NXT 2017 Thread *SPOILERS*

bobby_says_hi

It was the Attitude Era. The women were lucky to make it to TV for anything other than an evening gown match or slop match. No one cared about the belt, then Stephanie won it and all of a sudden they wanted her to lose it. So it actually did drum up some kind of interest in the title. Lita would get these opportunities and have it nearly won - only for one of Stephanie's associates to cheat and help her retain. It's like when they had interchangeable Divas' Champions like Natalya, Eve and Brie Bella who never made it to TV - then Kelly Kelly wins it and it gets people talking.

In NXT they've suddenly lost four very strong Divas to the main roster and, besides Bayley, there aren't any definite stars in the division. Eva is a heat magnet and draws a very strong reaction from the fans. If she won, there would be a complete uproar. And not the type of uproar like if say Rosa or Cameron won the title. People would complain sure, but Eva would get nuclear heat. And they could use that to build up another top Diva. If Eva was champion, whoever won the title off her would become a sensation. Of course I'd rather they build up a star the old fashioned way through consistent matches and just good feuds - but if they booked it in such a way that it's obvious Eva doesn't deserve the title and use her to put over a new babyface, then that might work.

beakerjoe

A couple of things Id like to share, firstly my own piece at Voices of Wrestling on the new crop of female talent in NXT : Bridging The Gap - The Next Crop of NXT Women

and sure with Takeover: Respect on the horizon, take a look at the preview with predictions : NXT Takeover: respect - Preview @Voicesofwrestling.com

bobby_says_hi

Good points but I'd disagree about Carmella. I think she's gotten very good in a short space of time and is evolving into a fine wrestler. She needs an experienced girl to help her out but she's coming along nicely. Her match against Peyton Royce a couple of weeks ago saw her look the best she ever has in the ring.

Monokne

I'm not high on her. She has all the charisma and presence of a wet mop. I bet she's a really nice girl though.

beakerjoe

Monokne wrote: »

I'm not high on her. She has all the charisma and presence of a wet mop. I bet she's a really nice girl though.

While I dont think shes that bad, and to be fair she hasnt been given the chance yet to show eaxcatly what she can do. That said, Ive seen nothing to suggest shes one for the future but time will tell I suppose. Valet is the perfect role IMO.

I wish her well though and was sad to her she suffered an injury last friday.

Monokne

I don't think she has the personality to be a valet. Everything feels so forced from her. I just don't think she's any good at all. Maybe she can develop I guess.

beakerjoe

Monokne wrote: »

I don't think she has the personality to be a valet. Everything feels so forced from her. I just don't think she's any good at all. Maybe she can develop I guess.

Sure seems grand in the skits that lead to her initial debut with Enzo and Cass.

While on paper she appears to be teh typical model trying her hand at wrestling (shes a former Lakers girl), her dad was a former pro wrestler and she seems to legit love the business.

I think shes way off being a Sasha Banks and at 27, time isnt on her side especially with plenty of other talented ladies already ahead of her skill wise. Id be perfectly fine with her being the valet of Enzo and Cass for as long as their employed.

But they have been bit part players since at NXT Brokklyn (a missed opportunity to strike while the iron was hot) and during the Dusty Classic, with the focus on other teams. They are in danger of being lost in the shuffle

Monokne

I don't doubt she loves the biz, and I'm not offended by her in the role, she's just elevator music. Adds absolutely nothing in my opinion. Just my opinion mind you

The comparison I'd make is with Alexa Bliss and Blake & Murphy. That act feels totally different with her in it. She has a presence. Carmella didn't come out with Enzo & Cass in Brooklyn because she had her own match later & you just wouldn't notice she was missing.

DM_7

Alexa (her persona) was horrible/bland before joining Blake and Murphy.

Carmella in her current persona isn't working great and will need to be tweaked, changed down the line.

I don't think what we see on the Full Sail shows are everything, Rusev for example was changed a good bit when moved to the main roster.

Monokne

DM_7 wrote: »

Alexa (her persona) was horrible/bland before joining Blake and Murphy.

Carmella in her current persona isn't working great and will need to be tweaked, changed down the line.

Sure. She might have some personality as a heel.

den87

Anyone else find it awesome that in 2015 we're (well i am) staying up for a show ran by HHH that has some of the best wrestling and wrestlers in the world and has a 30 min womens match as the MAIN EVENT?????

LeeJM

I always ask this but is this a normal 1 am kick off for us?

DM_7

den87 wrote: »

Anyone else find it awesome that in 2015 we're (well i am) staying up for a show ran by HHH that has some of the best wrestling and wrestlers in the world and has a 30 min womens match as the MAIN EVENT?????

