When news broke that Becky Lynch was heading down to NXT for a one-on-one throwdown with Tiffany Stratton for the NXT Women's Championship, it got fans buzzing about what Paul “Triple H” Levesque had up his sleeve.
Was Stratton going to secure a signature win over one of the most storied performers over the last half-decade, effectively endorsing her title reign and instantly placing it among the best runs in the brand's history due to strength of schedule? Or would WWE instead use the match as a one-two punch to boost ratings via Lynch's appearance while giving fans a glimpse of the future topped off with a no-stakes DQ finish?
Well, as it turns out, WWE simply decided to put Lynch over cleanly, giving her the win and setting Stratton up for an even bigger push on the main roster moving forward, as she's now in a full-on feud with “The Man” leading up a rematch at No Mercy in Bakersfield, California.
Discussing the next generation of WWE Superstars on his 83 Weeks podcast, Eric Bischoff complemented Tiffany Stratton – and Bron Breakker – for looking like the next generation of WWE Superstars thanks to their recent string of success in developmental.
“I dig her… The future is bright for WWE in general, “Eric Bischoff said on his podcast via Fightful. “Look at Bron Breakker in NXT. I mean, this guy could be [in the] upper third of the roster or better anytime somebody decides they want to be and pick up the phone and call him up. He's such a great talent and has so much potential. It's almost like they're building demand for him. They want the audience to want him on the main roster, and that's a great position. So, I'm excited for Bron and Tiffany, and the whole roster in NXT, because it it proves to them that they actually have a shot. This can happen. It's real for them. I wish I could just be a fly on the wall just to kind of experience some of the energy and the excitement.”
Now granted, hopefully Levesque and Shawn Michaels have a better plan for post-champion Stratton than they did for Breakker, as he's been pretty much spearing any man that moves without much direction since April. Still, when their respective days eventually come, Stratton and Breakker will be main roster stars, and all of this seasoning will be much appreciated.
Eric Bischoff isn't surprised to see Becky Lynch back in NXT.
Speaking of Becky Lynch's run in NXT, Eric Bischoff commented on her transition to NXT on 83 Weeks, too, noting that, in his humble opinion, the only surprising thing about the decision is how long it took for WWE to pull the trigger, as Nick Khan and company have clearly been looking for ways to get a few more eyes on the developmental brand for months now.
“Television rights negotiations aside, I'm surprised they haven't done it sooner,” Bischoff said via Fightful. “Because it's great for that developmental talent to be on a show with someone like Becky Lynch. To get the eyeballs on it, to feel the energy, and to have something big happening on a show where otherwise, this is a developmental company, NXT, it doesn't get a lot of attention. It certainly got a lot of attention this week. I think you're absolutely right, Conrad. I think the timing is pretty obvious. We're in the middle of negotiating; we want to increase our value, and what better way to do it than to set a record or two, or three, or four by integrating some of that top talent? I love the way they did it. I watched most of the match itself. Yes, Becky won, but it didn't hurt anybody. It elevated everybody. It was a really smart move. I'd be shocked if we don't see more of it, and I welcome it because it's great for that developmental talent to have that kind of energy and that kind of focus and attention.”
Does having a Grand Slam Champion headline a show dedicated to developing the next generation of WWE Superstars sort of fly in the face of the brand's ethos? Yeah, it does, but hey, it's not like WWE hasn't pulled this card before and used an established star to not only put younger performers over but get a few more eyes on the product in the process. With no mid-card title for a legacy star like Lynch to carry, giving “The Man” a run in NXT is the next best thing, especially since she's also defending it on RAW.
Follow Us
Subscribe