Tonight’s WWE NXT episode on the USA Network will be headlined by the official debut of Japanese star Sarray.
* Sarray (fka Sareee) makes her debut
* New NXT Cruiserweight Champion Kushida hosts a Championship Celebration
* Kyle O’Reilly appears live for the first time since defeating Adam Cole in the Unsanctioned Match at Takeover
* LA Knight vs. Dexter Lumis
Former WWE Superstar Kenn Doane (Kenny Dykstra of The Spirit Squad) has officially announced his retirement from pro wrestling.
Doane took to Twitter this morning and noted that smart investments have allowed him to retire in his prime, at the age of 35.
“I’ve decided to retire from in ring wrestling. When I started at 13 I thought I’d retire at 40. But smart investments overtime have allowed me to be done now. I’m in my prime, and that will go towards my family and being a father. Thanks to the fans who stuck by me,” Doane wrote.
Doane originally worked for WWE from 2005-2009, but returned for a brief storyline in 2016. He and Mike Mondo most recently worked for MLW in 2019. He is a one-time WWE Tag Team Champion.
Source: Wrestling Inc.
Major League Wrestling is coming to Vice TV.
After weeks of speculation, MLW revealed their big news tonight and announced that they are headed to Vice TV. No exact premiere date has been announced, but it was noted that MLW will debut on Vice TV in the spring.
MLW’s flagship show, MLW Fusion, currently airs every Wednesday night on YouTube and Fubo Sports. The show also airs on DAZN, beIN SPORTS, and the Roku Channel. A second MLW TV show has been rumored since January, and at one point the “MLW Rebellion” name was being tossed around. It was reported back in January that a second MLW TV series was being shopped to English and Spanish language networks, but there’s no word yet on if this is that same project.
UPDATE:
PWInsider has revealed new details, noting that the MLW – Vice TV debut will happen in May.
The plan is to initially feature MLW content from their library that will take advantage of the third season of Vice’s “Dark Side of the Ring” hit series, which premieres on Thursday, May 6. The strategy behind this is to help Vice TV viewers learn about MLW’s top stars, storylines and their history, and that, by using archived content, they prevent their first impression with new viewers being from empty arena content.
The actual date for MLW’s premiere on Vice TV has not been confirmed, but one would think that the promotion would premiere around May 6, which is the “Dark Side of the Ring” season three premiere. It’s believed that MLW will serve as the lead-in for the “Dark Side” documentary series.
If everything goes as planned, MLW is looking at returning to taping TV content in front of a live crowd in July. That content would then begin airing on Vice TV as soon as possible. It’s believed that the MLW shows on Vice will be taped, not live, but live TV from MLW is possible.
MLW’s new Vice TV deal will not replace the current deals with DAZN and beIN Sports. MLW’s flagship show, MLW Fusion, currently airs every Wednesday night on YouTube and Fubo Sports. The show also airs on DAZN, beIN SPORTS, and the Roku Channel.
MLW CEO Court Bauer is looking to get MLW on as many broadcast and streaming platforms as possible with the idea of creating unique programming across the board, when needed for as many content or TV deals as they can lock in. Their idea is that before, companies wanted to be in one place but these days you want to entrench yourself in as many places as possible to maximize revenue and to allow for different choices for fans to consume the content. If MLW can lock in five content or TV deals and then need to create content for all five of those deals, that will be their priority.
It was recently revealed that MLW had been in talks with the Discovery network. Those talks are still in progress and there could be other networks that the company is talking with.
We’ve noted how a second MLW TV show has been rumored since January, and at one point the “MLW Rebellion” name was being tossed around. It was reported back in January that a second MLW TV series was being shopped to English and Spanish language networks, but there’s no word yet on if this is related to the new Vice TV deal, or the talks with Discovery.
Source: Wrestling Inc.
Tonight’s WWE RAW will feature more fallout from WrestleMania 37 and build for the upcoming WrestleMania Backlash pay-per-view.
Warrior Wrestling announced a changed to the upcoming title match between Kylie Rae and Thunder Rosa. Due to NWA adjusting its taping schedule, Rosa will no long be available on June 5, as originally advertised. Rae will still defend her title on that date against a soon to be announced opponent, and if she wins, she’ll face Rosa on the August 21 show. Below is the full statement from Warrior Wrestling:
Warrior Wrestling announced today that the advertised Kylie Rae vs. Thunder Rosa match scheduled for Saturday, June 5th will be delayed until the third Stadium Series show on Saturday, August 21st. The delay comes due to the NWA changing its taping schedule for early June and Thunder Rosa no longer being available that day. Warrior Wrestling worked with the NWA and Thunder Rosa to reschedule the match for Saturday, August 21st.
Kylie Rae will still make her return to pro wrestling on Saturday, June 5th, and defend the Warrior Wrestling Women’s Championship. Her opponent will be named in the coming days, and the entire card will be revealed over the course of this week and next week.
If Kylie is still champion on August 21st, the match with Rosa will be for the title.
Source: Wrestling Inc.
Tonight’s WWE SmackDown on FOX will be the special post-WrestleMania 37 edition of the show.
Pat McAfee joins Michael Cole on the WWE SmackDown announce team.
WWE has announced two matches for tonight – Otis vs. Rey Mysterio, plus Robert Roode and Dolph Ziggler defending their SmackDown Tag Team Titles against The Street Profits.
WWE has indicated that we will find out what’s next for WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns following his WrestleMania win over Daniel Bryan and WWE Hall of Famer Edge. Reigns’ double pin may be addressed tonight by Adam Pearce and referee Charles Robinson.
