The REAL Reason For WWE's Recent NXT Call Ups
What does the arrival of Ricochet and co. to Raw mean for NXT?
During Monday Night Raw's show-opening promo, proud proxy father Triple H announced that a quartet of his finest NXT sprogs would be alighting on that very night's episode of the show. His freshly debuting yellow-and-gold progeny would include the brand's two top champions, Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano, as well as 'developmental' standouts Ricochet and Aleister Black.
Hunter, a quiver on his lip, ran down the names suddenly shorn from his pet project for pastures poorer, whilst Michael Cole on commentary provided the briefest precis on their Performance Center performances.
As the night progressed, each of the four new men starred in victorious showcases of their talents. Dual-gold-holders Ciampa and Gargano dispatched Raw's top-tag-dogs The Revival, Aleister Black laboured to a win over Elias, and pinball wizard Ricochet dispatched Lio Rush and Bobby Lashley alongside Finn Bálor. In purely statistical terms, it was a very promising start for the as-yet unconfirmed call-ups.
When the dust settled, it wasn't entirely clear whether the NXT incursion was a one-off showcase to inspire fresh interest immediately after Elimination Chamber, or if they were making a permanent migration from Full Sail.
Tuesday night hinted in favour of the former, as the four-pointed star of stars defied the nominal brand split to feature once more on SmackDown. Again, a tick in the 'W' column was forthcoming for the lot of them.
For a firm answer, we had to consult the oracle. As ever, Dave Meltzer of The Wrestler Observer had the answers, confirming on an episode of Wrestling Observer Radio that the NXT standouts are here to stay. According to the veteran journalist, the decision was entirely reactionary; increasingly troubled by the seemingly unstoppable ratings slide, Vince McMahon arbitrarily decided that he wanted more outstanding workers on the show.
The quickest way to do that was lean on a favour from his son-in-law, requesting Triple H to cherry-pick his four greatest guys for a sudden battlefield promotion.
Amidst the process, the Chairman failed to recognise that perhaps it's what he does with said great talent once they make the step up which is responsible for the never-ending ratings slide. As he apparently identified when outlying his grand scheme, the chaps already at his disposal on the main roster were damaged too badly to be built back into stars.
This is what happens when you create a business out of self-licking ice creams.
[Con't. P1/3]