Month: November 2023

Backstage Report On Major Shift WWE Could Make With NXT Following CW Deal

Earlier this week, it was announced that “WWE NXT” would be moving from the USA Network to broadcast on The CW starting next year, with a major rights fee boost for WWE. The latest issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter offers up a few more details on the deal, including a report that discussions are being had within the company about making “NXT” a touring show, traveling to arenas across the country to film episodes live. However, nothing is set in stone as of yet.

With a few exceptions, “NXT” has long been taped at either the WWE Performance Center or, before that, Full Sail University. NXT PLEs used to be tied to a main roster PLE, taking place in the same town a night or two before. This has started changing, however, with recent PLEs held on their own weekends.

The Newsletter runs through some of the positive and negative points of making the change from filming at the PC to touring. The increased rights fees would help offset the added costs from touring while also offering a potential ratings boost, as well as events having larger live attendance. On the other hand, moving away from the Performance Center would mean less training time and a lot more travel for the company’s developmental roster.

While it’s still unclear what WWE plans to do with NXT moving forward, the company has notably been featuring more main roster talent on the brand. Becky Lynch recently held the “WWE NXT” Women’s Championship, and the company notoriously loaded up its Tuesday night show with talent when it was revealed that “AEW Dynamite” was going head-to-head with “NXT” for one night only. On top of that, recent weeks have seen “NXT” featuring “Raw” and “SmackDown” stars such as Lynch, Xia Li, Alpha Academy, Shotzi, Tegan Nox, and more.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

The Bunny Departs From AEW

The Bunny is reportedly gone from All Elite Wrestling.

After fans noticed The Bunny was removed from AEW’s official online roster, speculation picked up that she was gone from the company. Mike Johnson of PWInsider has since reported that the two sides mutually agreed to part ways, although more details are not known at this time.

AEW has quietly released talent in the past with no official statement until the talent comes forward with the news or AEW President Tony Khan is directly asked. Such was the case more recently for Sonny Kiss, whose contract was not renewed earlier this fall after largely being inactive on AEW’s flagship shows in recent years.

The Bunny, formerly known as Cherry Bomb and Allie, joined AEW in 2019 following a run with Impact Wrestling. The Bunny was one of AEW’s first signings as she competed at the first Fyter Fest, Fight for the Fallen, and All Out pay-per-views. She initially competed under the name of Allie until early 2021 when she introduced her gimmick change and officially aligned with The Butcher and The Blade.

The Bunny also formed a partnership with Penelope Ford in 2021 as the two feuded with Anna Jay and Tay Melo, culminating in a brutal Street Fight that aired on the New Year’s Smash edition of “AEW Rampage.” She only had three AEW matches in 2023, suffering two singles losses to Jamie Hayter and Britt Baker. Her last match took place on “Rampage” in September as she teamed with Anna Jay and Taya Valkyrie in defeat to Britt Baker, Hikaru Shida, and Skye Blue.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

MLW Fusion Preview 11/9/2023

MLW FUSION featuring the official contract signing for Fightland on FITE+ main event between Alex Kane and Jacob Fatu, streaming 8pm tonight on MLW’s YouTube channel and FITE+, Friday on beIN XTRA and Saturday on Cable TV’s beIN SPORTS (find a provider). 

Alex Kane and Jacob Fatu put pen to paper and make their World Heavyweight Championship showdown at Fightland on FITE+ official this week on Fusion with a contract signing.

The first state of The Fed takes place as legitimate promoter Saint Laurent promises big plans for Fightland… and reprisals for Alex Kane and Jacob Fatu after last week’s Samoan Grand Theft Auto in WTF Superstar® Matt Cardona’s newly gifted set of wheels. 

The legendary Don King has a FIGHTLAND proclamation. What’s the iconic promoter of the Bomaye Fight Club have to say to the fight world? Tune in and find out!

A MAJOR announcement with big implications for Fightland drops in the wake of the carnage that ended last week’s throwdown between The Calling and The Second Gear Crew.

MMA Fighter turned WTF sports entertainment Superstar® “Filthy” Tom Lawlor has a chicken bone to pick and it involves Fusion on Thanksgiving?!

World Featherweight Champion Janai Kai competes for the first time since dethroning Delmi Exo at Slaughterhouse to win the gold. Can anyone withstand the violent onslaught of Promociones Dorado’s “Kick Demon”?

Is there tension between AKIRA and Rickey Shane Page? The Calling has a message for the weak as the wicked ready for war at Fightland.

Double champion Rocky Romero has a message for top ranked middleweight Ichiban and his new amigo Máscara Dorada.

“Hot Sauce’” Tracy Williams grapples with newcomer Griffin McCoy. Coming off of an impressive showing in the 2023 Opera Cup, which saw the Brooklyn native go to the finals, Williams now looks to get a big win. A win, which could propel him into the mix for the National Openweight Championship.  Standing in his way is the debuting 23-year-old Griffin McCoy. Despite his young age, McCoy is a 7-year veteran, debuting in 2016. Impressing league scouts, the 6’2” San Franciscan has a vicious arsenal of suplexes and strikes. 

The Bomaye Fight Club’s dual powerhouses Mr Thomas and O’Shay Edwards go head to head with The Mane Event in tag team action!

