The Official WWE / NXT Discussion Thread *May Contain Spoilers*

[K-Nection]

Based on AJ's past comments, style, and age, I kinda expect him to get the Joe treatment. M/E NXT, don't do most of the NXT house shows.

 

Works for both sides, AJ gets a "WWE" run and a steady check but doesn't have to do the 250+ days of travel, WWE gets to use AJ as a trainer for guys coming through, a unique draw for NXT, and if they need him to fill in on the main roster, I'm sure there are pay escalators for that.

 

 

 

 

According to this AJ and Nakumora are going straight to the main roster. It's scary that both me and Brian Zane had the same mindset on AJ....

[Hive]

I'd like to see AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe at a WWE PPV. That would be awesome.

[Atticus]

Based on AJ's past comments, style, and age, I kinda expect him to get the Joe treatment. M/E NXT, don't do most of the NXT house shows.

 

Works for both sides, AJ gets a "WWE" run and a steady check but doesn't have to do the 250+ days of travel, WWE gets to use AJ as a trainer for guys coming through, a unique draw for NXT, and if they need him to fill in on the main roster, I'm sure there are pay escalators for that.

 

Adding onto the video K-Nection posted, it's rumored that Styles and Nakamura were paid heavily and very well, more than what the WWE paid for Balor. They'll be skipping NXT. Though, I could see them doing a few shows before being placed on the main roster.

 

Nakamura has plenty of dates to wrap up, but I believe AJ is a free man now. His ROH bookings are done it seems and I assume most of his indie bookings too.

[crownsy]

Adding onto the video K-Nection posted, it's rumored that Styles and Nakamura were paid heavily and very well, more than what the WWE paid for Balor. They'll be skipping NXT. Though, I could see them doing a few shows before being placed on the main roster.

 

Nakamura has plenty of dates to wrap up, but I believe AJ is a free man now. His ROH bookings are done it seems and I assume most of his indie bookings too.

 

Interesting, not at all what I expected AJ to want or WWE to offer.

 

I wonder if he shows up in the Rumble?

[Big Roguey]

Adding onto the video K-Nection posted, it's rumored that Styles and Nakamura were paid heavily and very well, more than what the WWE paid for Balor. They'll be skipping NXT. Though, I could see them doing a few shows before being placed on the main roster.

 

Nakamura has plenty of dates to wrap up, but I believe AJ is a free man now. His ROH bookings are done it seems and I assume most of his indie bookings too.

 

From the sounds of things, he's still got UK commitments to finish up next week but after that, he's free.

[Atticus]

Interesting, not at all what I expected AJ to want or WWE to offer.

 

I wonder if he shows up in the Rumble?

Well if I recall, AJ said early on that WWE did approach him after he left TNA, but lowballed him. Much like TNA did. Like Final Countdown said, I imagine a lot of this has to do with the Network in Japan possibly paired with bad ratings, so WWE is reaching out.

 

Wouldn't be surprised if he did show up at the Rumble.

 

From the sounds of things, he's still got UK commitments to finish up next week but after that, he's free.

 

Oh, neat! I assume that means we'll get Styles vs. Zack Sabre, Jr. afterall? Rad.

[Big Roguey]

Well if I recall, AJ said early on that WWE did approach him after he left TNA, but lowballed him. Much like TNA did. Like Final Countdown said, I imagine a lot of this has to do with the Network in Japan possibly paired with bad ratings, so WWE is reaching out.

 

Wouldn't be surprised if he did show up at the Rumble.

 

 

 

Oh, neat! I assume that means we'll get Styles vs. Zack Sabre, Jr. afterall? Rad.

 

Yup, neither 5 Star Wrestling or RevPro have announced he's dropped out of the events so unless he does the scummy thing and drops out last second, Styles/ZSJ is a go-go!

[lr10540]

Anybody have any idea on plans they have for Nakamura?

[Big Roguey]

Anybody have any idea on plans they have for Nakamura?

 

True leader of the Social Outcasts?

[Atticus]

Anybody have any idea on plans they have for Nakamura?

 

Nothing solid yet. Though I believe Nakamura has always wanted a run in the States and the chance to be a star in America, so I'd like to believe he wouldn't sign on unless they had something good planned for him. Or he just accepted a lot of money to be a maybe star.

[Mootinie]

Only the most hardcore of Japanese wrestling fans will sub to the Network and we're talking fans that have disposable income in the middle of a recession. I honestly don't see how they think signing Nak will fix this for them. For clarification, I signed up for NJPW WORLD on Monday and I am the 66947th sub. I'd hazard a guess that right now, they probably have around 40,000 active subs. How WWE are expecting anything even close to that is completely beyond my understanding.

[crownsy]

Only the most hardcore of Japanese wrestling fans will sub to the Network and we're talking fans that have disposable income in the middle of a recession. I honestly don't see how they think signing Nak will fix this for them. For clarification, I signed up for NJPW WORLD on Monday and I am the 66947th sub. I'd hazard a guess that right now, they probably have around 40,000 active subs. How WWE are expecting anything even close to that is completely beyond my understanding.

 

I mean, forgive my ignorance of the exact severity of the recession, but is 9.99 really that much of a monthly burden right now for the Average Japanese Fan?

 

For comparison, Me and the wife make an ok living here in the US, but we live on a very tight budget. When we decided to get the network, we found ten bucks we could cut pretty quickly. I just dropped from getting coffee on the way to work most days to only once or twice a week.

[Jaysin]

Cena is getting shoulder surgery tomorrow. So he'll be out of action for a bit.

[lr10540]

Cena is getting shoulder surgery tomorrow. So he'll be out of action for a bit.

