Earlier this week, it was reported that NXT has been discussing the idea of returning to a taped format. This could possibly begin as soon as after this weekend’s TakeOver 36.
On Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer noted that there has been “lots of talk about NXT no longer airing live and doing tapings ahead of time as a cost-cutting measure.”
“NXT taping schedule may be temporary, but for sure they’re taping several episodes after Takeover,” Tweeted Bryan Alvarez of Wrestling Observer Live.
According to comments made by Andrew Zarian of the Mat Men podcast, however, the USA Network would not be on-board with such a decision. Zarian Tweeted out that when asked about NXT possibly being taped ahead of time, his source responded that “a taped show is not what we paid for”.
USA Network Concerned About Roster Cuts
Zarian also spoke with sources from the USA Network following the recent NXT roster cuts.
“Personally I’m disappointed with how this is going,” is what a source from the USA Network reportedly said to Zarian.
The roster cuts and rumors of a cost-cutting switch to taped formats appears to be concerning to network executives. They are also a part of what appears to be an overhaul of NXT. According to Dave Meltzer, the directive from within WWE is to return NXT to a strictly developmental brand. The focus will reportedly return to creating stars for RAW and Smackdown. Losing the Wednesday night war to AEW is the likely catalyst for the change.
“This is the aftermath and this is the new direction. And the new direction is younger guys and bigger guys,” Meltzer said.
“What happened happened and now they want to get it back to what it was.”