JohnnyJ Posted June 21, 2017 Share Posted June 21, 2017 With nxt you had a year and a half where no one touched the main event cept nak, joe, balor and roode. That's practcally a generation in nxt years. During that time who was on the rise behind them? No way jose? They've done a great job of restocking the system but noone is going to draw overnight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonnyLaw Posted June 21, 2017 Share Posted June 21, 2017 Here's the lineup of the Concord, NC show a litte more than a year ago. I think it was the first post-WM show. * "No Way Jose" Levis Valenzuela defeated Riddick Moss * Elias Samson sang a song and then defeated John Skyler * Alex Riley defeated Blake. * Eva Marie defeated Carmella. * WWE NXT Tag Team Champions Chad Gable and Jason Jordan retained over Dash and Dawson * Austin Aries defeated Manny Andrade. * NXT Women's Champion Asuka defeated Peyton Royce. * NXT Champion Finn Balor and Shinsuke Nakamura defeated Tye Dillinger and Baron Corbin Only six people are still in NXT. No Way Jose, Riddick Moss, and Andrade hadn't fully debuted on TV yet, Royce was just starting with the venus fly trap gimmick, which never fully took, and Blake was still floundering. 13 people on this show are either on the main roster now, left WWE, or are Alex Riley, and that doesn't include Sami, who had just been called up full time, and Bayley who was selling her WM loss. As Johnny J said, they didn't build up mid-level talent, and the ones they did or that could have taken the top spot are on the main roster/205 anyways. Their top men are gone, their top women are gone (save Asuka), and their top tag teams are gone now. Combine that with the fact that all three champs are basically dominant heels (and in the case of two of them, undefeated (maybe three, has Roode lost?)), and I can see why attendance is down. Former TNA talent is not a draw outside of guys like Joe/Aries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig H Posted June 21, 2017 Share Posted June 21, 2017 I still think Bobby Roode would do very well in this gimmick on the main roster, but NXT isn't the right fit for him, his gimmick (outside of the song), or his promos. Just run through the history of NXT's champions from Neville onward...Neville, Sami, KO, Finn, Joe, and Nakamura. Not to say that Roode is a bad wrestler because I don't think he is, but he's a different caliber of wrestler than that list. Everyone on that list I look at and I see as an athlete or someone representing the sport of wrestling while Roode represents more of the entertainment side and can also happen to work a good match. Even if the guys on top from over a year ago are gone, there's little to no excuse to have this current roster just picking their butts doing nothing interesting. I will admit that the tag division is in shambles. It's down to AoP and Heavy Machinery. #DIY are no more, TM-61 are on the shelf, and everyone else is regarded as a jobber tag team. I almost think that while the tag division rebuilds itself to find a credible or worthy challenger to the titles that the AoP should make a run at whoever the top singles babyface is or make a run at fucking up Roode. I realize that doesn't make much sense, but it would likely turn Roode face and people want to cheer him anyway. Couldn't be any worse than his 2000 HHH act in a small arena. OR, fuck it, go full badass with Aleister Black. Have him take a go at the AoP and then have someone from the back come out to help him, like Drew Mac or something. No matter what, Black seems like the guy to be the top face to build around if he's going to be in NXT for awhile. It would at least be a step in the right direction because none of the other babyfaces are getting the god push to make them into a big deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIPPA Posted June 21, 2017 Author Share Posted June 21, 2017 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JCM Posted June 21, 2017 Share Posted June 21, 2017 14 hours ago, JohnnyJ said: With nxt you had a year and a half where no one touched the main event cept nak, joe, balor and roode. That's practcally a generation in nxt years. During that time who was on the rise behind them? No way jose? They've done a great job of restocking the system but noone is going to draw overnight. They could've used a few of the 205 guys like Cedric Alexander, Gallegher, or Swan to rebuild their roster. They do have a pretty loaded roster now, but they need to give them some direction and give newer acts time to connect with the fans. I think the women's division will be pretty amazing after the MYC, and it'll be interesting to see who steps up to dethrone Roode. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace Posted June 21, 2017 Share Posted June 21, 2017 Kimber Lee is now Abbey Leith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JCM Posted June 21, 2017 Share Posted June 21, 2017 2 hours ago, Craig H said: I still think Bobby Roode would do very well in this gimmick on the main roster, but NXT isn't the right fit for him, his gimmick (outside of the song), or his promos. Just run through the history of NXT's champions from Neville onward...Neville, Sami, KO, Finn, Joe, and Nakamura. Not to say that Roode is a bad wrestler because I don't think he is, but he's a different caliber of wrestler than that list. Everyone on that list I look at and I see as an athlete or someone representing the sport of wrestling while Roode represents more of the entertainment side and can also happen to work a good match. Nak and Joe's title runs were a let down, and none of their matches against each other lived up to the hype. Balor spent most of his run getting upstaged by the Horsewomen. Roode has been about as good as any NXT champ before him, and is more over than Neville and Joe were. