Every Major Wrestling Debut TV Show Ranked From Worst To Best
8. WWE NXT
What’s odd about the oddest series of mainstream wrestling TV ever is that the debut wasn’t overwhelmingly awful…at all.
The original NXT became overwhelmingly awful and counterproductive, and perversely entertaining, but throughout that first hour, it was felt the bizarre ‘young dreamy hopefuls’ format might work in spite of itself.
The characterisation of Daniel Bryan contradicted decades of good practise—we were outright told he wasn’t a star—but he showed us that he was in a head-turning performance opposite World Heavyweight Champion Chris Jericho. The dramatic, physical main event proved Bryan’s immediate ability to work and excel within the WWE style, and, if nothing else, he was profiled as the key man of the new venture. We were since bludgeoned with the idea that he wasn’t a star—he was a vegan nerd who lost to Darren Young in under two minutes weeks later—but this was a not inauspicious start for Bryan and the brand alike.
The ugliness behind the endeavour surfaced instantly. An hour-long cat-kicking exercise, it was WWE’s awful bullying mentality adapted onscreen: lowly Matt Striker, aiming to “test” Wade Barrett, cut him off mid-sentence, moving the goalposts to create an unwinnable game.
More wild and grim than wild and young.