The NXT format is great for people like us. Its not corporate enough to be the TV template imo but is perfect for the network. Shows like the Brooklyn WWE 24, table for 3 are what i imagine most wrestling fans wanted to see.

bobby_says_hi

It's amazing. Especially that the fans applauded and were all for it when it was announced. And we know it'll be great.

the incredible pudding

Asuka is pretty amazing. Really fast pace to that match.

billion dollar baby

Very few things on wrestling have ever got me emotional. I think the last time was when Bret Hart hugged Shawn Michaels on Raw a few years ago.

But by the end of Takeover last night I was bawlin. And I'm a grown ass man admitting that

bobby_says_hi

Apparently Sasha gave Izzy her flowers after the show ended. D'awww

Ageyev

Triple H did a conference call before the NXT show. It's 40 mins and there are no great revelations but he does intimate that NXT is for a smaller niche audience than Raw. I guess you could say he was just giving the corporate answer and colouring inside the lines but the questions were coming from wrestling website writers not investors.

http://www.betweentheropes.com/2015/10/07/nxt-takeover-respect-conference-call-with-paul-triple-h-levesque/

https://soundcloud.com/betweentheropes/btr-439-nxt-takeover-respect-conference-call

Stereomaniac

Is that just his way of saying that he can do whatever he wants with NXT because he doesn't have to worry about a T.V network looking for certain things to appear on the shows? My love for NXT has been well and truly re-affirmed by last night's show, I have to say.

Ageyev

Stereomaniac wrote: »

Is that just his way of saying that he can do whatever he wants with NXT because he doesn't have to worry about a T.V network looking for certain things to appear on the shows? My love for NXT has been well and truly re-affirmed by last night's show, I have to say.

Imo it can be read that the garbage comedy and 50/50 booking etc. on Raw would continue under his watch if he had total control. That and/or he wants to use NXT to control the independent scene

Chip Whitley

Just saw on Instagram that

James Storm

is making his NXT debut tonight!

Stereomaniac

Ageyev wrote: »

Imo it can be read that the garbage comedy and 50/50 booking etc. on Raw would continue under his watch if he had total control. That and/or he wants to use NXT to control the independent scene

I didn't listen to the call but do you think he'll keep Raw as more of a variety show?!

Ageyev

Stereomaniac wrote: »

I didn't listen to the call but do you think he'll keep Raw as more of a variety show?!

I don't know what he would do if he was in Vince's position but I highly, highly doubt that Raw would resemble NXT. Listen to the the clip, it's about 40mins. Towards the end he drags out the "we make movies" line.

Imo, Trips gets too much credit. NXT is a well booked show with a budget larger than anynother "indy" but "well booked" just kinda means properly booked ie. they are producing a good wrestling show that for 45mins a week is fine and their super-shows every few months are great.

I think it's the (almost obscene) contrast between Raw and NXT that leads people to wonder what if Trips was in charge of WWE. But NXT's financials aren't scrutinised on investor calls. Corporations tend to operate according to a structure and NXT is kind of outside of that atm.

I heard Dave Meltzer recently talk quite positively about Bailey and how she could be a women's version of John Cena vis-a-vis merchandise and crowd response - obviously from a different demographic though ie. women, particularly younger women/girls. The question is whether the brains behind Raw know how to book someone like her. I am skeptical tbh.

Ageyev

Twitter spoiler from the forthcoming taping:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CQ1Sp9lWIAAsj23.jpg

gerrybbadd

I hate the Full Sail crowd. They're sometimes too smart for their own good...

When Kana came out, and her name changed on screen to Asuka, they immediately started into the chanting "Ah Zoo Ka, Ah Zoo Ka"... Then, when Regal first pronounced her name as" Aska", a good portion of the crowd laughed.

Then the girls came out and started using the same pronunciation. And the crowd started chanted "Aska, Aska". Dopes

The Ayatolla

They're the worst crowd in the history of wrestling.

Almost up there with the post-mania "We are Awesome" bunch.

Omackeral

Chip Whitley wrote: »

Just saw on Instagram that ****** is making his NXT debut tonight!

You could spoiler that for people who don't want to have the suprise ruined. :mad:

sky88

Stereomaniac wrote: »

I didn't listen to the call but do you think he'll keep Raw as more of a variety show?!

I get the feeling with hhh that each show would have a distinct feel to it like the difference now between raw/smackdown and nxt.

gimmick

Omackeral wrote: »

You could spoiler that for people who don't want to have the suprise ruined. :mad:

Lads, there is going to be some element of spoilers on any PW forum. We could put *POTENTIAL SPOILERS* on every thread, but that would look silly. Ye know yourselves at this stage.

Palo Alto

Seems fairly elementary to spoiler something that hasn't aired on tv yet.