NXT streaming tonight at 8 ET on WWE Network.
Month: August 2019
Triple H Says WWE NXT Will Only Get Better On USA Network
Below is new video of Triple H talking about WWE NXT moving to the USA Network.
As noted, the brand will premiere on USA on Wednesday, September 18 and will air live each week from 8-10pm ET, at Full Sail Live. WWE is reportedly making around $1 million per episode for NXT on the USA Network. The show will still air on the WWE Network, on Thursdays at 8pm ET, and Takeover specials will remain exclusive to the WWE Network.
Triple H was asked to describe the last 7 years and what it took to get to this point. He talked about how NXT went from needing main roster Superstars to create a show each week, to the brand becoming white hot on its own, selling out arenas and tours across the world. Triple H ended the interview by saying this is just the start for NXT, and the show will only get better with the move to the USA Network.
“Yeah, I mean it’s been a crazy journey, something that I don’t think most people thought would ever happen,” he said. “But this was kind of the vision of it. You know, from starting out with a partnership with Full Sail University and having to bring in main roster stars to get us to be able to have enough people to put the show on each week, to where they got to the point where they didn’t want to see those main roster stars anymore, to where we stopped calling it the main roster because NXT was just becoming white hot when we didn’t even have a distribution home for it. It was seen internationally but here in the US it was just clips.
“We were the first live show on the WWE Network. NXT Arrival was the very first sort of Takeover that we did. … So, the very first live product seen on the WWE Network. A year after that we were selling out, not just Full Sail University, but selling out the Barclays Center for Takeovers. Over that journey, selling out all over the globe, selling out live events all over the globe, Takeover after Takeover after Takeover, and now the opportunity to go on the #1 network in television, the USA Network, our partners, and I couldn’t be happier, I couldn’t be more proud.”
He continued, “I said it in the beginning, this was going to be their brand [the fans], that’s why we hashtag ‘#WeAreNXT’. As good as NXT is now, it’s only going to get better. This is going to expose a new side of NXT that people haven’t been able to see yet. I can tell you this about it – as excited as everybody is about this moment, this is the start. This isn’t the destination, this is the start. This brand is just getting started. So, I look forward to that day, I look forward to going live, and I look forward to showing the world that we are NXT.”
Source: Wrestling Inc.
Ronda Rousey Suffers Nasty Finger Injury While Filming Fox 9-1-1 Series
Ronda Rousey suffered a nasty injury on the set of Fox’s 9-1-1 series, according to TMZ.
Rousey reportedly broke two of her fingers (middle and ring fingers) while filming scenes in Mexico last week. The incident happened when Rousey was supposed to slam a door during a dramatic action moment.
“She was a little over-exuberant and slammed the door on her finger,” TMZ was told.
The middle finger suffered the worst of the injury as the tendon was nearly severed. She also fractured the tip of her ring finger. Rousey was taken by ambulance to a San Diego hospital for treatment. Her middle finger was reportedly repaired with a bolt and screws.
Rousey reportedly never broke character during the incident and returned to work the next day.
As noted last week, Rousey has signed on for a new role in the hit first responders drama from Fox. She stars as firefighter Lena Bosko, a character that was described as a stoic and fearless member of the Los Angeles Fire Department Station #136, who leaps into action to save lives when a disaster hits. The third season of 9-1-1 will premiere on Monday, September 23 at 8pm ET on Fox.
Rousey, who remains signed to WWE and a member of the RAW roster, is currently taking time away from the company. She left after WrestleMania 35 and has said she was taking time off to expand her family with husband Travis Browne.
Courtesy of TMZ, click HERE to see the graphic photo of the injury.
Source: Wrestling Inc.
WWE SmackDown Live Preview 8/20/19
Tonight’s WWE SmackDown Live will take place from the Denny Sanford Premier Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
* Buddy Murphy and Daniel Bryan to battle as The Big Dog’s whodunnit looms large
* Can Kevin Owens silence Elias as the King of the Ring begins?
