Tonight’s WWE NXT episode on the USA Network will feature two major “game-changing” announcements from NXT General Manager William Regal.
Why WWE Network Is Moving To Peacock, News On WrestleMania Going Back To One-Night Format
WWE President and Chief Revenue Officer Nick Khan recently spoke with Joe Reedy of The Associated Press to promote the WWE Network move to Peacock in the United States. Khan revealed that WWE had discussions about the future of the Network long before the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
WWE realized over the past few years that trying to maintain the WWE Network infrastructure could come at the expense of programming. That led to the relationship with NBCUniversal’s Peacock platform.
“The big question internally was how much can you invest and keep pace with the technology? It would be a massive investment,” Khan said.
The WWE Network averages 1.5 million subscribers but will now see a huge jump in potential viewers as Comcast reported 33 million sign-ups to Peacock in their Q4 2020 reports. While all of these are not active viewers, Khan said the entire deal was a no-brainer.
“We can drop the price in half (WWE Network was $9.99 per month, while Peacock will be $4.99 per month) and add their technical support. Ultimately it became a no brainer, especially with their reach,” Khan said.
The WWE Network move to Peacock also gives WWE a financial boost during the pandemic as they will see an average of $200 million per year during the 5 year contract.
The Associated Press piece also mentioned how WWE does not expect live event touring to return until at least July due to the pandemic. The summer of 2021 has been a rumored return date for touring going back to last summer.
WWE Chief Brand Officer Stephanie McMahon was also interviewed by The AP. She commented on WrestleMania 38 taking place at AT&T Stadium near Dallas while WrestleMania 39 is scheduled for SoFi Stadium near Los Angeles, the original area they had booked for this year’s WrestleMania 37 event. Stephanie noted that logistical challenges and building commitments are why the Los Angeles area must wait two years.
It was noted how WrestleMania 38 and 39 are scheduled to be one-night events like WrestleMania shows were in pre-pandemic years. Stephanie said the move to two nights for WrestleMania 36 proved popular, but trying to do two nights in the future might be more difficult due to the many events held during the week barring a pandemic.
“I suppose anything in life is possible, but this format is unique to the times,” McMahon said of the two-night WrestleMania events.
John Laurinaitis Returns As WWE’s Head Of Talent Relations
John Laurinaitis finds himself back in a familiar role. According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer, Laurinaitis is back in the role of WWE’s Head of Talent Relations.
WWE has yet to officially announce Laurinaitis’ promotion. The former WCW and All Japan star first started as WWE’s Head of Talent relations in 2004 after Jim Ross stepped down.
Under Laurinaitis’ tenure WWE signed future stars like Daniel Bryan and CM Punk.
Laurinaitis resigned from the position in 2012, but he has remained in WWE since, working as a producer / road agent. He is also remembered for his run as an authority figure on WWE TV, where he largely lampooned his real life position.
Meltzer also states that WWE’s talent relations will now be split into talent management and talent branding. The latter department will focus on opportunities for talent outside of WWE. This would include movies, TV shows and other appearances.
There is no word on the status of Mark Carrano, who had previously served as Head of Talent Relations.
Source: Wrestling Inc.
Molly Holly Revealed For WWE 2021 Hall Of Fame, Ceremony Details
WWE has announced that the Hall of Fame induction ceremony will return this year during WrestleMania 37 Week.
The ceremony will stream live on Tuesday, April 6 on the WWE Network/Peacock in the United States, and on the WWE Network for fans around the world. For the first time ever two classes will be inducted – the 2020 class and the 2021 class.
The 2020 class was never inducted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Names being inducted in that class are Batista, The Bella Twins, JBL, The British Bulldog, Jushin “Thunder” Liger and the nWo (Hulk Hogan, Sean Waltman, Scott Hall, Kevin Nash).
The first name announced for the 2021 class is former WWE Women’s Champion Molly Holly. WWE producer Shane Helms appeared on The Bump this morning to announce her induction.
Stay tuned for more on the WWE Hall of Fame.
Below is WWE’s full announcement on Holly’s induction, along with a clip from The Bump:
Molly Holly to be inducted into WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2021
Molly Holly, a true pioneer of women’s wrestling, is the first inductee in the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2021. She was surprised with the news of her induction by her former associate The Hurricane on WWE’s The Bump.
Holly will take her place in sports-entertainment history on Tuesday, April 6, during the 2021 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. The special, which will stream on Peacock in the United States and WWE Network everywhere else, will feature the induction of both the 2020 and 2021 classes.
After training under “The Man of 1,000 Holds” Dean Malenko, Holly broke into the wrestling business in 1997 and first appeared on television for WCW in 1999 alongside fellow Hall of Famers “Macho Man” Randy Savage and Alundra Blayze as part of Team Madness. Donning a glittering blue dress and sash, Holly looked like a beauty queen but was ruthless inside the ring.
