SEScoops

Category: NXT

  • Update On NXT Location, Full Sail & Thunderdome

    Update On NXT Location, Full Sail & Thunderdome

    WWE will present its first show from the “Thunderdome” in Orlando’s Amway Center on Friday. RAW, Smackdown, and PPVs will emanate from the venue for at least the next 2 months. According to Fightful Select, however, episodes of NXT will still continue to air from Full Sail University. This includes Saturday’s TakeOver XXX event.

    WWE’s upcoming filming schedule now looks like this:

    • Friday, August 21 – Friday Night SmackDown, Amway Center, 8 pm ET on FOX
    • Saturday, August 22 – NXT TakeOver XXX, Full Sail Live, 7 pm ET on WWE Network
    • Sunday, August 23 – SummerSlam, Amway Center, 7 pm ET on WWE Network
    • Monday, August 24 – Monday Night Raw, Amway Center, 8 pm ET on USA Network
    • Wednesday, August 26 – NXT, Full Sail Live, 8 pm ET on USA Network
    • Friday, August 28 – Friday Night SmackDown, Amway Center, 8 pm ET on FOX
    • Sunday, August 30 – Payback, Amway Center, 7 pm ET on WWE Network
    • Monday, August 31 – Monday Night Raw, Amway Center, 8 pm ET on USA Network

    Additionally, it is being reported that WWE has created a temporary training facility for its developmental talent. It is not clear if they will be moving back to the Performance Center as WWE’s main roster moves to the Amway Center, however.

    Orlando-based reporter Jon Alba has been covering WWE’s agreement with the Amway Center. He is speculating that a possible reason WWE’s deal with the venue runs only through October is due to the possibility of the Orlando Magic returning to the arena in December.

  • Adam Cole On What NXT Can Do To Succeed During Wednesday Night Wars

    Adam Cole On What NXT Can Do To Succeed During Wednesday Night Wars

    Former NXT Champion Adam Cole has shared what he believes NXT should do as the brand continues to compete with AEW Dynamite every Wednesday night.

    Speaking with TV Insider, Cole acknowledged the Wednesday Night Wars waging between the two companies. He stressed how “When we’re focused on our show, we’re focused on our show. We’re not thinking about what they’re doing. At least I don’t. I’m not sure what anyone else is doing.”

    Cole has several friends who work with AEW, including his girlfriend, Britt Baker. He noted how conversations with them reveal they have the same mentality.

    Regarding the ratings war between WWE and AEW, Cole believes the right approach is to continue highlighting NXT’s strengths.

    “I think finding ways to have really exciting matches and angles and interviews. Finding ways to constantly try new things and see what sticks and what doesn’t stick and evolving the television show. They’re both fairly new television shows.”

    Adam Cole argued how being on USA Network is still a new experience for the black-and-yellow brand. Because of this, NXT needed to commit to finding new and exciting ways to tell its stories.

    Cole gave credit to NXT’s crew and Superstars, noting how the roster boasts talent who are “the best in the world.” He stressed that if these wrestlers are highlighted, NXT will continue to grow.

    Adam Cole is set to wrestle Pat McAfee at NXT TakeOver XXX. The show takes place on August 22 from Full Sail University.

  • Adam Cole On Potential Move To Main Roster After Losing The NXT Title

    Adam Cole On Potential Move To Main Roster After Losing The NXT Title

    There have been renewed talks of Adam Cole possibly being moved to the main roster after he dropped the NXT Championship to Keith Lee last month.

    During a recent interview with TV Insider, the former champion talked about a number of things including his ongoing feud with Pat McAfee, being compared to Shawn Michaels and more.

    When asked about a potential move to Raw or SmackDown, Cole said that he is in no rush to leave NXT as he feels that the Black and Yellow brand is blossoming into something special:

    “I feel like NXT is really blossoming into something special, selfishly, I don’t want to miss out on that. I’m really enjoying my time here and feel there is more for me to do. I feel like there is more for the Undisputed Era to do. As a group, we have been a dominant force in NXT.

    I’m in no rush to leave NXT.” said Adam Cole “At the same time, do I think the Undisputed Era would be effective on RAW and SmackDown? Absolutely.”

    Latest backstage reports have revealed that WWE officials are planning another draft soon and they have shortlisted two dates in October for the same.

    Now after Cole’s title loss, the big question is if the company could actually be planning to move him to the main roster and if the Undisputed Era leader could be moved during the upcoming drafts.

