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Reaction Zone - Maybe NXT isn't quite Tough Enough

Jan 4, 2011 - 11:17:10 PM by Jacob Gilbert

WWE made it official last night during Monday Night Raw. Tough Enough is back, and has a new home on USA.

Fittingly, the series marks its 10th anniversary this year, and perhaps, more than anything, that would be part of the reason behind its return. There are other factors. USA wants to get into the reality TV business, for one thing. For another, it's now clearer than ever that NXT is on its last legs. Banished to WWE.com in October, NXT is on its 4th cycle at present, and will wrap before Wrestlemania 27 in April. Perfect timing, considering that Tough Enough will return the night after Wrestlemania.

The series relaunch will begin, of course, with a casting special that will air after Raw on April 4, but subsequent episodes will air as a lead-in to Raw beginning April 11. They're saying they will have 12 contestants (culled from the indies & developmental this time), as opposed to 7 in the 2004 "Million Dollar Tough Enough" on Smackdown, which produced current WWE Champion Mike "The Miz" Mizanin, who came over from MTV's "Real World", and Ryan Reeves, who we now know as Nexus member Skip Sheffield, currently on the DL with a broken ankle. As for other alumni.....

Season 1 runner-up Josh Mathews traded his tights for a microphone & an announcer's blazer, and is now the play-by-play announcer on NXT & Smackdown.

Season 2 runner-up Matt Morgan, who was cut by WWE in 2006, is now with TNA.

Season 3 runner-up John Hennegan (John Morrison) has been the most successful alum from the MTV era of the series (2001-03), with 3 Intercontinental titles, an ECW title, and 5 tag titles on his resume. He'll be a foundation player for WWE for years to come, especially after he & Miz blew the roof off the arena last night on Raw.

With Al Snow, who was the head trainer for all 4 previous seasons, now in TNA as an agent/producer, who will be the lead trainer this time? David "Fit" Finlay would be the best bet, but you have to wonder if Vince McMahon will call his head man at FCW, Steve Keirn, up, or someone like Norman Smiley, to join Finlay. I guess we'll have to wait & see.

I was a fan of the original Tough Enough, and I am a little stunned that it's being brought back. All it says to me is that NXT is another failure, and Vince just wants to recoup his losses the best way he knows how. Come April 4, we'll know just who could follow the likes of Morrison, Morgan, & Miz to superstar status.