Why NXT is to going to save the WWE

For those who have hope for WWE’s future because of the greatness of NXT, let me throw some much needed reality in the mix. 

First, WWE is not NXT.  They still push their own homegrown guys more.  Even though it is clear that independent starts are better in the ring, better at engaging the crowd, and better on the mic (see Daniel Bryan and CM Punk) the main product still pushes Roman Reigns and Rusev. 

Second, WWE still does not tell stories like NXT.  While NXT develops characters and gives motives and has to the point mic time, WWE has scripted garbage.  And while NXT prolongs feuds and is unafraid to let people wrestle other wrestlers while still in a feud with someone else (see Owens vs. Riley while Zayn is the feud or Nevile vs. four other guys while Zayn was the feud), WWE feeds us the same thing over and over again.  This will be the FOURTH PPV in a row where we see Cena vs. Rusev.  FOUR.  That is insane.  Two of these matches will have had stipulations. 

Third, there is no real bridge between NXT and WWE.  I think I wrote about this earlier.  All the great story telling Zayn and Neville is gone.  All the great story and matches between Zayn and Ceasaro is gone.  It is non-existent.  This lack of connection has hurt the transition of characters like Bo Dallas.  And while good wrestlers still get over, it does make it harder. 

Fourth, and this is the most important, all of this should have been happening 3 to 5 years ago.  Zayn has been great on the independent circuit forever.  So has Owens (Steen).  Finn Balor and Itami were both great in Japan and should have been here sooner.  You can make the same argument for CM Punk and Daniel Bryan.  These guys were undeniably great and they had to do crazy things to get over and get known in an independent circuit.  They did it.  This takes a toll on their bodies.  We have seen it with CM Punk.  He is fine being done with wrestling because he wore himself out pre-WWE and in it.  We see it now with Daniel Bryan.  His body is broken probably at least in part due to the wear and tear.  The WWE made them go too long before admitting their potential.  So it is also true with Zayn and Owens.  Do not expect long run from these guys because they have many miles already logged.

If WWE was serious about this they would have already had Bryan and Punk on the top of the card fighting off Zayn and Owens who would be coming up quick and NXT would not be full of guys we already know, but younger guys like Chase Owens with other guys who could use development like Jamin Olevencia or Vordell Walker. 

It is good that WWE is finally hiring the obviously great talent.  But they missed their prime or at least they missed having them for long great runs.  The WWE is still failing to get good independent talent soon enough to use them for decades. 

New Champs

Night two is over at the Big Cauliflower Alley Club show: Casino Royal.  The big news is there is a new World Junior Heavyweight champion and it is Steve Anthony. 

Also on night one Jax Dane unified the National and North American titles.  I am assuming the National Title will be the one used now. 

Also Santana Garrett successfully defended her title, which is a hard thing to do at CAC.  Last year the World title changed hands, this year the World Junior title changed hands as did the North American title. 

More on this big NWA event soon.

Cauliflower Preview

The big show is coming up soon in Las Vegas and the NWA has been busy adding on to itself.
The NWA is back in Portland, with NWA Blue Colar and has also added NWA Supreme in Indiana.  NWA Supreme by the way is another weekly promotion and Rob Conway just won the NWA Supreme Heavyweight Title. The NWA has added a second England group with NWA Fight Nation, and that group is now having a tournament to crown the NWA British Heavyweight Champ. 

Santana Garrett is now a quad champ holding belts in Shine, Ring Warriors, and Southern Championship wrestling as well as being the NWA World champ. She also will be making appearances in I Believe in Wrestling, FIP, and Evolve in April and makes it up to Jersey Championship Wrestling in May.  She does defend the Ring Warriors title Saturday the 11th.  
The World Tag Team Champs are back in the US and competing in Ring of Honor.  They are looking to become a tri champ as they also currently hold the Pro Wrestling Noah tag titles. 

The Big thing is the Cauliflower Club event in Las Vegas on Sunday and Monday.  Santana is scheduled for both days it seems and Barbi Hayden was originally advertised.  We also are going see a unification bout between Jax Dane and Tim Storm.  Steve Anthony is getting the shot at the World Junior Heavyweight title held by Jushin Thunder Liger.  Matt Rivera defends the Western States title vs. Americos.  Greg Anthony is in action.  There is a Tri Force title match currently held by Jester as well.  It is an absolutely huge event. 

It is going to be a good show.  Great weekend for the NWA.

NWA World Titles in Japan

It should be noted that in the Road to Invasion Attacks the NWA World singles titles were both defended.  Yes, neither one made the cut for the iPPV, which is a bad sign. 

Up first was Tenzan successfully defending against Kojima.  He won with a moonsault, and the two shook hands after the match.  They actually teamed together in a six man tag the next night.  Tenzan is still your champ.  It is listed as his 3rd title defense.  He won a rematch with Conway, and then this one, so I am missing a title defense somewhere.

