NXT and the WWE Brand Split Draft
On June 8th, NXT held one of its live events known as NXT Takeover. This edition was titled NXT Takeover: The End. The end of what? According to Triple H, the event was the end of the beginning. NXT has been considered the developmental branch of WWE’s main televised programming that is RAW and SmackDown. But after NXT The End, Triple H assured us that NXT will move forward as a stand-alone brand. There’s one problem with that. It’s the WWE draft that takes place next Tuesday on SmackDown.
The WWE has decided to split the current roster into two shows: RAW and SmackDown. It is presumed that champions will work both shows. However, in order for both shows to fill out their roster, it will need to dip into the talent in NXT. It’s been rumored as many as 12 talents from NXT will get called up to the main roster (at max, I would say 6–8 are ready for that push, but alas, Baron Corbin and Apollo Crews have shown they pull the trigger too soon on these call-ups). The question on NXT fans’ mind is this: how exactly does Triple H expect NXT to survive as its own brand if all of its talent is about to be acquired by the main roster?
From being this, you know, developmental brand and that being our existence to being a brand in itself. And I truly believe that NXT is its own brand in every single way. So I kind of felt like if the beginning of what we were was that, tonight marked the end of that beginning.
And that’s exactly what we said it was, it’s the end. We are now full-blown NXT the brand, and that’s where we’re gonna take it from here.
— Triple H, after NXT Takeover: The End
How can NXT fill arenas without Samoa Joe, Finn Balor, American Alpha, and Bayley? It’s not going to happen over night, but one simple decision needs to be made: NXT needs consistency. Once these superstar talents have moved onto the main roster like we expect them to, NXT can start building long-term feuds and champions to be a cornerstone of the division. The Revival, as excellent as they are, aren’t fully needed on the main roster right way. I don’t see any harm in them staying NXT Tag Team Champions or in the tag team title picture for the next year or so. Guys like Rhyno, Itami, Gargano, Ciampa, No Way Jose, and Austin Aries could help get over some of the new guys the fans aren’t familiar with yet. There’s also the Cruiserweight World Championship taking place starting this Wednesday night. 32 Cruiserweights are competing in the tournament. My assumption is the winner will go straight to RAW or SmackDown. That leaves 31 other talents that NXT can bring in.
Professional wrestling is currently filled with talent. Since changing directions and forming NXT into a legitimate brand, it has survived a reset of its roster. Kind of like how college football has survived despite brand new rosters every 4 years, NXT survives changes and acquires great talents from around the world. But if this truly is the End of the Beginning, it’s time to change directions once more. It’s time to start building NXT stars that continue to work NXT.
