UPDATED: NXT on USA Network Announcement Expected ‘Real Soon,’ Details on Possible Live Broadcasts

UPDATE: During today’s edition of the Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer addressed the rumors of NXT possibly moving to the USA Network. Originally, WWE officials were looking at moving NXT to FS1. Then it changed “FS1 or USA to maybe USA.”

According to Meltzer, the show would still move into a two-hour timeslot of 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm on Wednesday nights if it moves to the USA Network. He added that he’s heard that WWE is trying to “get the jump” on AEW and debut NXT on USA before AEW debuts its weekly TV show on TNT, which is scheduled for October 2.

One potential issue with the previously rumored NXT/FS1 deal in terms of scheduling for NXT was the Big East Conference for basketball. Meltzer continued that the USA Network/NXT deal is “all in play,” and the announcement is expected “real soon.”

Meltzer stated on the Vince McMahon pushing for a move for NXT to a cable network opposite AEW on TNT, “Everything having to do with the NXT show has nothing to do with these strategies and has everything to do with Vince [McMahon] is adamant they beat the number, and by that standard, USA is the one to make if they make that deal.”

He went on to say that WWE officials have discussed multiple options for broadcasting NXT on USA, including having the show go live every week or having it air live every other week. Per Meltzer, “There will be a live component for sure.”

ORIGINAL: If this rumor is true, then it would signal that WWE is taking AEW very seriously. PWInisder reports that there has been a pitch within WWE to move NXT to the USA Network on Wednesday nights, increasing the run time from one to two hours. The pitch would also see air live each week from Full Sail University in Florida. If the WWE went with the idea, NXT would make the move on October 2, the same day that AEW makes its debut on TNT.

If this happens, it would be the first time two wrestling companies went head-to-head on TNT and USA since the Monday Night Wars between WWE and WCW ended in March 2001. It’s not, however, the last time a company went head to head with WWE, as Impact attempted to do so back in 2010 when it aired on SpikeTV, but quickly moved back to Thursdays after only ten weeks. USA aired an episode of NXT on December 13, 2017 as part of WWE Week, and it brought in 841,000 viewers.

This is only a rumor for now, and not official. WWE has yet to comment.