Here's more wrestling news for November 17th 2021
And your headlines for Afternoon include
Major Change Coming To NXT 2.0 In Wake Of Falling Ratings !
“I Don’t Think I Fit.” NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa Opens Up About The Brand’s Relaunch !
Last Minute Changes Made During Last Friday’s Smackdown On FOX !
WWE Hall Of Famer Earning Rave Reviews In New Backstage Role !
“There’s Much More Of An Opportunity” WWE Hall Of Famer Teases Opening New Promotion !
CM Punk Explains Major Difference Between How WWE And AEW Appeal To Fans !
The Rock Announces Plans For Biggest Movie Role Yet!
Triple Threat Title Match Confirmed For NXT 2.0 ! And More !
We’re kicking off with NXT 2.0, and ever since the brand’s revival, it’s tried to appeal to a younger audience, with a younger roster,
colourful redesign and shorter matches filled with more high-spots. Unfortunately, this plan hasn’t worked so far,
as a report noted that the average NXT 2.0 viewer was in their 60s, and the ratings have slowly declined in recent weeks.
Now, a new report suggests that drastic action will be taken, as a report from WrestleVotes states that a move from TV-PG to TV-14 could
coming very soon. The report says that this ratings change is “still very much on the table,” and added that the USA
Network isn’t opposed to the idea. While some advertisers might be turned off, keep in mind that this won’t be the kind of TV-MA
content produced during the Attitude Era, when the biggest advertisers were vehemently opposed to airing on WWF content
With newer, younger Superstars on much shorter contracts, things are moving incredibly quickly in NXT 2.0, and we’ll have to see if a change
of rating and a more adult program can finally win over the paint-splattered brand’s target demographic.
Since NXT 2.0 relaunched, the show has seen Tommaso Ciampa reign as NXT Champion, after Samoa Joe was forced to vacate the title due
to injury. At 36 years old, Ciampa is one of the oldest names on NXT 2.0, as the show has tried to
feature more younger Superstars as part of the rebrand. Speaking to RN Pro Wrestling, the Blackheart was
asked about his surprising title win, and was fully aware that he doesn’t fit the mold of what NXT 2.0 is supposed to be. He said:
Everybody had a vision of what this 2.0 was and I don’t think I fit that vision… we read stuff, we see stuff, transitional champion and all that crap.
And then to go out there and beat Bron Breakker, I’m the best NXT has to offer right now and I’m aware of that and I’m aware of
what this title represents and what my responsibility is. It’s very cool to me to be in this position Ciampa may not be what NXT 2.0 is meant to be,
but he’s excelled so far as the first champion of the revamped brand, and while fans still expect Bron Breakker to win the NXT
title despite his loss at Halloween Havoc, for now the paint-splattered brand belongs to the Blackheart.
On last week's SmackDown, the Tribal Chief Roman Reigns and King Woods faced off to determine the true ruler of the blue brand.
That match saw Woods win, albeit by DQ, and his victory was short lived thanks to a beat down by the Bloodline.
It turns out that what fans saw on TV wasn't the original plan, as a source within WWE told Ringside News that the original stipulation
would've seen the loser bend the knee to the victor. Changing from this to the stipulation of the
winner rules Smackdown was a last minute decision, as it wasn't until a meeting between Reigns, Paul Heyman and Vince McMahon at
5pm on Friday night that the stipulation was changed. Woods may have won, but his reign as monarch
may already be over after Roman Reigns declared the Bloodline as the kings of Smackdown, and the Universal Champion has proven to have plenty
of influence over his kingdom, both on and off screen.
In June, WWE hired Molly Holly as a backstage producer, bringing even more in-ring experience to the backstage team.
Last week, Molly produced women's division matches for both RAW and Smackdown alongside Tyson Kidd, and is impressing all the
right names. A source within WWE told Ringside News that the Hall of Famer is earning "great reviews"
by those backstage, and we'll have to see what she does next after getting her career as a WWE producer off to a fantastic start.
Now, in 2002, Jeff Jarrett founded TNA Wrestling, following the demise of WCW and being blacklisted from the WWF.
Although Jarrett has since left TNA, the company still stands as Impact Wrestling, and now Double J may be ready to get back to work on a brand
new promotion. Speaking to the Wrestling Inc Daily this week, the Hall of Famer discussed the possibilities
of forming a new company following the recent Ring of Honour layoffs: "There’s much more of an opportunity, an exponentiall
more of an opportunity. The reason I say that is, 2002...Unless you really lived it and breathed it, like me and my team did at the
time, you didn’t understand the backlash that the Attitude Era caused with the decision- makers.”
Jarrett added that although the opportunity is there for a new company, there's plenty of competition now from Impact, MLW, AEW and others
while his company in 2002, was the only alternative at the time to WWE. Jarrett's last match in WWE came in 2019, and quietly
left the company in July this year, but his next match may be as part of an entirely new promotion.
Over to AEW, as CM Punk has been one of the biggest signings ever in the company’s history, and has brought more eyes onto Tony Khan’s
product. At Full Gear, Punk kept his AEW undefeated streak going with a win over Eddie Kingston,
and had plenty to say on the post-show media scrum. Speaking about the differences between
WWE and AEW, Punk claimed that his new company are far more willing to cater to their core audience, die-hard wrestling fans,
and made a huge claim about WWE’s own strategy: I understand building a business, people talk
about trying to get casuals here, I don’t think there’s casual wrestling fans anymore. My opinion, maybe I’m wrong and maybe somebody
at TNT is going to get mad because I’m saying this and am of this opinion but our fans are wrestling fans
With celebrity appearances, mainstream public appearances movie deals, WWE is no stranger to trying to appeal to casual fans, which has
which has made some fans feel alienated, and flock to AEW. After defeating Kingston at Full Gear, time will
tell what’s next for Punk as part of AEW, but whatever he does next, Punk’s focus is to appeal on the veteran wrestling fans who
have supported him throughout his career.
As a leading man in Hollywood, Dwayne Johnson has been part of some major film franchises, but the man wrestling fans will always know as
The Rock is eyeing up his biggest role to date. In an interview with Esquire, the Brahma Bull said he’d love to be the next James Bond
replacing Daniel Craig after he left the role earlier this year, following No Time To Die. If he was to get the role, The Rock wouldn’t be
the first member of his family in a Bond film, as his grandfather High Chief Peter Maivia, who fought Bond, then played by Sean Connery in
in 1967’s You Only Live Twice. Johnson is the latest name to put themselves forward for the role, as Henry Cavill, Tom
Hopper and Tom Hardy have all been touted as potential 007s, and after the success of Netflix’s Red Notice, perhaps the People’s Champion
could become the next big name with a licence to kill.
And we’re ending with NXT 2.0, as a huge title match has been set for next week.
On last night’s show, it was confirmed that NXT North American Champion Carmelo Hayes will face Johnny Gargano and Trip
tripple thread match next week with the title on the line. Next week will also see Tommaso Ciampa face Grayson Waller in non-title action, and we’ll
have to see who picks up momentum on the road to WarGames on December 5th.