Powell's Blog: What's the point of WWE NXT?

Tuesday, February 24 – 4:11 P.M. (CT)

Most wrestling fans are raving about the first edition of WWE NXT. At last check, 80 percent of the voters in our latest poll gave the show an "A" or a "B" grade. For what it's worth, I give the debut show a solid "B."

I liked the way they showcased Daniel Bryan by having him bicker with The Miz and then face Chris Jericho in the main event. I didn't know what to expect going in and I came away feeling entertained by WWE's newest show. I just hope they didn't set the bar too high with the main event, because the other participants can't work as well as the former ROH Champion.

The hour flew by and it was a big upgrade from watching everyone but the actual wrestlers go through the motions on the ECW show. The introductory videos were excellent, and new camera angles were a fun change. I'm sure it will take some getting used to for viewers who have become used to the WWE production formula, but I applaud Kevin Dunn and his crew for finally shaking things up.

Yet while most fans are buzzing about the new show and the way the company introduced these new characters, no one seems to be asking the very obvious question. What is the point of this show?

Obviously, I get that the general idea is to showcase eight new wrestlers, but WWE left out some very key information. Did anyone notice that while Michael Cole was bickering with Josh Matthews and delivering worked comments about dirt sheets and internet wrestling fans, no one bothered to tell viewers how the show actually works?

Here are a few questions that must be answered:

-Is NXT just another brand or is it a contest?

-If it's the latter, just how exactly does a wrestler win?

-What's the reward for the person (or persons) who wins?

-What happens to the losing wrestlers?

-How long does the contest last?

If the goal was to give the net fans a dream match between Daniel Bryan and Chris Jericho to distract them from the fact that the company hasn't figured out the basics, then it appears the first show was a complete success.