Is NXT Better?

The jokes have started about NXT being the superior brand to WWE on social media. You would never hear something like this said about the NBDL the developmental league of the NBA. Lebron James is better than anybody they have in the NBDL and that is fact. 

Could we say the same about John Cena and NXT? Is John Cena a better in-ring worker than Kenta, Kevin Steen, Sami Zayn, Prince Devitt and Adrian Neville? He isn’t really is he? John Cena does have experience of working on a much larger stage for almost a decade. You can love him or hate him but that is a fact.

NXT while it is suppose to be a view into the future it also is a glimpse into the past. Just an hour of weekly television and four major events in a year is how NXT works and how the WWF use to be. Could NXT be as compelling and great a show if they had to provide a 3-hour show and 9-10 hours of content overall in a week? The answer is probably not.

Triple H has talked about building NXT into its own brand and they have been relatively successful to this point. This is something that Paul Levesque has been hands on with and has totally changed the direction of the developmental of this company. This company suffered a major gap in finding and developing between when Jim Ross was in charge of talent relations and Triple H. That gap was when John Laurinaitis who did the company a huge disservice for its future. Seems Johnny legacy was hiring a lot of hot women that can’t wrestle. Jim Ross has a legacy of getting guys like Foley, Austin, The Rock and even Paul himself as part of the WWE Roster. The list of talent Paul Levesque is bringing to table is impressive as well. When we look back on it will see if it is as successful as the one J.R compiled but it is clearly better than the one Johnny Ace came up with in his time.

In a fantasy world, would it be cool to see a show with NXT vs. WWE? Absolutely, if you are expecting NXT guys to go over in such a situation though that probably is not going to happen.   You could have some great matches though. Let’s fantasy book a little below:

Sami Zayn vs. Seth Rollins
Tyler Breeze vs. Dolph Ziggler
Adrian Neville vs. Dean Ambrose
Kevin Steen vs. Bray Wyatt
Kenta vs. Daniel Bryan
Prince Devitt vs. John Cena
Ascension vs. Usos
Tyson Kidd vs. Cesaro

That is a card I would watch, as I am sure many would. NXT has had three huge names in Kenta, Steen and Devitt, you add them to the existing Zayn and Neville, and you have the NXT 5. This might be the term we use for these guys for years to come.  A Sami Zayn tweet led to WWE.com doing a sit-down interview with all five that was truly a great read. Seeing names like Adam Cole, The Young Bucks and John Gargano on that site kind of nuts. If you don’t know those names, you just do not have any clue of independent wrestling. Steen, Cole and the Bucks made Mount Rushmore in PWG. I hope to see them all in the WWE in 2015 they are all deserving.

WWE has really created their own super-independent show with WWE’s money and production values. At the same time, they are training staff in all aspects of a broadcast with their partnership with Full Sail University. They have given hardcore fans an option under the WWE umbrella to see the stars they have watched in outside promotions like ROH, NJPW and other places under their system on their WWE Network. Paul Levesque smartly is not ruling anything out in terms of NXT’s future.

WWE since they ended WCW in 2001 has been searching for competition. They attempted to create their own with the brand split but that never really worked in my opinion. Now in 2014 they may have found their competition in NXT. A group of hungry wrestlers that most of whom already have long resumes looking to bust open the doors to the main roster. If that doesn’t light a fire under the butt of people on the main roster, nothing will. I remember the first NXT Takeover that was their second special event. That week the NXT show had more buzz than the Payback show coming up on the Sunday. As expected, the NXT show delivered but it took a “B” level pay-per-view and lit a fire under some of the people on that card to make it one of the more unexpected great shows of the year.

The tag line for NXT being: The Future is Now. People are buying in even more than they are the WWE with the hardcore audience of wrestling in general and the WWE.

So for a certain type of fan NXT already is and to some extent always will be better than WWE. Ultimately, though NXT is about creating stars on that next level and so far, it has which is ultimately the job it is meant to serve. Having it become a popular and even more popular with some brand may not have been part of the plan but now it is. WWE can make money off NXT just as easily and they will still cash the checks.

NXT has become something greater than what one could have imagined as its goofy reality show origins.  It is now a brand that sports a roster than can compete with any company in the world. Even the one that owns it at times could be included in that. 

