NXT Vs. AEW: Head To Head

2. Existing Popularity

Cody HHH
WWE

According to the July 22 Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the most-watched Network show of the week was Table For 3 with Shane Helms and the Hardy Boyz. NXT occupied #7 on the list of 10, defeated, curiously, by the recently-added ECW Gangstas Paradise 1995 event.

Per the June 24 edition, NXT was beaten to the top slot by a retrospective on Shane McMahon and Kurt Angle’s King Of The Ring 2001 match. Per the May 13 edition, Table For 3 with ‘Superstar Wives’ took the top slot.

Ordinarily, NXT does do well—relatively—but these rankings are very telling. This is niche/historical content defeating NXT once per month, much less emerging big-time competition selling out everywhere. This is deep into hardcore fan territory, and yet, the WWE show made for hardcore fans doesn’t fare all that well. How many people are seriously watching Table For 3? And how fewer people are watching NXT compared to that? The argument that NXT is skippable because it’s taped isn’t without merit—but doesn’t the Thursday Network replay reinforce that viewing habit?

The online buzz surrounding NXT’s weekly show is nonexistent, too. When was the last time a GIF broke Twitter—that time Ricochet vaulted over the ropes to silence Ricochet last year?

AEW is objectively very popular. Incredibly popular: the arena sell-outs and the pay-per-view buys (main roster WWE PPVs ritually outrank TakeOvers, incidentally), both point towards a more popular brand.

NXT 3 - 6 AEW

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!