There was low attendance at the Tacoma Dome in Tacoma, Washington for last night’s first-ever WWE Stomping Grounds pay-per-view. The arena had half of the seating curtained off to hide the empty seats, despite a decent line for walk-up tickets before the show, and a lot of free tickets given out on the day of the event.
DEFY Wrestling’s Matt Farmer noted on Twitter that there were around 6,000 fans in attendance, which would be one of the smallest WWE pay-per-view crowds in a long time. Farmer also noted that there were “tons” of comped tickets, and a lot of 2 for 1 ticket deals were sold.
Dave Meltzer noted on Wrestling Observer Radio that the paid attendance for Stomping Groundswas around 4,000 – 4,500 fans. It was also noted that tickets were being given away at the mall earlier in the day. The Tacoma Dome can hold around 18,000 fans after production.
Despite the low attendance, we noted that social media talk pointed to how the crowd was hot for some of the pay-per-view. Furthermore, the part of the arena that was not sectioned off was full of fans.
All Elite Wrestling applied for the trademark “Wednesday Night Dynamite,” on June 18, possibly leading towards which night their weekly TNT show will air. The show will premiere in the fall later this year.
AEW had also applied for “Tuesday Night Dynamite” last year, looking to possibly fill in Tuesday nights once SmackDown moves to Fridays on FOX on October 4. The fact that they have now applied for the Wednesday night trademark would suggest that the show will air on Wednesdays, not Tuesdays.
Back in May it was officially announced AEW would be partnering up with TNT, while also utilizing B/R Live as a platform to stream events. Despite the $50 price tag, last month’s AEW Double or Nothing was a success with an estimated 98,500-113,000 PPV buys worldwide.
The promotion is following that up with AEW Fyter Fest on June 29 in Daytona Beach, Florida, which will stream for free on B/R Live.
According to Wrestling Observer Radio, Vince McMahon reportedly held a meeting last week at WWE TV and told everyone that there will be no more wrestling during commercial breaks. It was noted that apparently you can have a match that goes through the commercial break, but there can’t be any actual wrestling during the break. This would explain why they had several 2 of 3 Falls matches on RAW and SmackDown last week.
John Pollock of Post Wrestling reported that the edict was announced last Monday during the usual pre-RAW production meeting. The idea is that legitimate sports don’t play during their breaks, so WWE is adjusting their match presentation.
It was noted that there would still be two matches on SmackDown that would that run through the commercial breaks with the picture-in-picture feature that airs the match in one window and the advertisement in another.
This new rule led to the 2 of 3 Falls matches and other ideas to pause the matches, and then resume after the commercial breaks. Pollock and Dave Meltzer both pointed to how it will b a challenge to come up with organic ideas to pause the matches, especially during RAW due to the multiple segment matches for the three-hour format. This will likely make the product harder to watch for fans on TV, and in the arenas.
For 3 months CONTRA Unit has made Major League Wrestling their battleground. How do you counter three hostile outsiders possessing a 300-pound Samoan, a megalomaniac and a sinister scientific grappler? “Filthy” Tom Lawlor’s answer to CONTRA Unit is simple: call Ross and Marshall Von Erich.
Calling the Von Erich ranch on Kauai, Hawaii, Lawlor got a quick “yes” from the newly signed brothers. Lawlor notes banding together with Ross and Marshall Von Erich enables the World Champion to have his own wild card going into a guaranteed wild encounter in this unsanctioned match.
Could the trio of outsiders finally meet their match this week on FUSION when they tangle with “Filthy” Tom Lawlor and the Von Erich Boys? Find out as CONTRA Unit battles Lawlor and the Von Erichs this week in the main event.
The Dynasty’s Richard Holliday has called out Teddy Hart for 2 weeks. The 6’3” college educated Connecticut native has smugly taunted Hart and this week they’ll finally meet in the ring. Will Hart make Holliday regret his verbal assault or does the Dynasty have other plans?
Fresh off of a stunning knockout victory over Ricky “El Sicario” Martinez, Low Ki will be in competition. With rumors swirling about the lone wolf of Brooklyn’s next move in Major League Wrestling, all eyes will be on the former World Champion once the bell rings.
Newburgh’s nightmare Jordan Oliver is also signed to compete. Undefeated since debuting in April, will the 19-year old continue his winning ways?
Mance Warner has a special message for Salina de la Renta and Promociones Dorado plus tons more!
Join Rich Bocchini and Jim Cornette as they call top ranked action from Milwaukee on Major League Wrestling: FUSION.
