10 Things In WWE That Started Awful But Turned Out Great
3. NXT
NXT began as a competition show featuring silly challenges like carrying kegs down the ramp or cutting promos about random topics like mustaches. The first season showed some promise (even though they horribly mishandled Daniel Bryan from top to bottom), but after all the contestants were vanquished by John Cena at SummerSlam 2010, the whole rigmarole seemed pointless. The next few seasons of NXT would continue this trend, as Season 2 winner Low Ki (repackaged as 'Kaval') was released just months after his debut, barely anyone watched the next two seasons, and the show fizzled out during a near-interminable Season 5.
This all changed in 2012, when WWE relocated its developmental territory to Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida, and changed its name from FCW to NXT.
While the yellow brand had a bit of a slow start (likely because NXT was so pointless for so long), it would progressively evolve into a haven for brilliant matches and storytelling. As WWE began signing more world-renowned independent wrestlers, such as Finn Bálor, Shinsuke Nakamura, Kevin Owens, andRicochet, NXT continued to "take over" as the superior WWE-branded wrestling program.
Now if only WWE could be more consistent with how they promote NXT talents to the main roster...