I admit, typing that NXT needs more goofiness sounds as strange as it feels to type it. There is a method to my madness. Part of it is playing devil’s advocate, and this will be blasphemous to many hardcore NXT fans (me too, to be honest), but it’s a curious insight.
We all love professional wrestling for the athleticism and show the wrestlers put on. From the mundane to the over the top, we keep tuning in to see what kind of antics they come up with next.
While some things are just outright wastes of time to some (like WWE’s current Lana, Rusev, and Lashley angle), others love them. We love to laugh at back jokes and bad acting. Despite our claims otherwise, we generally love slapstick.
But we’re here for the wrestling
We are. There’s no denying or that. We want to see our favorites in the ring doing what they’ve trained countless hours to do. But a small break here and there isn’t a bad thing.
It doesn’t even have to be a major story arc like the Lana-Rusev one. A simple bit introducing some word play like DeGeneration X used to do, or some overly goofy gimmick like Orange Cassidy going into the ring to frustrate a heel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gARnkwJ_t0g
Just a little something that allows the wrestles to flex some other muscles and allow a quick break from the tension and intensity that permeates the air. Given how Triple H and Shawn Michaels are on hand, would it be so hard to find someone on the NXT roster capable of pulling off such a gimmick?
Too intense can be a bad thing
There’s an old saying in sports that teams take on the personality of their coach, and professional wrestling isn’t any different. In this case, it’s coming from Triple H. His whole character is a super intense competitor that accepts no substitutes. Until he’s paired with Shawn Michaels.
That intensity has obviously filled the NXT roster and Full Sail University. It makes sense since they’re a developmental brand for Raw and Smackdown and the wrestlers need to establish their in-ring skills before anything else. After all, no one wants to see someone injured.
The thing is, NXT is expected to compete with AEW, and so far they’ve been doing well. But the truth is, AEW will eventually outlast them.
The choices are simple: to further compete, many believe NXT needs to move to larger venues.
It’s the obvious choice, but would loosening up a little help?
It’s a difficult line to walk, but given the chances are they’ll be in those kinds of storylines if they get called up to the big leagues, wouldn’t it be good training?
In the end, this is Triple H’s house, despite WWE owning the mortgage, and he should continue to do what he feels is best. As I’ve mentioned in other articles and in the opening, I prefer the close-knit, competitive venue of Full Sail and the NXT product, but slipping something more into a show may not be a bad thing.
