Tag: nxt cw

CW president calls WWE NXT an ‘absolute game changer’ for network

Posted on by Joseph Currier

CW president Brad Schwartz is very pleased with the relationship his network has formed with WWE.

While speaking to Variety on Tuesday, Schwartz praised NXT as an “absolute game changer” for The CW. He believes it’s a mutually beneficial relationship where WWE has also benefitted by having NXT on the channel.

“It’s been an absolute game changer for the CW, and I think it’s been a game changer for WWE,” Schwartz said. “This last quarter that just ended was the highest rated NXT quarter in five years. It’s up 19 percent year-over-year.”

Variety’s interview with Schwartz was published during TV upfronts week, where networks unveil their upcoming schedule and promote their programming to advertisers. He hyped that NXT is beating Fox’s network programming in the key advertising demos some Tuesdays.

“In adults 18 to 49 and 25 to 54, we’re regularly beating Fox on Tuesday nights. It’s unheard of,” Schwartz told Variety. “So it’s been absolutely crushing for us. It’s one of the big reasons why our network as a whole is up 40 percent season-over-season…Besides animation on Fox, [NXT] has the highest concentration of 18-49 and 25-54 on all broadcast.”

After previously airing on USA Network, NXT moved to The CW in October 2024. It’s a five-year deal for NXT to air on the station, with The CW adding NXT as part of its strategy to have more live sports programming on the network.

In the Variety interview, Schwartz said The CW is always in contact with WWE about expanding their partnership.

“Schwartz also said that WWE and CW are ‘constantly’ discussing new ways to expand their relationship, including additional WWE programming on the network,” Variety wrote. “CW has already moved to get NXT talent involved in other programming across their slate, including Tony D’Angelo appearing on the procedural ‘Wild Cards’ and Trick Williams making an appearance on ‘All American.'”

NXT airs on The CW at 8 p.m. Eastern time on Tuesdays. Tonight’s show will continue the build to NXT’s Battleground PLE that’s taking place on May 25.

Women’s title match to kick off WWE NXT’s CW premiere

Posted on by Joseph Currier

A Women’s Championship match will be the first thing WWE NXT viewers see on The CW Network.

WWE announced today that the NXT Women’s Championship match between Roxanne Perez and Giulia will kick off NXT’s premiere episode on The CW next Tuesday (October 1). The show is taking place from Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois.

A top wrestler in Japan before signing with WWE, this will be Giulia’s second televised match since arriving in NXT. Her first was a victory over Chelsea Green earlier this month.

Another new WWE signee — former CMLL star Stephanie Vaquer — has issued a warning that she’ll be waiting for the Perez vs. Giulia winner.

Perez has been NXT Women’s Champion since April. It’s her second reign with the title.

The announcement that Perez vs. Giulia will be kicking off NXT’s CW premiere should mean that Ethan Page vs. Trick Williams for the NXT Championship will be the main event. In his hometown, CM Punk will serve as the special guest referee for that match.

WWE NXT (Tuesday, October 1) —

  • NXT Champion Ethan Page defends against Trick Williams with CM Punk as guest referee
  • Street fight: Wes Lee vs. Zachary Wentz
  • WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Bianca Belair & Jade Cargill appear
  • The Miz hosts Miz TV with guests NXT North American Champion Oba Femi and Tony D’Angelo
  • Jaida Parker & Lola Vice vs. two members of Fatal Influence
  • NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez defends against Giulia

Tag team match added to WWE NXT CW premiere

Posted on by Ethan Renner

A new match is set for the WWE NXT premiere episode on The CW.

NXT GM Ava announced during this week’s show that Jaida Parker & Lola Vice will team against two members of Fatal Influence on the Tuesday, October 1 episode, the first to air on The CW.

Fallon Henley, Jazmyn Nyx, and Jacy Jayne comprise the Fatal Influence trio who will operate under Freebird rules for the contest.

The Miz’s Miz TV guests have also been revealed for the CW premiere.

NXT North American Champion Oba Femi and his rival Tony D’Angelo will be The Miz’s guests on next week’s episode. Those two will square off for the North American title on the October 8 show.

Allstate Arena in suburban Chicago will host next week’s show.

The current lineup for the Tuesday, October 1 WWE NXT premiere episode on The CW:

  • NXT Champion Ethan Page defends against Trick Williams with CM Punk as guest referee
  • NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez defends against Giulia
  • Street fight: Wes Lee vs. Zachary Wentz
  • WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Bianca Belair & Jade Cargill appear
  • The Miz hosts Miz TV with guests Oba Femi & Tony D’Angelo
  • Jaida Parker & Lola Vice vs. Two members of Fatal Influence

CM Punk announced as guest referee for WWE NXT CW premiere episode

Posted on by Ethan Renner

CM Punk will be the special guest referee for the WWE NXT title match on October 1 as the show premieres on The CW.

Punk announced during Tuesday’s WWE NXT episode that he will serve as the special guest referee for the Ethan Page vs. Trick Williams NXT title bout set for the Tuesday, October 1 premiere show on The CW.

Punk was involved in multiple segments on Tuesday’s show, including taking part in an in-ring confrontation with NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez and her opponent for the CW premiere, Giulia.

Page and Williams signed the contract for their October 1 title match on Tuesday’s episode in a segment that also featured NBA star Tyrese Haliburton presiding over the signing:

Punk then entered to declare himself the guest referee.

The current lineup for the Tuesday, October 1 WWE NXT premiere episode on The CW:

  • NXT Champion Ethan Page defends against Trick Williams w/CM Punk as guest referee
  • NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez defends against Giulia
  • Street fight: Wes Lee vs. Zachary Wentz
  • WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Bianca Belair & Jade Cargill appear
  • The Miz hosts Miz TV

Premiere date revealed for WWE NXT on The CW

Posted on by Joseph Currier

A date has officially been set for WWE NXT’s arrival on The CW Network.

The CW revealed its fall premiere schedule today, confirming that NXT will make its debut on the channel on October 1. NXT is staying on Tuesday nights and will remain in its 8-10 p.m. Eastern/Pacific time slot.

Last year, WWE announced that it had agreed to a five-year deal to bring NXT to The CW starting in October 2024. USA Network had been the show’s television home since 2019. NXT will finish out its run on USA over the next few months until starting on The CW.

Acquiring the rights to NXT is part of The CW’s strategy to add live programming and enhance its sports portfolio. In an interview with Variety last month, CW President Dennis Miller explained why he felt NXT was a fit for the network.

“We knew that Raw and SmackDown were a little bit beyond our budget here,” Miller said. “Then if you look, we have a lot of sports where we have kind of that next tier moving into the first tier here, whether it’s the Xfinity races leading into the Cup, or it’s NXT leading into Raw and SmackDown. So it just started to fit. Then over the course of a couple of months, we went back and forth and got the deal done.”

SmackDown and Raw are both also moving networks in their next TV deals. SmackDown will move from Fox to USA Network starting this September. Raw moves from USA to Netflix in January 2025.