  • Shotzi Blackheart Recovers Stolen Car, Gear And Helmet (Video)

    Shotzi Blackheart Recovers Stolen Car, Gear And Helmet (Video)

    NXT Superstar Shotzi Blackheart unfortunately recently had her car stolen. Her car contained not only wrestling gear but also the recognizable helmet she wears during her ring entrance.

    In a recent video Shotzi Blackheart uploaded to her YouTube account, she drove to where police have recovered her car. She is accompanied by fellow NXT Superstar Jake Atlas. Thankfully, her possessions—including the helmet which holds sentimental value to Blackheart—were all recovered without issue.

    In the video, Blackheart is dressed in her wrestling gear and holding a toothbrush. She explained she was preparing to wrestle when she got the call that her car had been found. The video then details their journey towards the police as her nervous excitement grows.

    Holding a toothbrush throughout, Blackheart inspects the car with the police. She explained how “there’s a really sentimental helmet in the trunk […] I don’t even care about the car, I just want this helmet.”

    Guiding the police over the driver’s side, they open the trunk. Blackheart immediately jumps for joy having seen everything is still safely in the back of her car. She then grabbed her helmet, hugging it tightly.

    When asked by an officer why the helmet mattered so much to her, Blackheart explained:

    “The reason I love my helmet so much is because my first day of training it was hung up on the wall of my training facility, and every day I saw it, and then when I first started having matches, my trainers let me have the helmet. It’s been with me my entire career—I’ve taken this thing all over the world.”

    If you use any quotes from this article, please provide a H/T to SEScoops.

    https://youtu.be/ICoXLuXt0VI
  • Adam Cole Comments On A Potential Babyface Run In NXT

    Adam Cole Comments On A Potential Babyface Run In NXT

    Adam Cole has spent most of his time in NXT as a heel but fans are getting the chance to see the other side of his character in his ongoing feud with Pat McAfee.

    The former NXT Champion recently had an interview with New York Post where he talked about things like the stigma in wrestling surrounding smaller wrestlers and more.

    In light of his ongoing feud with McAfee, Cole was asked if he would like a shot at a proper babyface run in NXT and the Undisputed Era leader replied positively:

    “Yeah, I think I would. I think I would love the chance to be in that babyface role. By no means would that babyface role mean the Adam Cole that you see now would change very much,

    But I do think it would be a cool challenge and something interesting for me to do to kind of be put in that role.” said Adam Cole “I think it would be really fun.”

    Adam Cole also recalled his early career and revealed that he used to play a babyface character when he first debuted. At the time, he felt uncomfortable in the role but now he has a much better grasp over his character.

    Apart from this, the former ROH star discussed things like the reason behind Undisputed Era’s longevity, the arrival of new stars in the NXT roster and more.

  • AEW Dynamite Tops NXT By A Wide Margin, Doubles Key Demo

    AEW Dynamite Tops NXT By A Wide Margin, Doubles Key Demo

    AEW Dynamite has extended its winning streak over WWE NXT. Viewership was down for both shows this week, but AEW outdrew NXT by 173,000 viewers and doubled NXT on the Adults 18-49 demographic.

    Here is this week’s breakdown, courtesy of ShowbuzzDaily:

    • AEW: 792,000 viewers, 0.32 rating (9th on cable for the night)
    • NXT: 619,000 viewers, 0.16 rating (65th on cable for the night)

    For comparison, Monday’s edition of WWE Raw averaged 1.72 million viewers with a 0.47 demo. Once again, AEW and NXT (combined) topped Raw in the key demo.

    AEW viewership dropped 12% from 901,000 last week. Dynamite saw Cody retaining the TNT Championship against Scorpio Sky, Orange Cassidy defeating Chris Jericho in the main event, special appearances from The Rock ‘n Roll Express, Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard for Tag Team Appreciation night and much more. (Results & Takeaways)

    NXT viewership was down nearly 18% from last week’s 753,000. Top matches included Karrion Kross vs. Danny Burch, Bronson Reed vs. Damian Priest and Cameron Grimes vs. Kushida and the returning Velveteen Dream in the main event. (Results & Takeaways)

  • Pat McAfee Comments On Upcoming Match At TakeOver XXX

    Pat McAfee Comments On Upcoming Match At TakeOver XXX

    Pat McAfee recently appeared on ESPN’s Get Up and spoke about his upcoming match at TakeOver XXX against Adam Cole.

    “2 weeks away, SummerSlam weekend, NXT TakeOver XXX Saturday night,” McAfee said. “I got 2 weeks to prepare for this guy who has been wrestling for 12 years.”

