NXT is the developmental brand of WWE, launched on February 23, 2010, serving as a training ground for wrestlers before they move to the main Raw or SmackDown rosters. Originally a reality-based competition show, it was relaunched in 2012 as a separate brand, replacing Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW) and earning widespread critical acclaim for its high-quality matches, storylines, and groundbreaking focus on women's wrestling, which helped fuel the WWE Women's Evolution. In September 2021, the brand was rebranded as NXT 2.0 to re-emphasize its developmental role before reverting to the "NXT" name a year later. Over time, it has spawned subsidiary brands like the UK-based NXT UK (now on hiatus, set to relaunch as pan-European NXT Europe) and the dissolved 205 Live, while also hosting WWE's Speed championship series. Recent partnerships include a working relationship with TNA (2024) and the potential rebranding of AAA to "NXT Mexico" following WWE's April 2025 acquisition. Historically, NXT's roots trace back to the defunct ECW brand, which WWE acquired in 2003 and experimented with up-and-coming stars, laying the foundation for today's developmental system.