put only newcomers on "NXT" we wont be able to compare their abilities against major wwe stars....kofi got elevated in his feud with orton....r-truth in his feud with jericho....sheamus in his feud with cena and beating orton at the rumble...(the list goes on)....no one would consider a no name superstar great for having a feud with another no name superstar.

people dont remember cm punk for his feud with elijah burke....we dont remember sheamus for destroying no namers.......nor do we remember morrison for his ECW days. Key Example: Evan Bourne; fun to watch on ECW, he switches to raw, havnt seen him in weeks/ he gets destroyed every time hes in a raw ring. good against no namers, we thought hed be good on raw, we were wrong.

ECW GETS LOW RATINGS BECAUSE THERE ARE NO MAJOR SUPERSTARS ON ECW + A BUNCH OF NO NAMERS.

WWE'S SOLUTION IS TO PUT MORE NO NAMERS ON THE BRAND: wtf:

 

[emilygoindown]

Man! you people are so negative!
Why do you all have to bash something that hasnt even seen the light of day yet?
OK so the name isnt perfect-at least its not called ECW anymore!
I dont see why u hate the concept either; a place for younger superstars, you guys always complain that wwe dont push their younger guys and now when they finally start, and introduce a show dedicated to them-u complain!
Another point, after years of you complaining about the new ECW-they finally decide to change the name and you still complain!
The only reason you people hated ECW so much is because u insisted on remebering the old ecw and refused to watch it as another show and insisted on comparing it to the original. Of course its not as good as the original! but there just using the ECW name cause they no it will attract fans! Eventually however the fans were no longer being attracted so they decided to finally change the product.
overall i enjoyed ecw because it showed so much younger stars whilst mixing them up with veterans like christian, dreamer and regal.
Thanks to ECW people like cm punk and jack swagger were made to look credible and r now on the main shows.
People like ryder, christian and yoshi look like they have bright futures ahead of them thanks 2 the way they have been elevated on ECW.
so now they will bring more young stars and change the name! you people should be happy but instead u complain!
bloody hell how stupid can you be! just give the show a chance!

 

[Spunky]

The name is shite, But I'm interested to see if they take a page from ROH, And have everyone on the show as an equal. It would make for an exciting show, Where anyone can beat anyone, At anytime. Because everyone in theory would be unestablished.

All this re-branding is Vince futher reiterating that all ECW was a third, And unimportant show.

 

[classicviolence]

Im going to keep this short.

ECW debuted in 2006 with high rating (around 2.6) and a rabid fanbase. The whole thing with RVD getting arrested then depushed, afraid of going to Hammerstein Ballroom, and arguing with Heyman sealed ECW's fate.

ECW was still a good show, but who care's about people like Boogeyman, Vance Archer, Croft/Barretta, Zeke, Kozlof and other talents that people did not want to watch on a consistent basis.

Vince needed to keep ECW how it was back in 2006 and not try to make it a vanilla show. Oh well, I was furious at the announcement of the ECW cancellation. However, WWE has a chance to do something interesting with Tuesday nighits.

 

[Suneeboy]

People don't watch ECW now, so changing the name is not going to help if the content is generally going to be the same. No one wants to see no namers come out and wrestle matches that have no meaning. I want to see angles, swerves, and characters. If I don't get that, I'm not going to watch. I am pretty certain I won't get that, because I barely get it on RAW or Smackdown! so why would I watch NXT to see Croft and Baretta fight two guys from FCW with Matthews and Saxton calling the action?

I'd rather watch paint dry.

The WWE is in a lose-lose situation here. The fans are frustrated with the lack of overall entertainment, that is why so many people can say &#8220;I don&#8217;t care&#8221;, or &#8220;This is a fail&#8221;. This is because there is nothing out there that supports that this move will be entertaining in the least. Hell, their top stars can&#8217;t keep us entertained on a consistent basis.

