Steve Austin Reveals Why He Prefers NXT to WWE

A few years ago WWE made the shrewd decision to allow NXT to piggyback major shows like WrestleMania, SummerSlam and the Royal Rumble. However, in terms of show quality, NXT TakeOver's routinely surpass the bloated WWE mega shows and now there's a real argument to be made: NXT is the better watch.

Or, at least, Stone Cold says so.

During a recent episode of The Steve Austin Show, Austin and former WWE Superstar Sean "X-Pac" Waltman discussed the disparity between NXT and WWE. Waltman started by saying how he preferred NXT TakeOver: Brooklynn III to SummerSlam this year and a lot of that had to do with the Yellow Brand's characters and streamlined storytelling. The simplicity NXT employs also has caught Austin's eye.

"The thing I like about the NXT thing is it's almost like [Waltman] said, the main roster is almost trying to cover or cater to everybody. And to me, the NXT thing is more… they are both under the same umbrella, it's WWE, it's sports entertainment. It ain't pro wrestling anymore. Now, it's sports entertainment officially, but in my mind, it's still pro wrestling. And to me, NXT, yeah, it's kind of like a throwback. And it's all modern stuff, great lighting, great production values, everything else, but the storylines are very easy to understand and very simple. And, I mean, the announcers aren't trying to go overboard trying to explain whatever's going on." Austin added, "sometimes when I watch the main roster stuff, it's like they're trying to play to so many people that the storylines get kind of convoluted."

Waltman went on to underline that pro-wrestling's ecosystem is thriving. While some folks have grown tired of WWE, there now is a plethora of other options for fans to enjoy.

"I think we're at the beginning of a [pro] wrestling boom." Waltman professed, "I don't think it's going to be comparable to the one we went through, Steve, because I just think the landscape is too different, but I can't help but feel that because I'm out there and I feel that the excitement that's being picked up. I honestly think that it's a lot of the people that are frustrated with the WWE product, the ones that you're not going to please them no matter what. I don't know. They just want to be that counterculture, I don't know, almost like that punk rock mentality. And I think that's kind of fuelling the whole indy pro wrestling resurgence [or] renaissance," he said.

[H/T Wrestling Inc.]