With NXT Takeover: Brooklyn II just 24 Hours away we examine how NXT has gotten to this point from such small beginnings in Tampa as FCW.

In the beginning, it was FCW

On June 26th, 2007 Steve Keirn started a promotion in Florida (Florida Championship Wrestling) that was going to be based on the former Championship Wrestling from Florida promotion. From October of 2007 to August 2012 it would serve as a developmental territory for WWE replacing Deep South Wrestling (Ended 2007) and Ohio Valley Wrestling (Ended 2008) as the sole developmental territory for WWE. WWE decided in 2012 that it needed to take its talent development in a new direction and rebranded FCW as NXT.

Just one familiar face that FCW helped get a start in WWE (photo:youtube.com)

Helping Create the Next Generation

NXT began life as a mix between a wrestling programme and a reality tv programme. Wrestlers were contacted to appear and then each week there was a mix of wrestling and unique challenges in the hope of becoming the WWE's next breakout star. In each season a rookie would be paired up with a WWE pro. In the first five season of NXT in which it was a hybrid show, it produced some talented superstars including The Nexus, Fandango (aka Johnny Curtis), Darren Young & Titus O' Neil and Bray Wyatt who are perhaps the most famous of the first five seasons.

The NXT 6 from Season 1 aka Nexus (photo:WWE.com)

NXT Gets a Makeover

After Season 5 ended NXT became geared towards bringing the best and biggest names into NXT and part of that is down towards Triple H who took on the role of Head of NXT and under his guardianship NXT has grown exponentially to the point that many consider it almost as a third brand. He was responsible for bringing Finn Bálor, Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens, Samoa Joe, Austin Aries & Shinsuke Nakamura to name but a few of the high-profile signings that have been brought into NXT under Triple H's stewardship.

One of the brightest stars to come through NXT Finn Bálor (photo:bleacherreport.com)

Hunter has turned NXT into one of the fastest growing brands. NXT has become so big that it sells-out shows, increased respect for women’s wrestling. The international expansion has been huge as NXT tours worldwide. Many see that NXT is almost like a child for the 14 Time World Champion and he nurtures every talent in NXT.

Speaking to 98FM (A Dublin-based radio station) ahead of the NXT live event in Dublin on June 14th Paul Levesque had this to say about his corporate role in WWE:

“I love what I do behind-the-scenes. The NXT brand, I'm very, very passionate about and it comes down to seeing what, in a lot of ways, my wife laughs and says it's like I'm a proud papa [and] they're all my kids or something".

Triple H's Vision + Dusty's Dream = a good product

What would a discussion about NXT be without discussing the role that the late, great "American Dream" Dusty Rhodes played in the development of NXT? Dusty had a wide and varying range of roles in NXT. From being the Interim General Manager of NXT and NXT Commissioner to being the head writer and creative director for the show behind the scenes.

Dusty was also a trainer and helped everyone in NXT in some way shape or form. Here are just some of the things that he has done to help talent in NXT grow.

Finn Bálor

“One of the first classes I had with Dusty was promo class. Obviously, my mic skills, although they improved over the year I spent with him, they weren’t so good at the beginning.

Dusty said to me, ‘Prince,’ because I was still Prince at the time, ‘Prince, the way people were talking about your work before you came in I thought Lou Thesz was going to walk in the door.

What we have to do is get your communication skills on par with your ring work.’ That’s what I’ve been trying to do ever since I got here."

Sasha Banks

“I’ve been thinking a lot about Dusty lately because I miss him so much. He was such a huge supporter of us down at NXT. He really gave us our wings to fly, to be ourselves and to be the best that we can.

“I remember my first day in class with him at FCW. I remember just crying because I was so nervous. I was always scared of talking. He pulled me aside and said, ‘Baby, this is what you want to be right? This is what you want to do? Go out there, give me a one-minute promo and tell me who you are.’

So it's clear to see the impact "Dream" had on the NXT locker room and NXT as a brand. His impact will always be felt by those who are in NXT.

One of NXT's most iconic moments (photo:yotuube.com)

What does the Future hold for NXT?

Now that NXT has become such a huge asset to WWE the question is always 'What's Next,' and for NXT it's about the same thing it always has been. NXT continues to bring in some of the biggest & brightest stars such as Bobby Roode who makes his NXT in-ring debut against another good talent Andrade "Cien" Almas amongst the next pool of talent looking to make an impact, all of which will continue to make NXT..........GLORIOUS!!!!