Former NXT Writer Calls For ‘Complete Overhaul’ Of WWE Creative

Former NXT creative team member Rob Naylor recently vented on Twitter about his frustrations with WWE’s direction. One of Naylor’s main complaints was that WWE shows use the “same template” every week, and that the company needs to change their method of pushing new blood on television.

Naylor, who was hired by WWE in 2011 after working as an announcer for Dragon Gate USA, also complained that when employees speak up against the WWE product, they get punished. Naylor says he would be told he’s not a “good soldier” when he would complain about the material on Raw. He says it will take a “highly influential writer” to put their career on the line and tell Vince McMahon “how bad things are.”

He went on to say he has no doubt WWE will get better if they take a fresh approach. Here is his rant in its entirety.

W/ the record low Raw rating made me think of that terrible overseas Raw in 97 that “changed” things & had Russo (ugh, I know) talk to Vince. It’s going to take a HIGHLY influential writer (I know two) or SOMEONE to put it all on the line and talk to Vince about how bad things are.

It’s not a “HHH will save the day” either, cause the writers still seem to write for him and Stephanie too – the whole “audience of 3” deal. There needs to be a COMPLETE overhaul from Dunn and how the show is shot and produced. It’s just SO SAMEY. Every week, same template. It’s all got to change. Presentation, look of the show, all the tropes need to be phased out. New blood needs to be pushed differently etc.

It’s funny, there is nothing I’d love seeing more than HHH as a character on NXT (it’s fresh) and nothing less I want to see than HHH on Raw. I just can’t fathom watching Raw anymore. I saw the opening segment last night and I and the person I watched it with just turned it off. EVEN when I worked there, I rarely watched it. Would come in on Tuesdays complaining to DeMott. Was later told I wasn’t a “good soldier”. Needing to “pick my battles”. Welp, that….. is ALL of the problem. Seems like nobody ever wants to speak up. And when they do – punished.

As someone that LOVES wrestling, just sucks to see the pool pissed in quite often. Road Dogg said it best, if you don’t like it, don’t watch. As FSM mag tweeted negatives the whole show – I told a friend – “so glad I stopped watching, as WHY watch something that you don’t enjoy”. I saw SO many great talented people come through developmental & spent painstaking amounts of time working w/them. Sucks seeing ’em languish.

Again, not to pile on – but there is SO MUCH great talent employed. And the world’s best production team/behind the scenes employees. They just need a new and fresh approach. I have no doubt it’ll get better – as NXT’s show in Brooklyn was so refreshing.

It’s interesting to note that Dusty would tell me – “Naylah, if someone didn’t do what I told ’em, “eff em, dey fiyahed”. Thus when ONE booker, Dusty needed a star made, you booked someone to make a star. If they didn’t they were gone. Now with an entire team of chef’s, nobody has autonomy (well, cept Vince) and there’s just 50/50 everything and nobody stands out.

Okay, I’m done. That was cathartic. Thanks for reading.