It doesn&#8217;t really matter what they call the show, or really who they put on the show. It is a &#8220;C&#8221; show so we don&#8217;t expect much to begin with. They should focus on trying to develop the young guys and teach them how to work a crowd and get themselves over. They also need to learn how to carry a feud, which none of them can do.

The other option is to scrap the show all together, either that or Superstars. I see no need to have 4 shows. It has added to the over exposure of the WWE and exposes them creatively, by showing how much television time wasting on recaps and meaningless matches. If they had less time to work with, they probably would do more.

 

[Dowdsy McDowds]

Well I guess the good news is that ECW can finally be laid to rest and those that remember the original ECW wont cringe as much when they hear folks talking about the soon to be NXT show.
I have no problem with WWE showcasing giving their younger guys a stage to show what they can do, but I was wondering if anyone knew why the WWE didn't just give the slot to FCW? It's a letter different and isn't in the crappy text speak either. From the sounds of it, the show might have a slightly higher caliber of wrestling talent than what goes on at FCW, so yeh, does anyone know of any reason this didn't go ahead instead of what's going to happen?
I haven't watched the WWE's ECW in quite a while, but I wonder how Vince expects to change the ratings by taking away the bigger stars and leaving it up to the kids? One final thing I'm curious about, will Vince wait until the draft post Mania to move the older guys from ECW or do we see a fairly swift changing of the guards?

OK, this is the final thing, instead of TNA changing to Monday Nights, if they want to annoy Vince, why not switch to Tuesday Nights? Y'know, to be dicks

 

[Ambiguous Turd]

Since it appears that this show is going to be featuring all new talent, I have no doubt in my mind that Bryan Danielson is going to play a major role in this show. Since he is in FCW right now honing his ring skills and getting his so-called ring rust out of his system (*cough* political move *cough*) .... 3 weeks should be enough time for him to be back.

Like others have said ... if ECW failed in the concept of being a smaller league developmental show WITH veterans on the show, I don't know how they expect it to be successful with NO veterans on the show and all new talent. Basically, the only thing they are doing is changing the name and getting rid of the veterans (from the sound of things).

They may really push marketing efforts to make it sound like it's a big deal that you are seeing the "stars of the future" and make that the show's selling point, but I question whether that will do any good at all after a few weeks. The bottom line is that you are going to see even less familiarity amongst the names on the show, and I don't think this is going to keep viewers hooked.

I just don't think WWE viewers are interested in seeing a Developmental type show. I know the Internet is real big on that, but I am not convinced the masses are. They don't like sitting down knowing they are watching a "C" show, hence why I don't think any show with this type of concept will do well.

I actually predict that this show will be canceled altogether relatively soon, because despite a renewed push, I don't see the concept working, based on what is being reported.

 

[Dysturbed]

First, what do you think of the reported concept of WWE NXT as has been reported on the newsboards? Do you see it being any more advantageous to what WWE is currently doing with ECW?

I don't think that it's going to be more advantageous since it seems to be the same concept but I do think that the existence of such a show is a good idea, in theory at least.

I think that it's a good idea in this day and age for a wrestler to be placed in a certain televised situation for an extended period of time to see if they can handle it. Having that be on Raw or Smackdown though probably isn't' the best idea. Simply having wrestlers go from territories to some dark matches to the main rosters may not give the performers a full view of things for WWE. It possibly can for some of the more established wrestlers that in theory could immediately be on the main roster, but not all of them.

It's one thing for someone to be able to compete in front of a certain sized crowd in the territories and another to be doing it with the knowledge that they are not only in front of a bigger crowd but that their matches are being televised to the "masses" as opposed to not being televised or only a small portion of fans getting the opportunity to see them. (Then again with NXT and previously ECW it wasn't exactly "masses" though I suppose it's more than they'd be competing in front of otherwise). Dark matches help certain wrestlers with the tv sized crowds but actually being on tv actually gives the more of a taste of what they need to be able to do when in a specific situation. That is potentially the best form of measurement since being able to perform under that kind of pressure is of extreme importance if any particular wrestler is going to potentially last on the main two shows. In current times, other than rare occasions, if a wrestler is on tv for more than an occasional jobber vs established wrestler match, they are given some sort of a defined purpose and character. Doing that to someone on Raw or Smackdown that isn't ready could be even worse than having them be on a second rate show and them showing that they are too &#8220;green&#8221;. It didn't used to need to be that way cause newer wrestlers could be easily lost in the crowd but in todays times if you are going to be seen, you are likely to become semi known.

