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USA Network Unhappy With WWE Making Changes To NXT

By TJR Staff • Published 17th August 2021

The WWE NXT brand is reportedly heading for major changes after NXT TakeOver: 36 on Sunday, August 22nd.

The releases of 12 NXT Superstars on August 6th has seemingly set into motion a whole raft of changes on the black and gold brand. After it was confirmed that the likes of Bronson Reed and Mercedes Martinez had been released, it was reported that big changes were coming to the brand.

Mike Johnson of PWInsider initially noted that there had been lots of talk internally about NXT undergoing major changes. Including a new logo, new lighting, a focus on younger talents and a different format for the TV shows.

This was followed by reports that NXT was set to shift focus towards bigger, younger competitors as the black and gold brand apparently returns to being a pure developmental brand.

Most recently, it was noted that one of the changes is that the show will return to being taped, rather than airing live. However, it appears that this has not gone down well with the USA Network which currently plays host to the black and gold brand.

A new report from Andrew Zarian of the Mat Men Podcast, says that a contact at the network said that “A taped show is not what we paid for.”

In a follow-up tweet, Zarian said that this wasn’t confirmation that the show was going to be taped, just what he had been told when asking about the rumour.

NXT first began airing on the USA Network on Wednesday nights after several successful years airing on the WWE Network in September 2019. Only a few weeks before AEW Dynamite debuted on the same night on TNT.

NXT moved to Tuesday nights following WrestleMania 37.

A new episode of WWE NXT airs tonight on USA Network leading into Sunday’s NXT Takeover 36 event on Peacock in the US and WWE Network everywhere else.