    McAfee punted Adam Cole in the head on last week’s NXT. The former NXT Champion appeared to have been knocked out by the blow.

    “Getting to do this is going to be awesome,” he continued. “It’s going to be a dream come true.”

    McAfee then continued to talk about having had some wrestling training. He has a wrestling ring up at his house and has trained with Rip Rogers.

    “One night when I was a little bit intoxicated I bought a wrestling ring, a full-sized wrestling ring and I put it in my barn. It showed up at my house a couple of months later, I’d forgot that I bought it. I sent that thing up and I’ve ran the ropes a couple of times, I’ve taken a couple of bumps. I’ve trained with a guy named Rip Rogers.”

    “I have to not look like an idiot like the Saturday Night Live guys that have gotten in there before.”

    McAfee’s comments can be heard in the player below:

  • AEW Dynamite Tops 900,000 Viewers, NXT Also Up This Week

    AEW Dynamite Tops 900,000 Viewers, NXT Also Up This Week

    AEW Dynamite scored another decisive win over WWE NXT this week in total viewers and the key Adults 18-49 demographic. Courtesy of ShowbuzzDaily:

    • AEW: 901,000 viewers, 0.36 rating (5th on cable for the night)
    • NXT: 753,000 viewers, 0.20 rating (27th on cable for the night)

    Both shows were up this week, but the big story is AEW topping 900,000 viewers for the first time since March 18th. These are pre-pandemic numbers that AEW and TNT have to be thrilled with.

    AEW viewership jumped 16.5% from last week’s 773,000 (the key demo was 0.30). Dynamite saw Jon Moxley retain the AEW Championship against Darby Allin in a great main event, Eric Bischoff hosting a debate between Chris Jericho and Orange Cassidy, MJF continuing his campaign to be AEW Champion and much more. (Results & Takeaways)

    NXT viewership was up 6.5% from last week’s 707,000 (key demo was 0.18). Top items on the show included Dakota Kai getting a win over Rhea Ripley, Keith Lee defeating Cameron Grimes, a successful tag title defense from Imperium and wild show-closing brawl between Pat McAfee and Adam Cole. (Results & Takeaways)

    By comparison, Monday’s edition of WWE Raw averaged 1.71 million viewers with a 0.51 rating in the 18-49 demo. Raw had slightly more viewers than AEW and NXT combined, but Wednesday night wrestling outdrew Raw in the key demo 0.56 to 0.51.

    Viewership for AEW and NXT combined topped 1.65 million, the best total on Wednesday nights since February 19.

    The NBA on ESPN was the most-watched show on cable for the night in the key demographic with a 0.51 rating. Sean Hannity on FOX News had the higher viewership with 3.97 million viewers. AEW Dynamite actually topped Hannity in the key demo 0.36 to 0.34 – an amazing feat considering the viewership gap (Hannity’s audience skews much older).

    AEW Dynamite topped Guy’s Grocery Games on the Food Network in the demo once again. Cody noticed.

  • Triple H Challenges Pat McAfee To Wrestle Adam Cole At TakeOver XXX

    Last night on NXT, Pat McAfee punted Adam Cole in the head, seemingly knocking the former NXT Champion out cold. Today, Triple H appeared on ESPN’s “Get Up” and challenged the former NFL kicker to face Cole at TakeOver XXX on August 22nd.

    Tensions between McAfee and Cole date back to an NXT live event in 2018. Cole then appeared on the Pat McAfee Show 2 weeks ago and things got heated between the two.

    Cole and McAfee appeared to have patched things up before last night’s edition of NXT. McAfee was then on commentary during the Imperium vs Fish & O’Reilly match and made several disparaging remarks that Cole heard from ringside. Cole then confronted McAfee during the match and a melee ensued. During the chaos, McAfee found an opportunity to kick Cole in the head.

    “Adam Cole and Pat McAfee have had a history here,” Triple H said on the show.

    “Pat, now is your opportunity, you want to be famous? Just so happens, coincidentally as things happen in WWE and NXT, we have a big TakeOver PPV in a few weeks. August 22nd, NXT TakeOver XXX. My call out to Pat McAfee is put your money where your mouth is, let’s see how bad you are. Pat McAfee vs Adam Cole, on that stage, massive match.”

    Adam Cole also commented on why it was Triple H challenging McAfee on the show and not him.

    So far, the only matches scheduled for TakeOver XXX is Io Shirai vs Dakota Kai for the women’s title and the ladder match for the North American title.

