NXT (WWE brand)


NXT is a brand of the American professional wrestling promotion WWE.
At its founding in 2010, NXT was intended to serve as a farm system for WWE's main roster, but over time wrestling pundits and fans came to view it as its own distinct entity, and it eventually became a global brand in its own right, establishing itself as WWE's third major "Triple Crown" brand.
NXT's status was elevated when it moved to the cable network USA in September 2019, and when it became included at that year's Survivor Series event. Originally holding its shows primarily in the Orlando, Florida area, NXT expanded its reach over time, having embarked on national and international tours, being praised for its high quality of wrestling and for captivating storylines.

History

Beginnings

NXT was formed in 2010, following the dissolution of the ECW brand. Initially, the NXT trademark was disputed between WWE and Scotland's Scottish Wrestling Alliance, whose developmental division was also called NXT. WWE worked with SWA to secure the NXT trademark for their new series with SWA's developmental branch being renamed "SWA: Source." In February 2010, WWE debuted the NXT television program, the program featured rookies from WWE's Tampa, Florida-based developmental territory Florida Championship Wrestling competing to become members of WWE's main roster. In June 2012, WWE ceased operating FCW, instead running all of its developmental events and operations at Full Sail University under the WWE NXT banner. The television show would also be revamped the same month to focus exclusively on developmental talent.

Expansion

On February 27, 2014, NXT held a live, two-hour event, NXT ArRIVAL, serving as the first live wrestling event for the newly-launched WWE Network service. After the second live event in May 2014, NXT TakeOver, the "TakeOver" name would be used for future live NXT events airing on WWE Network. In March 2015, NXT promoted its first live event outside of Florida with an event in Columbus, Ohio. On August 22, 2015, NXT held its first TakeOver event outside of Full Sail University, with at New York City's Barclays Center—acting as a support event for SummerSlam. In December of the same year, NXT held its first TakeOver event outside of the United States with. By 2016, NXT was running approximately 200 shows per year between the United States and overseas.
On August 20, 2019, it was announced that the NXT television series would move to USA Network—the current broadcaster of WWE's flagship Monday Night Raw—and expand into a two-hour, live broadcast on Wednesday nights beginning September 18, 2019. The timing of the premiere coincided with SmackDowns move to FOX in October. As a result of the move, the show would compete with All Elite Wrestling 's weekly show, , on TNT; marking the beginning of the "Wednesday Night Wars".
On October 18, 2019, Drake Maverick – who himself was drafted to SmackDown but remained the General Manager of the 205 Live brand – announced that following the 2019 WWE Draft, he had made a talent exchange agreement with NXT General Manager William Regal, whereby NXT wrestlers could also wrestle on 205 Live. NXT founder and executive producer Paul "Triple H" Levesque would then confirm that both 205 Live and NXT UK would essentially be subsidiary brands of NXT, considering wrestlers from those brands all as being under the NXT banner.
On October 31, 2019 during the Crown Jewel pay-per-view, it was announced that at Survivor Series, NXT would be included, competing directly with Raw and SmackDown as part of that event's traditional brand competition theme, confirming NXT's place as WWE's third main brand. On subsequent episodes of Raw and SmackDown, the NXT roster "invaded" both shows, engaging in matches and brawls with members of those respective rosters. During the main events of the November 1 and 4 episodes of SmackDown and Raw, respectively, the NXT Championship was defended, with champion Adam Cole defeating Daniel Bryan in the former, and losing by disqualification to Seth Rollins in the latter. At Survivor Series, Cole successfully defended the NXT Championship against Pete Dunne, marking the first time the title was contested on a traditional WWE pay-per-view event. NXT also won four out of the seven interbrand matches at Survivor Series, thus winning brand supremacy.
In 2020, after winning that year's women's Royal Rumble match, Charlotte Flair chose to challenge Rhea Ripley for the NXT Women's Championship at WrestleMania 36, establishing that NXT Championships are now also options for Rumble winners to choose as they are guaranteed a championship match of their choice at WrestleMania.

Bill DeMott controversy

In late February and March 2015, several former NXT trainees previously working within WWE developmental system alleged misconduct by head trainer Bill DeMott, with Judas Devlin and Brandon Traven publicizing complaints which they claimed they had submitted to WWE management about DeMott back in March 2013 when they were still employed with WWE. Meanwhile, other ex trainees like Briley Pierce, Derrick Bateman and independent wrestler Terra Calaway also made allegations in 2015, while previous allegations made in 2013 by Chad Baxter and Chase Donovan were also noted. They accused DeMott of making trainees perform dangerous drills, physically assaulting and bullying trainees, using homophobic and racial slurs amongst other derogatory terms and condoning sexual harassment. WWE released statements regarding some of the claims that came to light in 2013 and 2015, saying that investigations were done and no wrongdoing was found. On March 6, 2015, DeMott denied the allegations, but resigned from WWE "to avoid any embarrassment or damage" to the company.

