Category: NXT

WWE NXT Preview 1/15/20

Tonight’s WWE NXT episode will take place from the NXT Arena at Full Sail University with the end of the first round of the 2020 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic.

  • Matt Riddle & Pete Dunne face Mark Andrews & Flash Morgan Webster in the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic
  • Kushida & Alex Shelley battle Grizzled Young Veterans in the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic
  • What will be the fallout of Undisputed ERA’s surprise NXT UK takeover?
  • Battle Royal to determine NXT Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley’s challenger next Wednesday
  • The Battle Royal participants are Mercedes Martinez, Bianca Belair, Candice LeRae, Chelsea Green, Dakota Kai, Vanessa Borne, Kayden Carter, Mia Yim, Santana Garrett, Io Shirai, Shotzi Blackheart and Xia Li.

AEW Dynamite Tops WWE NXT In Viewership, NXT Fails To Crack Top 50

Week 14 of the Wednesday Night War saw AEW Dynamite top WWE NXT once again.

Wednesday’s Anniversary Edition of Dynamite on TNT drew 947,000 viewers, topping the 721,000 viewers garnered by NXT on the USA Network by 31%, according to Showbuzz Daily.

AEW ranked #6 in the Cable Top 150, while NXT ranked #55. AEW ranked #36 in viewership, while NXT ranked #45 in viewership.

Last week’s Dynamite episode drew 967,000 viewers and ranked #13 in the Cable Top 150, and #40 in viewership, so it was only down 2% against a live episode of NXT. Last week’s taped special edition of NXT drew 548,000 viewers and ranked #66 in the Cable Top 150, and #48 in viewership.

AEW drew a 0.36 rating in the 18-49 demographic, beating the 0.19 that NXT drew in the same demo by 89% this week. Last week’s AEW show also drew a 0.36 rating while the NXT episode drew a 0.15 in that demographic.

This week’s NXT episode was the first regular live show of 2020, headlined by the beginning of the 2020 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic and a Fatal 4 Way main event to crown the new #1 contender to NXT North American Champion Roderick Strong, won by Keith Lee. The Dynamite episode was the big Anniversary Edition.

Real Housewives of New Jersey on Bravo topped the night in the 18-49 demographic on the Cable Top 150 with a 0.45 rating, beating both NBA games on ESPN. Hannity topped the night on cable in viewership with 4.196 million viewers, ranking #10 on the Cable Top 150 with a 0.31 rating in the 18-49 demographic.

The Jeopardy special on ABC topped the night on network TV in the 18-49 demographic with a 24 rating, and in viewership with 14.872 million viewers.

Below is 2020 NXT Viewership Tracker:

January 1 Episode: 548,000 viewers with a 0.15 rating in the 18-49 demographic
January 8 Episode: 721,000 viewers with a 0.19 rating in the 18-49 demographic
January 15 Episode:

2019 Total: 10.209 million viewers over 13 episodes
2019 Average: 785,307 viewers per episode

Below is 2020 AEW Dynamite Viewership Tracker:

January 1 Episode: 967,000 viewers with a 0.36 rating in the 18-49 demographic
January 8 Episode: 947,000 viewers with a 0.36 rating in the 18-49 demographic
January 15 Episode:

2019 Total: 10.840 million viewers over 12 episodes
2019 Average: 903,333 viewers per episode

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Alex Shelley To Make WWE NXT TV Debut Next Week Reuniting With Kushida In The Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic

Wrestling veteran Alex Shelley will make his big WWE NXT TV debut next Wednesday night as he reunites with former tag team partner Kushida for the 2020 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic.

Time Splitters were an active team from 2012-2015 and last competed together in 2016.

Alex Shelley is most famously known for his time in TNA/Impact Wrestling as one half of the Motor City Machine Guns with Chris Sabin. He recently guest coached at the WWE Performance Center, leading many to speculate he’d team with Kushida in the tourney, but Shelley attempted to downplay this last night on Twitter.

“Everybody seems to think Kushi needs me,” he wrote. “Kushi and I, and The Bucks, and Forever Hooligans, and ReDragon, helped change [NJPW]’s jr. tag division. But really, he’s going to be awesome with any partner.”

Dusty Classic tournament matches set for next Wednesday are The Time Splitters (Kushida and Shelley) vs. The Grizzled Young Veterans (Zack Gibson and James Drake). Matt Riddle and Pete Dunne vs. Mark Andrews and Flash Morgan Webster will also take place next week, putting an end to the first round.