* Apollo Crews and Andrade to settle the score in the first round of the King of the Ring
* How will Kofi Kingston respond to Randy Orton’s vicious assaults?
WWE 205 Live Preview 8/20/19
Tonight’s WWE 205 Live will take place from the Denny Sanford Premier Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Team Lorcan vs. Team Gulak
After their brutal SummerSlam title rematch last week on WWE 205 Live, WWE Cruiserweight Champion Drew Gulak and Oney Lorcan had a heated altercation and had to be separated by WWE officials and fellow Cruiserweights.
As a result of the chaos after the bout, WWE 205 Live General Manager Drake Maverick took to Twitter to announce that Gulak and Lorcan would each pick a team of five Superstars, including themselves, and compete in a Captain’s Challenge Match tonight on WWE 205 Live.
Over the next five days, Gulak chose Ariya Daivari, Mike Kanellis, Angel Garza and his friend-turned-rival Tony Nese. Lorcan put together a squad consisting of Gentleman Jack Gallagher, Akira Tozawa, Humberto Carrillo and Isaiah “Swerve” Scott.
Who will reign supreme? Don’t miss this highly anticipated battle. WWE 205 Live, streaming live tonight at 10/9 C on the award-winning WWE Network.
XFL To Reveal Team Names And Logos This Wednesday
The relaunch of the XFL is upon us, and there is some idea of the direction the league will be going in. We know the coaching staff, a few of the players and the cities the league will be presented in. What we didn’t know were the names and logos of the team.
This Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. ET, the XFL will reveal the identities of the eight teams along with the logos. In a press release, it was announced that the announcement will be simulcasted live on XFL.com, ESPN.com and various ESPN, FOX Sports and XFL social media platforms. XFL Commissioner Oliver Luck will host the presentation along with ESPN host Laura Rutledge and FOX Sports host Colin Cowherd.
Over the past few days, the XFL’s social media accounts have been teasing what the logos may look like for each team. Now, we will get a true answer to what the eight teams will be called.
The relaunched XFL season is expected to start in February of 2020, the weekend after the Super Bowl.
https://twitter.com/xfl2020/status/1163599876581728257
Source: Wrestling Inc.
TNT To Air AEW Special Later This Month
TNT is scheduled to air an AEW special on Friday, August 30 at 10pm ET.
The one-hour special will give viewers an introduction to the AEW product to prepare them for the weekly TNT series premiere, which airs from 8-10pm ET on Wednesday, October 2.
The special will also promote the AEW All Out pay-per-view, which takes place the next night, August 31.
Source: Wrestling Inc.
Jerry “The King” Lawler Reveals Why He’s Not Thrilled With The WWE King Of The Ring Tournament, Lawler Attacked By The Fiend
After yet the latest hiatus of the event, the King of the Ring has been revived yet again by WWE. The tournament returned for the first time since 2015 last night on RAW.
Some of the greatest Superstars in WWE history have won past editions including Triple H, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Booker T and the recently deceased Harley Race. Many of the past winners have even adopted king gimmicks after winning such as Booker T becoming King Booker and Randy Savage becoming the Macho King.
But someone who has had “King” in his name throughout essentially his entire career is Jerry “The King” Lawler. The King isn’t thrilled with the idea of The King of the Ring returning as it, in part, infringes upon his gimmick as he told Wrestling Inc’s Andy Malnoske.
“When they had the very first King of the Ring tournament, that’s what made me show up in the WWE because I was a little PO’d about it, and I still am to be honest with you. It’s so easy to win a couple of matches and slide a crown on yourself and call yourself the King of the Ring. I’ve been doing this 49 years to earn this crown right here [shows off his crown],” said Lawler.
“For them to have a one-night or two-night tournament to crown a king, I’m not too crazy about it. But they use it as an opportunity to promote somebody and put somebody in the spotlight which, in that respect, I understand so I can’t be too upset about it.
