THIS Is WWE’s Plan To Defeat AEW
...but NXT Vs. AEW may yet become NXT Vs. WWE.
“When two separate events occur simultaneously pertaining to the same object in inquiry, we must always pay strict attention.”
FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper, Twin Peaks
The mixed messaging propaganda and mortal danger of wartime breeds paranoia—and so, let’s indulge a conspiracy theory/worst case scenario exercise.
This week, WWE’s main roster and NXT universes bled into one another on two consecutive shows. This is a rare phenomena. Beyond the various one-off cameos made by current NXT stars—Bayley, Charlotte Flair, the Street Profits—this tends not to happen, though it has happened in reverse on occasion, too. Memorably, Seth Rollins hijacked TakeOver: San Antonio to confront Triple H. There is an acknowledgement that both brands exist in the same universe, but the relationship is harmonious. NXT is framed as exponentially more helpful to the main roster than it is in reality.
On Monday’s RAW Reunion, AJ Styles threatened to follow Shawn Michaels to NXT, in which he is a high-ranking Producer. On SmackDown, Dolph Ziggler tore Michaels apart verbally. He buried Michaels for “shuffling” to the ring, without referring to Crown Jewel explicitly. Michaels fired back, accusing Ziggler of being a “second-rate Shawn Michaels wannabe”. Ziggler floored Michaels, who wore an NXT cap, with his Superkick finish. A way to put heat on Ziggler ahead of SummerSlam?
Or more tentative, experimental blurring of the lines ahead of NXT’s mooted, combative move to FS1?
Dave Meltzer brushed off the idea in this week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
“Even though during the DX vs. The O.C. angle on Raw Styles made a remark about knowing you’re at NXT to Michaels, right now there are no plans for Styles, Gallows and Anderson to invade NXT.”
But, whenever the venerable Uncle Dave writes the word “plans”, the word “change” invariably follows.
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