The NXT Discussion Thread

[Infinity Land]

NXT was close in the ratings recently with some of the main roster appearances. Dynamite's going to lose ground regardless as its the show being shifted. Trying to chase a one week ratings bump means nothing.

They should be focusing on promoting a strong show, not for ratings sake but their ticket sales. Most of their advances for the next while are lucky to break 2,000+ while running 20k NBA arenas. Must feel like going to a 5Star Wrestling on Freesports taping with better production.

 

[RedRooster]

44 minutes ago, BomberPat said:

Rushing straight to Christian vs. Copeland on that show feels like a Hogan/Goldberg decision. That's the match for him, you don't want to rush to that. If they can hook people with his first AEW match, and I think they can, then they're pacing it properly - his first promo this week, first match next week, and save the big matches for later down the line. Each of those can be a draw in its own right, and to rush past "first match" and get straight to the bigger match is a horrible decision.

 

This isn't the Dynamite thread, but I disagree about it being the match for Edge. At least, not in AEW. Their history means that the build-up is less important, and as Cole/MJF, Punk/MJF and Bucks/FTR showed before it, if done correctly, you can easily run the match again. If they were, for example to run Danielson/Omega again, it wouldn't be hurt in any way by the fact it's happened before; if anything, people will be more inclined to watch. 

But...I'd feel more inclined to run with MJF against a big name opponent if I were Tony Khan. MJF is a face, Kenny Omega is a face. It makes any feud between them difficult to run. If there's a chance that Max is leaving, I'd definitely be tempted to throw that out there. Heck, even if he's not, I don't think it's would be a mad idea. You could use it to transition to - for example - MJF/Takeshita. 

If you run MJF against the right opponent, I don't think you even need to stack the rest of the show. 

45 minutes ago, TildeGuy~! said:

Yea fuck it, put some of your potentially biggest matches to ever take place on free TV…

AEW puts big matches on TV all of the time. So does NXT. As David said, sometimes it's fun to go a bit crazy. If you get people excited about one night of wrestling, as two shows go head-to-head, why not really go for it? It's not going to damage AEW, it's certainly not going to damage NXT. Wrestling should be fun, nights like next Tuesday are fun. I can't wait. 

24 minutes ago, Infinity Land said:

NXT was close in the ratings recently with some of the main roster appearances. Dynamite's going to lose ground regardless as its the show being shifted. Trying to chase a one week ratings bump means nothing.

They should be focusing on promoting a strong show, not for ratings sake but their ticket sales. Most of their advances for the next while are lucky to break 2,000+ while running 20k NBA arenas. Must feel like going to a 5Star Wrestling on Freesports taping with better production.

 

I don't disagree, but that's a long term thing. I'd also argue that losing to NXT in the ratings actually will do them a bit of damage as far as perception goes - particularly if there's a bit of a gulf. Again, this isn't the AEW thread - but making the product feel hot again is how you turn these things around (and ditching some of the hard-to-follow stuff, like ROH). Bringing your A++ game next week isn't going to do that, but it's certainly a start. You don't want NXT to look more exciting than what you're pulling together. 

Edited October 4, 2023 by RedRooster

[Infinity Land]

5 minutes ago, RedRooster said:

I don't disagree, but that's a long term thing. I'd also argue that losing to NXT in the ratings actually will do them a bit of damage as far as perception goes - particularly if there's a bit of a gulf. Again, this isn't the AEW thread - but making the product feel hot again is how you turn these things around (and ditching some of the hard-to-follow stuff, like ROH). Bringing your A++ game next week isn't going to do that, but it's certainly a start. You don't want NXT to look more exciting than what you're pulling together. 

They won't be losing to NXT. John Cena, Cody Rhodes, Asuka and Paul Heyman are taking the lead on promotional materials and Becky Lynch & Dom Mysterio (and by extension Judgment Day) are two of NXT's champions that might make appearances.

[RedRooster]

39 minutes ago, Infinity Land said:

They won't be losing to NXT. John Cena, Cody Rhodes, Asuka and Paul Heyman are taking the lead on promotional materials and Becky Lynch & Dom Mysterio (and by extension Judgment Day) are two of NXT's champions that might make appearances.

Totally true, but I don't think it matters. It would be presented as AEW losing to NXT; and that's all people taking a cursory glance at the situation would see. Context should always matter, but it rarely does. On the flip side, winning the battle in spite of switching nights and in spite of NXT being loaded would be pretty beneficial. 

But fuck, even if it didn't matter, I don't care. I love these head-to-head battles, where both sides try to out-do one another. They don't happen very often these days, so I really want this to be a wild one for both shows. 

[Nick James]

Fucking hell, who gives a fuck who wins in a ratings dick swinging contest, I'm sure both shows will be fantastic viewing for us, the viewers.

[The Gaffer]

12 minutes ago, Nick James said:

Fucking hell, who gives a fuck who wins in a ratings dick swinging contest, I'm sure both shows will be fantastic viewing for us, the viewers.

I don't think anyone here is really heavily invested in who wins, are they? It's just an obvious curio of fandom and something fun to discuss.