With that being said it doesn&#8217;t necessarily do much good for the wrestlers to be in certain situations if people end up not watching. I don&#8217;t see ratings being any better for this concept than the ECW one.

Doesn't sound too different then what I saw out of ECW.

I agree, it sounds like the same thing only possibly less appealing. Like I said before, the shows existence imo is a good idea but unless enough people watch it may not serve the purpose that I mentioned. I realize that the purpose that I mentioned may not be Vince's "purpose."

 

[theBIGdealAndyP]

me personally, i welcome a development program, in fact, i would prefer they pull all the veteran talent and make it all about young guys trying to prove themselves, then it will actually be like the old ECW. so whats the solution? you guys stop complaining about a show that you dont watch in the first place!

 

[ramblinroy68]

I am glad they are changing the name. WWE ECW was never going to live up to the high standards that the ECW Fans wanted it to be. One thing I have learned is that when you look back at something it was always better in your mind than in reality. ECW had a lot of flaws in its original version. WWE ECW had much more. The two just were never going to coexist.

Having a developmental show excites me. One instead of feeling frustrated that ECW doesn't get respect on the PPV's and is considered lower, now NXT will clearly be lower and I don't have to waist time worrying about it. Also, I like seeing the new stars come in. I like watching them develop. I like seeing the characters transform. That's one of the reasons I like watching indy wrestling. Seeing stars before they are stars. I remember watching the Hardy Boys, Helms, Moore, and many others before they ever showed up on TV. Now, I can see them on TV.

Secondly, it should make for better Raw and Smackdown stars if done correctly. Instead of having to watch Sheamus stumble on Raw, maybe the next guy will be given time to develop on NXT.

Now, with that said, will the ratings ever be Raw or Smackdown, NO. It doesn't have to be. As long as, NXT pulls ratings higher than the other SYFY shows it will be a success for them. If WWE will do this correctly it should be able to draw viewers.

One thing I would do would be to do away with the ECW championship and re-name it the Television Title. Make it be defended on TV and only TV. No PPV's. This would create at least one show where titles can change hands. Make a stipulation that if you can hold the title for a number of (4-6) months, then you earn your way on to the big shows. Also, I would have a money in the bank match for a promotion at Wrestlemania. This could be a dark match or the opening match.

Either way, I look forward to seeing how it is handled. Hopefully, in the long run, it makes WWE better so we don't have Sheamus as the champ or another HHH/Cena match at WM in 5 years.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

So the thread is the typical WWE hatefest. Can't say that I'm surprised as it's pretty much what I expected no matter what the announcement was going to be.

First off, I'd like to just say fuck ECW. I mean, fuck ECW altogether. People have been harping over the watered down ECW ever since it started and keep going on and on about how great the old ECW used to be. Fuck it. The ECW of old is dead and gone, it has been for nearly a decade so it's time to move on and get the fuck over it.

Secondly, in typical IWC fashion, they've already condemned the concept before a single new episode has aired. Instead of waiting to see whether or not it's a waste of time by actually WATCHING THE SHOW TO FIND OUT, we get the typical IWC hate WWE bullshit. I'm not saying the concept is going to work, it might be a total flop altogether, but why not do something different in this case? Why not actually give something the WWE does a chance before taking a giant shit all over it? I know it goes against the grain for many on this forum, but it's something different. Somehow, I doubt that TNA would get this sort of grief if they created a second show just for displaying younger talent.