She made the jump to WWE in 2000 and immediately became embroiled in a bitter family rivalry between her cousins — Hardcore Holly & Crash Holly — and The Dudleys. But a romance bloomed between Molly and Spike Dudley, as they quickly became the Romeo & Juliet of WWE.
Holly then embraced her inner superhero, turning into Mighty Molly as she joined forces with The Hurricane. Her newfound superpowers helped her win the Hardcore Championship at WrestleMania X8 in 2001.
After her turn as a caped crimefighter, Holly got serious — and a little self-righteous — and set her sights on WWE’s biggest female stars, starting with Trish Stratus. She defeated Stratus to win the WWE Women’s Championship for the first of her two reigns at King of the Ring 2002. Holly took on all comers during her two turns as champion, although her attitude came back to haunt her as her second reign ended, and she was shaved bald by Victoria at WrestleMania XX.
Holly left WWE in 2005 but returned to take part in the first-ever Women’s Royal Rumble Match in 2018, as well as the 2020 edition of the over-the-top-rope melee. Her impact on women’s wrestling has been felt to this day, as she is consistently cited by today’s Superstars as an inspiration. After a legendary career, Molly Holly is more than deserving of induction into the WWE Hall of Fame.
Don’t miss Molly Holly enter the WWE Hall of Fame during the 2021 Induction Ceremony on Tuesday, April 6! Stay tuned to WWE programming and all of WWE’s digital platforms as WrestleMania Week approaches for more information on the 2021 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.
Source: Wrestling Inc.
Pro Wrestling Events With Fans Could Return To The State Of Maryland Soon
Pro wrestling events could return to the state of Maryland with fans in attendance soon.
Maryland Governor Larry Hogan has eased some of the state’s COVID-19 restrictions, announcing that large indoor venues and outdoor venues can now operate at 50% capacity.
While venues are able to run at 50% capacity, coronavirus safety protocols and the mask mandate must be followed, according to The Baltimore Sun.
The new capacity limits will go into effect this Friday at 5pm.
It will be interesting to see if WWE, AEW and other promotions start to book shows with larger crowds now that many states are re-opening from COVID-19 shutdowns.
Ring of Honor operates out of Maryland and will run their 19th Anniversary Show later this month from the from the UMBC Event Center in Baltimore, on Friday, March 26. It will be interesting to see if they put tickets on sale for the event. You can click here for the current ROH 19th Anniversary Show card.
Source: Wrestling Inc.
First Look Photos Of Upcoming Stephen Amell Wrestling Drama Released
TV network Starz has released some cool photos from ‘Heels’ — the upcoming Stephen Amell-led drama set in the world of independent wrestling.
Starz unveiled the images on social media on Tuesday.
The photos feature Amell and his co-star Alexander Ludwig full wrestling attire. Amell’s character is also wearing a championship belt around his waist.
According to Entertainment Weekly, ‘Heels’ is about a family-owned wrestling promotion in Georgia. Amell plays a character called Jack Spade, and Ludwig plays his brother/rival Ace.
“The premiere date for [Heels] is locked,” Amell tweeted a few days ago. “[Alexander Ludwig’s] hair is majestic. There’s good stuff on the way!!”
The 8-episode drama series is set to premiere in the summer.
This obviously wouldn’t be Stephen’s first brush with wrestling. He’s made appearances in WWE, wrestled against Christopher Daniels at All In and has a close relationship with Cody Rhodes — who he invited to join him on the new TV show when it was first announced back in 2019.
Will one of AEW’s Executive Vice Presidents be making an appearance on the show in the future?
Source: Pro Wrestling Sheet
Kenny Omega Announced For Title Vs. Title Match At Impact Rebellion
Before concluding last night’s go-home show before Sacrifice this weekend, Executive Vice President Scott D’Amore has announced that Rich Swann and Moose will defend both their Impact World and TNA World Heavyweight Championships in a Unification Match. The winner will go on to face the AEW World Champion Kenny Omega in the main event of Rebellion on Saturday, April 24 in a Title versus Title Match.
After a back and forth exchange since Hard To Kill, Moose has been targeting Swann for a World Title shot. Coincidentally, this feud arose just after they took a major loss to Omega and the Impact World Tag Team Champions, The Good Brothers, in that main event.
Moose, who originally brought back the retired TNA World Heavyweight Championship last April at Rebellion, has called himself the “Self-Proclaimed” Champion and has defended it countless times against TNA veterans. It wasn’t until last month that D’Amore sanctioned the title again. It’ll be interesting to see who will be the first in the company’s history to unify the top titles.