Tonight’s NXT episode saw the tournament kick off with Imperium’s Marcel Barthel and Fabian Aichner defeat Wesley Blake and Steve Cutler of The Forgotten Sons, while NXT Tag Team Champions Kyle O’Reilly and Bobby Fish defeated NXT UK Tag Team Champions Wolfgang and Mark Coffey of Gallus to advance.

Sources: Wrestling Inc. and Pro Wrestling Sheet

WWE NXT Preview 1/8/20

Tonight’s WWE NXT episode on the USA Network will see the 2020 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic tournament kick off.

  • Fatal 4-Way Match to determine No. 1 Contender to NXT North American Championship
  • The Undisputed ERA and Gallus clash in Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic this Wednesday
  • Imperium and The Forgotten Sons meet in Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic
  • What’s next for NXT Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley?

Io Shirai Reportedly Unhappy In WWE NXT, Stardom To Offer Big Contracts To Shirai And Kairi Sane?

Io Shirai is said to be “not necessarily happy” with how she’s used in WWE NXT, according to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio.

The Stardom women’s wrestling promotion in Japan currently has a goal of bringing back Shirai and WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion Kairi Sane, but WWE may bring Shirai to the main roster to try and prevent that from happening.

This year is expected to be a big year for Stardom as New Japan Pro Wrestling parent company Bushiroad purchased them last fall and will put a lot of resources and marketing into the promotion moving forward. Meltzer noted that Stardom is looking to try and run bigger shows this year, but they recognize how it’s important for them to try and sign real stars, like Shirai and Sane. They both are already stars in Japan, but their runs with WWE will add to that.

Bushiroad reportedly wants to offer a lot of money to Sane and Shirai to stop them from re-signing with WWE. WWE may move Shirai to the main roster as her pay will then go way up. Meltzer noted that Shirai’s NXT pay is “nothing special” but she was making more money in Japan and working less dates, but because of her merchandise pay.

There was no further details revealed on why Shirai is unhappy in NXT, but besides that she has her fiancé back in Japan. Shirai and NJPW star Evil are engaged to be married, but there’s no word yet on when they will tie the knot.

There’s also no official word yet on when Sane and Shirai will see their WWE contracts expire. Sane reportedly signed a three-year deal back in March 2017. Shirai signed with WWE around the summer of 2018.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE NXT Tops AEW Dynamite In Viewership And Key Demographic This Week

After last week’s tie, Week 12 of the Wednesday Night Wars saw WWE NXT top AEW Dynamite in viewership and the key demographic.

Wednesday’s NXT drew 795,000 viewers on the USA Network, beating the 683,000 viewers garnered by Dynamite on TNT by 16%, according to Showbuzz Daily.

This is the second-lowest AEW viewership since the show began airing back in October. The November 27 episode drew 663,000 viewers.

NXT opened with a strong commercial-free opener this week, which saw NXT Champion Adam Cole retain over Finn Balor, and closed just as strong as Rhea Ripley defeated Shayna Baszler in the main event to become the new NXT Women’s Champion.

NXT beat AEW in the prime 18-49 demo for the first time ever by 8%. AEW drew a 0.25 rating in the 18-49 demographic while NXT drew a 0.27 in the same demo this week. It was the lowest rating for Dynamite in the demo yet. Last week’s AEW episode drew a 0.28 in that demographic while NXT drew a 0.24.

AEW ranked #30 in the Cable Top 150 for the prime 18-49 demo, while NXT ranked slightly above it at #27. AEW ranked #43 in overall viewership, while NXT ranked #37 in viewership.

Last week’s Dynamite episode drew 778,000 viewers and ranked #11 in the Cable Top 150, and #34 in viewership. Last week’s NXT episode drew 778,000 viewers and ranked #21 in the Cable Top 150, and #34 in viewership.

CNN’s impeachment coverage at 9pm topped the night in the 18-49 demographic on the Cable Top 150 with a 0.77 rating, drawing 3.340 million viewers. Tucker Carlson Tonight on FOX News topped the night on cable in viewership with 5.032 million viewers, ranking at #5 on the Cable Top 150 with a 0.57 rating in the key demo. The cable news channels dominated the night due to the impeachment coverage.

The Masked Singer on FOX topped the night on network TV in the 18-49 demographic with a 2.2 rating, and in viewership with 8.359 million viewers.