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIPPA Posted June 21, 2017 Author Share Posted June 21, 2017 5 minutes ago, Ace said: Kimber Lee is now Abbey Leith. Would be just in time for the Mae Young Classic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace Posted June 21, 2017 Share Posted June 21, 2017 16 minutes ago, JCM said: Nak and Joe's title runs were a let down, and none of their matches against each other lived up to the hype. Balor spent most of his run getting upstaged by the Horsewomen. Roode has been about as good as any NXT champ before him, and is more over than Neville and Joe were. Roode's entrance music is over. He is less so. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supremebve Posted June 21, 2017 Share Posted June 21, 2017 I personally think Roode is a great NXT champion for the exact reasons you guys have said above. He is a heel who is the exact opposite of what you would want from an NXT champion. He is much more of a overly polished "Main Event" style worker who is beating all of the beloved indy/Japanese darlings. If there is an issue with his title reign it is how NXT doesn't build up their babyfaces. Nakamura's appeal is much less beloved babyface who we've grown to love, than he is Japanese guys we love, because we've been hearing about him for years. Roddy shouldn't be fighting for the title yet. He should have overcome Sanity, moved on to heel Itami, and built moved on to the next biggest heel. He's the perfect guy that they could have built into a beloved fan favorite, but he's just the next indy guy in line. Roode is the anti-indy guy, he wears suits, cuts promos, wrestles in a less flashy, lower risk style, and generally behaves like he's already made it. They need to slowly build an underdog challenger who is trying to "make it," except they aren't taking the time to build anyone. They'd rather just sign well-known indy guy, and throw him on TV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JCM Posted June 21, 2017 Share Posted June 21, 2017 I'd like to see Gargano make a run for the title. I think he's probably the most over baby face in NXT right now. They could space it out where Gargano's big title opportunity lines up with Ciampa's return, and he screws Gargano out of the belt and you pick that feud up where it left off. I see Drew Mac being a heel before too long. He's another guy who is in the anti indy mold with his size, looks, and WWE background. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt D Posted June 21, 2017 Share Posted June 21, 2017 46 minutes ago, JCM said: I'd like to see Gargano make a run for the title. I think he's probably the most over baby face in NXT right now. They could space it out where Gargano's big title opportunity lines up with Ciampa's return, and he screws Gargano out of the belt and you pick that feud up where it left off. I see Drew Mac being a heel before too long. He's another guy who is in the anti indy mold with his size, looks, and WWE background. Realistically he's no worse a choice than Strong, at least. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramsey Posted June 22, 2017 Share Posted June 22, 2017 I saw someone say that Roode was playing a 20teens version of Nick Bockwinkle/Ric Flair/Triple H and that's when I realized why he's not connecting with me or the majority of the fan base. We've seen his gimmick already....done waaaaaaaaay better than he is. Looking at the NXT roster right now and it's heavily top loaded. Drew, Hero, Black, Roode, Roddy, and maybe Adam Cole on his way? Meanwhile, the mid-card is No Way Jose, Almas, Sanity...lather rinse repeat. HHH, being a fan of the JCP era desperately needs to look back at the George Scott booking style. Even when Crockett was at his loaded roster peak, there was still something intriguing (or at least not aimless) happening all the way down the card. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt D Posted June 22, 2017 Share Posted June 22, 2017 15 minutes ago, Ramsey said: I saw someone say that Roode was playing a 20teens version of Nick Bockwinkle/Ric Flair/Triple H and that's when I realized why he's not connecting with me or the majority of the fan base. We've seen his gimmick already....done waaaaaaaaay better than he is. Looking at the NXT roster right now and it's heavily top loaded. Drew, Hero, Black, Roode, Roddy, and maybe Adam Cole on his way? Meanwhile, the mid-card is No Way Jose, Almas, Sanity...lather rinse repeat. HHH, being a fan of the JCP era desperately needs to look back at the George Scott booking style. Even when Crockett was at his loaded roster peak, there was still something intriguing (or at least not aimless) happening all the way down the card. There's something to the idea of a NXT lead heel portrayed as the WWE ideal instead of the NXT ideal of indy-esque worker. I just don't think they lean hard enough into it. If they're going to lean into it at all, it's better they do it in NXT than on the main roster, certainly. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIPPA Posted June 22, 2017 Author Share Posted June 22, 2017 Quick follow up In the new WON - Dave did say that why Richmond and Fake Baltimore where down - Poughkeepsie drew almost 2000 folks Clearly they are at least keeping that in the rotation (maybe next time with a Boston and PA show) Maybe they can run NOVA instead of fake fucking Baltimore next time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonnyLaw Posted June 22, 2017 Share Posted June 22, 2017 When are the next tapings? