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Since it first aired in February 2010, WWE NXT has gone through several reincarnations. Starting as a reality game show that introduced Daniel Bryan to a worldwide audience, it morphed into a developmental brand that produced the likes of Roman Reigns. It then became a "super-indie" program from which the likes of Kevin Owens emerged to take the company by storm.
The brand is in its fourth major iteration, acting as a developmental platform for homegrown talent and a landing point for indie talent learning the WWE style. Company CEO Nick Khan recently stated that the promotion believes the brand can be a standalone show, not just developmental.
This left the wrestling community wondering how the company would go about this, and we went a step further and imagined how it could be done in the shortest possible time.
Here are four ways NXT can be elevated to RAW and SmackDown's level as soon as possible
#4: WWE needs to get NXT's weekly shows out of the Performance Center and into bigger venues
One of the biggest contributing factors to the success of a pro wrestling show is the crowd in attendance. A great crowd can elevate a show from mediocre to excellent, while a "dead" crowd can make a dud of a magnificent event. One of the ways RAW and SmackDown keep crowd energy up is by performing in front of a different audience every week.
Whenever these shows roll into a town, fans bring the energy because they have a rare opportunity to see the larger-than-life stars perform in person. On the other hand, NXT is held in the same arena at the performance center every week, with much of the same crowd sitting at a fraction of the masses in the arenas where the "main roster" shows are held.
Even on their best day, the 300-strong Full Sail crowd can barely measure up to the energy of a 10,000-seater arena. This hurts the brand's credibility compared to RAW and SmackDown and thus must be fixed imminently.
#3: WWE must boost NXT's star power to mirror RAW and SmackDown's
For over a decade, WWE NXT has fed RAW and SmackDown (and even AEW) with its best talent, becoming the biggest feeder system in the industry. Many of its alums have gone on to do great things, with arguably the biggest example being the Shield trio, who are top attractions on the top three shows in the business.
Imagine how much bigger NXT would be if these megastars were regularly featured. Imagine the viewership spike if Roman Reigns brought one of his gripping Bloodline segments to the white and gold brand! More of this must happen, and Bron Breakker challenging Seth Rollins for the World Heavyweight Championship is a step in the right direction.
For years, NXT stars have had to go to the blue and red brands to get some star power. It's about time star power returned home and rubbed off on the show that groomed it. Maybe then, the likes of Breakker won't have to leave to get their due recognition.
#2: WWE could feature NXT talent on the main roster Premium Live Events
NXT is home to formerly retired WWE and WCW IPs like In Your House, Great American Bash, and Battleground. While these event names hold some nostalgic value, they are all from eras most fans don't remember or weren't that popular. Thus, they do little to enhance the brand in the current setting.
If the company regularly features NXT matches on the main roster Premium Live events, it could boost the brand's visibility and interest and draw more eyes to it. If some of the TakeOver "bangers" over the years had been on the same cards where the likes of Brock Lesnar, Goldberg, and John Cena created iconic moments, maybe they would be remembered fondly by a much wider audience.
Additionally, they might have prompted more "casual" fans to follow the superstars involved back to NXT to find out how their stories played out.
#1: WWE needs to treat NXT championships as equals to main roster titles
Over the years, WWE has flirted on and off with recognizing NXT championships on the same level as their main roster counterparts. Stars like Charlotte Flair have seen their reigns on the third brand recognized in the past, only to be suddenly wiped off their record minus explanation. This has given fans the impression that the Tuesday Night Show's titles don't matter.
Changing this would instantly put the likes of Carmelo Hayes, Shinsuke Nakamura, and Sami Zayn in the same realm as main eventers like Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar. It would also boost the resumes of current main eventers like Drew McIntyre and Seth Rollins, who excelled in NXT. It could be the shot in the arm needed to elevate the third brand to the level of RAW and SmackDown, shedding the "minor league" tag.
Imagine if a Cena, Edge, Lesnar, or Reigns chased the NXT Championship because "It's the only world title I've never won in this company!" How great that would be for the brand!