WWE is also teasing that we will find out what’s next for new SmackDown Women’s Champion Bianca Belair following her WrestleMania 37 win over Sasha Banks. An appearance by new WWE Intercontinental Champion Apollo Crews and his new muscle, Commander Azeez, is also likely.
Mauro Ranallo working the Impact Rebellion pay-per-view is reportedly a one-off, at least for now.
Impact announced on Thursday that the former WWE and MMA announcer will join the Rebellion commentary team on April 25 to call the Title vs. Title match between Impact World Champion Rich Swann and AEW World Champion Kenny Omega.
PWInsider reports that Mauro is only coming in to Impact for this pay-per-view, at least as of Thursday evening. However, the door could be open for more work down the line. The gig came together over the last several weeks with the idea of Mauro adding to the grandeur of the Title vs. Title main event.
Mauro was at the Impact studios on Wednesday night, doing voice-over work for the “5 Ways To Win” videos for Omega and Swann, which you can watch below. Mauro also did voice-over work for the “This Is Rebellion” special that will air on AXS TV next Tuesday night.
“Swann vs Omega, champion vs champion, title vs title – this match represents everything I love about professional wrestling,” Ranallo said in a press release. “I have been fortunate to call these two superstar’s matches in the past and I’m very excited to be part of this historic encounter.”
Mauro and Impact Executive Vice President Scott D’Amore go back a few decades after working together in Stampede Wrestling. It’s possible that this is the connection between Mauro and Impact.
“This once in a generation title vs. title showdown deserves to be called by the once in a generation play-by-play announcer,” D’Amore added in a press release. “I’ve known Mauro for over two decades. There are very few people in the world who are as passionate about or know their wrestling history as well as Mauro. This is an historic main event, the world champions of two major organizations putting everything on the line. I’m thrilled that April 25th, at Rebellion, fans will have Mauro’s legendary voice proving the soundtrack to history!”
This will be Mauro’s first pro wrestling work since leaving WWE in August 2020. He has continued to work for Showtime Boxing, and worked the Mike Tyson pay-per-view from Triller last year.
Below are the new “5 Ways To Win” videos Mauro did for Swann and Omega:
Source: Wrestling Inc.
Pat McAfee has joined the WWE SmackDown announce team.
WWE and McAfee just announced that the former NFL star turned podcaster, who recently had a strong run in WWE NXT, will join the SmackDown commentary team beginning tonight with the post-WrestleMania 37 episode.
McAfee and Michael Cole will make up the new SmackDown announce team. This change comes after Corey Graves was sent to RAW this week, to work with Byron Saxton and newcomer Adnan Virk.
“For as long as I can remember WWE has been a company that I have admired, both for its incredible staying power of creating riveting entertainment and for its ability to connect people all over the globe,” McAfee said in a press release. “I’ve been fortunate to try a lot of cool professions but working for WWE was the one I looked forward to most. I am incredibly honored and grateful for the chance to give back to the business that has given me and many others so much and having the opportunity to sit at the same table that legends have graced is truly a dream come true. Now let’s go get it.”
Pat McAfee joins Friday Night SmackDown announce team
WWE today announced that Pat McAfee will debut as the new analyst for Friday Night SmackDown tonight at 8 pm ET live on FOX.
McAfee dropped the news on the WWE Universe with a huge social media announcement on Friday morning.
“For as long as I can remember WWE has been a company that I have admired, both for its incredible staying power of creating riveting entertainment and for its ability to connect people all over the globe,” said McAfee. “I’ve been fortunate to try a lot of cool professions but working for WWE was the one I looked forward to most. I am incredibly honored and grateful for the chance to give back to the business that has given me and many others so much and having the opportunity to sit at the same table that legends have graced is truly a dream come true. Now let’s go get it.”
McAfee will be joined at ringside every week by Michael Cole, VP of WWE’s on air announce talent and voice of Friday Night SmackDown on FOX.
Known for his candid, relatable, and refreshing opinions, McAfee’s insight and sense of humor have built him a large, loyal and active fan base. In addition to being a philanthropist, social media influencer, stand-up comedian and former All-Pro punter for the Indianapolis Colts, McAfee is also the host of the #1 international daily streaming sports show The Pat McAfee Show, which is simulcast both on YouTube and on Sirius XM Channel 82 Mad Dog Sports Radio. Additionally, McAfee is the host of the popular podcast The Pat McAfee Show 2.0 and has performed both inside the ring and behind the microphone on WWE’s NXT.
Source: Wrestling Inc.
WWE released a total of 10 main roster talents on Thursday, exactly one year since their COVID-19 budget cuts on April 15, 2020. The Superstars released on Thursday were Samoa Joe, Mojo Rawley, Mickie James, Chelsea Green, Tucker, Wesley Blake, Billie Kay, Peyton Royce, Kalisto and Bo Dallas. All wrestlers are under a standard 90-day non-compete clause with WWE and are not free to sign with other promotions until Wednesday, July 14.
It was just reported by the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that the rumor going on Thursday said more cuts could be coming today, April 16, with a focus on NXT.
IMPACT! tonight at 8/7c on AXS TV
* The fallout from Hardcore Justice
* Pick Your Poison: Matt Cardona chooses opponent for Brian Myers, Myers chooses opponent for Cardona
* TJP vs. Josh Alexander
* Grudge Match: Havok vs. Nevaeh will kick things off on Before The Impact
