The Netflix series GLOW is arriving on Friday with plenty of hype … and wrestling trainer Chavo Guerrero Jr. spoke about what it was like to train the women in a new featurette.
Guerrero was hired as a trainer for the upcoming dramedy based on the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling promotion from the 80s and today Netflix released video that included footage from one of his training sessions.
Several of the actresses admitted to being nervous at first, but eventually getting into the wrestling. Guerrero also spoke positively of the environment they trained in.
“Anytime you saw those girls that couldn’t get something or were getting frustrated, she’d have five or six girls supporting her right there.”
Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide making its UK debut on the free-to-air sports channel Front Runner this Wednesday:
Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide wrestling to be aired on free UK sports channel Front Runner
Mexico’s biggest wrestling promotion Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide is set to be broadcast on UK television for the first time in its history, exclusively on the free-to-air sports channel Front Runner.
The first show will be aired on Wednesday 14th June at 9.30pm to 19 million homes across the UK and Northern Ireland on SKY ch469, Freesat ch250, Freeview ch91, Talk Talk/ BT ch91.
The fast action wrestling style of Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide, which is celebrating its 25-year anniversary this year, offers wrestling fans the chance to see some of the world’s greatest luchador wrestlers such as Johnny Mundo, Angelico, La Parka, Super Fly, Drago and luchadora Taya.
The Mexican promotion showcases the best ‘lucha libre’ style wrestling, focusing on rapid sequences of chain and grapple wrestling manoeuvres as well as high-flying offence from the top ropes. Many of the international competitors wear masks when competing.
Ross Ravago, from Front Runner said: “We are thrilled to be able to broadcast one of the biggest wrestling company’s to UK wrestling fans and believe that it is a fantastic alternative to similar programmes already shown in the UK.
He added: “Wrestling has a long heritage both here in the UK and in Mexico and we are delighted to be able to gain the rights to broadcast this world renowned weekly episodic show, every Wednesday night from 9.30pm.”
As noted previously, this year on YouTube there have been some controversial videos regarding social relations that has caused large advertisers to back away from the site. This has also forced YouTube to be much more strict on their viewing restrictions, which includes pro wrestling. This change in policy has severely hurt revenue streams for independent promotions, causing some to adjust their plans going forward. In May, WCPW was forced to cancel a number of their upcoming Loaded shows due to these changes.
Their most recent show was entitled Fight Back and used a logo similar to YouTube’s logo. WCPW ended up receiving a “Strike” on their account and YouTube also took down the full Fight Back show over the weekend. In response, WCPW released a video of WCPW General Manager, Adam Blampied, giving a passionate speech about what has been going on and how wrestling brings people together. The video has been seen over 136,000 times and it looks like YouTube took notice. Via Blampied’s Twitter:
Fight Back's back! The appeal was successful, the strike's been removed xhttps://t.co/cvCa6j4SG9
YouTube returned the full event to its website, while also removing the “Strike” they gave to WCPW. The full event can be seen at the top of the article.
Vader sent out a tweet over the weekend that seemed to suggest that he was retiring. The former WCW World Champion replied to his own tweet, saying that he hasn’t wrestled his last match. He seemed to get kick out of the attention his tweet garnered, adding, “Love it when u got them guessing.” He is advertised for WLW’s event on June 17th in Troy, MO, as well as AML Wrestling’s show in Hickory, NC on June 25th.
With Great Sorrow I leave my first born my greatest love of All for a chance to exist inthe same plain of existance of my Gr Ch yet to exist
Sad news regarding the health and future of Memphis Wrestling legend Brickhouse Brown.
( Real Name Frederick Seawright). Brickhouse is having trouble walking and lost over 90 pounds due to cancer that has spread throughout his body. According to Brickhouse Brown his doctors told him he only has 6 months to a year left to live.
Reggie B. Fine who’s a good friend of Brickhouse told WrestlingNewsCenter.com that he’s hoping to have a fundraiser in the Memphis, Tennessee area within the next month to help Brickhouse Brown pay his rent and help pay for his medicine. Reggie B said “Brickhouse is trying to receive disability benefits but that takes several months with all the paper work you must fill out”. Reggie said he needs help now and hopes to find a place soon in the Memphis area to have the wrestling benefit.