“I promised them that I wouldn’t go in the ring and spoil the coronation of the new king.”
The King of the Ring preliminary matches will take place on both RAW and SmackDown with the finals being held at Clash of Champions.
Source: Wrestling Inc.
Last night on RAW Jerry Lawler was attacked by “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt after he talked up the King of the Ring Tournament and before he was able to interview Sasha Banks.
WWE Confirms NXT Moving To The USA Network
The announcement didn’t come last night as it was previously reported to be announced, but WWE confirmed today that NXT will begin airing on the USA Network starting on September 18th. In a press release sent to Wrestling Inc., it was noted that WWE and the USA Network reached an agreement “in principle”, and that the show will be live for two hours every week.
“The move to USA Network provides an opportunity to deepen our relationship with NBCUniversal and further build the NXT brand,” said WWE CEO Vince McMahon. “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.”
WWE also confirmed that the show will take place each week from Full Sail University.
Below is the full press release:
NXT® MOVES TO USA NETWORKNEW YORK and STAMFORD, Conn., August 20, 2019 –WWE® (NYSE: WWE) and USA Network today announced an agreement in principle to air WWE’s weekly Wednesday night show, NXT, live on USA Network at 8/7c starting September 18.
Following NXT’s growth in popularity, the new two-hour weekly show will expand its reach on USA Network, the leader in cable entertainment, while staying in its Wednesday night timeslot that it has held since 2015.
“The move to USA Network provides an opportunity to deepen our relationship with NBCUniversal and further build the NXTbrand,” said Vince McMahon, WWE Chairman & CEO. “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®.”
“USA Network and WWE have one of the longest and most successful partnerships in television history,” said Chris McCumber, President, Entertainment Networks – USA and SYFY. “As the #1 cable entertainment network, we’re excited to add NXT to our weekly lineup alongside powerhouse flagship Raw, and to bring a new generation of Superstars to a wide audience.”
NXT launched in 2010 and has risen to become WWE’s third global brand alongside Raw and SmackDown, hosting nearly 200 live events around the world each year. Airing on Wednesday nights at 8 pm, NXT has been WWE Network’s #1 weekly series.
NXT offers a unique blend of authentic in-ring action with exciting and entertaining storylines that feature WWE’s hottest up-and-coming Superstars including Adam Cole™, Velveteen Dream™, Shayna Baszler™, Johnny Gargano®, Matt Riddle™, Bianca Belair™, Io Shirai™, Candice LeRae™, Tommaso Ciampa™, Kyle O’Reilly™ and Bobby Fish™. The brand’s diverse roster consists of elite athletes from the NFL, collegiate and amateur sports, MMA and international sports such as rugby, kushti and kabaddi. It is also the birthplace to 80 percent of the current Raw and SmackDownrosters including Becky Lynch®, Seth Rollins®, Roman Reigns®, Charlotte Flair®, Bayley®, Sasha Banks®, Alexa Bliss®, Bray Wyatt® and Baron Corbin®.
The series will continue to emanate from Full Sail University in Orlando as part of WWE’s production partnership with the preeminent entertainment, media, arts and technology institution.
NXT will be available on demand on the WWE Network every Thursday beginning at 8/7C. The current format of NXT has been airing on Wednesday nights on the WWE Network since 2015.
WWE RAW Preview 8/19/19 – King Of The Ring Tournament Returns
Tonight’s WWE RAW will take place from the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota with the return of the King of the Ring tournament.
* 2019 King of the Ring tournament returns
* Braun Strowman to face AJ Styles for the United States Title on Raw
* Sasha Banks’ brutal return sparks questions – Sasha to explain her actions on “The King’s Court” with Jerry “The King” Lawler
* Cedric Alexander squares off with Sami Zayn as the King of the Ring kicks off
* Cesaro and Samoa Joe to throw down with their eyes on the throne
* Walking with (and running after) Elias
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