NXT's Growth Has Created Bright Future for WWE

NXT has become must-see TV for pro wrestling fans.  WWE's Florida-based developmental territory is as entertaining as anything fans can see on Raw or SmackDown and in many ways has become its own standalone brand.

But NXT is doing exactly what it was designed to do: grow new stars and create a bright future for Vince McMahon's company.

The idea that a developmental brand could rival any programming featuring the main roster is a fairly new one.  Fans in the past were aware that WWE's farm system existed, but unless they had access to local TV, the Internet was the only way to find the product.

But thanks to the WWE Network, that's all changed now.  Fans can tune in any time to see the NXT stars, and those stars are quick to impress every time they're in the ring.

Tyler Breeze, Baron Corbin, Enzo Amore, Colin Cassady and Solomon Crowe are just five of the guys on the verge of hitting it big.  Sami Zayn, Finn Balor and Hideo Itami are the main event stars, while Charlotte, Bayley, Becky Lynch and Sasha Banks are putting women's wrestling back on the map.

There is a little something for everyone, a little something to pique fan interest and keep it high. The NXT locker room provides a snapshot of what WWE's main roster will look like within the next five years. But the biggest star of them all right now is the man that recently began appearing on WWE's main programs, Kevin Owens.

Owens is an unapologetic old-school heel.  From the way he walks to the way he wrestles, everything about him reeks of heartless brutality, with a confidence that is both obnoxious and unsettling at the same time.  Owens manhandled John Cena as if his name was not John Cena, and now he is suddenly the man to beat in WWE.

The most important part is that Owens has done all this while being NXT champion.  That means whenever the crowd sees him, they see the championship belt over his shoulder. It's the best kind of advertising for WWE, the best way to promote the NXT brand and hopefully continue to build it.

The more eyes that see NXT, the better.  After all, these are the stars of tomorrow, and any traction they can get today is a step in the right direction for WWE.

The future is everything for WWE.  Focusing on tomorrow is the most logical move and one that must be made to ensure the company's survival.  WCW is nothing but a memory now, which means there are no bidding wars for red-hot talent.  There are no ready-made stars enjoying high-profile spots on TV every week that are jumping ship to work in WWE.

The best WWE can do is to take little-known indie stars like Crowe and remake them in the company's image. Higher-profile names like Balor are being signed and given more freedom to be themselves, building on the reputations they have made after working for years in the business.

It's a unique mix and one that is satisfying the company's need for fresh talent it can promote into the future.  

A great example of that fresh talent is Samoa Joe, who has done very little on NXT programming thus far, but his presence alone has become the talk of fans everywhere. Joe is intensity personified, a primal force of nature who can have a devastating impact every time he steps into the ring.

Joe's athleticism and big-fight persona is exactly the kind of gimmick that is getting over to the moon right now in WWE.  Brock Lesnar perfected it, Owens is living it and Joe will make it all his own.  

This is what pro wrestling is; talented men and women who are hungry and ready to take over the world. There are no inflated guaranteed contracts to worry about and no prima donnas to keep happy.  These are tomorrow's stars working to get over today, and it's the absolute best move for WWE to do just that.

Confidence in the future will keep many fans hooked, if only to see what happens with the next generation of stars.  Curiosity about who the new faces are and what they can do will cause many casual fans to stay tuned as well.

It's a win for WWE, as its prospects are ready and waiting to entertain.  The main roster is stable right now, but when the opportunities do arise to begin calling up the NXT stars, it should be a flawless transition. The Wyatt Family, The Shield and now even Neville have all been allowed to just be who they are. They're allowed to have fun and tell their stories in the ring while WWE is telling its story for tomorrow today.