5 Reasons why NXT is better than RAW and SmackDown

Last year, WWE NXT started going live on Wednesday nights and quickly became the most preferred brand of the promotion amidst the WWE Universe. Under Triple H, this developmental brand of the company has gained a lot of success and continues to deliver the best WWE show every week.

This reason behind the rise of NXT isn’t limited to the competition from the rival promotions. In fact, the brand had been delivering great shown even before they were a part of the mainstream media. There are a few significant differences that make NXT a better brand than its counterparts.

From the creatives to the Superstars, everything about the Black and Gold brand is dedicated to adapting to the changing times in the pro-wrestling business. Needless to say, that has helped NXT is creating a better product when compared to its counterparts.

In this article, we will take a look at five reasons why NXT is better than RAW and SmackDown.

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#5 Long-term booking and brilliant storylines

The creatives work well in building-up great matches

One of the best parts of NXT is its consistency when it comes to storylines. More often than not we have seen the Superstars of the Black and Gold brand being involved in extended rivalries that make for engaging narration over a span of months. This allows the creative to explore the full potential of the wrestler involved, helping them understand their pace before they head towards the final chapter of the rivalry.

An additional benefit of such type of booking is the inclusion of other Superstars in the ongoing feuds. A lot of times, we see shocking twists in the storylines which are either used to add more flame to the main rivalry or to include more names in the booking. This, in turn, leaves ample room to create fresh feuds with enough history after the ongoing rivalry is put to rest.

The long-term booking in NXT shows the dedication of both the creative and the Superstars who give their all to ensure that feuds look promising both on paper as well as inside the squared circle. Needless to say, they exceed the expectations nearly every time and have very rarely left the WWE Universe disappointed.

#4 No blatant favoritism

The push to the top is often organic in NXT

The lack of blatant favoritism in NXT plays a huge role in setting the brand apart from RAW and SmackDown. Unlike the ‘main roster’, the talents on the Black and Gold brand are often involved in storylines that will do justice to their character. As a result, the push of these Superstars to the top is mostly organic and resonates with the feelings of the WWE Universe and helps retain their interest.

The NXT Superstars are usually not put under brackets based on their position on the roster. As compared to its counterparts, NXT seems to give equal opportunities to more and more Superstars and is efficient in recognizing the talents that are naturally over with the crowd. From the slightest change in the gimmick of the Superstars to a heel or face turn, everything is planned and executed based on the reaction towards the overall product.

It is difficult for a Superstar to find his or her niche in one or two attempts. And if they fail to impress with the one shot that they get, these wrestlers are often sent back to the sidelines where they have to spend a lot of time waiting patiently for their next chance. NXT, on the contrary, has persistent with its Superstars and continues to push talent until they find their momentum. Following that, they use the Superstars in the stories that suit them best, which adds more credibility to the Superstar.

#3 Pays no heed to the conventional mold of top Superstars

Skills are the only thing that matters in NXT

It is widely believed that Vince McMahon only prefers Superstars who are built like Roman Reigns or Brock Lesnar to be at the top. Hence, some of the most popular faces of the company seem like they have been built in the same mold. While Vince McMahon's preference for Superstars with a stature like that of the ‘Beast Incarnate’ is understandable, it has sometimes led him to ignore other talented Superstars who are smaller in size.

Luckily for them, NXT doesn’t seem to prefer the stature of the Superstar over his or her skills. Instead, they understand how the times have changed in the pro-wrestling business and have seen the rising popularity of Superstars like Finn Balor, Adam Cole, Johnny Gargano, and Tommaso Ciampa, who are far removed from the conventional image of a WWE Superstar.

This alone is the reason why every NXT talent believes that he or she can be in the main event of TakeOver. That belief reflects directly in their performance as they try to improve every week in the hopes of reaching the top. The creatives of NXT must be appreciated for their unbiased nature when it comes to determining the position of a Superstar on the roster.

#2 Equal attention to all divisions

They redefined women' wrestling in WWE

If there’s one brand that gives equal attention to the men’s division, the women’s division, and the tag team division, it’s NXT. Unlike RAW and SmackDown, the Black and Gold brand does a brilliant job in managing all the divisions on the roster without letting it affect the product. They are equally invested in the feuds across all divisions which is evident from their TakeOver shows which are great right from the start to the main event.

NXT does a better job of the overall development of the product, especially the women’s division, and the tag team division. In several instances, the title feuds for the NXT Women’s Championship have been better than the Championship rivalries on RAW and SmackDown combined. The same goes for the tag team division.

The rise of Superstars like Becky Lynch, Sasha Banks, Charlotte Flair, and Bayley, as well as their current dominance on the main roster, speaks volumes about the trust that NXT first vested in them. They continue to work equally hard for each part of their roster and the best of the lot gets to take the spotlight during the main event. This is undoubtedly the best way to go about the entire product.

#1 Better quality of matches

You will never get tired of watching these two Superstars

The biggest reason why NXT is better than RAW and SmackDown is the quality of matches that we see on the Black and Gold brand. As is commonly known, Triple H prefers to add more realistic elements in the in-ring encounters and encourages his Superstars to outperform themselves.

The rivalry between Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano is the best example of this approach, Both Superstars have locked horns countless times and yet, they manage to keep the fans invested every time they are feuding. This, however, is not restricted to the top Superstars of the brand alone. In fact, even the filler matches in NXT are sometimes better than the matches we see on a PPV.

It is rightly said that NXT is Triple H’s baby. With the Black and Gold brand, ‘The Game’ has redefined WWE and has established a bright future for the company. He is expected to be the one who will take over the creative control from Vince McMahon in the future. Once that happens, you can expect the entire company to adopt the approach listed in this article. Triple H is bound to make a few drastic changes in the overall product and you can read all about it here, in this article.