Why NXT still needs experienced vets for the revamp

A new beginning for NXT is on the horizon and is slated for September 14th, and it looks like there’ll be a new set design, a new logo—the works—but with rumors sparking of yet even more releases planned for a brand that has been decimated as of late, I’ll set to arguing why they need to keep at least some of their veteran wrestlers on the show, and all for the betterment and future of its youngest stars.

After all, wasn’t NXT supposed to be about the future? Well, how can you have a future without learning from the past?

NXT as it stood

To be completely honest, I saw no issues with NXT as the product stood, even coming into 2021. As far as story development, wrestling technique, and extraordinary personalities, it was all there; even management.

In fact, it seemed to me that when stars graduated from the NXT portion of their WWE careers and came onto the main roster, that that was when things started to go bad. Just look at how the incredibly talented Shotzi Blackheart pales in comparison to what she was on the NXT brand.

It’s a little bit of a win-lose situation for such superstars, as yeah, they get to go to the main roster, but they essentially get squashed once on that platform. How does that work? Another example of this is of course Karrion Kross.

But on NXT, all of these aforementioned few were shining brightly, and I feel it’s a lot more than just the old “big fish, little pond” analogy. NXT was good and as far as I’m concerned, it was good enough to stand on its very own.

And really, I don’t need to prove and back up my point, as it’s all out there…and right on WWE’s YouTube channel. Go and see…check these facts I’m presenting before you; especially if you haven’t been watching NXT in the last year or so.

But yet, WWE has decided to revamp the show, and coming off of a massive amount of layoffs, the worry going forward is who else is to leave?

A void in the roster

There were loads and loads of releases, as I’ve mentioned, but perhaps for the NXT brand, the most shocking was for me, Bronson Reed, Mercedes Martinez, Tony Nese, EverRise, Bobby Fish, Leon Ruff, Ari Sterling, Asher Hale and that’s to name just a few.

Bronson Reed was extremely shocking, especially seeing that he had just won the North American Championship months before and lost it in a short time…his release was imminent after that, it would have seemed, but really, it hit me out of left field. They all did, and now there’s an obvious void in the roster.

A shift in power

And in equally big news, it was announced that Vince McMahon and Bruce Prichard would be in charge of the final televised product, which essentially means the weekly show we see.

Before this, Triple H and Shawn Michaels were pretty much in charge over at NXT, the two always in production…helping, guiding, and taking care of the future of the business (with a plethora of others of course).

Apparently, though, as has been reported by webisjericho.com, William Regal, Matt Bloom, Triple H, and Shawn Michaels will still be in charge of the brand overall, yet with Vince and Prichard leading the reigns for the televised broadcast, which leads me to ask: don’t they already have their hands full with the floundering Raw? The phrase “too many cooks in the kitchen,” comes to mind. This type of dynamic can lead to disaster in professional wrestling.

So what of that future now?

Rumors about even more cuts to come

Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter has stated: “I’ve definitely heard names. A lot of the guys who’ve been there for a long time are kind of those are the names that have been talked about.”

This is particularly worrisome because when I hear this, certain names come to mind: specifically: Tommaso Ciampa, Johnny Gargano, Ember Moon, and even Samoa Joe who just returned to NXT after his release from WWE just a few short months prior.

It’s a bad time in NXT, and even with the rebranding and revamp, it doesn’t at all feel like a new beginning but an end to something that at one time was great.

The future and what the vets can do for the younger breed

These releases have already been tragic and detrimental to the future of NXT. Okay, we’ve covered that.

But if any more releases are to come and if they include the likes of Ciampa, Gargano, or the incredibly epic Ember Moon, somebody needs to check on Vince and make sure he’s thinking straight.

I’m not kidding, either. With these decisions, I’m worried about the guy. They don’t make sense, and I’m being sincere. I care for Vince McMahon and WWE, as we all do, dear readers, I’m sure. I want him to be okay and I also want the company that he started to be kept safe from peril and decisions like these so that WWE can flourish still for generations to come. But with decisions like these, I don’t know. I just don’t know.

Above all other talents, Johnny Gargano, Ember Moon, and Tommaso Ciampa can serve as professors in residence for the younger breed and they can put over many of the younger crop coming.

To be quite honest, once that happens, they all three deserve a shot at a legitimate and proper run on the main roster to boot.

In the end, I hope that these names offered as possible releases to come are just conjecture and speculation, but time will tell dear readers.