5 Reasons moving to the USA Network will be good for NXT
The past six years have seen NXT enjoy remarkable growth. From a training facility and a wrestling promotion that only the local market and the most die-hard of pro wrestling fans paid much attention to, NXT grew into one of the most popular wrestling brands in the world and a cornerstone of the WWE Network.
Yes, NXT set the stage for Superstars like Bray Wyatt, Kevin Owens, Finn Balor, Baron Corbin, and many others to advance to the highest levels of WWE's main roster. It has also established its successful brand, though, with talents like Johnny Gargano, Tommaso Ciampa, and Adam Cole becoming some of the best known and respected wrestlers in the world today, independent of appearing on RAW or SmackDown.
It was revealed that NXT is going to jump to the USA Network for a regular, live weekly television series broadcasted on the USA Network starting from 18th September.
USA Network is the long-time home of Monday Night Raw and had hosted SmackDown in recent years before word came out the blue brand moves to FOX this fall.
What will it mean for the Yellow and Black brand to follow suit to one of the national cable networks with one of the highest rates of market penetration in traditional television today, and will it be a good thing?
This article takes a look at five key reasons why NXT moving to the USA Network will be a good thing for WWE's developmental brand.
#5 A smoother transition to the main roster
One of the stated goals of the NXT product as part of WWE's Performance Center is to prepare talent to shine on the main roster.
Whether the talent at hand is inexperienced and genuinely getting trained to wrestle, or a veteran of smaller wrestling promotions adjusting to the WWE ring style, working the hard camera, acclimating to a WWE sized ring, everything about NXT is, on paper, built to get stars ready for Raw or SmackDown.
However, for all of this infrastructure that seems to make sense for preparing Superstars, isn't fool proof. For every Seth Rollins or Kevin Owens who went from the top of NXT to a sustained position as a top tier talent on the main roster, others have struggled. Take Shinsuke Nakamura or Bobby Roode. They were long-time NXT Champions whom the NXT brand was built around. While they've each had their moments on the main roster, they've also each peaked as US Champions thus far, and often as not seemed lost in the shuffle.
Some fans fear Vince McMahon taking a more hands-on role with NXT as they have sealed the TV deal with the USA Network.
However, a bit more input and involvement from McMahon earlier may well facilitate him getting more familiar with NXT prospects, and those prospects acclimating to his leadership.
The net result may well be a smoother transition from one level of WWE to the next, setting up the best of NXT to truly carry their momentum to the top of the main roster.