This weird UKFF list where it's implied you shouldn't go on about ratings, attendances or fantasy book can go fuck itself. 

[Chili]

1 minute ago, Gay as FOOK said:

I don't think anyone here is really heavily invested in who wins, are they? It's just an obvious curio of fandom and something fun to discuss.

This weird UKFF list where it's implied you shouldn't go on about ratings, attendances or fantasy book can go fuck itself. 

Can we still keep the Cornette embargo though?

[The Gaffer]

Just now, Chili said:

Can we still keep the Cornette embargo though?

Didn't realise we had one, but that's more my kind of thought police! 

[RedRooster]

25 minutes ago, Gay as FOOK said:

I don't think anyone here is really heavily invested in who wins, are they? It's just an obvious curio of fandom and something fun to discuss.

This weird UKFF list where it's implied you shouldn't go on about ratings, attendances or fantasy book can go fuck itself. 

Exactly this. It's not so much the outcome that matters - it's the effort that leads to it. Why wouldn't anyone want both companies to outdo one another next Tuesday? It's the competition people care about rather than the ratings; although for competition to work, there kind of has to be a metric by which one company can "win".

The nights two shows go head-to-head almost feels like the last day of term to me - they can throw existing plans out the window to do some wild things, and it's pretty much all fine. I want both companies to feel consumed by this and put on one of the most memorable nights of wrestling television of 2023. 

[Factotum]

Funny that Triple H keeps trying to claim AEW aren't rivals though

 

[BomberPat]

I know it's NXT, and not having "stars" is kind of part and parcel of being developmental, but if you compare what NXT are doing to what AEW are likely to do, it reminds me of WWE booking "Legends" shows whenever the ratings are dwindling, and just booking big names to come in and run roughshod over the full-time talent.

What's the rationale behind John Cena showing up in somebody's corner in NXT? Why is Paul Heyman with Bron Breakker now? Why is Cody Rhodes going to be in NXT? It's all very transparently a lazy ratings grab, whereas anything AEW is likely to do to try and drive attention to their show on the same night - whether that's Adam Copeland's first AEW match, a World Title match (maybe MJF/Jay White?), the FTR/Young Bucks match, or a continuation of the mystery masked man story - feels like a logical continuation of the stories they're already telling.

I think it illustrates the difference between the two companies that, when in direct competition, AEW's approach is (most likely to be) to deliver on matches and angles that reward regular viewing, whereas WWE's is the booking equivalent of dangling keys in front of your face, hoping to distract you with the shiny stars that are showing up once for a "moment" that will likely never matter again. 

[Infinity Land]

28 minutes ago, BomberPat said:

What's the rationale behind John Cena showing up in somebody's corner in NXT? Why is Paul Heyman with Bron Breakker now? Why is Cody Rhodes going to be in NXT?

No idea why Cena's there, I have seen Paul Heyman's promo explaining his appearance. Which for me is one of the worst offenders for breaking the realities of wrestling. On a live (totally not scripted in anyway) show John Cena's surprise appearance is announced. The Tribal Chief clearly must be a big NXT fan as he was watching at home and got straight on the phone to Paul Heyman.

"John Cena's been getting involved in Bloodline business, it's time we can get in his for a change. Be in Bron Breakker's corner next week."

Paul Heyman was convienently in the parking lot of the PC with an NXT camera crew so he can join the show and make the announcement.

Cody's announcement will no doubt make some sense unless there's a massive swerve. They haven't had Dusty Classic this year.

While WWE are laying into their own tropes of part-timers boosting the normal roster. It has been known for some time that this would Dynamite: Title Tuesday for a second year in a row. AEW's just as bad with their booking crutches. Battle of the Belts. Championship Friday, Championship Fight Night, Title Tuesday.  They need another Game of Thrones link up "Titles, titles"

[air_raid]

1 hour ago, Factotum said:

Funny that Triple H keeps trying to claim AEW aren't rivals though

It's a weird line, because rivalry is good. They aren't "enemies" would be more accurate ; WWE should want to see AEW thrive. If Cargill works out then you'll have two examples along with the return of the reinvented and reinvigorated Cody as to why rivalry is really important and a second successful company benefits WWE. 

[Supremo]

The very fact that this is the most posts the NXT thread has seen in months proves how great competition is. It benefits everyone.

There’s a fun madness to the idea that a few years ago you had NXT featuring Edge, Adam Cole and Roderick Strong going head-to-head with Dynamite featuring Cody, and now it’s been flip reversed.

On Tony Khan’s birthday, too! The nutter will not let this slide! He’s probably already phoned Goldberg!

Never forget Big Tone’s stance on going head to head with WWE. He isn’t gonna sit back and take this fucking shit! (I still love the way he weirdly glances around the room after delivering that line, as if counter-programming is a physical thing he has to keep an eye out for).

Edited October 4, 2023 by Supremo

[LaGoosh]

Promoting "Cody Rhodes makes an announcement" is making me nostalgic for old episodes of Dynamite where they seemingly did that weekly and it was never anything of any note at all.