Aside from having and showcasing young talent, we don't know what the format of the show is going to be. Are all the older and more seasoned wrestlers going to Raw or Smackdown? I don't know, we'll have to actually watch to find out. Can a show without veterans generate any sort of interest in the long run? See same answer above.

 

[XgringolocoX]

Why is everyone crying about the name. While I'm in favor of dropping ECW from the show, whatever it's called next (HA!) doesn't really matter.

If the vision of this show is to be a deveolpmental TV show and not a brand then not being "Something Something Wrestling" says that. I was always expecting more outta ECW because it's named EXTREME CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING. Setting this new concept show apart from RAW and Smackdown is a good idea IMO. If you didn't have the expectations that this is a 3rd brand you won't automaticly compare it in the same light as the other wrestling shows.

Odds are that it'll suck, but lets at least see the first few shows before we bury it.

 

[AndyUK]

I like the idea and I'm looking forward to seeing some new guys on TV. I hope Danielson and Low-Ki get on the show. Plus, it gives guys like Benjamin and Christian a chance to get on the main shows, which is only a good thing because it means I'll get to see them again because ECW really hasn't given me much of a reason to watch it over the last few years.

I hate the name NXT but it is a good idea and there really is no point in them calling it ECW before because it has nothing extreme. ECW has been a development show for a few years now but it looks like it will be officially be one. I'm not sure if it will be successful but I will tune in to the first episode for sure.

 

[stillboy21]

I'm just thinking what the Draft will be like now. You know that whoever gets drafted to NXT without knowing about it in the first place is gonna be pissed. I almost hope they make a stipulation where guys can only come out of NXT, as long as they're ready, and not go in or keep the draft just between Raw and Smackdown this year. Also do you think they're gonna change the name of championship to the NXT Championship? What would that do to the ECW Championship legacy? I hope the NXT title will be a seperate championship and they retire the ECW belt and not convert it. I believe Christian was a great last ECW champion and hope they quit tarnishing the name of ECW.

 

[chismo16]

The need to combine Superstars and ECW and make it a 2 hour show on Syfy. Move all of the established guys like Christian to Raw or Smackdown and put all the new guys on NXT for 2 hours on Tuesday nights. And dont give the mic to Abraham Washington. If the show is all about new young talent, it should be more wrestling and less storylines. I hate how they try to cram so much into 1 hour, if you had 2 hours of new faces, people would watch to see who they think the future stars will be. Also only give them 1 match at pay per views, this way to get to a pay per view you have either have the title or be the contender. Oh yeah, and they could start a whole new tag team division on that show. Since the tag team division is pretty much dead in the water on Raw and Smackdown. But if it stays at 1 hour and nothing changes it will continue to get zero ratings.

 

[LSN80]

I dont like the idea of it at all. I felt that them continuing to call it ecw for so long was a mistake, especially after Vince won the title. That to me was the day ECW died, so why keep its moniker for so long? Second, with wwe nxt,(which I agree is an asinine name) you basically have two FCW's. I honestly feel that they should disband altogether, but Vince wont allow that. If they really want to do something with it, at least allow a few young stars such as bourne, ziggler, and maybe even Kofi since hes lost all his momentum basically since MSG and the other two are jobbers and nothing more on their shows, to work there and ply their craft. Id also have a tv championship, which would give fans a reason to tune in if they knew there would be a championship match every week. But ECW has not been a success since Backlash 2007 and Id rather they disband the show, or utilize it as a show where the champ(if they even are going to have one) defends it weekly. They already have one pointless show in superstars.

 

[blair4107]

I'm fine with the change; unless they were intended to revive WCW as well I never really saw the point since it wasn't "Extreme" anymore anyway and all the originals were gone.

My question is what happens to the ECW Title? Does it become the NXT Title? That would make the wrestler, in the case of Christian or any other veteran look weaker. I would suggest bringing back the Jr. Heavyweight Title or something of that nature.