The next night saw Jushin Liger defend his Junior title against Tiger Mask IV.  Liger won.  This match had respect as the build up, so that remained in tact.  Liger is scheduled to appear at the Cauliflower Club in Las Vegas, so now it looks like he will be coming in as the champ.  It is his second defense as he beat Owens in a rematch.  I imagine he may defend at a few places in the states on his way to the Club. 

These titles are languishing in Japan.  They need to be brought back home and soon. 

A tale of two titles

Just to illustrate what is wrong with the NWA World Heavyweight Title being in Japan on the waist of Tenzan let me compare with the NWA Women's World Title which hangs on Sanata Garrett. 

Garrett has defend the NWA Women's Title more outside the NWA than she has inside it.  In fact this past weekend, she successfully defended it FOUR times culminating in the defense at NWA Signature Pro Wrestling.  She defended it also at "I Believe in Wrestling", which got her name mentioned on sites like PWTorch.  She is also wrestling regularly for Shine Wrestling, which had Sanata Garrett win a title defense last weekend on an IPPV.  And Shine is now using Twitter to get fan made matches and the NWA Women's Title vs. the Shine Women's Title is a choice.  So social media is lighting up with the NWA Women's Title.  Let us also not forget that Sanata Garrett is now ranked (and has been for four weeks) on the PWI Top 10 women's wrestlers, which was not achieved by Barbi Hayden.  We can argue she should have made it, but the point is the NWA's champ is now getting recognition as one of the best women in the business.  The title itself is getting publicity and it is good for the NWA.

Tenzan has appeared on some NJPW events during their New Japan Cup series, but not in singles matches and not defending the title.  He has been in six man or eight man tag matches where he might be on the opposite side from his next opponent, Kojima.  The title is not a focus of NJPW, not being shown anywhere else, and is not yet on the docket for the next big New Japan event, Invasion.  Yes, the event is called Invasion, and no NWA title are being defended on the show despite the fact that New Japan has all three men's World Titles.  Now, in fairness the Tag Team champs are invading NOAH, so they get some wrestling, but as of now neither the World Heavyweight or World Junior Heavyweight title is up for defense.  Both titles are scheduled to be defended against other New Japan wrestlers next.  Although it should be noted that Ring of Honor is billing Jushin Liger against Jay Lethal for the ROH TV Title at the end of the month.  No mention of the NWA World Junior Title.  Tenzan is an after thought at best in New Japan, and he is now our NWA champ.  During Kojima's reign the NWA title was at least used constantly.  During Invasion last year, Kojima defended against Wes Brisco, if memory serves.  The title was defended on every major event they had.  Now, it has disappeared into limbo. 

The Women's title is on fire, which is great.  The men's title is out of sight, out of mind. 

The way NXT ought to work

Let me explain why NXT is broken.  It is broken because it does not do what it is meant to do, prepare people for RAW.  NXT is a great stand alone product, but it is not integrated with the WWE enough to really help a sagging flagship of RAW.  I know Hunter has said he wants NXT to be a stand alone thing, but that is foolish.  Why would WWE want NXT to complete with RAW?  And if people were signing with the internet based NXT with no hope of RAW, would they be able to sign the great talent they have now?  Would Kevin Steen want to work with NXT exclusively when he could have stayed with ROH and worked independent events all he wants?  Maybe, but I doubt you would get KENTA and other major stars to come if NXT is a destination not a pit stop. 

So think for a minute name one wrestler who came from NXT to WWE prepared?  Okay maybe Bray Wyatt.  His character puts him in a unique situation.  So I give you one.  Shield came in booked strong, and that helped, but what about now?  Reigns is a flop, Ambrose is too one gear, and Seth Rollins is looking like the best of the bunch.  Adam Rose?  Come on.  Bo Dallas?  He had potential, but there was no connection to Bo-lieve, and it flopped.  Paige?  She was a great NXT champ, and coming into a weak women’s division.  Won the title, and . . . nothing.  She is nothing now.  Fandango?  Please.  They are all awful when they finally show up because there is no real connection between the two. 

Let me use an example.  Last year we had some great match of the year candidates between Caesaro and Sami Zayn.  They had amazing matches, but not a one of them was on RAW.  These were steal Wrestlemania good matches, yet they are not seen by the vast majority wrestling fans.  Then they built up a great story line of Zayn always being the bridesmaid, but never the bride.  Just not quite good enough to win the big one.  It culminated in a crowd pleasing NXT title win.  Yet when he makes his debut on RAW all of that fan momentum and story line will be gone.  It won’t exist.  This is going to frustrate the harcore fan who watches NXT, and make Zayn have to start at the bottom of the WWE with a blank slate.  Does anyone doubt that this guy is a potential star?  At least intercontinental champion material. 

