Cody Rhodes talks NXT's move to USA.
The Wednesday Night War officially begins on Oct. 2 when AEW premieres on TNT, going head-to-head with NXT on USA. AEW announced the show's premiere on July 24. Less than a month later, on Aug. 20, WWE announced that NXT would be moving from WWE Network to USA and expand to two hours on Sept. 18.
Speaking to Collider Live, AEW wrestler and co-executive vice president Cody Rhodes gave his thoughts on NXT's "reactionary" call.
"I do think that NXT going directly against us and then switching to two hours the week we debut is 100% reactionary," stated Cody. "I'm not saying it's a smart move or not a smart move, it's just 100% reactionary, whereas, I like that. We were always going to be on TNT and this was always the time slot. We just have to focus on what we're doing. If we become a reactionary brand, I think that's a bad call. What happens when you become reactionary is it becomes about, 'Well, The Undertaker is gonna be teaming with Johnny Gargano' and then all of a sudden, you're grasping for pieces of nostalgia and you're playing the wrong notes versus what, I think we already have, which is a product that people want to see."
The first two episodes of NXT on USA drew over one million viewers with just the first hour airing on USA. Both hours will be live on USA beginning Oct. 2 up against the premiere of AEW Dynamite.
If you use any of the quotes above, please credit Collider with a h/t to Fightful for the transcription.