Next time you go to say something bad about Triple H remember that Paul Levesque created all of this that you love and can’t enough of in NXT. So maybe he is not the idiot or interested in burying people, as the internet would have you believe.

He is taking pictures with all of these guys and truly reveling in their success as he would his own maybe more so. Ultimately, their success is his success as is true for NXT as a brand and the Performance Center they train those NXT stars. It is all about the game and growing it for the next generation. This according to Sami Zayn already has the future of the WWE in 5 years ready to roll.

He makes a good case that is hard to argue as he has some talented friends to play with currently.

NXT Takeover 2: Post Show Podcast

We did not have a Hangin on the Moon today think all our audio issues are solved but decided to do an NXT Takeover post game show with myself and Josh Lopez. We break down the card and share our thoughts as well as have a couple interesting sidebar conversations along the way. So sit back and enjoy as we bring a little NXT into your life.


Still will have the regular podcast on later tonight as always with Chris Walder talking all the rest of the wrestling news of the week. Walder might give his two cents on Takeover 2 as well so make sure to come back and listen to that.

Steen Signs with WWE And Reports to Work August 24th

Sometimes in life, good things still can happen to good people. This is what I am filled with hearing the news that Kevin Steen is now going to be a part of the WWE and NXT. Having heard the rumours of his great tryout in WWE that happened in March of this year it served as motivation to go see him live. I felt it might be my last chance to see him in that intimate setting that independent shows and Ring of Honor.

I was witness to Kevin tearing down the house at the Ted Reeve Arena in front of a capacity crowd over Adam Cole. It was an incredible match in an incredible atmosphere. What will sever Kevin well is his ability to connect with people. There is something Kevin has that you just can’t teach in his ability to connect with people and have them genuinely care about him as a performer. He can do that and has proved it for years and now is getting the chance to take that talent to the next level in NXT and in the WWE Developmental System.

It has been perhaps the worst kept secret in wrestling that this was happening but still there were unfounded rumours of if Steen might have not been able to pass the physical to sign his contract. All of that unfounded speculation can be put to bed as Kevin Steen is coming to Florida on August 25, 2014. He did an interview with WWE .Com in which he talked about a desire to eventual work with or against Bray Wyatt. This is something we here at the Condo on the Moon had speculated could be a good fit for him.

For the moment he gets to re-unite with long time friend Sami Zayn who even in his time in WWE made a few cameos on Kevin’s You-Tube show Weekend Escapades. Steen joins Prince Devitt and Kenta as part of this new arriving trio that should really up the level of competition in NXT.

It will be interesting to see if all three are involved in the NXT live special that is set for early September. There was talk of them coming in as a faction and working together but all of this remains to be seen.

NXT might not be done either as Nick Jackson of the tag-team the Young Bucks was teasing a move to NXT with his brother Matt. As we speculated add in the former ROH and PWG champion Adam Cole and all the members of Mount Rushmore a faction in PWG could be in WWE in 2015. Cole has ROH contract that ends in December after Final Battle the big ROH show of the year that is anticipated to be on traditional pay-per-view this year.


 

Condo on the Moon is on Twitter and Facebook and check out our weekly podcasts Every Friday! 

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State of The Game: A Look At Where Wrestling Is Today

Is it crazy in a week that has been filled with what can only be classed as bad news for the wrestling business that I am still very optimistic about its future? Let’s face it the demise of TNA is not a good thing even if you are not a fan of it like me. The WWE and their failure with the WWE Network is not a good thing either in the grand scheme of things for the business as a whole. In the end it appears the business is very much in a transitional phase. The one company that has made the most of that transitional phase has been Ring of Honor. They now even face a challenge with the departure of Kevin Steen to moving on to the next level. Still, if you look at the industry as a whole, the one thing I do walk away with is that the talent is there for it to be successful.