Championships and accomplishments

Current championships

Roster

Television show

The WWE Network was the main broadcaster of NXT's eponymous television program in the United States from 2014 to 2019. Regular episodes ran for one-hour and aired on tape delay, while live NXT TakeOver events were produced periodically. Beginning on May 17, 2012, WWE began filming NXT at Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida, with the venue being billed on air as "Full Sail Live". Tickets are available free for Full Sail students; general admission for non-students costs $10.
In its original format from 2010 to 2012, the series was a seasonally-broadcast competition series that was filmed in large venues during the SmackDown tapings. The series saw "NXT Rookies" paired with "WWE Pros", with the pairs competing in challenges until one sole winner remained. As with WWE's main programming, the series followed scripted storylines, where wrestlers portrayed heroes, villains, or less distinguishable characters that built tension and culminated in a series of matches or challenges. Results were predetermined by WWE's writers, while storylines were produced on the weekly series. Over the course of its five season run, the winners of each season were Wade Barrett, Kaval, Kaitlyn and Johnny Curtis. After NXT Redemption, the show's seasonal format was dropped.

WWE Network events

EventDateVenueLocationMain eventRef.
NXT ArrivalFull Sail UniversityWinter Park, FloridaBo Dallas vs. Adrian Neville for the NXT Championship
NXT TakeOverFull Sail UniversityWinter Park, FloridaAdrian Neville vs. Tyson Kidd for the NXT Championship
Full Sail UniversityWinter Park, FloridaAdrian Neville vs. Sami Zayn vs. Tyler Breeze vs. Tyson Kidd for the NXT Championship
Full Sail UniversityWinter Park, FloridaAdrian Neville vs. Sami Zayn in a Title vs. Career match for the NXT Championship
Full Sail UniversityWinter Park, FloridaSami Zayn vs. Kevin Owens for the NXT Championship
Full Sail UniversityWinter Park, FloridaKevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn for the NXT Championship
Barclays CenterBrooklyn, New YorkFinn Bálor vs. Kevin Owens in a Ladder match for the NXT Championship
Full Sail UniversityWinter Park, FloridaBayley vs. Sasha Banks in a 30-minute Iron Man match for the NXT Women's Championship
SSE ArenaWembley, London, EnglandFinn Bálor vs. Samoa Joe for the NXT Championship
Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention CenterDallas, TexasFinn Bálor vs. Samoa Joe for the NXT Championship
Full Sail UniversityWinter Park, FloridaSamoa Joe vs. Finn Bálor in a Steel Cage match for the NXT Championship
Barclays CenterBrooklyn, New YorkSamoa Joe vs. Shinsuke Nakamura for the NXT Championship
Air Canada CentreToronto, Ontario, CanadaShinsuke Nakamura vs. Samoa Joe for the NXT Championship
Freeman ColiseumSan Antonio, TexasShinsuke Nakamura vs. Bobby Roode for the NXT Championship
Amway CenterOrlando, FloridaBobby Roode vs. Shinsuke Nakamura for the NXT Championship
Allstate ArenaRosemont, IllinoisThe Authors of Pain vs. DIY in a Ladder match for the NXT Tag Team Championship
Barclays CenterBrooklyn, New YorkBobby Roode vs. Drew McIntyre for the NXT Championship
Toyota CenterHouston, TexasSanity vs. The Authors of Pain and Roderick Strong vs. The Undisputed Era in a WarGames match
Wells Fargo CenterPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaAndrade "Cien" Almas vs. Johnny Gargano for the NXT Championship
April 7, 2018Smoothie King CenterNew Orleans, LouisianaJohnny Gargano vs. Tommaso Ciampa in an unsanctioned match
June 16, 2018Allstate ArenaRosemont, IllinoisJohnny Gargano vs. Tommaso Ciampa in a Chicago Street Fight
NXT U.K. ChampionshipJune 26, 2018Royal Albert HallKensington, London, EnglandPete Dunne vs. Zack Gibson for the WWE United Kingdom Championship
August 18, 2018Barclays CenterBrooklyn, New YorkTommaso Ciampa vs. Johnny Gargano in a Last Man Standing match for the NXT Championship
November 17, 2018Staples CenterLos Angeles, CaliforniaPete Dunne, Ricochet, and War Raiders vs. The Undisputed Era in a WarGames match
January 26, 2019Talking Stick Resort ArenaPhoenix, ArizonaTommaso Ciampa vs. Aleister Black for the NXT Championship
Halftime HeatFebruary 3, 2019WWE Performance CenterOrlando, FloridaAleister Black, Ricochet and Velveteen Dream vs. Adam Cole, Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa
April 5, 2019Barclays CenterBrooklyn, New YorkJohnny Gargano vs Adam Cole in a two-out-of-three falls match for the vacant NXT Championship
Webster Bank ArenaBridgeport, ConnecticutJohnny Gargano vs. Adam Cole for the NXT Championship
Scotiabank ArenaToronto, OntarioAdam Cole vs. Johnny Gargano in a two-out-of-three falls match for the NXT Championship
Allstate ArenaRosemont, IllinoisTommaso Ciampa, Keith Lee, Dominik Dijakovic, and Kevin Owens vs. The Undisputed Era in a WarGames match
Moda CenterPortland, OregonAdam Cole vs. Tommaso Ciampa for the NXT Championship
Full Sail UniversityWinter Park, FloridaCharlotte Flair vs Rhea Ripley vs Io Shirai for the NXT Women's Championship