In my view: Because until AEW came along NXT was a wildly successful third brand that could sell out a few venues for TakeOvers and was seen as an alternative.
Until an actual alternative came along and WWE forced NXT to step up and be its front line defense. Well we know what happen.
Actually I’d love to go back and listen to myself call in on the Cafe where I strongly speculated NXT USA would destroy what made NXT great. Despite personal opinions of NXT on USA by myself or others, that’s exactly what happened. And as a result the real alternative was born and made stronger over late 2020-2021.
I don’t actually think til NXT was a direct competitor to AEW on Cable that VKM gave a shit. And I’m sure he was furious about the results of the Wednesday night war. Therefore no more autonomy for Hunter, and thus the power struggle
I also wonder if they started to look at what was being produced from NXT. Blame the main roster all you want but who is the main star to come out of NXT in the last 5 years on the men’s side?
Probably Drew, unless he doesn’t count because he was in WWE before. If you don’t count him I’d say Balor, I think he came up in 2016?? If he doesn’t count, I guess Riddle?
I see what your saying though. The woman’s division was built by NXT with the 4 horsewoman and Bianca. The mens division is a much different story.
Yeah women if only because it wasn’t great before was built through NXT. I Balor was technically more than 5 years ago so just barely. Unless we count his return just now as a call up. Drew would be a decent one if you count him. The point is that generally though the record of guys being in the main event scene is pretty bad.
Nobody since NXT USA.
Owens and Sami come to mind. All Network era. The women’s side is a bit more interesting to dissect because there are the 4 horsewomen Asuka Bliss and Bianca. But really almost all of the women’s division is via NXT at this point so it’s kinda by default.
Yeah their entire women’s division is built off NXT.
For the men you did have Samoa Joe and Nakamura, both of which had decent runs. Corbin has also had a very decent run. Riddle as well.
If you’re looking for main level big-name talent you have to understand that the WWE basically has one star right now and that’s Roman reigns. It’s pretty similar to WCW when they only pushed Hogan for a while.
Yeah remember when Drew was gonna be the other guy with Roman? Lol. Never fell for that one.
We should do a fantasy game of predicting the Q4 cuts.
To me, just view it as a Sports Roster and ask who is a “Max” player, who is a worth while call up to the big leagues, who is so soiled they are better off cutting bait.
I don’t think that’s fair. Drew has been the top babyface in the company for about 2 years now, and outside of putting over Lashley and E (which were the right calls and done properly) has been booked very strong. Is he equal to Roman? No. But that doesn’t mean he hasn’t been booked to look like a star. Sure the Jinder program was a joke, but bad stories are just going to happen in WWE. Outside of Roman this past year and maybe Edge, nobody in WWE is except from a shit storyline from time to time. I also think he’s the guy to likely beat Roman, probably at Summerslam.
Hogan, Cena, etc. that’s always been a Vince’s strategy to be fair. Pick one guy, make him into a mega star and centre everything around them. It’s like a movie, Roman is the lead, then you have your supporting cast (ie. Drew, Seth, Usos, New Day etc) then you have your extras (riccochet, Ali, gulak etc.). In the movies, a director doesn’t give a shit about the extras, Vince doesn’t either, they are used to enhance the stars.
I agree, Roman stuff is great. As for mania, Meltzer reported back in the summer the main event of mania is scheduled to be Rock and an Uso (I assume Jimmy) vs Roman and an Uso. I imagine if this is true, the Brock match will be at Rumble.
As for Gabe, I mean it’s possible but has he even started training yet? If he’s a Kurt, then sure and I can see the argument that he will be as we’re taking elite of the elite level athlete here, but that just feels too far away. You could be right though.
In a WWE where the top stars not named Roman, Brock, Edge or Cena all feel like mid-card guys in a main event scene. Sure.
Is Drew a Max Guy? Should he be paid like a top-tier money maker? I’d argue no. I’d argue he’s cut sooner than he wins the title again. But that is just me looking at how they seem to make decisions. If he becomes too expensive I’m sure he’ll be out the door. Let’s be honest, Drew was the perfect example of a guy who when WWE decided to make him a big deal, was a big deal. If he was anywhere else, he wouldn’t be. I genuinely believe they could have done what they did with Drew with a dozen talents and would have had the same result. If I look back at the Drew-Brock program, it got Drew to the point it got Seth. Anotherwords, interchangeable people getting a rub from Brock and a push by Vince (down our throats). Coulda been Owens, Big E, Kofi, Cessaro.
EDIT: I came up with why Drew would be a Max Guy - his UK roots. To the degree he is a UK star, he is valuable enough. I stand by thinking he’d sooner be cut than win the WWE or Universal Championship again, however, I also think he’d sooner win the UK Title before being cut.
So, I had heard this on WOR the other day, and it has me thinking. If you are a non US talent, do you want to take the risk to try to get your visa when things are easier to do so, move to Florida and try your luck 6 months at a time to hope you meet WWE’s crazy standards that probably change month by month on what Vince is thinking?
Owens and Zayne were more than 5 years ago. Joe might have been more if he wasn’t always hurt. Nakamura had the rumble win and not much else. Corbin has been a decent upper mid card heel.
I agree with the notion that they push one star, the issue is that that gets boring after a while especially if you aren’t rotating and building up new threats. If you have the same roster for long stretches it gets boring.
Also honestly if you have 2 “separate” shows how do you only focus on one guy? They should have at least one on each show and keep them apart then if they meet at say survivor series or get “drafted” it feels like a big deal.
But WWE lacks the ability to tell any kind of story these days. People love Roman these days but honestly most of the stories around his reign have been middling at best. I’m not talking promos either I’m talking stories. In general their writers cannot write a coherent storyline and with something like wrestling that should be super easy to do.
I guess Adam Cole made the right decision by deciding not to be the manager for Keith Lee. Must have been a really tough call because they clearly had huge plans for Lee…
It sounds like you are just not a Drew fan, which is fine. I dont think he couldnt make it anywhere else, he was a star in the UK, a star in Impact (as much as you can be a star in Impact lol), a star in NXT, and he’s a star in WWE. i’m sure if he jumped to AEW he would be a big deal there as well.
We’ve seen countless big men get mega pushes in WWE and fall on their faces, Drew got over and while he isnt the star Cena, Roman, or Edge are, I’d argue he is still a star.
I really dont see him getting cut, but after Wyatt, I guess you never know with almost anyone.
This was my basis. I am indifferent on Drew. I do not agree with how “over” he got or was but impossible to prove given Pandemic. I admit my data points on this would be clouded by Pandemic times. I digress.
That’s very fair….unfortunately his “peak” in his run was in front of zero fans, so at the end of the day how over he got or didn’t get is ultimately speculation.
Or maybe they would have been the perfect team and done a Diesel and Shawn story line expect with a role reversal of the small man being the manager and eventually headlined Wrestlemania with Pam Anderson?
We will never know. Unless AEW hires Keith and makes Adam Cole his manager.
Knowing how much those guys like doing goofy stuff like that for fun it’s a pretty good chance that happens.