WWE News: Writer Behind 'NXT Takeover: R Evolution' Revealed

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past year, you’ll know that NXT is one of the hottest wrestling shows around right now.

That much was confirmed just over a week ago when the WWE’s developmental territory set the wrestling world alight with its hugely successful NXT Takeover: R Evolution show.

The night saw the debut of Kevin Owens, the rise of Finn Balor and his awesome new body paint and an epic main event between Adrian Neville and Sami Zayn, in which Zayn found redemption by finally winning the NXT Championship.

But it wasn’t just the names involved that made the show so great. Everything about the evening was executed to perfection.

The matches themselves were booked very well, allowing everyone the chance to shine. And the post-match celebrations following Zayn’s title win made for a moment worthy of a WrestleMania—and that’s not even considering the heel turn that followed from the aforementioned Owens.

My point is that the evening’s success wasn’t solely down to the performers alone. Everyone involved, from the producers to the commentators and, of course, the show’s writers, played a massive part in delivering one of the events of the year.

And now reports have surfaced identifying the man behind the show’s creativity. Marc Middleton of WrestlingInc (via the Wrestling Observer Newsletter) reported:

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Regarding the successful WWE NXT Takeover: R Evolution event, writer Ryan Ward was the man behind the show creatively. He wrote the show and then Triple H had the final say on approving it.

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For me—and many others in the Internet Wrestling Community—this is something of a surprise.

After interviews like this one with Sam Roberts, the general assumption was that Triple H was the man in charge of writing NXT. But alas, it seems that while he still retains control over the final decision, it is Ryan Ward who actually puts together the bulk of it.

Perhaps that fruit basket was sent to the wrong guy…

Photo courtesy of WWE.com

So who exactly is Ryan Ward?

A little digging, via Nick Paglino of Wrestle Zone, reveals that he’s a former SmackDown lead writer who was only assigned to NXT at the start of September this year. He joined the company in 2009 with no prior experience in the wrestling industry.

However, he’s not completely alien to the business. Renowned Redditor MetsFan4Ever—a former WWE backstage worker who still has ties to people in the organization (per WrestlingInc)—says Ward is “known as a huge wrestling fan and keeps his eyes on the indy scene as well.”

So while he may not boast a pro-wrestling background per se, at least he’s a fan of the business.

In an age where WWE merely seeks writers from “reality TV, sitcoms, or character based non-fiction,” per Paglino, this is a really important factor. Ward clearly appreciates the industry and understands how it works—an invaluable skill for any writer in professional wrestling, even if the WWE won’t admit it.

So should Ward’s hard work with NXT be rewarded with a spot on the Raw staff?

Perhaps, but that would only result in his work becoming diluted due to the WWE’s preference for writing for teams rather than individuals for its flagship TV show.

Instead, for me this is a sign that the NXT formula is rather more effective than that of its Monday-night counterpart. With Raw ratings wavering and NXT flourishing, shouldn’t that make the latter the benchmark?

Therefore, don’t take the writers from NXT—take the processes they adhere to.

Compelling storytelling, lengthier matches, concise promos and, most importantly, creativity—these are the qualities that seem to resonate with modern-day fans the most.

Here’s hoping that Ward continues his stellar work with NXT, and that the powers that be appreciate that the Floridian developmental territory may hold the key to the future from more than just an in-ring perspective.

As ever, please feel free to comment below on this topic, as well as any of the other points mentioned in the article.