AEW Vs. NXT: Who Won The First Battle?

7. Atmosphere/Presentation

If you're a lapsed fan piqued by echoes of the old war that once captured your imagination, AEW looks like the big-time spectacle, and NXT looks like the cult concern. AEW's production looked striking. Magnificent.

AEW packed out a huge arena, and those who packed it received virtually every second in full, enthusiastic voice. The pyro added to the sense of occasion, the distinct set design with its separate tunnels, "camps", reflected the sports-oriented focus (that hasn't fully materialised with the promised statistics) and, broadly, it felt like a major event of the sort that breeds trust in this capitalist world - how can that many thousand people be wrong?, etc.

NXT looks sleek in a way that doesn't compromise its marketed, cult aesthetic, but still, it looks small-time and intimate - exclusive, perhaps, which might alienate the curious viewers who haven't been given much reason to care about the characters under NXT's match-heavy format. AEW ran a video package promoting the opening match, and NXT didn't - and that opener was for the top prize. AEW provided fans with more reason to invest with traditional storytelling devices.

And, since the comments section likes to tell me that stories matter more than "flips" and "no selling"...

WINNER: AEW

(AEW 1 - 0 NXT)