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Six years of NXT: looking back so far at the future of professional wrestling

What a long, strange journey is has been for the brand known as NXT. A few days ago was the sixth-year of NXT’s introduction into the world. While its product may be different, the goal is still the same: to groom the next breed of professional wrestlers into international superstars.

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When you think about it, it almost seems impossible that NXT has become what it is today. WWE.com went through the history of NXT from the beginning. It all started years ago when WWE chose a new way to bring aboard the next big thing in professional wrestling. Utilizing their Florida Championship Wrestling developmental system, they found the talent needed to make it work. Bringing along several well-known wrestlers and some developmental ones, NXT season one was played off as a game show. The “Rookies” had “Pro’s (main talent) watch their every move, while a fan vote decided who would stay and who would go. Among the talent were future stars in season one winner Wade Barrett, Ryback and Daniel Bryan.

While the Nexus angle was running wild (for a short time) in WWE, NXT was continuing to do some pretty interesting things. While the talent got to perform great matches over the years, the booking of the show was a bit odd to say the least. The “rookies” had to go through obstacle courses, arm wrestling challenges and in the women’s case, kissing contests. Yes you read that right.

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Yikes. Fortunately, the early stages of NXT were not all that bad. While entertaining, it made stars like AJ Lee and Kaitlyn. The former ended up from being one of the most dominant and entertaining women’s wrestlers in WWE history. If it wasn’t for the early stages of NXT, we would probably have not been introduced to TNA’s Ethan Carter III. One of the most charismatic names in professional wrestling started in NXT before finding greatness in TNA.

In 2012, NXT evolved into something much bigger than expected. FCW and NXT merged to give us a cleaner version of a WWE developmental system. With Triple H at the helm doing the entire behind the scenes work, this small project turned into a giant art gallery. Triple H built a canvas of talent, who were waiting to be let loose onto the world. Shows at Full Sail University were being produced, this time with a more competitive wrestling aspect.

Eventually Triple H and company knew they needed to expand on this opportunity. More illustrious titles were made than the ones in FCW like the NXT Title, the NXT tag Team Titles and the NXT Women’s Title. Utilizing the new WWE Network, February 27, 2014 became a historical day. NXT held its first live two hour special called NXT Arrival. What stood out to everyone from that card was a candidate for match of the year between Sami Zayn and Cesaro.

httpss://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTqHH0NFKu4

Over the next couple of months, more specials were produced on WWE Network. With each special came more great matches. Each event became a challenge for the main roster to compete with. It wasn’t just that NXT had young talent. It was everything fans wanted to see in a regular WWE product; there was less talking and more emotion through wrestling. The women were also treated as equals; there was no “Divas” label on them.

Talent from all over the world wanted to see what made the NXT brand so special. Prince Devitt made a name for himself in New Japan, but as Finn Balor in NXT he became the ultimate wrestling machine. Over time NXT has grabbed talent like El Generico (now Sami Zayn), Kevin Steen (now Kevin Owens), Samoa Joe, Austin Aries, Uhaa Nation (now Apollo Crews), Kenta (now Hideo Itami) and recently Shinsuke Nakamura. A dream has become a reality for several fans of WWE. The tag team division also shined year after year. The Wyatt’s, Dash and Dawson, Jordan and Gable and The Ascension were all made into stars via simple booking.

httpss://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBIKed_9gfg

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Speaking of the women, Charlotte, Becky Lynch, Bayley and Sasha Banks(!) started a true revolution. They performed matches that casual WWE fans haven’t seen women do in a long time. At the forefront was Sasha Banks, who has emerged as a true player in WWE. Her rivalry with Becky Lynch was great, but when her and Bayley hooked up it was phenomenal. Moving a NXT special to Brooklyn was a gamble, but NXT made it work, especially with their main event. Bayley and Sasha put on a technical classic for the Women’s Title. When Bayley beat Sasha the rematch was set. Not only did the ladies main event a show back at Full Sail University, but they competed in a 30-minute Iron Woman match. One of their matches even won the 2015 Pro Wrestling Illustrated Match of the Year!

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

In the WWE.com piece from above, season three winner Kaitlyn talked about what NXT has become since her introduction to the brand several years prior.

“What it’s transformed into is still, in a way, NXT. Because even though [the old show] was here with main roster talent, it was still a place where you got to be whatever you wanted to be and have a chance to develop who you are as a person and as a Superstar. So it still has that element of freedom. NXT is a show where you have the opportunity to develop yourself into whatever you want to be.”

In the main roster, you are under a microscope. You sometimes get criticized for slowly getting a following on your own (See: Ryder, Zach). In NXT, the fans give you a chance to shine, and they are very vocal about their approval or disapproval. Around the world, NXT fans are some of the smartest and most passionate wrestling fans. Can they get frustrating at times? Sure, but that’s what makes them great. They stand and applaud when others sit, and they sing and dance around when others are embarrassed to do so.

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NXT has become a cool, alternative version of WWE. It can also be seen as a throwback to a simpler time. Back when there was no need for dry humor and bright lights, and when WWE wasn’t the center piece of the professional wrestling world. Whenever talent make it to the main roster, there is hope that the same magic from NXT joins them. NXT is a revolutionary piece of the wild puzzle of professional wrestling. Here’s hoping for a few more years of NXT greatness. Thank you Triple H, the late Dusty Rhodes and all of the fans who made the dream possible. Right now, we are all NXT!

httpss://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMG9r32zBW4

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Baseball Editor, Misc. Sports Editor. Covers all things combat sports (MMA, Pro Wrestling and Boxing). When he's not writing, Daniel hosts a podcast, The Main Event.
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