Backstage News On Future Plans For WWE Main Roster And NXT Crossovers

Regular viewers of "WWE NXT" will know that there has been plenty of crossover between the developmental brand and both "RAW" and "SmackDown" in recent weeks. Most recently, the October 18 episode of "NXT" saw various main roster appearances, including the long-awaited return of Shinsuke Nakamura to the black and gold brand. While this coincided with the first time NXT had to go head-to-head against "AEW Dynamite" since April 2021, this influx of main roster talent was far from an anomaly.

In a report from Fightful, the appearances of "RAW" and "SmackDown" on "NXT" shows will continue. Sources within the WWE have deemed main roster integration considerably useful for the developmental brand and its growth. Not only do appearances raise viewership for the third brand, but it also creates new matchups and dynamics to test the rising stars in the company. It was also noted that the more experienced competitors can help the developmental wrestlers improve. Some main roster superstars are also tasked with scouting wrestlers from "NXT" to give input on whether or not they are fit for a theoretical main roster call-up.

Main roster talent appearing on "NXT" is far from a new phenomenon, with both sporadic appearances and complete relocations being common for years now. The current NXT Women's Champion Mandy Rose and former Intercontinental Champion Apollo Crews are examples of more permanent returns to NXT. Alternatively, Kevin Owens has made occasional appearances on NXT since leaving the brand back in 2015, notably making a surprise return to the brand at "NXT WarGames 2019" for the titular WarGames match.