Watch WWE NXT Online - Full Episodes

WWE NXT initially began as a wrestling show in which eight current WWE Superstars would mentor eight rookies. The rookies would compete in matches and contests, with one being eliminated each week via a judge poll and fan reaction, until only one contestant remained. The prize for winning the contest changed each season.

The first season saw the debuts of many future WWE mainstays. Future World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan made his WWE debut this season. Joining him were future Tag Team Champions Heath Slater and Justin Gabriel, future Tag Team Champion David Otunga, and future Intercontinental Champion Wade Barrett. Skip Sheffield, another contestant, would one day find success wrestling as a different character known as Ryback. The only contestant from the first season who is currently not employed by WWE was Michael Tarver. Wade Barrett won the competition, which allowed him to challenge Randy Orton for the WWE Championship later that year.

Season Two's contestants weren't so lucky. Out of the eight men, only four wound up on WWE programming afterward. The season's own winner, Kaval, had a lackluster run on the main roster before being released. Alex Riley, Husky Harris, and Michael McGillicutty all had small runs of varying importance before being reduced to being rarely seen. Titus Oneil would wind up on WWE Smackdown himself, but that was after participating in a later season of NXT.

Season Three focused on six female contestants, all but one of which have ended up on the main roster in some capacity or another. From Season Four, only Brodus Clay and Johnny Curtis have ended up on WWE programming. Season Five never finished, as WWE changed the format of the show before the season could be resolved.

The show now exists as a minor league companion to WWE's other shows, with filming based primarily in Florida. It features young developing talent both wrestling with and against current WWE Superstars.