Maybe this is why I am still optimistic about the ultimate future and you would think that the best of that talent will find its way to WWE. The main roadblock to that in theory is the WWE taking measures to cut costs over the next couple years. This is the correct business move to make in a time where the product is in such a transitional phase. In my previous background of covering the NBA the one thing people tend to always do, or like do, is look to the future and who the next big stars to come are. This idea of the potential of guys like an Andrew Wiggins to become the next big star in the sport fascinates fans and media.  Wrestling has lots of those guys that we can see the potential in of being those big stars. The difference is in pro sports you have 30 or so places for that talent to go and compete to be these top stars. Wrestling has just one really pro team and that is the WWE. It is not to say anything not the WWE can not be entertaining and have some tremendous talent in it. More to say, that the WWE is the one true platform to get that talent “over,” on a very global platform that has the most mainstream attention from the world outside the wrestling bubble. 

So it leads to some very talented people for one reason or another not making it into the show on the big team that is the WWE. As an example of that I give you the Young Bucks who are for my money the best tag team in wrestling today. They recently teased a move to NXT that we reported on earlier this weekend. If they never truly had a shot in WWE for my money it would be a loss for everyone. They are brash and unapologetic for how talented they truly are. You can debate if that is just part of their gimmick that gets them "over," or how they truly feel. This is something that is missing in wrestling to an extent that line between reality and fiction. In any case, anyone that sees them for the most part can’t deny their talent. People raved about the match recently with the Usos and Harper and Rowan that went two out three falls. In May I saw the Bucks in a triple threat with stars from NJPW where that match was even better by a large degree. The difference is the stage it is seen on and the amount of people that know about it.

If you accept this idea that WWE is the one true major sports team and that they in a sense have a monopoly on the business that is pro wrestling, or as they would say sports entertainment, you can see how talent is not able to shine. If the WWE is not really in competition with other wrestling promotions and compete on a different level with entertainment as a whole that gives them a lot of power to do what they want.   In sports if a team passes on a talent they still end up as part of the league as whole. The team suffers consequences based on the choices the make in terms of talent they choose. WWE faces consequences too, but not to the same degree or extent that a sports team would. It is not like you can see Kevin Steen, Young Bucks, Adam Cole, A.J Styles and a list that could go on for days, on that same platform under the same brand. You do and can in a sports league.

The recent signings of guys like Prince Devitt, Kenta and soon to be officially Kevin Steen show someone is paying attention in the "Titan Towers" at what is going on in the rest of the industry. I am here to tell you I firmly believe that person is Paul Levesque, or at least he is listening to the people who are paying attention. The guy who in the past has been accused of burying talent is actually the one bringing it to light these days. You see all the work that Triple H has done with the creation of the WWE Performance Center. In addition his hard work on the NXT brand where that talent learns to develop.

In the past Paul has made reference to the WWE having their playbook and other places having their playbooks. He claims that when people come from other places it is their job with the help of WWE to learn their playbook. Another sports analogy and one that I think makes sense. WWE is not going to change how they do business to accommodate any talent no matter how big or good they are or can be.  What works for ROH, PWG or NJPW is not what works for the WWE. Nor should this at the end of the day,  I think with no offence to other wrestling promotions the WWE over the history of time has proven to be a company that takes calculated risks and has been a survivor. As much as we all like to Monday Night quarterback an episode of Raw and point out what they did wrong. The history and the track record of this company proves they have got more right than wrong over the years.

Proof of that point is asking any wrestler what that ultimate dream for them is? If they do not say to appear or main event a Wrestlemania, I question how successful they truly want to be. That is the ultimate show of shows and if you don’t want or dream to be on it, maybe you need to cut out the high spots and quit risking your life cause you must have some brain damage.

It’s not to say there is anything wrong with having a long career outside of the WWE and having some success which is possible. It is just no one ever dreams to play Triple “A” baseball and not make it to the majors.

If the WWE is willing and the talent coming in are willing to adapt to their playbook it could lead to some magic. A great example of that success has been Sami Zayn who has yet to make his way to the main roster but is clearly learning the WWE way of doing things without giving up who he was before he goes there.

The WWE has already been pretty successful at bringing in a number of guys that are just starting to break through and be ready to be the top stars of tomorrow. Seth Rollins, Cesaro, Dean Ambrose and the guy the WWE sees as their next big thing Roman Reigns. The list could go on an include Bray Wyatt and others but the point is the WWE stocking up on talent and building a highly competitive environment that will push everyone to get better. That is what can make wrestling thrive again. When the guys in the first match are pushing just as hard as the guys in the main event good things can happen.

