Post-WrestleMania 32: NXT has officially taken over WWE

This past weekend, WrestleMania 32 rocked Dallas. We got to see the company celebrate the past with the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony. The ceremony was a fantastic way to learn about the pioneers of professional wrestling. At WrestleMania, the company also paid tribute to the past, thanks to appearances by “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, Mick Foley, The Rock and Shawn Michaels. Once that was done, the time then belonged to the future.

Before the weekend began, I discussed how the future had arrived in WWE. With all of the raw, young talent from free agency and within, it looked like the company would be able to prosper for years. Thanks to NXT, it may become a true reality. From NXT Takeover: Dallas all the way to this past Monday’s Raw, a true change happened in WWE. Finally, the NXT tagline has come true: NXT has officially taken over WWE!

Lets talk about WrestleMania. During the show, many of NXT’s top stars were a part of the event. In my opinion, Sami Zayn was the true MVP of the entire weekend. Zayn had a fantastic match (five-star classic) against Shinsuke Nakamura at Takeover which signaled the end of his NXT run.

httpss://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vi1fi4cWoLE

You would think he would take a break after exhausting himself, right? Nope! That didn’t stop him from stealing the show at WrestleMania during the Intercontinental Title Ladder Match. In front of over 100,000 people, Kevin Owens and Zayn ignited their feud that has been hot since NXT and even before that. It looks like they will continue fighting each other, because they were meant to fight forever. A WWE World Heavyweight Title feud between these two is very likely, which would elevate them even further.

Sasha Banks, Becky Lynch and Charlotte had one of the best WOMEN’S matches in a long time at WrestleMania (maybe one of the best matches of the night). Not only did they perform a classic, but WWE finally made a change. They must have listened to my request of a Women’s Revolution, as they finally got rid of the Divas Title, and brought back the Women’s Title. Thanks to their hard work (along with Emma, Bayley, Asuka, etc), these women made a true difference within the company. I am very excited for the new era in women’s wrestling for WWE.

httpss://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiBK0hgpKSI

Kalisto is a strong U.S. Champion, but unfortunately didn’t get a chance to shine as much due to being on the pre-show. Neville has a great opportunity to become a huge star, but he just got injured. That’s OK though, because Baron Corbin picked up the slack. “The Lone Wolf” surprised many by winning the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, officially joining the main roster in the process. While I think it was too soon for him to be called up, Corbin is definitely a refreshing face. With the right attitude, Baron Corbin is going places.

httpss://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehme-4HMIkc

Post-WrestleMania, WWE decided to let the animals loose. Enzo Amore and Big Cass made their long-awaited debuts on the main roster. They really want to know “how you doin?” These two remind me of the modern day New Age Outlaws; bringing some charisma into their promos. Enzo on the mic just clicks, and you can’t teach that! If you’re not down with supporting them, I got two words… Sorry, one word to describe you…

httpss://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REdhEwW9ssY

Another hot commodity to debut was Apollo Crews. The surprise debut of the man formally known as Uhaa Nation was refreshing. He is an all-around athlete who can bring a lot to the table. The Vaudevillains make their debut on Smackdown this week as well. One of the first teams on NXT, these two bring something different to the table. Their class and intro to the ring is something else. I can’t wait for Enzo and Cass and the Vaudevillains to reignite their feud from NXT.

While this seems great, there can be a problem from all of this. It looks like WWE has taken a lot of talent from NXT, depleting their roster. There is also a problem of having too much talent and not knowing what to do with them. Tyler Breeze, Bo Dallas, The Ascension and the Wyatt Family are a huge example of that. If there is no long-term creative direction, some may be left out in the dark.

A positive is that this gives the talent a great opportunity. While NXT may be losing talent, it is comforting to know that they have plenty more waiting to be unleashed. There are always opportunities to grow, and that’s what seems to be happening here. Time is on WWE and NXT’s side, and it can only get better from here.