So imagine this.  November 2013 Ceasaro beats Zayn and it plays out as it did.  However, maybe highlights are shown and it is discussed briefly about Ceasaro getting a great match down in NXT.  The NXT guys have some air time somehow so that the show is not an unknown.  Some NXT stars show up in the Royal Rumble.  Maybe even Zayn, who squares off with Ceasaro.  Make Zayn eliminate Ceasaro, and then get eliminated himself.  It plays into the obsession Zayn had, and promotes the upcoming Takeover event maybe even helping gain subscribers to the Network.  Then they have the two out of three fall match classic at Takeover.  Make mention again on air, use it as part of building up Ceasaro to his Andre Battle Royal win at Wrestlemania.  Zayn goes his way, and you continue the close but no cigar angle with Neville, Kidd, and Breeze.  Now have a push on RAW for Ceasaro, who frankly deserves it.  Make him end up with the Intercontinental title.  Have Zayn show up on RAW saying he can beat Ceasaro.  He knows he can.  Maybe have a match on RAW where Zayn comes close, and Caesaro takes a count out.  Give them a PPV match where Caesaro cheats to retain.  It plays into the "can't win the big one" for Zayn.  Then you have Zayn in that great fatal four way in November.  Have Zayn win at the NXT Revolution event in December, but make sure it gets a mention on RAW.  Remember RAW needs to be doing some highlights and talk about NXT including occasional NXT matches.  Have Caesaro mock Zayn in interviews after Zayn drops the title to Owens.  Have Zayn and Ceasaro cross paths again at the Rumble, some RAW run-ins until Caesaro gives a Wrestlemania title match to Zayn.  Have Zayn win the intercontinental title from Caesaro at Wrestlemania.  Then you have brought Zayn in strong, slowly introduced him so that people understand he is not coming in from scratch.  And you have helped the Intercontinental title out by having a champ wear it and defend it for half a year or more, which also makes Caesaro look strong.  Then you have a known high quality match at Wrestlemania that will make the wrestling diehards salivate, a new young star, and Caesaro ready to make a move into the top contenders to start the post Wrestlemania 2015.  It also gives an in for Kidd and Breeze who have beef with Zayn, and hopefully have also been on the highlight reel, and probably have part of the occasional NXT match on RAW.  They would improve the roster.  And I think you might have done a better job getting people to sign up for the network because you are doing more than just shoving the low price down their throat, you are showing them what they are missing with NXT. 

As it stands now, Zayn has to start from the ground floor with a company that shows little patience for developing talent.  Not a good place to go from NXT champ to RAW chump.  But that is way it is set up now.

Unification thoughts

I should write about the big news that there will be aunification bout between the North American Heavyweight Championship and theNational Heavyweight Championship.  It is hard to argue against this move.  The two titles were basically duplicates and made things complicated.  The North American was supposedly the number 2 belt in the company, yet the National Title was the #1 contender and the stepping stone to the World title.  Never made any sense.  This will clear up the picture quite a bit. 

Yet, it is hard to think that the NWA did not miss out on something with the North American Title.  Clearly the NWA has hopes of being a real world wide presence.  They have also shown with the Women’s Title lately that they are willing for NWA belts to appear on shows that have nothing to do wit the NWA.  One could argue New Japan fits this bill with the World title and the World Tag Team Titles as well.  So why not make the North American Title really a North American title?  Would not have been feasible to get some sort of relationship with AAA or CMLL that is similar to the one we have with New Japan?  Just give them the belt for six months or a year even?  Let someone defend it in Mexico to get the NWA name back into Mexico.  There are also some Canadian shows that are not NWA affiliates that are open to NWA belts.  Remember last year when Chase Owens defended the NWA World Junior Heavyweight title in several places in Canada?  Put the belt on a Dru Oynx or Teddy Hart and let them tour Canada with it.  I like the Mexico option better because the NWA has so many territories that could easily draw a Luchador like Wrestling Revolution or Branded Outlaw Wrestling.  So the belt could come back from time to time to make an appearance in America, but it stays on a popular Luchador, who defends it in AAA or CMLL.  Then Las Vegas and the Cauliflower Club would make a good venue to have someone win it back.  Maybe then defend it in America for a time, maybe even Pro Wrestling Vendetta since they seem to be far away from where the majority of the NWA is located.  This belt could be part of their show for a while.  Then put it on Teddy Hart or Dru Oynx, and let them take it to Canada for a while.  There is a good two years of North American Title booking that keeps it separate and distinct from the National title, gives the NWA a global name, and could elevate the belt into something to be desired. 

But getting rid of the belt is not bad either.  I do think the merged belt should be National title since there is no NWA territory outside of America and Continental belts are suspect anyway.  This does continue to march the Cauliflower Club event every year up in significance.  If the NWA ever does decide to jump to an IPPV event or something like that, they are setting up people to look toward the Cauliflower Club every year.  I imagine some World  Titles will appear on this docket and probably change hands as well.