WWE Announce NXT to Premiere Live on USA Starting September 18

WWE announced Tuesday that NXT will begin airing episodes on the USA Network starting September 18.

The promotion's third brand will start going live on the USA Network, and will expand to two hours from its usual one-hour time slot.

NXT will continue to take place at Full Sail University in Orlando.

"The move to USA Network provides an opportunity to deepen our relationship with NBCUniversal and further build the NXT brand," said Vince McMahon, WWE Chairman & CEO in a press release. "Over the long term our goal is to develop a following that can be monetized to the same level as our flagship programs, Raw and SmackDown."

The news of NXT moving to the USA Network was first reported by Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer and Mike Johnson of PWInsider. Reports claimed NXT will go from one hour to two hours and will keep its 8 p.m. EDT time slot that it had when it was on the WWE Network.

Meltzer reported that the NXT announcement was coming on the August 19 episode of Monday Night RAW, but Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated took to Twitter to say the reveal had been held up for an undisclosed reason.

The move for NXT is reportedly WWE's counter program to All Elite Wrestling's live show on TNT. The new promotion's first live episode will premiere October 2. The date for AEW's still untitled show was announced back in late July, which put the wheels in motion to bring NXT to cable television.

The choice to bring NXT to the USA Network arises from a desire to get a head start on AEW's show to cement its place as must-see wrestling television on Wednesday nights.

Former WWE superstar Chris Jericho, who now wrestlers for AEW, went on Busted Open Radio on Monday to talk about the reported move of NXT to the USA Network.

"By adding another two hours, that really dilutes their product," Jericho said. "It dilutes their mindset. It dilutes their focus. It's a reactionary move. It's done by a guy who wants to start a war when we don't care if you want to start a war. That was never our intention. There's no war for us. We're just doing what we're doing. Some people don't like that and they're reacting to it."

What do you think of NXT moving to the USA Network? Do you believe this will diminish the value of the WWE Network? Let us know in the comments section below.