    Footage of the melee from NXT last night can be viewed in the player below:

  • Rhea Ripley On Potential Main Roster Call Up

    Rhea Ripley On Potential Main Roster Call Up

    Ever since Rhea Ripley dropped the NXT Women’s Championship, people have been wondering if it’s the start of the end of the former Champion’s NXT run and if WWE could be planning to bring her up on the main roster.

    The Australian star recently had an interview with Newsweek where she talked about a number of things and also revealed her thoughts on a potential main roster call up.

    Ripley said that she can’t outgrow NXT and she wants to be on the Black and Yellow brand for a long time but revealed that she doesn’t know if that’s what the officials are planning for her:

    “I don’t think I can ever outgrow NXT. There is always something coming up and I honestly want to be in NXT for a long long time, Whether that’s the case or not, I don’t know, I don’t have that call.

    I feel like I have so much more to do here.” said Rhea Ripley. “Whether that’s singles matches or whatever, I love NXT and I love being a part of it. And I hope I’m here for longer. I guess we’ll see.”

    The former champion also admitted that she feels that the spotlight on her has diminished a little bit since her WrestleMania loss, though the NXT star said that her time will come again.

    Apart from this, Rhea Ripley talked about her match with Dakota Kai, possibly facing Mercedes Martinez in the future and more. You can check out her full interview at this link.

  • NXT Star Reportedly Seen As ‘The Next Big Thing’ By WWE Officials

    NXT Star Reportedly Seen As ‘The Next Big Thing’ By WWE Officials

    WWE is always looking to figure out who might be their next big star and latest reports suggest that the company has very high hopes for a current NXT star.

    This week’s episode of NXT featured another triple threat match between Damien Priest, Oney Lorcan and Ridge Holland to determine the contender for the upcoming NXT North American Championship match.

    Talking about the bout, Bryan Alvarez on the latest Wrestling Observer Live made an interesting comment about Holland, mentioning that the WWE officials “think that he has the potential to be the next big thing.”

    The wording of this assessment is very interesting as ‘The Next Big Thing’ catchphrase has long been associated with Brock Lesnar and it was used to promote The Beast Incarnate during his early WWE career.

    Ridge Holland signed with WWE back in May 2018, and after making some appearances for the NXT brand, he was assigned to NXT UK.

    The triple threat match at this week’s episode of the Black and Yellow brand was Ridge’s first appearance on the main NXT brand since his time in 2018.

    Even though he lost the bout at this week’s show, this report suggests that WWE has high hopes regarding the English wrestler and it wouldn’t be a surprise if we see a lot more of him in coming future.

  • WWE Provides Dexter Lumis Injury Update

    WWE Provides Dexter Lumis Injury Update

    WWE Digital has provided a medical update on NXT Superstar Dexter Lumis. Lumis suffered an ankle injury during his Triple Threat match against Finn Balor and Timothy Thatcher on last week’s episode of the black-and-gold brand.

    Lumis’s ankle injury was initially reported on last week’s NXT Injury Report. Since then, however, it is now feared to be worse than first thought. The NXT Superstar reportedly suffered an osteochondral lesion to his talus after the matchup. Lumis would win the Triple Threat matchup, besting both Balor and Thatcher and earning a place at NXT TakeOver XXX.

    However, with the “growing severity of his ankle injury,” WWE Digital speculated over Dexter Lumis’s ability to participate in the North American Championship Ladder Match at the event.

    NXT has been featuring several Triple Threat matchups over the past few weeks. Like Lumis, the winners of these clashes are being put into a 5-man Ladder Match for the North American Championship. At the time of writing, Lumis is still scheduled to be a part of the match. Bronson Reed has also earned his spot into the match. Tonight’s episode of NXT sees Oney Lorcan, Damien Priest and NXT UK’s Ridge Holland vie for the next open spot.

    NXT TakeOver XXX takes place on August 22 from Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida.

  • AEW Dynamite Tops NXT Viewership, Nearly Doubles Key Demo

    AEW Dynamite Tops NXT Viewership, Nearly Doubles Key Demo

    AEW Dynamite scored another decisive win over WWE NXT this week in total viewers and the key Adults 18-49 demographic. Courtesy of ShowbuzzDaily:

    • AEW: 773,000 viewers, 0.30 rating (6th on cable for the night)
    • NXT: 707,000 viewers, 0.18 rating (28th on cable for the night)

    NXT narrowed the gap in viewership this week, but Dynamite nearly doubled the WWE brand in the key demo.

