5 Reasons Why WWE's Current NXT Is The Best (& Why The Black & Gold Is Superior)

From the moment WWE NXT launched as an established show outside of being a reality gameshow it has proven to be popular with audiences. It has always brought something different from what WWE's main roster shows are capable of, and that is why it has proven to be very popular.

10 WWE NXT Success Stories (Who Weren't Stars On The Indies)

These NXT wrestlers didn't need to go through the independent scene to become successful in WWE.

The original black and gold brand was a hit that became incredibly popular, but nowadays the show is completely different from how it was. Every fan has differing opinions on which version is better than the other, however, there are distinct positives that each version provides overall which is why each one has ended up doing well.

10 Current NXT: A More Traditional Developmental

It's The Entire Purpose

The show began to change when NXT 2.0 launched
NXT runs Breakout tournaments for brand-new stars
The show features lots of former athletes

While WWE likes to treat NXT as a genuine third brand, the entire purpose of the show is for it to be developmental. The idea is that wrestlers are preparing themselves on this show to eventually become main roster stars working at a higher level.

The current version of the product treats the show as exactly that, with young wrestlers and ex-athletes from other sports getting the chance to perform. It's a lot of fun to see, and having it back to its original purpose is a popular choice with many fans.

9 Black & Gold: Bringing In The Best Independent Names

NXT Signed The Top Stars

WWE used to raid the independent scene
The company signed top European names for NXT UK
WWE shifted its signing policy to focus on former athletes

During the black and gold brand era, it wasn't so much about developing young talent, instead, it was about plucking the best of the independent world who hadn't been given the chance to appear in WWE beforehand.

This was a positive situation because fans enjoyed seeing those wrestlers get a shot at the big league. Plus, it meant that all of the talent who ended up being on the show were experienced enough to perform at a high level which ensured every show was of a high quality.

8 Current NXT: Blending Main Roster Talent

It's The Best Of Both Worlds

Becky Lynch was given a run as NXT Women's Champion
Dominik Mysterio had an extended run on the show
John Cena and The Undertaker appeared on the same episode

The previous version of NXT was very much focused on the talent that already existed on the brand, but that's not the case anymore. WWE often sends main roster stars to the show for both one-off appearances and longer storylines, all of which help to bolster ratings and excitement levels.

Having some of the main roster stars turning up allows for a great blend, giving the younger wrestlers the chance to gain some much-needed experience, while the bigger stars can give back to the product.

7 Black & Gold: Takeover Events

They Were Always Epic

The first Takeover was in 2014
The final Takeover was in 2021
There were 36 Takeover events in history

Nowadays WWE does still run big events for NXT, but they're not as often, and nor are they on the same scale as the former Takeover shows. These became unmissable shows that often ended up being amongst the best of the year for the entire industry.

They would compete with anything that the main roster or elsewhere, and that led to some amazing shows. The consistency was off the charts, and that led to many of the best events in modern times, which helped to put this version of the show above most.

6 Current NXT: Makes An Easier Main Roster Transition

The Black And Gold Brand Was Problematic In This Regard

Previous main roster call-ups struggled on the main roster
Grayson Waller has thrived on SmackDown
The Creed Brothers are currently performing well

The black and gold brand created a lot of amazing talents, but the vast majority of them struggled to transition to the main roster, regardless of their ability. That is an issue that the current version is trying to eliminate by ensuring the product is more in line with the main roster.

Whether it's focusing on sports entertainment segments or working with main roster names, there is a lot of focus on getting talent ready. The fact everything is more streamlined works better overall for the product, and that is something that fans enjoy.

5 Black & Gold: Much Bigger Buzz

It Was A Hot Product

When the two versions of the show are compared there's no denying that there was a bigger buzz about the black and gold version. The show was arguably the hottest product in the entire business at that point, which led to great viewership, good attendance, and fantastic word of mouth.

10 NXT Champions Who Failed On The Main Roster (& What Went Wrong)

There's a variety of reasons as to why these former NXT Champions fell short of expectations on Raw and SmackDown.

Audiences sang the praises of the show, and that is the big reason why it has such a dedicated and loyal audience. People loved the product and that buzz is something the show doesn't have today.

4 Current NXT: More Creative Ideas

The Show Pushes Itself More

Shawn Michaels has booked more out-of-the-ring segments
Chase U's backstage moments have become popular
NXT has shot content away from the Performance Center

During the black and gold version of NXT, the show was very much like a traditional wrestling event. They wouldn't push too many outside-of-the-box ideas, but that isn't the case now with the show bringing in a lot of over-the-top moments that have proven to be entertaining.

Whether it's Chase U's backstage segments, crazy video packages, or wild characters with big personalities there is a lot for people to enjoy and the vibrancy of it all is something audiences have relished.

3 Black & Gold: Tag Teams Were Important

The Quality Was High

Tag team wrestling used to be a bigger focus
The Revival (FTR) ended up coming from this era
The current tag team division is also steadily building

While tag team wrestling is still a prominent part of the current NXT show, it wasn't at the same level as in the past. Triple H focused heavily on this element of the business and it led to some amazing teams being given the chance to thrive.

The likes of DIY, American Alpha, Enzo, and Big Cass, and The Revival were all making big impacts at this point in time, and it provided a completely different vibe due to the nature of tag team wrestling itself.

2 Current NXT: Can Follow Growth

Audiences Can Enjoy Legitimate Development

WWE has built a lot of younger talent
Talent such as Grayson Waller has already been pushed to the main roster
Bron Breakker has also had main roster appearances

When fans watched the black and gold there was always a buzz about when people would be heading to the main roster, but that's because the roster was ready immediately. That's not the case anymore as wrestlers are joining with different experience levels and it allows people to watch their growth.

10 Bizarre WWE NXT Feuds Fans Don’t Remember

Some NXT feuds just didn't land with audiences, mostly because they were odd and forgettable.

Seeing wrestlers develop and become genuine stars makes the product very exciting to watch. It's more unpredictable and seeing the talent eventually break out is rewarding from a viewer's perspective.

1 Black & Gold: Better Matches

The In-Ring Quality Was Superior

Sasha Banks and Bayley had a memorable encounter at NXT Takeover: Brooklyn
NXT had six five-star matches rated by Dave Meltzer during this period
The current era of NXT has yet to have a five-star match

While there are a lot of talented wrestlers on the current show who are capable of producing excellent matches, the overall match quality is much lower than what the black and gold brand could provide. That is largely due to the experience levels of the two rosters, but it is something that made the older version so much fun.

It filled a role that AEW is taking up in the current wrestling market of basing everything around excellent in-ring encounters. The black and gold version had some fantastic matches every week and it made the show so thrilling to watch.