Omega, on the other hand, has been on a roll since winning the AEW World Championship off of Jon Moxley last December. This past Sunday at Revolution, Omega retained his championship against Moxley in a rubber match which saw both men compete in AEW’s first-ever Exploding Barbed Wire Death Match.
Sacrifice will be live exclusively on Impact Plus this Saturday.
Source: Wrestling Inc.
Big Swole On Her Issues With Crohn’s Disease And Her AEW Status
AEW star Big Swole took to Twitter last night and wrote about her struggles with Crohn’s Disease over the past year.
Swole’s comments came after AEW President & CEO Tony Khan noted during Sunday’s post-Revolution media scrum that Swole had been out of action as of late due to the disease. Khan talked about how strong of a competitor Swole is and how much he likes her. He also said she hasn’t been active or ranked in 2021 because she had a flare up of the disease shortly before they started the Eliminator Tournament. He called her a great asset to the company and said he hopes they can have her in regular competition as she gets healthier.
Swole, who is married to WWE RAW Tag Team Champion Cedric Alexander, appeared on Saturday’s special AEW Dark episode to cut a promo on how she wants a shot at the AEW Women’s World Title as she was the top ranked female competitor before the Eliminator Tournament was held. She has not wrestled since the January 12 Dark episode, where she defeated Alex Garcia.
Swole noted in her Twitter statement how 2020 was a rough year due to her bout with pneumonia, her Crohn’s disease, and the COVID-19 pandemic. She started to have flare-ups in the fall, which led to various problems, including mobility issues. She asked fans to bare with her as she gets the treatments that she needs to heal.
You can read Swole’s full statement below:
“This past year has been filled with ups and a lot of downs. After my bout with pneumonia early last year, I was informed that resuming my medicine for Crohn’s would result in death given the COVID-19 circumstances. Seeing as how the biologic I was on shuts down my immune system and acts as such resuming my medicine was not an option. I was doing alright self-managing until the flare ups started in the fall. As some of you may not know Crohn’s attacks the body as a whole so on top of my intestines issues different body parts would lock up and become incapable of bending at the joints. Some days I could barely walk and that took a toll on me emotionally and mentally. Living with this disease may seem like a thorn and it is but it also shows me that His grace is sufficient and no matter what happens I will smile because I am more than a conqueror. I am Swole and that mentality/faith will carry me through it all. I ask that you bare with me, I’m getting the treatments that I need and my journey to complete healing is underway. Thank you for your love and thoughtful messages, I appreciate them and you! Much love to everyone, be safe! #Chronies”
Source: Wrestling Inc.
WWE Announces WrestleMania 37 Tickets, Prices And Pre-Sale Revealed
WWE WrestleMania 37 tickets will go on sale Tuesday, March 16 at 10am ET.
WWE announced last night during RAW that limited combo and single tickets will go on sale one week from tomorrow, via Ticketmaster.
Tickets will range from $35-$2,500. A pre-sale sign-up linked is being offered here.
WWE is now using the “Back In Business” tagline for WrestleMania 37.
The Grandest Stage of Them All takes place on Saturday, April 10 and Sunday, April 11 from Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. As we’ve noted, WrestleMania 37 seats will be socially-distanced and all COVID-19 protocols will be followed. There’s no word yet on how many tickets will be sold.
Below is a promo for the tickets and the full announcement from WWE:
WrestleMania tickets on sale next Tuesday, March 16
WWE today announced that a limited number of tickets to its two-night pop culture extravaganza, WrestleMania presented by Snickers, will go on sale next Tuesday, March 16 starting at 10 a.m. ET. WrestleMania will take place Saturday, April 10 and Sunday, April 11 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay and stream live exclusively on Peacock in the United States and on WWE Network everywhere else.
Ticket prices for WrestleMania range from $35-$2,500 and can be purchased here. Two-day combo tickets will also be available. All tickets are subject to service charges and facility fees.
Fans interested in an exclusive WrestleMania presale opportunity can register here.
WWE is coordinating with local partners and government officials regarding safety protocols for WrestleMania and will share details in the coming weeks. Information on additional WrestleMania Week events is forthcoming.
Source: Wrestling Inc.
Impact Wrestling Preview 3/9/2021
IMPACT! tonight at 8/7c on AXS TV – Last IMPACT before Sacrifice this Saturday on IMPACT Plus.
- Ace Austin w/Madman Fulton vs. Chris Bey
- Rohit Raju and Shera vs. James Storm and Chris Sabin
- Contract signing for Sacrifice – Impact World Tag Team Championship: The Good Brothers (c) vs. FinJuice
- X-Division Champion TJP will face Madman Fulton (w/Ace Austin) in a non-title match on Before The Impact at 7 PM ET.