    By comparison, Monday’s edition of WWE Raw averaged 1.62 million viewers with a 0.47 demo. Bryan Alvarez of F4WOnline points out that AEW & NXT combined did more viewers than the third hour of Raw, which sunk to an all-time low of 1.46 million viewers.

    AEW viewership slipped 8.5% from 845,000 last week. Dynamite saw Jon Moxley & Darby Allin defeat Brian Cage and Ricky Starks, MJF deliver his State of the Industry address, a successful title defense by Kenny Omega & Hangman Page, Cody’s lstest TNT Championship defense against Warhorse, the debut of Matt Cardona and much more. (Results & Takeaways)

    NXT viewership was up a nice 15% from last week’s 615,000. Top matches included Dexter Lumis defeating Finn Balor & Timmothy Thatcher in a North American title qualifying match, Johnny Gargano defeating Roderick Strong, Imperium in action and Isaiah Scott beating Jake Atlas. (Results & Takeaways)

    In what’s becoming a running joke, AEW executive VP Cody referenced that Dynamite outdrew celebrity chef Guy Fieri’s show Guy’s Grocery Games in the key demo.

  • Mark Henry On Adam Cole & Pat McAfee Incident: “This Is Not A Work”

    Mark Henry On Adam Cole & Pat McAfee Incident: “This Is Not A Work”

    WWE Hall of Famers Mark Henry and Bully Ray have shared their thoughts on the recent confrontation between Adam Cole and Pat McAfee. The two discussed the incident during a recent episode of Busted Open Radio.

    While appearing on McAfee’s show, Cole took issue with McAfee’s suggestion that he had only become the longest-reigning NXT Champion because of the Undisputed Era. He then mocked Cole’s size, calling him “small.” At this point, Cole took offense and began to berate McAfee before storming off.

    Henry stressed how the best stories have a semblance of reality to them. He shared how he doesn’t believe their interaction was work, adding how WWE should capitalize on this encounter, turning it into business.

    “This is not a work, this is real sh*t that’s going to have to be turned into business because it’s too good not to,” Mark Henry explained. “Here we are with all the stuff that happened for a week in pro wrestling and we’re talking about a verbal disagreement on a show. It was real and that’s why we talking about it.”

    Pushing Adam Cole’s Buttons

    Mark Henry’s co-host Bully Ray explained how he believes McAfee’s words pushed Cole’s buttons on an off day. He then asked how Cole’s reaction can be justified or found “acceptable” by WWE.

    Bully Ray also argued how people can also put the onus on McAfee. He suggested how WWE may reflect on its relationship with the host and the work they’ve done together:

    “And then the WWE can turn around and go, ‘You know something Pat? We’ve been really good to you, we’ve allowed you to announce on our shows. […] Why did you even feel the need to throw any digs at Adam Cole?’ There’s a lot of different ways to look at this. You know Adam Cole is a big part of the NXT roster. You know that people bust his chops for his size. Why would you do that?”

    Adam Cole’s momentous reign as NXT Champion came to an end after Keith Lee defeated him in a “Winner Take All” match at NXT’s Great American Bash.

  • Adam Cole Storms Out Of Interview With Pat McAfee

    Adam Cole Storms Out Of Interview With Pat McAfee

    Adam Cole stormed out of an interview on the “Pat McAfee Show” on Thursday. In what is likely a worked angle, Cole appeared to take offense to McAfee’s line of questioning.

    McAfee said that Cole was only the champion for as long as he was because of the help he received from the Undisputed Era. McAfee also made comments about Cole being “kind of small” leading to Cole hurling insults at him and storming off the set.

    “F**k you Pat,” Cole said as he stormed out of his seat. “Seriously, I’m sick of your s**t. I come the whole way here, take time away from my family to come and do your stupid f***ing show and you’re going to continue to disrespect me.”

    Cole then pushed a stagehand who approached him before leaving.

    https://twitter.com/BRWrestling/status/1286412705088155648

    McAfee would later post a series of DMs he had with Cole:

    Cole’s reign with the NXT Championship was the longest in the title’s lineage. He defeated Johnny Gargano at TakeOver XXV. Cole dropped the belt to Keith Lee earlier this month at the Great American Bash.

  • Mercedes Martinez Officially Joins The Robert Stone Brand

    Mercedes Martinez Officially Joins The Robert Stone Brand

    NXT Superstar Mercedes Martinez has officially joined The Robert Stone brand. The decision has seen her align herself with Robert Stone and Aliyah.

