AM_NK
Since: Sep, 2009
Sep 17th 2023 at 7:28:25 PM
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But it wasn't a WWE match, it was already present in the main Horrible.Professional Wrestling folder.
KingLyger
(4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
Sep 18th 2023 at 7:13:52 AM
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I did not know that. My fault.
The fantasy RPG videos that play in my head are amazing.
ZeromusPrime
Since: Jan, 2021
Apr 17th 2022 at 11:03:18 AM
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Okay wow, can we get some actual fact checks for the NXT 2.0 section? Whoever wrote this clearly enjoy making up crap like how D'Angelo's gimmick falling flat and deliberately giving Walter the same name as a Nazi when literally anyone with a minor knowledge of these events knows they're untrue
ArcaneAzmadi
Since: Jan, 2001
Feb 11th 2022 at 4:58:56 PM
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Do we really need the Important Notes section on this subpage? We put all the Gooker Winners on this page regardless of what they are, and nothing else.
Always expect the worst and you can only be pleasantly surprised. Hide / Show Replies
AM_NK
Since: Sep, 2009
Feb 12th 2022 at 3:02:51 AM
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They are in all of the Horrible pages for a reason. We may not need them, but others do. 🤷🏽♂️
ArcaneAzmadi
Since: Jan, 2001
Jan 29th 2022 at 9:21:38 PM
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Need to add NXT 2.0 after it won 2021: http://wrestlecrap.com/inductions/nxt-2-0/
AM_NK
Since: Sep, 2009
AM_NK
Since: Sep, 2009
Jan 30th 2022 at 5:14:58 AM
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Well, I surrender. This is as far as I went.
NXT 2. 0 (2021)
In a desperate attempt to compete with Wrestling/AEW, Vince decided to give NXT a huge overhaul. Sadly, this effort appears to have been all for naught.
Edited by AM_NK
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- It's impossible to talk about this entry without giving it a historical context:
- For its first 5 seasons of existence, NXT was a Game Show With its highs and lows, but it still gave the WWE acts such as The Nexus, Daniel Bryan, Bray Wyatt.
- Later, it turned into a developmental brand and Triple H and his pals took over. What followed was, simply, the very best Professional Wrestling had to offer: a mix of Performance Center rookies and Indie veterans, backed up with a group of great bookers and agents, put show after show of great, entertaining wrestling, compelling storylines, which culminated at the excellent TakeOver events. This era gave us stars such as The Shield (including future WWE top babyface Roman Reigns), The New Day's Big E. Langston and Xavier Woods, Elias, Cesaro, Shinsuke Nakamura, Bobby Roode, Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn and Finn Bálor. Its women's and Tag Team wrestling were second to none, giving the WWE the likes of The Four Horsewomen (Charlotte Flair, Bayley, future top babyface Becky Lynch and Sasha Banks), Alexa Bliss, Asuka, Bianca Belair and Nikki Cross, as well as The Revival, The Ascension, The IIconics (Billie Kay and Peyton Royce) and War Machine/War Raiders/Viking Raiders (Hanson/Erik and Ray Rowe/Ivar). Even the notoriously smarky WrestleCrap acknowledged this, with classic black-and-gold NXT having only one inductionnote and zero Gookers, and plenty of praise whenever classic NXT was mentioned.
- In contrast to all of this, at the same time, the main roster was undergoing one of its darkest times creatively speaking, with awful writing, awful events, awful storylines, awful payoffs, a centralization on a few figures denying everybody else the chance of shining.
- And then, All Elite Wrestling happened, and TNT gave it a slot in Wednesday at night. This prompted the WWE higher-ups to turn NXT from a WWE Network exclusive product to a televised one, even though they still nominally dismissed AEW as "competition" and romoted the hell out of NXT (to the point of the brand being the unexpected winner at the end of that year's Survivor Series). This had dire consequences down the road, as AEW kept beating NXT in the 18-49 y.o. demographic... and NXT was moved to Tuesday nights.
- And then we arrive to April of 2021. Vince McMahon announced an overhaul of the brand as "NXT 2.0", stripping NXT of everything that made it great.
- The first victim was its logo, gone was the recognizable black and gold big "X" that fans loved so much, and in its place was... a first-grader, multicolored mess.
- Its writing would be on par with that of Raw and Smackdown (which was considered a downgrade), leading to awful booking, writing, storylines, and uncompelling characters.
- Rather than polish indies and PC products for the main roster, their focus would be on young and tall potential WrestleMania main-eventers on the men's side. This led to talented people either being "future endeavored" or being motivated to let their contracts run out in order to get out of the companynote . After NXT TakeOver 36, new faces began to show: Bron Breakker, Von Wagner, Trick Williams, Harland (f.k.a. Parker Bordeaux, named by Paul Heyman himself as the next Brock Lesnar), Odyssey Jones, Brooks Jensen, Josh Briggs; while previous NXT stars and other indie guys took mentoring roles (Roderick Strong had Williams as part of his Power Stable "Diamond Mine", while CZW legend Joe Gacy mentored Harland). All of this led the previously Cruiserweight showcase 205 Live to become a D-Show on par with Main Event.
- As for the women, talent was de-emphasized in order to make room for... eyecandy. This led to indie veterans such as Mercedes Martinez, Mia Yim, Ember Moon and Franky Monet being "future endeavored", with inexperienced rookies Lash Legend, Tiffany Stratton, Cora Jade and Jessi Kamea taking their place. Only Mandy Rose saw any kind of protagonism, leading the interesting Power Trio Toxic Attraction, where she's accompanied by Jacy Jayne and Gigi Dolin (f.k.a. Priscilla Kelly).
- Then there were the awful gimmicks: skateboarder Cora Jade, .
- All of this led to rookie mistakes (botches, unbelievable hits...) being shown on live television on every episode of NXT 2.0... and the targeted demographic being alienated by the premise of the show.
Did the best I could with the 2022 induction of "Ric Flair's Last Match" being added. The match was in Kayfabe, but man was it hard to just read about, let alone watch.
The fantasy RPG videos that play in my head are amazing. Hide / Show Replies