NXT Minus 6: Addition by Subtraction

It’s time to cut some tired tropes out of pro wrestling, and Bradley Jay wants to do it with WWE NXT!

Let’s make NXT better by chopping some dead limbs from the otherwise mighty sequoia of wrestling.

6. HISTORY!!! The inspiration for this column. Stop telling us everything is history. If a moment is truly historic, we’ll figure it out. Greatness speaks for itself. Insecure losers tell us how great they are. Stop beating us over the head because we’re too dumb to know what we’re watching. We know what big moments look like. This isn’t our first rodeo. 

5. The 3 knockdown rule: A wrestler crawls to the corner for the hot tag. Partner hops the rope, knocks down their opponent. Opponent gets up. Partner knocks him down again. Opponent gets up again. Partner knocks him down a third time! Every time! Does anyone else wonder why they get up two more times instead of rolling to safety? There are many ways to execute a hot tag. Just ask Cesaro.

4. The look of shock: I get it. Wrestlers are surprised when someone kicks out at two, because nobody ever kicks out at two…except for John Cena. Do they always have to react like they just saw Hornswaggle powerbomb Mark Henry? Don’t get rid of this one entirely. It has its place, but that place is not after every single kickout. And while we’re at it, stop acting so surprised that the ref only counted two.   

3. The extended dance remix intro: A wrestler should pose at the top of the ramp or in the ring, but not both. Overkill. Overkill. Overkill. Overkill. Overkill. Be gone with this entirely.

2. The flattering insult: Conventional wrestling wisdom says no matter how much you hate your opponent, you still make them look good. That’s why everybody flatters their opponent before threatening their life. Sometimes a heel needs to tell a face they suck and they deserve an ass kicking. Sometimes a face needs to tell a heel there are many reasons everyone hates their guts. Trash them on the mic. Make them look good in the ring.  

1. The Hurricane-Rana: How many times must I call for the permanent eradication of the absolute worst move in all of professional wrestling? Unless you lock your ankles around your opponent’s neck, which no one ever does, this move can’t cause any real damage. Zero impact. Zero drama. Zero value. It’s just a wrestler doing a front flip. And it sucks.