8 Biggest Problems Facing NXT Right Now

2. Dealing With Being Developmental

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WWE.com

It may not feel like it, but the harsh truth is that no matter how far it surpasses WWE main roster shows in terms of quality, NXT is essentially a developmental brand. It provides the stars of the future a chance to get some experience on TV and to work in a pressured environment, and when they are deemed ready to the main roster they go.

The arrival of a number of indy stand-outs over the last year or so has changed this landscape on the surface, but the base purpose of NXT remains the same. Thus, the mining of the independent scene leaves NXT in something of a pickle. Whilst the quality of the show has improved immensely, that purpose is being muddied.

Look at the first NXT special, NXT Arrival. The card featured seven matches, including a barnstorming main event between Neville and Bo Dallas. On that event, a number of WWE-developed performers (Dallas, The Ascension, Tyler Breeze) got excellent showcases and continued their development towards being ready for the main roster.

Fast-forward to TakeOver: Dallas, and the entire feel is different. It may have been an incredible show, but it also forgot the entire purpose of NXT. Including the two dark matches it featured seven bouts, and all but one of those was won by a former indy standout (that being American Alpha).

Balor, Nakamura, Joe et al will move up the main roster soon enough. The problem will be replacing them, as spots that originally would have been for those who aren't quite ready have been filled by the biggest show. NXT has stopped developing.

Contributor
Contributor

Born in the middle of Wales in the middle of the 1980's, John can't quite remember when he started watching wrestling but he has a terrible feeling that Dino Bravo was involved. Now living in Prague, John spends most of his time trying to work out how Tomohiro Ishii still stands upright. His favourite wrestler of all time is Dean Malenko, but really it is Repo Man. He is the author of 'An Illustrated History of Slavic Misery', the best book about the Slavic people that you haven't yet read. You can get that and others from www.poshlostbooks.com.