This is for my money what has been the big reason for ROH having success in 2014. There is a team but competitive environment with in that company. The WWE can have a similar environment if they allow talent the chance to grow and thrive. Which with their massive foot print can help make wrestling grow and bring back some of the fans it has lost over the years.

I just feel too strong about the amount of talent I see both outside of the WWE and with in it to not see brighter days ahead for wrestling. If this doesn’t happen it will only be because the WWE failed to capitalize on all the talent they have and could have at the end of the day. 

I believe that WWE does see the road to a future that is not about hustle, loyalty and respect and we just have to be patient to get there. Fans are in a rush to get there but honestly you have to proceed with caution because it takes months and years to get talents over. It takes far less time to blow it and miss out on making your next big star to go along side names like Hogan, Austin, Punk, Cena etc. Once you make those mistakes you sometimes never get a second chance.

While it may take some time I do believe brighter days are on the horizon. Like we were told to believe in the Shield this is something that I also believe in.

 

Condo on the Moon is on Twitter and Facebook and check out our weekly podcasts Every Friday! 

If you have questions/comments for our NEW Weekly Google+ Show Live Thursday's 7:30 pm EST use hashtag #AskMachoMoon. You can find us now at Condoonthemoon.com. 

New Wave Of NXT Talent: But Keep Things The Same

NXT is about to get a major shake-up with three major stars about to arrive. It should be interesting to see how this will impact on the show. Part of the joy that is NXT for an older fan like me is the fact it is just one hour which is delightful. Things on NXT just seem far more simplistic and easier to digest on a weekly basis.

The fight for real estate on that show is about to get fairly interesting when add Kenta, Prince Devitt and Kevin Steen all potentially about to arrive. It will be interesting to see how this will change if at all the show that is NXT. Some guys that are being featured now might want to look over their shoulder because some serious talent is coming in the door.

Think the three major guys that have little to worry about are Neville, Breeze and Zayn. In addition I think the ladies will always have a place on the show. After that it is open season in my view. You see someone like C.J Parker as an example getting another chance with a re-packaged gimmick as this heel environmentalist. After getting a lot of air time in the past Mo Jo Rawley seems to have been cooled off. He may have been hyped but the reviews on him from people like me were not that kind with good reason.

My hope is there will be a battle for time and position on NXT and not WWE thinking that we just need more time on this show with the amount of top talent we have. Keeping things at the one our mark is fine with me. If they attempted to extend NXT and make it longer I think you would be making a major mistake. The path it is on now with a one hour show and an expected 4 special 2 hour events on the Network seems fine to me.

Note, this is mere speculation on my part but with the WWE Network struggling and new influx of talent I could easily see the idea of a longer NXT be kicked around as it has been one of the more popular shows on the WWE Network consistently.

Tyler Breeze has said in a recent interview on Between the Ropes that his injured finger is almost back to 100% and he is of course the number one contender to the NXT Title. I would suspect Breeze and Neville will headline the next special event. Nothing is for certain with the arrival of Kenta, Prince Devitt and likely Kevin Steen. Steen refuses to acknowledge the WWE signing directly as in his last independent date in Toronto he claimed to have indeed taken a new job as trainer of whales at Marineland. In any case he likely does show up and re-united with Sami Zayn who in a similar fashion refuses to acknowledge that he was and is El Generico. Maybe it is a French thing. I don’t have this part of the French gene though.

This is really a big time for NXT as we have in a sense started the second wave of NXT talent to make up this roster. Bull Dempsey is the latest new character to come around. Some were upset that this gimmick which is basically a throwback old school wrestler was not given to Kevin Steen. I am not one of them as I see this as horrible gimmick that will need some serious work to get over.

In any case keep NXT as it is as the old saying goes if it isn’t broke don’t fix it. Something the WWE should learn to do more. I do have faith with Triple H firmly in control of all that is NXT he will not have any dramatic changes to the product. This in a sense has become like his fourth child. You can tell how much he loves NXT and all the young performers in it.

 

Condo on the Moon is on Twitter and Facebook and check out our weekly podcasts Every Friday! 

If you have questions/comments for our NEW Weekly Google+ Show Live Thursday's 7:30 pm EST use hashtag #AskMachoMoon. You can find us now at Condoonthemoon.com.