ROH TV Preview 11/9/2023

Tonight on ROH TV. WatchROH.com on HonorCLUB

  • Iron Savages vs. Griff Garrison & Cole Karter
  • Kyle Fletcher vs. Lee Johnson
  • Billie Starkz vs. Rachael Ellering
  • Tony Nese vs. Serpentico
  • Josh Woods in Action

Impact Wrestling Preview 11/9/2023

The action continues from Chicago on an all-new IMPACT! this Thursday at 8/7c on AXS TV and 8:30pm ET on YouTube for IMPACT Insiders.

  • Impact Wrestling Championship: Alex Shelley (c) vs. Jonathan Gresham
  • Impact Wrestling Digital Media Championship – No DQ: Tommy Dreamer (c) vs. Crazzy Steve
  • Tasha Steelz vs. Deonna Purrazzo
  • Brian Myers vs. Joe Hendry
  • Eric Young vs. Eddie Edwards

WWE’s Carmella & Corey Graves Announce Birth Of Their Son, Share First Pic

Former “WWE SmackDown” Women’s Champion Carmella has been out of action since March, later revealing that she and husband Corey Graves were expecting a child together. In some heartwarming news, the two performers have now jointly revealed on Instagram that their son, Dimitri Paul Polinsky, was born on November 8, 2023. Carmella noted that she was in labor for 60 hours, promising to reveal more about that at another time.

Carmella and Graves have been together since 2019, as documented in the ninth and final season of “Total Divas,” and were later married in 2022. Last year, Carmella opened up about experiencing an ectopic pregnancy as well as an early miscarriage in the span of just a few months. Although Graves has children from a previous marriage, this is the first child that the two WWE stars have had together.

Though “Total Divas” is no longer on the air, the pair’s relationship has been indirectly acknowledged onscreen in WWE over the last few years, primarily in the form of Graves commenting on Carmella whenever she would appear. Before getting pregnant earlier this year, Carmella had just made her return to WWE after some time away. The brief run most notably saw her compete in this year’s Women’s Elimination Chamber match. With her priorities certainly set on parenting her newborn baby, it will likely be a while before Carmella returns to wrestling, if she decides to come back at all. Graves is still on TV as a regular commentator for “WWE SmackDown,” appearing every Friday night.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Front Runner Revealed For WWE RAW’s Media Rights?

WWE’s programming rights for RAW, NXT, and SmackDown are set to expire next year. RAW currently has an agreement with the USA Network.

Networks, including USA Network, Warner Bros [TBS or TNT], Discovery, and FX, are rumored to be interested in getting the broadcasting rights for RAW.

Most of the talk is that RAW is going to go to FX, according to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio.

Source: eWn

AEW Dynamite Preview 11/8/2023

AEW Dynamite will air live tonight on TBS from the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon.

  • AEW World Championship: MJF (c) vs. Daniel Garcia
  • ROH World TV Championship: Samoa Joe (c) vs. Keith Lee
  • Mark Briscoe vs. Jay White, with White’s AEW World Title shot at stake
  • Swerve Strickland vs. Penta El Zero Miedo
  • Red Velvet vs. Julia Hart

Billy Corgan Dismisses Report Of NWA Samhain Segment Upsetting The CW Executives

As we previously reported, a rumored television deal between the National Wrestling Alliance and The CW Network is apparently in jeopardy following a controversial segment that took place at last month’s NWA Samhain pay-per-view event. Dave Meltzer had an update on the NWA and Billy Corgan situation on today’s episode of Wrestling Observer Radio.

According to an earlier report by Haus of Wrestling, the segment featured James Mitchell partying with several women and snorting a white powdery substance that was hinted to be cocaine.

The controversial segment reportedly upset some CW higher-ups who have since been pushing for NWA programming to air only on The CW app instead of the main network as was initially planned.

NWA CEO and owner Billy Corgan has dismissed the report on the matter.

The NWA and The CW have yet to announce any type of streaming or network TV deal. And it appears the deal may now be off with WWE NXT coming to the CW Network next year.

Source: eWn

Former WWE Star Harvey Wippleman (Downtown Bruno) Says Young Rock Isn’t Over Despite NBC Cancellation

Earlier this year, many fans were left disappointed when NBC canceled “Young Rock,” the sitcom that saw Dwayne Johnson serving as on-screen narrator looking back on his early years in the wrestling business. In a positive update, Harvey Wippleman, who worked as an executive consultant on the show, has floated the possibility of the show returning for a fourth season on another network.

In an interview with “Developmentally Speaking,” Wippleman noted that the show’s production staff is expected to work on an upcoming season after the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike. “It was a great experience [to work on the show], and it’s not over yet,” Wippleman said. “It’s not on NBC anymore, but once the actors’ strike resolves, stay tuned. ‘Young Rock’ will be back. The story ain’t over yet.” 

Speaking on his role as a consultant, Wippleman revealed he advised the writers on storylines surrounding the Memphis Wrestling aspect of the show and also had several Zoom meetings with Ryan Pinkston — the actor portraying Wippleman on ‘Young Rock’ — to teach him his accent, behaviors, and tendencies. He also praised Chavo Guerrero, the other executive consultant on the show, for expertly training the actors on taking bumps. “The young wrestlers that were portraying other people, he [Chavo] would explain to them what to do,” Wippleman revealed.

As for his well-documented friendship with The Rock, Wippleman praised “The Great One” for inviting him to be a part of ‘Young Rock’ and always looking out for his best interests. “Wonderful person,” Wippleman said of The Rock. “I’ve known him since he was a child. We’re very close — I would literally die for him. I mean, he’s made my life.”

Source: Wrestling Inc.