NXT has become the best of WWE’s weekly shows. AEW is a big reason why. Even without going head-to-head with NXT every week, AEW is still enough of a threat to keep WWE from getting comfortable.
Wednesday’s NXT is a perfect example of that.
Due to Election Day coverage, NXT was moved to Wednesday for one week and will go head-to-head with the Blood & Guts edition of AEW Dynamite. WWE wasted no time in responding.
Bryan Alvarez of Wrestling Observer reported that NXT was told to load up the show against AEW.
So the show is stacked.
CM Punk will face Grayson Waller for the NXT Championship. John Cena and Cody Rhodes are also set to appear. The show will feature the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic finals, an unsanctioned match, and an NXT Women’s Championship defense.
Fans will be able to watch what is essentially a PPV for free on TV.
But the head-to-head shows aren’t the only reason NXT has improved. AEW being in the market has led to more pressure on WWE, and that seems to be encouraging Shawn Michaels to book big matches and feuds with a lot going on and to take more risks with the creative.
Another example is TLC, which will return on December 12 for the first time in six years. It used to be a main roster PPV and will now be exclusive to NXT.
This leads to an interesting question.
What if RAW and SmackDown went head-to-head with competition on the same level every week?
With rosters that cost a lot more and stars who are known around the world, both shows could be much better. In that situation, Triple H would have to cut down on unnecessary segments, keep feuds from dragging on, and put big matches on TV instead of saving almost everything for the PPVs.
It’s true that no company should have to rely on a rival to put on a good show. But NXT has shown that pressure can bring out creative ideas that tend to disappear when things get too comfortable.
WWE is the dominant company in the U.S. market, but that doesn’t mean it always has the best product.
At this point, WWE’s developmental brand appears to understand one of the basic rules of pro wrestling better than RAW and SmackDown do. Fans need a reason to watch the show every week, not just the PPVs.