    During last night’s episode of WWE’s black-and-gold brand, Martinez saved Stone after Aliyah lost a matchup to Shotzi Blackheart.

    Having previously run over Stone’s leg, Blackheart would drive her mini-tank over his good leg. Martinez would then attack Blackheart as Aliyah assisted Stone away from the mini-tank.

    Later on the show, Martinez approached Stone and Aliyah who were recovering from the match and its aftermath.

    She stressed how she wanted someone who would help her “handle the big matches, look after the contracts and look after the crap I don’t care about. All of the stuff outside of the ring.”

    She added how she just wants to be able to focus on what she does best: hurt people in the ring.

    Wanting to know if Stone was capable of delivering, Stone promised that he was the right man for the job. She levied one final warning, promising to permanently break both of Stone’s legs if he “oversteps” his boundaries. Despite the threat, Stone eagerly welcomed her to the Robert Stone Brand as the two shook hands.

    After the show, Martinez took to Twitter to reiterate Stone’s need to respect her boundaries. If he does, she believes their partnership can “reach the highest levels of GOLD!!!”

    Stone quickly replied, “DONE” before asking her to follow him back on the social media platform. She would eventually follow him back, noting how she is happy to do so for now.

  • First Spot Confirmed For NXT TakeOver: XXX Ladder Match, Second Qualifier Announced

    First Spot Confirmed For NXT TakeOver: XXX Ladder Match, Second Qualifier Announced

    Bronson Reed has qualified for the first spot in the Ladder Match for the vacant WWE NXT North American Championship at TakeOver: XXX.

    Reed earned the first spot by winning a Triple Threat over Johnny Gargano and Roderick Strong on Wednesday’s NXT show.

    The second spot will be decided next Wednesday with Finn Balor vs. Timothy Thatcher vs. Dexter Lumis. There will be a total of 5 competitors in the Ladder Match at TakeOver, but WWE has not announced who will be in the next three Triple Threat qualifiers on NXT.

    As reported before, Wednesday’s NXT show opened with Keith Lee relinquishing the NXT North American Championship. The storyline is that he wants to continue on as NXT Champion, but doesn’t want to hold other competitors back, and wants them to have the same opportunities that he had. It was then announced that the Ladder Match for the vacant championship will take place at NXT’s 30th TakeOver event.

    NXT TakeOver: XXX will air on Saturday, August 22nd during SummerSlam Weekend, from the campus of Full Sail University.

    Below is a promo to promote next week’s Triple Threat with Balor issuing a warning to Thatcher and Lumis:

  • Tegan Nox Opens Up About Coming Out As Gay, Fan Reaction

    Tegan Nox Opens Up About Coming Out As Gay, Fan Reaction

    NXT Superstar Tegan Nox recently let fans into her personal life via an Instagram post where she revealed she was gay. In the post, Nox is posing with her girlfriend as the couple are looking at one another. Nox accompanied the picture with a caption that read, “Life is good.”

    Speaking with Newsweek.com, Nox opened up about her decision, why the time was right, and the subsequent reaction from the WWE Universe.

    Nox confessed that her life had always been a “don’t ask, don’t tell” situation. However, she felt it was the right time, “especially when you’ve found the right one you’re in love with.”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CCe4PCps4R_/?utm_source=ig_embed

    She shared how the reaction had been generally positive. Nox noted, “There are a few people who obviously don’t agree with that, but 99 percent of the reactions have been positive.”

    The NXT Superstar added how she’s been receiving texts from colleagues and friends in support of her. She was grateful that there are “so many nice people in the world.”

    When asked if she had sought any advice from openly gay Superstar Sonya Deville, Nox admitted the two have spoken. She explained she talked to Deville before uploading the image and called her a “big, big help.”

    According to Nox, Deville shared her number and invited her to text her if she ever needed anything. Crediting Deville as a huge supporter, Nox noted how Deville has been helpful with fans. Nox explained how her family knew she was gay, but her fans in the WWE Universe didn’t. She added how Deville helped her to “bring it out to the public.”

    Tegan Nox recently lost a WWE NXT Women’s Championship match to Io Shirai. The two fought on this past Wednesday’s episode of NXT.

  • WWE NXT Preview: Champ Champ Keith Lee, NXT Women’s Title Match & More

    WWE NXT Preview: Champ Champ Keith Lee, NXT Women’s Title Match & More

    NXT returns with a new episode tonight on the USA Network from the Performance Center in Orlando, FL. This week’s show will an appearance by the new Champ-Champ, NXT Women’s Championship match and more.

