3 Reasons WWE Putting NXT head to head against AEW is a good idea, and 3 Reasons it may not be

The trigger has been pulled, and it looks like the opening skirmishes in a new wrestling war could soon begin. But is WWE right to pit its NXT brand against the upstart AEW in a head to head competition?

Nearly twenty years have passed since the end of the great Monday Night War. Long-time wrestling fans remember the competition between WWE and rival WCW as one of the most exciting and unpredictable periods in sports entertainment.

For nearly three years WCW's Monday night broadcast, Nitro, defeated WWE's RAW program. A major impetus of this was the NWO, but an often overlooked component was the tag-along National Wrestling Alliance fandom.

Ted Turner had purchased Jim Crockett Productions in the early 1990s, setting the stage for the Monday Night War. JC Productions owned many of the NWA territories in the south-east and the contracts of those athletes. So when NWA stars like Sting, the Steiner Brothers, and Eddie Gilbert jumped to WCW, their fans jumped along with them.

WCW made major power moves to get a leg up on their competition. They hired former WWE champions Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, and brought WWE and NWA champion Ric Flair into the fold. They brought in international talents, such as Ultimo Dragon and Eddie Guerrero.

And they put their Monday night broadcast right in the same time slot as Raw. The head to head competition was a first for the wrestling industry.

History tells us that WWE defeated and purchased their rival. Now, however, it looks like a new wrestling war is brewing, and it looks to be happening on Wednesday night this time around.

Rumours have it that WWE will pit their NXT brand up against AEW in head to head competition. If this turns out to be true, it would mean the foundation of pro wrestling would be shaken once again.

But is it a good idea on WWE's part? Here are three reasons why, and three reasons why not.

Good Idea #1. NXT wrestlers are equal in skill to AEW talent

NXT stars Adam Cole and Johnny Gargano collide in mid-air during dual cross body attempts.

All Elite Wrestling features some of the best pro wrestlers on the planet on their roster. Men like Pentagon Jr., Chris Jericho, and the Best Bout Machine himself, Kenny Omega.

These men are capable of putting on five-star matches at the drop of a hat, and their blistering and marathon-style has reinvigorated a flagging pro wrestling market.

But the fact remains that NXT wrestlers are just as good as what AEW has to offer. The Undisputed Era alone contains four wrestlers who could hang with Omega move for move, counter for counter.

By putting their best and brightest upcoming talent against AEW, WWE has made a smart decision to try and lure fans away from the AEW product.

Not a Good Idea #1: AEW has bigger name stars than NXT

Chris Jericho holds up a photo of the Cleaner Kenny Omega to hype their bout.

NXT has many of the best and brightest upcoming wrestling stars working today. Men like Johnny Gargano, Adam Cole, Matt Riddle, and Keith Lee are the future of the pro wrestling industry.

But what All Elite Wrestling offers isn't the future, it's the present, with a healthy dose of nostalgia thrown in. When Chris Jericho signed with All Elite Wrestling, it was considered a major coup and rightfully so. Jericho is a rare breed of a wrestler, having worked nigh continuously in the industry for over twenty-five years and always finding a way to be in the discussion of sports entertainment's top stars. Jericho has subtly tweaked his character every so often to keep himself fresh and relevant.

Besides Jericho, AEW also boasts Christopher Daniels, one of the most admired ring technicians of all time, and the aforementioned Kenny Omega, largely believed to be the best active wrestler in the world.

WWE is trying to pit unproven stars against well-known commodities, and it could be a mistake.

Good Idea #2: NXT is a family-friendly alternative to AEW's edgier product

Johnny Gargano relaxes with friends and family.

AEW hasn't skimped on the blood, that's for certain sure. Kenny Omega has bled profusely at the hands of Chris Jericho. And let's not forget the sickening blood bath that was Cody Rhodes vs. older brother Dustin Runnels.

AEW obviously isn't going to shy away from presenting programming that may not be fit for all ages. By contrast, NXT has rated PG entertainment.

WWE has been focusing on a more family-friendly product for years, banking on future generations of pro wrestling fans coming up with the promotion. By contrast, AEW seems to be targeting the much-ballyhooed males 16-34 demographic.

It comes down to a choice of which audience to court. AEW wants to go after the traditional wrestling audience, which is primarily males of the aforementioned age group, whereas WWE wishes to gain a more diverse group as their audience.

WWE is smart to present themselves as a family-friendly alternative to AEW.

Not a Good Idea #2: WWE isn't bringing their A-game to the fight

Two men who won't be on NXT: Ricochet and AJ Styles, who appear on the Raw brand.

If WWE wishes to go head to head with All Elite Wrestling, then why would they use their third-tier brand as their opening salvo?

NXT fans are rabid and dedicated, and both wrestling critics and the internet wrestling community are very much invested in their product. However, NXT is WWE least profitable brand, although admittedly much of this has to do with the Yellow Brand not having a national television audience.

Perhaps WWE would be better suited pitting their major stars, such as Roman Reigns and AJ Styles against the counter-programming AEW has to offer? Instead of relying on promising but unproven talent, they could bring their established wrestlers to the fight.

By committing their third-tier product, WWE might be making a mistake.

Good Idea #3: If AEW gets the upper hand, WWE will still save face

While some may criticize WWE's decision to pit its third-tier brand NXT against the upstart new kid on the block All Elite Wrestling, in reality, it's a brilliant strategy.

NXT, for most of its existence, has had no national television footprint. Only fans willing to subscribe to the WWE network were able to catch the thrilling escapades of the Undisputed Era, Velveteen Dream, and Matt Riddle.

This means that by putting NXT on the USA Network, WWE will have already scored a significant victory for the brand by expanding its audience beyond subscribers.

Also, even if AEW manages to defeat NXT in the ratings war, temporarily or otherwise, the WWE hasn't really lost much. The perception will be that the 'main' brands of Raw and Smackdown haven't been defeated in the ratings game, just their developmental brand.

And if NXT comes out on top of the ratings war, temporarily or otherwise, then WWE can point out that even their third-tier brand is superior to what AEW has to offer.

Either way, it's a win-win situation for the WWE and the NXT brand.

Not a Good Idea #3: All Elite Wrestling has a ton of media buzz

There's an old saying that pertains to both show business and politics, and it goes like this;

Everyone loves an underdog.

This means that people are more likely to be emotionally invested in an actor, product, or promotion if they feel like they are fighting from the bottom. Yes, Hulk Hogan's ultimate strategy to get sympathy from the fans also applies to other aspects of the wrestling game.

A lot of people want to see AEW succeed, just because they are the upstart brand taking on the billion-dollar empire of the McMahon family, who have held wrestling in a relative stranglehold ever since the Monday Night War ended almost twenty years ago.

This translates into more media attention, and a sort of 'blind spot' when it comes to criticizing AEW. Because so many people want the underdog to win, the promotion has a leg up on NXT.

There you have it; Three reasons why the WWE pitting NXT head to head against AEW is a good idea, and three why it might not be. Questions or comments? Please leave them after the article, and as always thanks for reading!

Edited by Sai Teja