Below is 2019 NXT Viewership Tracker:

September 18 Episode: 1.179 million viewers (one hour on the USA Network)
September 25 Episode: 1.006 million viewers (one hour on the USA Network)
October 2 Episode: 891,000 viewers (season premiere, both hours on the USA Network)
October 9 Episode: 790,000 viewers
October 16 Episode: 712,000 viewers
October 23 Episode: 698,000 viewers
October 30 Episode: 580,000 viewers with a 0.18 demographic in the 18-49 demographic
November 6 Episode: 813,000 viewers with a 0.30 demographic in the 18-49 demographic
November 13 Episode: 750,000 viewers with a 0.25 demographic in the 18-49 demographic
November 20 Episode: 916,000 viewers with a 0.30 demographic in the 18-49 demographic
November 27 Episode: 810,000 viewers with a 0.24 demographic in the 18-49 demographic (post-Survivor Series episode)
December 4 Episode: 845,000 viewers with a 0.29 demographic in the 18-49 demographic
December 11 Episode: 778,000 viewers with a 0.24 demographic in the 18-49 demographic
December 18 Episode: 795,000 viewers with a 0.27 demographic in the 18-49 demographi

Below is 2019 AEW Dynamite Viewership Tracker:

October 2 Episode: 1.409 million viewers (premiere episode)
October 9 Episode: 1.018 million viewers (on TNT, 122k on truTV)
October 16 Episode: 1.014 million viewers
October 23 Episode: 963,000 viewers
October 30 Episode: 789,000 viewers with a 0.33 rating in the 18-49 demographic
November 6 Episode: 822,000 viewers with a 0.35 rating in the 18-49 demographic
November 13 Episode: 957,000 viewers with a 0.43 rating in the 18-49 demographic (post-Full Gear episode)
November 20 Episode: 893,000 viewers with a 0.39 demographic in the 18-49 demographic
November 27 Episode: 663,000 viewers with a 0.26 demographic in the 18-49 demographic
December 4 Episode: 851,000 viewers with a 0.32 demographic in the 18-49 demographic
December 11 Episode: 778,000 viewers with a 0.28 demographic in the 18-49 demographic
December 18 Episode: 683,000 viewers with a 0.25 demographic in the 18-49 demographic

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE NXT Preview 12/18/19

The final live WWE NXT episode of 2019 will take place tonight from the NXT Arena at Full Sail University in Winter Park, FL.

  • NXT Champion Adam Cole vs. Finn Bálor kicks off NXT and will be presented commercial-free
  • Rhea Ripley gets her NXT Women’s Title Match with Shayna Baszler
  • What’s next for NXT Cruiserweight Champion Angel Garza?
  • Will NXT UK continue to impress ahead of Worlds Collide?

WWE NXT Preview 12/11/19

Tonight’s WWE NXT episode will air live from the NXT Arena at Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida.

  • Tommaso Ciampa, Keith Lee and Finn Bálor square off to determine No. 1 contender to the NXT Championship
  • Mia Yim goes one-on-one with Dakota Kai
  • Lio Rush defends his NXT Cruiserweight Championship against Angel Garza
  • Is Rhea Ripley ready for Shayna Baszler?

WWE NXT Preview 12/4/19

Tonight’s WWE NXT episode will air on the USA Network, live from the NXT Arena at Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida.

  • Rhea Ripley looks for payback against Dakota Kai tonight
  • How will Adam Cole respond to Finn Bálor’s attack?
  • Can Lio Rush and Angel Garza be kept apart?
  • Kushida returns to action tonight

Kushida suffered a hairline wrist fracture in mid-September, but continued feuding with WWE UK Champion WALTER and Imperium into mid-October. He has been out of action since then.

It’s believed that tonight’s episode will also see Mauro Ranallo return to the announce table.

WWE NXT Preview 11/27/19

Tonight’s WWE NXT episode will take place from the NXT Arena at Full Sail University in Winter Park, FL with fallout from TakeOver: WarGames and Survivor Series.

  • Undisputed ERA to defend NXT Tag Team Titles against Lee & Dijakovic
  • Akira Tozawa challenges NXT Cruiserweight Champion Lio Rush
  • Will Dakota Kai explain her shocking actions at TakeOver: WarGames?
  • Is Tommaso Ciampa’s hunt for the NXT Championship back on?