An AEW All Out press conference has been announced for the Starrcast III convention during Labor Day Weekend in Chicago. The press conference will take place on Thursday, August 29 at 7pm CT, and a special discussion with AEW Executive Vice President Cody Rhodes and former WCW announcer Tony Schiavone will take place after. The big All Out pay-per-view will then take place on Saturday, August 31. Details are in the tweets below:
ITV announced today that AEW’s Fyter Fest and Fight for the Fallen events will air in the UK and Ireland through Fite TV, in partnership with ITV Box Office. Below is their full announcement:
“FYTER FEST” and “FIGHT FOR THE FALLEN” Available in UK & Ireland through FITE TV in collaboration with ITV Box OfficeITV, the largest commercial television network in the UK, today announced that AEW’s next two shows, FYTER FEST and FIGHT FOR THE FALLEN, will be available in the UK and Ireland through FITE TV in collaboration with ITV Box Office. Each show will be available in the UK for £8.99 and in Ireland for €9.99, respectively. Details about how to access FYTER FEST can be found at http://www.fite.tv.
The highly anticipated FYTER FEST will take place in Daytona Beach on Saturday, June 29, during the CEO Fighting Game Championships, Florida’s largest video gaming convention managed by Community Effort Orlando (CEO) Gaming. Before the live PPV event begins at 1:30 a.m. BST, Sunday, June 30, the hour-long pre-show special will stream for free on AEW’s official YouTube channel youtube.com/allelitewrestling at 12:30 a.m. BST.
FYTER FEST will feature electrifying match-ups including British wrestler Jimmy Havoctaking on Hangman Adam Page, MJF and Jungle Boy in a fatal four-way match, the debut of Jon Moxley as he clashes with Joey Janela, and a head-to-head match-up with Cody and Darby Allin. In addition, The Lucha Bros will team up with Laredo Kid to take on The Elite (The Young Bucks and Kenny Omega) in the main event. During the free pre-show, SCU, Private Party and the Best Friends will compete in a triple-threat tag team match with the winner advancing to ALL OUT on August 31 in Chicago for an opportunity for a first-round bye in the AEW World Tag Team Championship Tournament.
FIGHT FOR THE FALLEN, AEW’s third event following DOUBLE OR NOTHING and FYTER FEST, will take place in Daily’s Place Amphitheatre at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, FL, on Saturday, July 13, just a few feet from where AEW was first introduced back in January. Before the live PPV event begins at 1:30 a.m. BST, Sunday, July 14, the hour-long pre-show special will stream for free on AEW’s official YouTube channel youtube.com/allelitewrestling at 12:30 a.m. BST.
FIGHT FOR THE FALLEN match-ups include Cody & Dustin Rhodes vs. The Young Bucks, Kenny Omega vs. CIMA, and Brandi Rhodes vs. Allie. Proceeds from the gate will benefit Jacksonville’s Victim Assistance Advisory Council, which coordinates cooperative efforts among social service, criminal justice, mental health and other agencies to provide assistance to crime victims and their families.
AEW released this video of WWE Hall of Famer Mike Tyson reuniting with Japanese wrestling host Fat Ass Masa while backstage at the recent AEW Double Or Nothing event in Las Vegas.
Jim Cornette took to social media this morning to clarify reports surrounding “Beautiful” Bobby Eaton’s health.
Eaton had reportedly suffered a heart attack recently, but his former manager explained that’s not the case in a tweet on Thursday which included more details.
Cornette tweeted:
BOBBY EATON UPDATE: He did NOT have a heart “attack”, but congestive heart failure/fluid buildup in chest, legs, etc causing heart to work harder. Being treated with diuretics, changing meds, heart rate down, pacemaker is fine, situation improving. He thanks all who are worried!
Eaton is most famous for his work in tag teams, especially his days as one-half of The Midnight Express. Under the management of Jim Cornette, Eaton originally teamed with Dennis Condrey and, later on, with Stan Lane. He has also worked with a number of other tag team partners, including Koko B. Ware, Steve Keirn, and “Lord” Steven Regal.
It’s now confirmed that Drake Maverick dropped the WWE 24/7 Title after getting married to indie wrestler Renee Michelle on Thursday.
R-Truth is your new WWE 24/7 Champion as he appeared at the ceremony with a referee. Truth is now a six-time WWE 24/7 Champion. Drake just won the title on Tuesday’s SmackDown by defeating Truth.
WWE has released video from the title change above. Maverick was confronted by Truth and the referee as he and Renee were leaving the ceremony.
EC3 was Drake’s best man and Braun Strowman was also a groomsman.