This year on YouTube there have been some controversial videos regarding social relations that has caused large advertisers to back away from the site. This has also forced YouTube to be much more strict on their viewing restrictions, especially with teens and children.
Based on the type of product pro wrestling presents, especially within the independent circuit, many organizations (including the WWE) will now suffer the fate of being a part of the roll-out of changes Google is doing to ensure that the content presented on YouTube remains for the most part, family-friendly. The “Restricted Mode,” which acts similar to “Parental Control”, affects wrestling channels, and specifically their revenue.
A number of independent promotions have already stated how this has hit them financially and today WCPW has put out a statement that they will have to cancel a number of upcoming shows, due to the recent changes. The video above talks about the cancellations. Here is their full statement:
“In a decision that has not been made lightly, WCPW must today announce that the forthcoming weekly Loaded shows at Manchester’s Bowlers Exhibition Centre will no longer be going ahead.Effective immediately, our June 9, June 16, June 23, June 30, July 14, July 28, August 4, August 11, and August 18 shows have been pulled from our events pages, and refunds will be issued automatically to anyone who has purchased tickets to these events.
All other announced dates, including our PPVs and all Pro Wrestling World Cup dates are unaffected by this. Our initial June 2 show will also be going ahead as scheduled, and all tickets purchased for this are still valid.
YouTube Policy
This is a decision that we absolutely did not want to make, but unfortunately it has been taken out of our hands by YouTube.
Owing to a change in their monetisation policy, which has now classified wrestling as “non-advertiser friendly”, it is no longer financially viable for WCPW to produce a weekly free show of the quality our fans deserve.
Since the change the WCPW YouTube channel has seen its advertising income decimated, with our recent match between Alberto El Patron and Rey Mysterio Jr earning only $44 despite receiving over 1,100,000 views. This is a reduction of around 98% in what would have been Loaded’s main source of revenue.
Without that money, it is simply not possible to organise, set-up, manage, produce and edit a free-to-air show on the scale we had intended, and we’ve been left with no choice but to alter our business model. We’re not alone in this either, as other promotions, journalists, and fans have seen their ability to make a living from their content jeopardised entirely by this change.
While we support YouTube in their endeavours to make the site a safer and more tolerant place to visit, we reject entirely the classification of wrestling as a whole as “inappropriate content”. As such, in the coming weeks WCPW will be partnering with other like-minded individuals and organisations to start a campaign aimed at reversing this sweeping change.
Wrestling is not about violence. Wrestling is about scripted entertainment, amazing feats of athleticism and, most of all, story-telling. We want to thank all of our fans for their continued support, and we hope to have more positive news for you soon.
Upcoming WCPW Dates
Hendrymania – Meadowbank Sports Centre, Edinburgh – Saturday May 27th
Fight Back – Bowlers Exhibition Centre, Manchester – Friday June 2nd
Built To Destroy – Domain, Newcastle – Friday June 16th
Pro Wrestling World Cup: Germany Qualifier – Huxley’s, Berlin – Sunday July 2nd
Pro Wrestling World Cup: Japan Qualifier – Bowlers Exhibition Centre, Manchester – Friday July 7th
Pro Wrestling World Cup: USA Qualifier – Bowlers Exhibition Centre, Manchester – Friday July 21st
Pro Wrestling World Cup: ROW Qualifier – Domain, Newcastle – Saturday July 22nd
Pro Wrestling World Cup: Semi-Final – Planet Ice Arena, Miltion Keynes – Wednesday August 23rd
Pro Wrestling World Cup: Semi-Final – Bowlers Exhibition Centre, Manchester – Thursday August 24th
Pro Wrestling World Cup: Final – Sports Central, Newcastle – Saturday August 26th
If you have any questions regarding tickets please contact us at wcpw@whatculture.com.”
The Sun reports that 5 Star Wrestling promoter Daniel Hinkles is offering $1 million to former WWE Champion CM Punk to make a return to the ring on 5 Star’s 128-man tournament that begins on June 10th in Liverpool.
Hinkles said:
“We’ve been trying to contact CM Punk on and off for well over a year. We wanted him on the first show we did in Edinburgh in 2015. I’ve tried going through friends in the industry, I’ve gone through his website and sent dozens of emails but the opportunity has never been this big. We want to offer CM Punk $1 million dollars (£770,000) to come and join the 5 Star Wrestling tour starting June 10th. It’s a genuine offer. We’d love to hear back from the man himself. We want to do this with him.”
Punk has been away from pro wrestling since leaving WWE in January 2014. He lost his MMA debut for UFC in September 2016 and has hoped to make another return to the Octagon but nothing has been announced.
The 5 Star promoter continued:
“It doesn’t get more credible than CM Punk. We all know that if he ever comes back to wrestling it will be one of those epic moments – I want that to be with 5 Star Wrestling, right here in the UK. A common saying in the wrestling world is that the UK has the best fans, well how about we give them the biggest moments too. We are hugely ambitious. When we ask the fans who they want to see, CM Punk’s name is on everybody’s wish list and we’re willing to spend big to make it happen. I know he is seemingly focused on MMA at the moment and this wouldn’t have to end that, but wrestling is in his blood and $1 million has to be worth thinking about.”
Former AWA Tag Team Champion “Pretty Boy” Doug Somers passed away at the age of 65 this week.
Somers, trained by WWE Hall of Famer Harley Race, spent most of his time in AWA but wrestled in several different promotions, including Mid-Atlantic Wrestling. He and “Playboy” Buddy Rose, managed by Sherri Martel, defeated Curt Hennig and Scott Hall for the AWA Tag Team Titles back in May 1986. Somers later did enhancement work for WWE and WCW but last wrestled an indie match in 2012. He unsuccessfully filed a lawsuit against WWE in 2011 over their use of AWA footage with his likeness.
The Official Memphis Wrestling Hall of Fame ceremony will take place this Saturday May 13th at Jerry Lawler’s Hall of Fame bar and grille on Beale St.
The 2017 Hall of Fame Class will include Jerry “The King” Lawler, Jimmy Hart, Koko B. Ware, “Superstar”Bill Dundee, Jim Cornette, Bobby Eaton, Jerry Calhoun, and the Gilbert family.
There will also be some video comments from Jerry Jarrett, Ricky Morton, and Terry Funk. Returning to do
inductions will be Bill Rush, Johnny Dotson, and Scott Bowden.
Legendary announcers Lance Russell and Dave Brown were already inducted the Hall of Fame last month on April 22 2017.
Jerry Lawler’s son (Kevin Lawler) posted the following on Facebook:
Smashing Pumpkins frontman and former TNA Wrestling President Billy Corgan has agreed to purchase the historic National Wrestling Alliance. Corgan has a deal that would see him purchase the NWA name, rights, trademarks as well as rights and possession of the legendary NWA title belt.
No word yet on when Corgan will begin running the company or what he has in store for the various NWA member promotions, or the NWA On Demand streaming service.
NWA President Bruce Tharpe took to his Facebook page and wrote the following on the future of the organization:
I am very excited for the future of the NATIONAL WRESTLING ALLIANCE.As everyone knows by now – Billy Corgan and I have agreed on principle regarding his acquisition of the NWA brand. This decision comes after many weeks of negotiation and deep consideration.
Although Billy Corgan may be a fresh face to wrestling – he is an extremely successful businessman and has a deep admiration and respect for the NWA. He is also putting together a very strong team.
With the capital and business acumen that Billy Corgan brings to the table – I am confident that he has the ability to take the NWA to the next level. And I have promised to do all I can to help him succeed. I ask you to join me in supporting the new NWA regime in the future.
I am not leaving wrestling – but after four years at the helm of the NWA – I look forward to stepping back and allowing someone new and passionate to take control of this great and noble organization.
Thank you to everyone who has supported the NWA over the years and during my tenure. I also want to publicly thank Billy Corgan for his confidence and respect for this iconic brand.
The next few months are going to be really exciting for the National Wrestling Alliance – but most of all for the fans!
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