11 Ups & 7 Downs For NXT In 2018

Downs...

7. Failed Projects

Kona Reeves
WWE.com

Criticising a sacred cow like NXT is always risky, so let's start with an easy one.

NXT systematically failed at getting a number of acts over this year. The Forgotten Ones were thrust into the tag division's lower reaches with no character development, no storylines, and, with fans given no reason to care about them, they've become listless. Shane Thorne and Nick Miller once looked like an exciting tag proposition as TM61, but have floundered as The Mighty. Kona Reeves, meanwhile, was badly exposed when rebranded as 'The Finest,' going from pushable commodity to abandoned goober in a matter of weeks. The list goes on.

This is developmental. These guys are here to learn, we're watching them at various stages in their growth, and not everyone is going to make it. We accept this, but that didn't make the aforementioned names' growing pains easier to watch.

On the positive side, it's way too early to write any of these people off, as each is still a work-in-progress. They have every chance to rebound in WWE's acclaimed developmental system, so let's hope that 2019 brings better fortunes.

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.