    WWE is promoting the following items for this week’s NXT:

    • New NXT Champion Keith Lee will address the NXT Universe after his big victory over Adam Cole last week. What will happen to the secondary NXT North American Championship, now that Keith Lee holds both belts?
    • Karrion Kross and Scarlett were seen looking on during Lee’s victory celebration last week. Kross looks to be Keith Lee’s first challenger, confirming reports from several months ago that Kross would be fast-tracked to the NXT Championship picture soon into his run.
    • NXT Women’s Champion Io Shirai will defend against Tegan Nox, who looks to complete her remarkable comeback story.
    • Damian Priest looks for payback in a rematch with Cameron Grimes.

    Check back later tonight for our weekly NXT Results and Takeaways feature.

    Below, you can see how WWE is strongly advertising Karrion Kross as the first big obstacle facing Keith Lee.

  • Keith Lee Predicts He And An NXT Superstar Will Eventually Main Event WrestleMania

    Keith Lee Predicts He And An NXT Superstar Will Eventually Main Event WrestleMania

    Current NXT North American Champion and NXT Champion Keith Lee is confident he is destined to headline WrestleMania with another NXT Superstar. According to Lee, it’s only a matter of time before he and Dominik Dijakovic cross paths on the “Grandest Stage of Them All.”

    Taking to Twitter, Keith Lee shared how he and his longtime rival have “beat the crap out of each other” over the years. However, their professional rivalry and bond has only strengthened with each bout. Because of the way they push one another, Lee shared how Dijakovic is “forever my dude.”

    “One day we will main event #Wrestlemania. And we’ll beat the crap out of each other again. Big shoutout to @dijakovicwwe. I love that guy. #FeastYourEyes”

    Keith Lee recently became the new NXT Champion, defeating Adam Cole in the main event of NXT’s Great American Bash Night Two. This victory saw Lee become a double champion in WWE. It also saw him snap Cole’s impressive 403-day reign as NXT Champion.

    Dijakovic last featured on NXT programming on the May 6 episode of the black-and-gold brand. He lost to Johnny Gargano. It has been rumored that WWE is interested in bringing Dijakovic to either RAW or SmackDown in the near future.

  • Johnny Gargano Responds To Fan Suggesting He’s ‘Scared’ Of Moving To WWE’s Main Roster

    Johnny Gargano Responds To Fan Suggesting He’s ‘Scared’ Of Moving To WWE’s Main Roster

    NXT Superstar Johnny Gargano has responded to a fan accusing him of being “scared” of moving to either RAW or SmackDown.

    It was suggested that Gargano had achieved everything he could hope to achieve in NXT. According to the statement, Gargano wouldn’t have a successful career if he didn’t move to WWE’s red or blue brand.

    Gargano replied to the accusation, wanting to directly address the idea that he is scared of WWE’s main roster. He argued how he’s in a position to work side by side with his wife, Candice LeRae. He added how he also gets to share the locker room with Superstars he has traveled the world with for years.

    Gargano proceeded to explain how he has a “great relationship” with everyone in the office. Additionally, he gets to “WRESTLE” and help grow a product he truly believes in. According to Gargano, that is his definition of what success is.

    Johnny Gargano recently competed in a few unsuccessful attempts to reclaim the NXT North American Championship. He lost to Keith Lee at NXT: In Your House back on June 7. Gargano also lost a Triple Threat opportunity for the title on the June 17 episode of NXT. He went on to reclaim some momentum by defeating Isaiah Scott at NXT’s The Great American Bash Night Two.

  • Update On AEW & NXT DVR Viewership

    Update On AEW & NXT DVR Viewership

    For the past 3 weeks, NXT has had a higher total viewership than AEW on Wednesday nights. AEW has continued to hold the lead in the 18-49 demo that advertisers value above all else, however.

    DVR numbers for both shows are not as readily available as traditional ratings but some numbers have recently been reported. According to a report from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, AEW has been averaging a 34% increase from DVR viewership over the last two months. NXT has been averaging a 31% increase in DVR viewership over the same time period. These numbers are for May and June as the most recent DVR numbers have not been reported yet.

    The report continued to say that AEW’s show on 6/24 did record bad ratings for the company. It brought in 633,000 total viewers and a 0.22 rating (285,000 viewers) in the key demo. This went up against an NXT that did 786,000 viewers and 0.19 in the key demo.

