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The WWE Draft is now happening without any NXT involved. A year ago heading into Survivor Series, they were billing or at least trying to build them as an equal brand to Raw and Smackdown. Has WWE given up on the viability of NXT as a top brand and only seem them as ratings blocker for AEW? Is this because USA has not upped what they are willing to pay for NXT? Or is it basically because of the whims of Vince at the moment?
I think there is probably a bunch of things in play. You are probably correct in that WWE tried to give them the big push last year but it didn’t lead to ratings increase. I don’t know the exact amount WWE is getting from USA for the show but I have been told it’s not a huge number. I think we all realize that what WWE gets the most out of it right now is that it keeps AEW’s number down. and there is value in that. Sure, they would love to get a better TV deal as well, but that is up to USA or another company to offer it to them. So at this point, my take is that WWE sees NXT as its own product that keeps AEW’s number down and creates new talent for the TV shows that make them big money.
If WWE is truly behind this women’s movement, then why do the women’s match always get edited out on the Hulu replay?
They are not related. There is less time on Hulu so things get edited out. I think Hulu actually does the editing but don’t quote me on that.
This year’s draft was not that interesting. In the last few months we saw AJ Styles, Dolph Ziggler, Robert Roode and Mandy Rose get traded for “future” draft picks. Why would they be eligible to be included in the draft to only be drafted back to their last brand, except Mandy Rose? How would you have used and acknowledge the “traded” draft picks that were acquired? Or expected we were supposed to have forgotten those storylines?
I’ve got nothing. Mike and I said the same things on our show this week. The draft was an abject failure in our opinions.
I get that kayfabe is all but dead, but my question has to do with autographs and autographed items. Why do wrestlers still sign autographs with their character's name instead of their own personal name? If you ask William Shatner for an autograph, he doesn't sign it James T. Kirk. I get that the WWE does it for marketing, but this practice continues at signings and indy shows, long after they are out of the WWE machinery. I think a Shawn Michaels picture signed his real name it would be neat. Why hang on to this little last piece of kayfabe?
Here’s the difference. Shatner plays a role and at the end of the show, it has his real name. When he appears in public, his real name is known to the masses. Do you Ricochet’s real name, for example? The point is the fans know him by that name, not his real name. It’s something very unique to wrestling.
Did WWE just mess a potential storyline with Ricochet? Yes, it was a great moment having him pay tribute to Eddie Guerrero. But they could have had MVP hand him the chair, Cedric pretend to be hit, DQ's Ricochet and now he's forced to join the Hurt Business. Feels like a wasted potential storyline.
I think it was just the opposite. The Hurt Business storyline with him had run its course. It was time to move on to something else and he was able to do that. I hope.
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