 

Further lessening the depth of the Mania card that I've spent 600 to be at live. Starting to become upsetting. I'm not the biggest Cena fan, but I was reaaaaaally looking forward to Cena v Taker. Ugh.

[Blackman]

I'd like to see AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe at a WWE PPV. That would be awesome.

 

It'll be like the good ol' days... except much better production values. This is win.

[Mootinie]

I mean, forgive my ignorance of the exact severity of the recession, but is 9.99 really that much of a monthly burden right now for the Average Japanese Fan?

 

For comparison, Me and the wife make an ok living here in the US, but we live on a very tight budget. When we decided to get the network, we found ten bucks we could cut pretty quickly. I just dropped from getting coffee on the way to work most days to only once or twice a week.

 

Well, the Tōhoku earthquake caused the Fukushima nuclear disaster and the country's economy has been reeling ever since. It was growing in the middle of 2015 only to slip back into recession in November. Wrestling attendances promptly declined thereafter.

[K-Nection]

Further lessening the depth of the Mania card that I've spent 600 to be at live. Starting to become upsetting. I'm not the biggest Cena fan, but I was reaaaaaally looking forward to Cena v Taker. Ugh.

 

Don't worry guy....Cena's recovery rate is a cut above anyone else. A normal person would be out 6 months but in John Cena time he should be maineventing Fastlane at the moment.

[Hive]

Further lessening the depth of the Mania card that I've spent 600 to be at live. Starting to become upsetting. I'm not the biggest Cena fan, but I was reaaaaaally looking forward to Cena v Taker. Ugh.

 

A WrestleMania ticket is 600 dollars???

[CQI13]

A WrestleMania ticket is 600 dollars???

 

Might include airfare and hotel.

[crownsy]

Don't worry guy....Cena's recovery rate is a cut above anyone else. A normal person would be out 6 months but in John Cena time he should be maineventing Fastlane at the moment.

 

Ha, I feel bad for Cena, but not the WWE. you Reap what you Sow.

 

Guy has been rumored to have a shoulder injury for what, like 2 years? They had all that time to plan these 6 months around Mania, instead they tried to push through it, including this latest break where they tried to heal a bum shoulder by just not having him work. Guys break down on the WWE schedule, and it doesn't help WWE pushes them well past when they should have been shut down for surgery/recovery.

 

Gonna be a odd WM, that for sure. Not much "Star Power" from the full time roster going in due to injuries, but could come out of it with a few stars on the rise.

[Dawn]

I'm looking forward to see what WWE will do with WrestleMania now that they took a reality flavored cup of tea. Without Cena, they don't exactly have a deep pond of star power, since, you know, they thought that they could rely on Cena forever (not just that, but only on Cena forever) and treated everybody else except for a few members of the roster (mainly the ones who have been stars since ages ago like Lesnar, Undertaker and Triple H) like crap and booked them as such. It might just be an obligation to build up some other guys now.

[Dawn]

Also, I expected Nakamura to be the one to take the longest time to fulfill his obligations before joining the WWE, but he - and I expect that the other three as well - will be joining them by the end of the month. Gosh, I'm so happy. I hope one of them, at least one, debuts/returns at the Royal Rumble. And I hope it is Styles.

[The Final Countdown]

Also, I expected Nakamura to be the one to take the longest time to fulfill his obligations before joining the WWE, but he - and I expect that the other three as well - will be joining them by the end of the month. Gosh, I'm so happy. I hope one of them, at least one, debuts/returns at the Royal Rumble. And I hope it is Styles.

Judging by your previous post, it sounds like you think WWE's creative is largely garbage (which I happen to agree with), so why would this excite you? All the talent in the world isn't going to matter if the writing continues to be crap.

[Dawn]

Judging by your previous post, it sounds like you think WWE's creative is largely garbage (which I happen to agree with), so why would this excite you? All the talent in the world isn't going to matter if the writing continues to be crap.

 

Yes, Dawson, the creative is crap - but elementary, the in-ring action quality is at an all-time high. That's why I'm excited. Plus, you have NXT. I do agree with you that it won't help on the writing at all. But I do hope that gets better this year...my hopes are up since Triple H himself admitted that the writing has been horrid.

[Atticus]

Ha, I feel bad for Cena, but not the WWE. you Reap what you Sow.

 

Guy has been rumored to have a shoulder injury for what, like 2 years? They had all that time to plan these 6 months around Mania, instead they tried to push through it, including this latest break where they tried to heal a bum shoulder by just not having him work. Guys break down on the WWE schedule, and it doesn't help WWE pushes them well past when they should have been shut down for surgery/recovery.

 

Gonna be a odd WM, that for sure. Not much "Star Power" from the full time roster going in due to injuries, but could come out of it with a few stars on the rise.

 

Spot on with Cena. Pushing off surgery and making guys work intense schedules with it is just horrible. I don't know if this injury was just bad luck or the schedule. He took all off some of October, all of November, and most of December then gets injured a few weeks into the new year. The dude's body has to be trashed with his history of rushing back from injury I imagine. Especially at 38.

 

That said, with the aid of modern "medicine", I could see Cena making it back, but I think he'll still miss Mania.

 

Also, I expected Nakamura to be the one to take the longest time to fulfill his obligations before joining the WWE, but he - and I expect that the other three as well - will be joining them by the end of the month. Gosh, I'm so happy. I hope one of them, at least one, debuts/returns at the Royal Rumble. And I hope it is Styles.

 

Yeah, everyone should be on the roster by the end of the month. I think it's safe to assume his last match will be either on the last few days of Fantastica Mania or immediately afterwards. I've definitely got to imagine AJ will be at the Rumble or the RAW after. Not sure what the NXT TV taping schedule is, but safe to say Gallows and Anderson will be on there too since those episodes probably won't air until late January/early February?