Folks, we’ve got a mystery on our hands! When the programming guide for the “WWE NXT” premiere on The CW popped up with a TV-14 rating, wrestling fans across the globe went into full speculation mode. Could this mean we’re in for a more edgy, less PG NXT experience now that the show has moved to broadcast TV? Or was it just a typo? Let’s break it down.
According to a report from Fightful Select, journalist Corey Brennan did some digging, and it seems nobody in NXT—from talent to production staff—has heard a peep about any changes in content to match this new rating. That’s right, folks, no one’s been told to amp up the attitude or tone down the censorship.
One WWE production insider even went so far as to say it would be “strange” for NXT to change its rating to TV-14 without similar moves for WWE’s flagship shows, “Raw” and “SmackDown.” And with NXT now airing on broadcast TV, this change could simply be a way to avoid having to censor the inevitable colorful crowd chants we all know and love. Because nothing says “family-friendly” like a good ol’ fashioned arena chant that you can’t air on daytime TV.
Now, none of Fightful’s sources flat-out denied the possibility of a rating change, but they’re skeptical. It’s not the first time fans have gotten excited about the potential for WWE to push the envelope, only to be reminded that we’re still working within the corporate safety net. Remember when CM Punk had to tell us to cool our jets about “Raw” switching it up once it moves to Netflix in 2025? Same vibe here.
So for now, folks, don’t get too excited about NXT going full TV-14 just yet. But who knows? In the unpredictable world of pro wrestling, anything can happen. Stay tuned.