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NikoBaltimore Posted June 22, 2017 Share Posted June 22, 2017 11 minutes ago, RIPPA said: Quick follow up In the new WON - Dave did say that why Richmond and Fake Baltimore where down - Poughkeepsie drew almost 2000 folks Clearly they are at least keeping that in the rotation (maybe next time with a Boston and PA show) Maybe they can run NOVA instead of fake fucking Baltimore next time I get why you're saying that, but while fake fucking Baltimore was down at least they were into it and didn't do stupid shit. Compared to some dingbats at Full Sail I'll take it. It's a stop on its way up towards Poughkeepsie so it's not like they're going out of their way to do it anyway. What might have helped is if they did any kind of promotion in the markets that don't draw as well, there were practically none. And if they packed it last year for Nak then who's to say it won't be packed when somebody gets hot by next year. Also, FWIW when they go through Baltimore either north or south they tend to get wrestlers stopping by Jimmys Seafood for crabcakes and stuff. So if doing a show means they can chill there for awhile afterwards then I'm sure it's worthwhile to them. Just check the NXT wrestlers's accounts that night, a fair amount were tweeting about the place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supremebve Posted June 22, 2017 Share Posted June 22, 2017 31 minutes ago, NikoBaltimore said: I get why you're saying that, but while fake fucking Baltimore was down at least they were into it and didn't do stupid shit. Compared to some dingbats at Full Sail I'll take it. It's a stop on its way up towards Poughkeepsie so it's not like they're going out of their way to do it anyway. What might have helped is if they did any kind of promotion in the markets that don't draw as well, there were practically none. And if they packed it last year for Nak then who's to say it won't be packed when somebody gets hot by next year. Also, FWIW when they go through Baltimore either north or south they tend to get wrestlers stopping by Jimmys Seafood for crabcakes and stuff. So if doing a show means they can chill there for awhile afterwards then I'm sure it's worthwhile to them. Just check the NXT wrestlers's accounts that night, a fair amount were tweeting about the place. I'm not surprised that fake Baltimore is down this year, that place was a nightmare to get in and out of last year. It was a fun show, but I wasn't going way out there again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIPPA Posted June 22, 2017 Author Share Posted June 22, 2017 1 hour ago, NikoBaltimore said: Also, FWIW when they go through Baltimore either north or south they tend to get wrestlers stopping by Jimmys Seafood for crabcakes and stuff. So if doing a show means they can chill there for awhile afterwards then I'm sure it's worthwhile to them. Just check the NXT wrestlers's accounts that night, a fair amount were tweeting about the place. Do you really think there aren't places like this for the wrestlers all over the country? And part of the reason most of them where in the same place is because they all tour together via bus - this isn't like the main roster where everyone is responsible to get to a place on their own. I know you sticking up for your area but they aren't going to keeping booking the same venue just so everyone can get terrible Maryland Crabs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cristobal Posted June 22, 2017 Share Posted June 22, 2017 Or have a seafood dinner. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supremebve Posted June 22, 2017 Share Posted June 22, 2017 16 minutes ago, RIPPA said: Do you really think there aren't places like this for the wrestlers all over the country? And part of the reason most of them where in the same place is because they all tour together via bus - this isn't like the main roster where everyone is responsible to get to a place on their own. I know you sticking up for your area but they aren't going to keeping booking the same venue just so everyone can get terrible Maryland Crabs Hold up, are you saying those particular crabs are terrible or are you disparaging all Maryland crabs? Just asking to see if I need to reconsider my opinion of you. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIPPA Posted June 22, 2017 Author Share Posted June 22, 2017 Honestly all crabs in general - this specific instance is Maryland Crabs But all crabs can go kick rocks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supremebve Posted June 22, 2017 Share Posted June 22, 2017 4 minutes ago, RIPPA said: Honestly all crabs in general - this specific instance is Maryland Crabs But all crabs can go kick rocks 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NikoBaltimore Posted June 22, 2017 Share Posted June 22, 2017 34 minutes ago, RIPPA said: I know you sticking up for your area but they aren't going to keeping booking the same venue just so everyone can get terrible Maryland Crabs Thankfully they have other good things aside from crabs, but point taken. And at this point crabs and Old Bay might as well be part of my DNA. Anyway, to answer the question before aren't tapings tonight? I don't recall anything in last tapings's spoilers about the last man standing match and that's slated for next week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIPPA Posted June 22, 2017 Author Share Posted June 22, 2017 Tapings are tomorrow (Friday, 6/23) Then then have one July 12 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts