Upcoming Biopic “The Iron Claw” Spotlights Iconic Von Erich Wrestling Family

The Von Erich family undeniably left a unique and indelible impact on professional wrestling history through their triumphs and tragedies in the ring. This December, their captivating story finally makes its way to the big screen with the release of “The Iron Claw” on December 22nd.

Directed by Sean Durkin, the film boasts Zac Efron in the lead role of Kevin Von Erich alongside supporting cast members Jeremy Allen White, Harris Dickinson and Lily James. Early footage showcases Efron’s charismatic take on portraying the top star of the famous Von Erich wrestling clan during the industry’s lucrative 1980s boom period.

Production company A24 has built industry buzz by aligning the biopic with its brand of critically-acclaimed indie filmmaking. Oscar speculation has already begun around Efron’s performance as Kevin navigating the pressures of the family business under the stern tutelage of patriarch Fritz Von Erich.

For devoted professional wrestling fans, “The Iron Claw” promises an in-depth exploration of the Von Erich family legacy, spotlighting their highest heights and lowest tragedies. Their unpredictable narrative fueled some of wrestling’s most dramatic real-life moments both inside and outside the squared circle.

“The Iron Claw” will revive discussion around the Von Erich’s impact when it releases in theaters nationwide next week on December 22nd.

Recently, Marshall Von Erich was on Busted Open Radio where he opened up about the film and how he and his family felt while watching the movie.

“It was nerve-wracking going into the premiere as a family. We all went over there — my sisters had a harder time, and my mom — there were just so many question marks. And my dad was like, ‘If anything, they’ll Google the real story, and I’ll talk to them.’ But we ended up watching it, and it’s based on a true story, so there’s a few chronological inconsistencies. But there was one part in the movie that my dad told us in confidence. I don’t think he ever told anybody in an interview or anything — of a dream he had after my uncle Kerry passed that was so heavy that we almost had to leave the movie theater. My dad was like — he couldn’t believe that it was in there,” Marshall Von Erich said.

Zac Efron reflected on speaking with the real-life Kevin the night before its Dallas premiere. “I was very curious about what he thought of the movie,” he shared. “We went out to the patio, sat forehead to forehead, and talked about life for an hour and a half. And he told me that he did enjoy the movie. I can’t really put into words how that feels. It’s far and away the most important review to me on so many levels. It meant the world, and everything just came full circle.”

“I have seen the movie now, and I hope people take from that that we really love each other. I love my father. Things were just hard, but life is hard you gotta get tough,” said Kevin Von Erich on the red carpet.

Von Erich also commended Zac Efron for how he was portrayed in the movie.

“I thought he did a great job,” Von Erich said. “He should get the Academy Award. He’s got my vote.”

AEW’s MJF has a very small roll in the film as Lance Von Erich. Movie critic and wrestling fan Siddhant Adlahka attended the recent premiere of The Iron Claw and revealed on Twitter that MJF is barely featured in the film. 

‘Big Little Brawlers’ To Premiere On Discovery Channel In January

A new wrestling reality show is coming to Warner Bros Discovery.

Warner Bros Discovery announced “Big Little Brawlers” will premiere on Discovery on January 9. The series follows athletes in the Micro Wrestling Federation.

From WBD:

Little People Athletes Risk Love and Limb in “BIG LITTLE BRAWLERS,” Premiering Tuesday, January 9 at 10PM ET/PT on Discovery Channel

(Burbank, CA) December 14, 2023 – Full of heart, drama and high-flying micro wrestling, the six-part series “BIG LITTLE BRAWLERS” premieres Tuesday, January 9 at 10PM ET/PT on Discovery Channel. As they attempt to achieve their piece of the American Dream, a group of remarkable little people athletes with larger-than-life personalities are forced to overcome ego, injury, and the limitations imposed by society.

Set in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, “BIG LITTLE BRAWLERS” follows athletes in the Micro Wrestling Federation, one of the most successful little person wrestling leagues in the world. “Pinky Shortcake” and “Syko,” parents and wrestling partners, must navigate their relationship both in and out of the ring. The voice of micro wresting, “Ivar the Micro,” dreams of going from hype man to wrestler despite significant physical risk. Popular veteran “Lil’ Show” wrestles to support his wife and children but fears his best moments in the ring are behind him. And, the up-and-coming wrestler “Hot Rod” must prove his talent lives up to his ego. Despite internal dramas and frustrations, Micro Wresting Federation CEO Jack Darrell Hillegass encourages the group to work together as a family as they approach “MicroFest,” the biggest micro wresting event of the year.

“Alongside spectacular feats of athleticism, this Discovery series broadens the way we reveal compelling stories of remarkable people overcoming huge odds,” said Howard Lee, President of Discovery Networks and TLC.

Audiences can follow the conversation on social media with #BigLittleBrawlers and follow Discovery on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more updates. 

“Big Little Brawlers” is produced for Warner Bros. Discovery by Jupiter Entertainment.

Source: Fightful

Injured WWE Star Liv Morgan Arrested For Drug Possession

Former WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion Liv Morgan was arrested in Florida for drug possession after a traffic stop. According to PWInsider, the 29-year-old was arrested for possession of marijuana and possession of drugs, possibly that of a synthetic cannabinoid, on Thursday evening. The injured star was arrested after a Sumter County sheriff’s deputy saw the Jeep she was driving cross over the white and yellow lines of the road. 

When the deputy approached Morgan’s vehicle, they smelled marijuana, according to the arrest report. According to PWInsider, a small plastic bag of marijuana and a vape pen that “held an oil-like substance” that later tested for marijuana were found in the vehicle. Morgan bonded out of jail and was released Thursday night around 10:00 p.m. WWE has yet to either comment to the outlet or release a statement.

According to a report from Fightful Select, there is no heat on Morgan within WWE following her arrest. It is worth mentioning that although marijuana is included in the Wellness Policy, WWE has not conducted tests for it in recent years.

A WWE staff member said, “Liv has not been on TV, did not alter creative plans, and was honest about the situation. There are no issues with her whatsoever.”

A top wrestler said, “Everybody liked Liv before, everybody still likes Liv. We’ll get our jokes off, and she’ll get hers off, and nobody will be thinking about it soon enough.”

Morgan has been out of action since suffering an injury on a July episode of “WWE Raw” that saw WWE Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley attack her before their advertised match, an angle to write her off television. Morgan had just returned to the ring from a previous shoulder injury before suffering another, reportedly to her opposite side. The initial injury led Morgan and tag team partner Raquel Rodriguez to vacate the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships.

Sources: Wrestling Inc. and eWn

FITE Officially Rebrands As TrillerTV

American digital video streaming service FITE TV, which hosts several wrestling shows, has announced its rebranding to TrillerTV.

Triller is the social media platform that bought FITE a couple of years ago.

Triller has issued a press release with more details on the change and statements from its executives.

Official announcement below:

“Sports Streaming Leader FITE Renamed TrillerTV

The best value in live streaming and the most reliable PPV and subscription platform, FITE is growing beyond its combat sports roots to offer fans even more action

New York, NY (December 11, 2023): FITE is proud to announce its rebranding as TrillerTV, signaling the continuing addition of new sports categories and closer alignment with parent company Triller. The PPV platform, subscription channel, and FAST channel will all continue to deliver the same incredible action, with the same reputation for quality, reliability, and innovation. Now, the massive reach and resources of Triller will power FITE’s continued growth through acquisitions and major sports rights licensing deals.

“TrillerTV is everything you know and trust from FITE, but with doors open for even more sports,” said Michael Weber, Co-Founder and COO of TrillerTV. “Our original name served us well, as have our loyal customers, promoters, and athletes to whom we are super grateful. The time has come to give even more to expand the experience we’ve built from the ground up to celebrate the passion and precision that makes us all love sports.”

FITE was founded in 2015 using pioneering and proprietary AI tools to enhance the viewer experience. The platform has since grown, thanks to its hard-driving, sports-fanatic team, to serve 8 million registered users around the world, and to present blockbuster events with the biggest names in their fields.

Subscription services AEW Plus, FITE+, and the FAST channel, FITE 24/7 have all grown at an astounding rate, and now FITE+ becomes TrillerTV+, FITE 24/7 becomes TrillerTV 24/7, and AEW Plus keeps its name. Both TrillerTV+ and AEW Plus have newly enabled geo-tagged pricing, increasing their value proposition for international audiences.

”Now that we’ve proven FITE in 10s of thousands of live events from all over the world, it’s time to expand to more content verticals under our new brand TrillerTV,” Kosta Jordanov, Co-Founder and CEO of TrillerTV, said, “We will be adding new sports categories, more premium brand promotions, and continuing to improve our technology to give the best user experience in streaming sports and entertainment.”

“We are thrilled to realize one of the core objectives of the acquisition of FITE,” added Mahi de Silva, CEO of Triller. “The launch of TrillerTV is the culmination of the strategy of expansion from their combat sports roots to broader sports content and even broader entertainment verticals across the globe. TrillerTV is a great example of Triller’s open-garden approach of delivering high quality entertainment on every platform; mobile phones, PCs, streaming devices, set-top-boxes and gaming consoles.”

Impact Wrestling Final Resolution 12/9/2023

IMPACT Wrestling presents the final IMPACT Plus event of 2023 and the final to be branded under IMPACT Wrestling before the rebrand back to Total Nonstop Action (TNA) in January. Final Resolution 2023 will see some high-stakes matchups to send the IMPACT brand off with a bang. The action goes down Saturday 12/9 on IMPACT Plus and on YouTube for IMPACT Ultimate Insiders. The card begins at 8 pm Eastern time with a pre-show airing for free on the IMPACT YouTube at 7:30 pm Eastern

Card

  • Frankie Kazarian vs. Sheldon Jean – pre-show
  • Jake Something vs. Jason Hotch
  • Rhino vs. Moose
  • Mike Bailey vs. Trey Miguel
  • Digital Media Championship: Tommy Dreamer (c) vs. Deaner
  • Trinity and Jordynne Grace vs. Deonna Purrazzo and Gisele Shaw
  • IMPACT World Tag Team Championship: ABC (Chris Bey and Ace Austin) (c) vs. Eddie Edwards and Brian Myers
  • The Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin) vs. Josh Alexander and Zack Sabre Jr.

Backstage Update On Contract Status Of Impact Wrestling’s Deonna Purrazzo

Another major free agent is on the horizon, with former Impact Knockouts Champion Deonna Purrazzo the latest star to enter free agency soon. 

According to a report from “Fightful Select,” Purrazzo will become a free agent on January 1. As per the report, no deal with Impact has been reached and one of the reasons is because Purrazzo is looking to explore her options with other promotions. Her last date with the promotion is this weekend’s Impact Wrestling Final Resolution tapings in Canada.

Sources that spoke with “Fightful” revealed there are no issues between Purrazzo and Impact Wrestling and the door is open for her return. While there were graphics of her for the Impact to TNA Wrestling name change, she won’t be signing a contract anytime soon because of her interest in exploring her free agency.

Purrazzo joined Impact Wrestling in 2020 after WWE released her in the summer of 2020, which ended her two-year stint with the company. In her time with Impact, she held the Knockouts title three times and was also the Impact Knockouts Tag Team Champion. Purrazzo also became the champion of other promotions while under contract with Impact. She was the ROH Women’s Champion for 115 days, losing the title on the May 4, 2022 episode of “AEW Dynamite” to Mercedes Martinez, and was the AAA Reina de Reinas Champion for 252 days.

Earlier this year, Purrazzo stated that she would be open to a return to WWE despite her first run leaving her with a bitter taste.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Dutch Mantell Announces Hospitalization

Former wrestler, manager, and booker Dutch Mantell, best known to WWE fans as Zeb Colter, is apparently dealing with significant health issues. On Monday, Mantell announced via Facebook that he’s going to be hospitalized “for a while” and that his daughter, Amanda, is taking care of him in his time of need. Mantell did not elaborate on his specific health issues, only noting that he’s “been very sick” lately. 

“OK guys, here’s for those who’ve been looking for me,” Mantell wrote. “Let me catch everybody up. In a nutshell, I’ve been very sick. There are packages missing and parcels that I’ve misplaced…but guys, I’ll make it good. Just give me time. I’m praying every day for everybody’s safety. For me personally, I’ve been admitted to a hospital here in Lutz where I’ll be for a while. I request everybody honor my family’s respect to have our own private thoughts. I will respond to all of you privately…and thank you for for patience. My daughter Amanda has been with me helping me.”

During his wrestling career, Mantell enjoyed success in NWA territories such as Continental Wrestling Association and Mid-South Wrestling, capturing the CWA Heavyweight Championship on three occasions and the Mid-South Television Championship once. 

Mantell also captured various tag titles with partners such as Koko B. Ware, David Schultz, and Austin Idol. Mantell first moved to a non-wrestling role as a color commentator for “WCW Worldwide” and later for Jim Cornette’s Smoky Mountain Wrestling. In subsequent years, Mantell managed various stables and wrestlers across promotions, with his most famous stint coming as the manager for former WWE Champion Jack Swagger.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Spike Dudley Makes In-Ring Return

Spike Dudley returned to the ring for the first time in eight years, competing at LIVE Pro Wrestling’s show this weekend.

Dudley hasn’t competed since 2015, and he stepped into the ring with Leon St. Giovanni at the indie event.

St. Giovanni later tweeted,

“I wrestled Spike Dudley tonight. Life is crazy.

Don’t worry about the footage. Trust me, I beat him senseless afterwards.

@LIVEpwevents”

Source: eWn

Impact Wrestling (IPWF) Preview 11/30/2023

Tonight’s episode of Impact Wrestling on AXS TV is all-new.

This Thursday at 8/7c on AXS TV and 8:30pm ET on YouTube for IMPACT Insiders, go back to the future as the IMPACT Provincial Wrestling Federation once again presents Throwback Throwdown! See outlandish characters and old school low-flying action

Here are the matches that have been announced for the show that is touted as an IPWF special

  • The Good Workers vs. The Sunday Morning Express
  • DJ 2 Large to appear
  • Cowboy Colt McCoy & Georgia Cobb vs. Rip Rayzer & Rusty Iron
  • Tim Burr vs. Boris Alexiev

Mercedes Mone Has Started Training For Her In-Ring Return

Mercedes Mone is currently sidelined with a broken ankle that she had surgery to fix earlier this year.

She is expected to return shortly, likely making her promotional debut with AEW while also working for NJPW.

As seen below, Mone has released footage of her training for her return. It’s still unclear exactly when she will be back from injury.

Source: eWn