The Unforeseen Resurrection of NXT
A brand that went from being considered iconic to insufferable by many within a short period, NXT as an entity has been through quite a lot during it’s lifespan. Many still reminis about the infamous Black and Gold days where the likes of Adam Cole, Johnny Gargano, Tomasso Ciampa and more created magic. It was such a beautiful time to be a fan of the product, the men and women on that roster provided us with something we’ve never really seen within a WWE setting. Every Takeover felt gargantuan, and they’d more than often outshine anything else WWE produced that same weekend. It’s a time in history that many will cherish forever.
Nothing lasts forever though, and that applies more than ever in Professional Wrestling. After the ‘Wednesday Night War’ fiasco with AEW concluded when NXT moved to Tuesdays, we’d pay witness to what was advertised as ‘NXT 2.0’. The premise was they’d be building for the future, and they decided to try and achieve this by throwing rather fresh performers on TV and seeing what sticks. There were certainly some gems we saw in the very early stages but as a Televised product it just wasn’t appealing. People struggled to adjust to the change and the general flashy and colourful presentation was simply laughable and seemed childish almost. But as of April 2023, things have seemingly picked up.
The NXT and North American Title divisions are reminiscent of the peak Black and Gold days, in the sense that it's stacked beyond belief. It's the strongest element the show possesses and it's consistently spectacular. Similarly to the Black and Gold days, the division is filled with talented performers from the independent circuit and even Performance Centre. Here's a list of just some of the exquisite wrestlers you can see on NXT:
• Bron Breakker • Carmelo Hayes • Wes Lee • Axiom • Nathan Frazer • JD McDonagh • Ilja Dragunov • Dragon Lee • Grayson Waller • Noam Dar • Charlie Dempsey • Apollo Crews • Tyler Bate
This depth is one of the main components that gives weekly television that little boost. They can put any pairing made up of the previously mentioned names and it'll make for an enjoyable spectate. They've benefited massively from the influx of talent arriving from NXT UK, the likes of Tyler Bate and Axiom add the experience and diverse capabilities that can improve those around then, not to mention they're both sensational athletes. Whilst other divisions may lack that cutting edge at times, it's nearly almost always made up for by these individuals.
Whilst the Women's Division lacks that same quantity, it's still certainly got quality. You don't need to look any further than the Ladder match at Stand and Deliver to see that fact. The women in that match put their bodies on the line in some excruciating spots and whilst there was some clumsy moments that could've resulted in devastating consequences, they manged to deliver when all was said and done. Roxanne and Tiffany Stratton are arguably the two most promising active wrestlers in that division, meanwhile the likes of Cora Jade, Lyra Valkyria and Sol Ruca all look capable of some sort success in WWE too. It's booking tends to be far more interesting than it's main roster counterpart, with their title matches specifically beaming with a sense of importance, whilst the same can't be said for RAW and Smackdown.
Speaking of importance, the two tag divisions also exceed far more in terms of relevancy than the rivaling brands for the most part. The Men's Tag Division has a good set of teams, perhaps most notably being Pretty Deadly and The Creed Brothers, who are just spectacular. Pretty Deadly ooze charisma whilst The Creed Brothers can outshine anybody when that bell rings. The NXT Women's Tag Division on the other hand suffers from some of the same issues as the main roster version, such as a lack of real depth. The key element that separates them though is that they receive a respectable amount of time to develop storylines and characters, as being seen currently with Kiana James and Fallon Henley. They're given segments every week to engage the audience and progress their story which in turn makes you care that slight bit more when they're in the ring. You can apply this very same compliment towards the Men's Tag ranks too, it's such simple booking but WWE have been known to struggle with making fans care about who they're presenting to them, but this method is so effective. It just shows that complexity isn't necessarily always the answer.
NXT still can't be considered to be at the same level it once was but it's building towards something special and if Shawn Michaels and his team can continue to improve the show and produce compelling television then who knows where they may end up. It’s going to take some more time before they pull back in that same dedicated and passionate fanbase they once had, but it certainly seems like they know what they’re doing.