Raw Underground To Make Its Return... On NXT?
WWE's Fight Club gimmick will return in two weeks to settle midcard feud.
For a brief period in the darkest days of the pandemic, WWE dared to be different, trying to tap into the zeitgeist... of the late 90s, more specifically, Fight Club.
Of course, we're talking about Raw Underground. If you blinked during the summer and fall of 2020, you might have missed this admittedly unique, but deeply flawed concept of shoot-style fights in a rope-less ring with brainchild Shane McMahon excitedly barking into a mic. The fights were short and somewhat formulaic, and the entire segment was scrapped within two months.
But now, Raw Underground will be making its return to WWE programming on NXT in two weeks.
Damon Kemp, who lost two matches to Eddy Thorpe under questionable circumstances, challenged Thorpe to a rematch using Raw Underground as a stipulation: a rope-less ring with the match decided by knockout, TKO or submission.
Raw Underground to NXT?!?!@damonkempwwe has decided what his match stipulation is for his rematch against @EddyThorpe_WWE ?#NXTGoldRushpic.twitter.com/GRNcTXscGo
Advertisement— WWE (@WWE) June 21, 2023
As a one-week gimmick for a midcard NXT feud, this isn't the worst idea. It's better than a lame no-DQ stipulation or special enforcer deal. If it clicks, NXT could bring it back periodically. If it bombs, then you ditch it and never speak of it again.
Raw Underground in 2020 was a unique blend of developmental wrestlers serving as cannon fodder, superstars who were going nowhere on the main roster (think Dolph Ziggler and Riddick Moss) and upper-card wrestlers coming in to dominate, such as Braun Strowman and Bobby Lashley.
Raw Underground did introduce us to two new stars: Dabba-Kato -- who interestingly enough is back in NXT now -- and RU's doorman, Big Jordan, better known today as Omos.