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Post by HMARK Center on Jul 31, 2020 14:04:12 GMT -5
Have to say, reading what happened with Sanity over time was the big thing that made me realize that I'd have a hard time being invested in NXT. It's not that NXT doesn't put on good shows, but that sense of "Oh God, I don't want these guys to go to the main roster, they'll ruin them" would just put a cloud of dread over the proceedings, all while knowing that the NXT champ isn't going to ever main event WM or whatever. Again, not the NXT product's fault, but their call up really highlighted the deficiencies in the system. When I still watched WWE, I was dreading people leaving NXT because they would get ruined or never used. Right, and it's such a strange feeling and I'm not sure if there's a direct parallel for it anywhere in pro wrestling history. Like, I watched tons of ROH from around 2002 through 2010, an era where lots of the top wrestlers ended up leaving for WWE or TNA after awhile. It sucked when that happened! But in the moment of watching those ROH shows, so long as my favorites like Samoa Joe, Bryan Danielson, and others were getting featured in major spots, winning titles, putting on great matches/feuds/stories, etc., my conscious mind could block out those other companies existing and just focus on what was being done within the confines of ROH. Now I watch NJPW more than most other promotions, and it feels like a legitimately big stage; the IWGP belt feels like the biggest title in the world most of the time, main eventing Wrestle Kingdom feels like a massive deal (and, well, it is), etc. But I just feel like it'd be tough to watch NXT knowing the express purpose of the show is to get these folks ready to go to Raw or SD, shows I have no interest in, a feeling I have in large part because I'd be dreading the type of booking they'd use on my favorites. I didn't follow CM Punk or Samoa Joe or Daniel Bryan to WWE; once they were there I didn't want to watch them anymore because I don't think WWE is particularly entertaining, but again while they were in ROH I felt like I could just focus on what they were doing in that promotion, not feel like "oh man, once this current angle is over they'll go to Raw and it's gonna suuuuuck." It does seem that's changed a bit now that NXT is meant to be more of a regular show instead of a smaller developmental brand, but now it feels like it can't totally capture that "this is the top of the wrestling world" feeling that a company like NJPW can achieve by having someone main event in the Tokyo Dome. Like, main eventing a Takeover is a big deal, I wouldn't take that away from anyone, but since it's under the WWE umbrella there's the hanging sense of "Yeah...but it's not Wrestlemania." It's not the pinnacle, not within the company's kayfabe world, and it just feels like I'd have a hard time working my brain around that while watching.
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Post by Captain Stud Muffin (BLM) on Jul 31, 2020 14:10:18 GMT -5
It is dumb
He is a perfect hire for NXT. He didn't need Raw/SD and once they had nothing for him there he should been sent back to a solo gimmick and so he can also be a trainer.
It is the Vince vs HHH problem. HHH will sign guys and he has found good ways to use his vets in helping the young guys. Meanwhile it is just another talent for Vince who can be left in the background
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Post by Feargus McReddit on Jul 31, 2020 14:20:21 GMT -5
It is dumb He is a perfect hire for NXT. He didn't need Raw/SD and once they had nothing for him there he should been sent back to a solo gimmick and so he can also be a trainer. It is the Vince vs HHH problem. HHH will sign guys and he has found good ways to use his vets in helping the young guys. Meanwhile it is just another talent for Vince who can be left in the background If you aren’t going to use him for anything on the product, he was a guy in Impact who was in every position on the card and put everything into every scenario they had for him. Outside of Norman Smiley, there isn’t anyone in NXT who was willing to do the stuff he did so you’d want him helping those younger talents do the same thing.
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Post by Captain Stud Muffin (BLM) on Jul 31, 2020 14:27:17 GMT -5
It is dumb He is a perfect hire for NXT. He didn't need Raw/SD and once they had nothing for him there he should been sent back to a solo gimmick and so he can also be a trainer. It is the Vince vs HHH problem. HHH will sign guys and he has found good ways to use his vets in helping the young guys. Meanwhile it is just another talent for Vince who can be left in the background If you aren’t going to use him for anything on the product, he was a guy in Impact who was in every position on the card and put everything into every scenario they had for him. Outside of Norman Smiley, there isn’t anyone in NXT who was willing to do the stuff he did so you’d want him helping those younger talents do the same thing. EY is the perfect def of a good hand. He won't f*** up or botch and will do everything he needs to, to his highest capabilities On the main roster, he could been teaming or going back and forth with Truth. Team him with Roode On NXT, either give him a new group or let him do solo shit. Capable midcarder/gatekeeper to keep guys over. Or can go full comedy and still be the good hand as well as a feel good story. As I said earlier HHH used him right and he should been sent back to NXT. Let him work the loops and do training and I believe he would been satisfied
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Post by A Platypus Rave on Jul 31, 2020 16:51:51 GMT -5
It is dumb He is a perfect hire for NXT. He didn't need Raw/SD and once they had nothing for him there he should been sent back to a solo gimmick and so he can also be a trainer. It is the Vince vs HHH problem. HHH will sign guys and he has found good ways to use his vets in helping the young guys. Meanwhile it is just another talent for Vince who can be left in the background If you aren’t going to use him for anything on the product, he was a guy in Impact who was in every position on the card and put everything into every scenario they had for him. Outside of Norman Smiley, there isn’t anyone in NXT who was willing to do the stuff he did so you’d want him helping those younger talents do the same thing. Yeah, Eric was never someone that was going to light the world on fire... but he knew how to make shit work. you could easily plug him into any position on the card and give him multiple gimmicks that he can get over in different styles... he's a utility player that every roster should have... and that is where they missed the opportunity with him...
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Post by Feargus McReddit on Jul 31, 2020 16:59:26 GMT -5
If you aren’t going to use him for anything on the product, he was a guy in Impact who was in every position on the card and put everything into every scenario they had for him. Outside of Norman Smiley, there isn’t anyone in NXT who was willing to do the stuff he did so you’d want him helping those younger talents do the same thing. Yeah, Eric was never someone that was going to light the world on fire... but he knew how to make shit work. you could easily plug him into any position on the card and give him multiple gimmicks that he can get over in different styles... he's a utility player that every roster should have... and that is where they missed the opportunity with him... And the thing is, those aren't a dime a dozen at all. For as good most rosters are these days, there aren't really those talents going around that you can slot in without exposing them. It's why, for as icky that whole angle was, I'm glad they got Drake Maverick back because he's one of those people you want to keep around and you can slot in many different places. Like...Eric Young was the first guy trusted to be in a ring to carry freaking Danny Bonaduce to a match. I'd like to think that world title run wasn't because they wanted to capitalise on Daniel Bryan but the company finally apologizing to him for that.
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