    “We don’t have overall but if those numbers held up it would be 1.06 million for NXT and 893,000 for AEW, which would be the lowest AEW number I’ve seen for a +7 figure,” wrote Dave Meltzer about the ratings for the 6/24 show.

    The “+7” mentioned above is often referred to as “Live Plus 7” and includes all viewers who watched the show within 1 week of it airing including those who watched live.

  • Keith Lee Comments On Doubting Himself After Signing With WWE

    Keith Lee Comments On Doubting Himself After Signing With WWE

    Keith Lee is the new NXT Champion. He defeated Adam Cole in the main event of NXT’s Great American Bash night 2. The 35-year-old signed with WWE in 2018 but his road to the top of NXT wasn’t a smooth one. At first, Lee says he wasn’t sure who WWE wanted him to be. He eventually learned how to just be himself.

    “The beginning was tough,” Lee said to SI.com. “I thought the company wanted something else from me. The entire time, they wanted me to be myself. The one person who really helped me work through all of that was [WWE trainer] Terry Taylor.”

    Lee continued to say that when he began to doubt himself, Taylor helped him through it.

    “I thought I was doing something wrong, but Terry Taylor was the one that kept reminding me who I was. When I was filled with doubt, he kept me together. If it wasn’t for him, I don’t know what would have happened for me in this company.“

    Lee is a 15-year pro having begun his career in 2005. He tried out for WWE 3 times before eventually signing in 2018. Lee’s WWE tryouts came in 2008, 2011, and again in 2013.

    He also said during the interview, that he wants to be a representative for African Americans.

    “I want to be the representation for African American people, to have someone that looks like them and represents them on the top stage and has top caliber matches,” Lee continued.

    The full interview can be read here.

  • Triple H Congratulates Keith Lee, Comments On Adam Cole’s Reign

    Triple H Congratulates Keith Lee, Comments On Adam Cole’s Reign

    Triple H has congratulated newly crowned NXT North American and NXT Champion Keith Lee. Lee emerged victorious from the Winner Take All match with Adam Cole during last night’s NXT Great American Bash Night Two.

    Taking to social media, Triple H reflected on the occasion, calling it a “truly historic night” for NXT. He also noted how, with Lee now NXT Champion, the possibilities going forward are limitless.

    “A truly historic night for #WWENXT tonight at #NXTGAB as @RealKeithLee now holds both the #NXTChampionship AND #NXTNATitle. Each new champion begins a new era… where he brings @WWENXT? The possibilities are #Limitless. #Congrats”

    Triple H On Adam Cole’s Championship Reign

    “The Game” also reflected on Adam Cole’s contribution to WWE’s black-and-gold brand. His loss ended his historic 403-day reign as NXT Champion.

    Triple H explained how there is a saying that goes “it’s the talent that makes the title.” He stressed how Cole’s reign in NXT made the NXT Championship as prestigious as it is. Although the run may be over, Triple H noted how Cole is “just getting started.” He highlighted how Adam Cole is NXT and that fact is undisputed.

    After the match, Lee dedicated his victory to WWE Hall of Famer Mark Henry. Cameras caught up with the Undisputed Leader as well. Unable to voice his feelings at the moment, Cole walked away from the interview.

  • Triple H Comments On “Healthy Competition” Between NXT & AEW

    Triple H Comments On “Healthy Competition” Between NXT & AEW

    NXT presents the second night of the Great American Bash tonight. Last week’s episode garnered more total viewers than AEW’s first night of Fyter Fest, though they came up short in the 18-49 demo that advertisers value so much. Triple H spoke to SI.com recently about the healthy competition between the two brands.

    He was asked if counter-programming is part of healthy competition.

    “It absolutely is part of healthy of competition. Anyone that thinks it isn’t, to a degree, is being naive to the situation,” Triple H said. “You saw that back in the day when Clash of Champions was counter-programming [to WWE’s WrestleMania IV in 1988]. At the same point, it can’t drive your booking decisions.”

    Triple H was also asked about how counter-booking impacts NXT’s creative. According to Triple H, however, he focusses more on what is right for NXT as opposed to countering AEW.

    “Almost all of these storylines were headed where they are now. There was a gap, timing-wise, between In Your House and what will become the SummerSlam TakeOver, and you need a halfway point and a build. This is that halfway point. So it doesn’t change our decision-making process. I don’t counter-book, I book what’s right for NXT.”

    Triple H also spoke about last week’s main event between Io Shirai and Sasha Banks, Keith Lee, and what fans can expect tonight. The full interview can be found here.