WWE NXT Unveils New Set, Graphics And Announce Team

A brand new era of "NXT" officially got underway during the brand's season premiere episode this week.

The show kicked off with a three-man announce team of Wade Barrett, Sudu Shah and Byron Saxton. Shah, the voice of "NXT Level Up" on Friday nights, noted that he was filling in for Vic Joseph, who recently got married to his "NXT" colleague McKenzie Mitchell in Italy. It's unknown if Saxton will be a permanent fixture on the "NXT" announce team going forward. He had left WWE's developmental show in December 2015 to join the "SmackDown" announce booth. 

The show also unveiled a brand new set and a new color scheme for the graphics and ring apron, inspired by the new "NXT" logo unveiled a few weeks back.

Some of the changes to the set include a lot more room around ringside, a shorter ramp, and elevated seats. According to PWInsider, the seating has been elevated to provide a better viewing angle for fans in the stands. This was confirmed on social media by several fans, who noted that the changes to the set drastically improved their viewing experience, especially from the nosebleed sections.

Other changes to the set include the return of the black ring mat, white ropes and black barricades. 

Another notable change is that the announcers are once again seated opposite the ring entrance, which was the case during the previous Black & Gold era. Their positioning had been changed last year as part of the revamped "NXT 2.0" set.

Finally, the show is no longer being referred to as "NXT 2.0" by WWE's official website and social media channels.