During the infamous Wednesday Night Wars, AEW Dynamite consistently outperformed WWE's NXT in the weekly ratings until WWE strategically moved NXT to Tuesday nights. The fierce competition between AEW Dynamite and NXT began in October 2019, with both shows vying for supremacy in the wrestling industry. For a significant portion of the rivalry, AEW Dynamite emerged victorious. It appears WWE would like to buck that old trend.
When the wars came to an end in April 2021, WWE denied conceding to AEW, but it was clear that's what they were doing. Some critics viewed this move as an act of cowardice, questioning WWE's decision to back away from direct competition. But, WWE had a legitimate reason for doing so as their brand featured relative unknowns and prospects who weren't drawing a big audience to their programming. Known as a "developmental brand" it was unrealistic to expect the ratings win against names like Sting, Chris Jericho, MJF, Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks, and at that time, Cody Rhodes.
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Recent reports by Dave Meltzer shed light on WWE's current approach to boost NXT's ratings and that there's a desire to re-spark healthy competition between the NXT brand and AEW's flagship show AEW Dynamite. Meltzer revealed that WWE has been incorporating main roster stars into the NXT program aiming for a ratings win. This tactic suggests that WWE is determined to regain an edge over their rival promotion if they can put the show up head-to-head again.
The incorporation of these bigger-name stars on NXT has been a topic of discussion among industry insiders. Many believe that WWE's recent success with NXT's viewership, these names could play a crucial role in the upcoming TV rights renewal negotiation for the brand. With NXT garnering viewership numbers that come close to or even surpass AEW Dynamite's ratings, WWE seems hopeful that NXT can now consistently outperform their rival. Meltzer wrote, “The two points most talked about by different people were that this is a contract year so these gains are coming at a great time for the renewal price and those in NXT who are definitely pushing for the idea of doing numbers that beat Dynamite.”
Who Is Responsible For This New Direction?
Nick Khan, WWE's CEO, has been credited as the mastermind behind the current strategy for NXT. He believes NXT can be a viable third brand, but he's aware that will likely mean focusing more attention on a mix of recognizable talents and younger roster members. That's one of the reasons Dominik Mysterio recently won the North American Championship, something he's expected to bring with him to Raw each week.
