NXT UK, today at 3 ET/8 GMT on the WWE Network.
* A pair of Qualifying Matches for the imminent Fatal 4-Way Match to determine the No. 1 Contender for the WWE United Kingdom Championship – “Bomber” Dave Mastiff vs. Wolfgang and Ligero vs. Jordan Devlin
* The debut of Ilja Dragunov
As we previously reported, All Elite Wrestling and WarnerMedia officially announced today that AEW will air live on TNT later this year. WarnerMedia will be providing exclusive multi-platform access for fans to watch AEW events, airing live weekly matches on TNT in prime time, as well as streaming them through WarnerMedia’s B/R Live and on pay-per-view.
Cody Rhodes spoke to Variety about the big announcement and discussed his own ten-year run with WWE. Rhodes admitted that while he liked his time with WWE, he felt that “it wasn’t wrestling.” AEW has promised to focus on producing fast-paced, high-impact matches and have less less scripted and soapy drama. AEW stated that wrestlers will also be given more freedom to explore their characters and highlight their athletic abilities.
“[As] much as I say [WWE] was a wonderful job, it wasn’t wrestling,” Rhodes admitted. “That’s something I’ve learned a lot about, the grittiness and the sports-centric element of the industry that doesn’t exist really anywhere else currently. We have the opportunity to seize that.”
WWE Co-President George Barrios was asked this week if WWE considered AEW to be competition. Barrios said that they did, just like they consider the NBA and Kung Fu novels to be competition, because they are all “fighting for people’s time.” Rhodes talked about AEW being a competitor to WWE, and said that it is best for both parties.
“Competition raises everybody’s game,” Rhodes said. “It will raise the wrestlers’ game, the creative people’s game, everybody. Everybody feels a sense of urgency when someone is competing with them.”
“Competitive means being profitable,” he continued. “It doesn’t mean, ‘We have to have this to beat the WWE.’ Our job is not to worry about what WWE is doing, not their TV clearances, not whose in the main event, nothing. With a growing company there are a lot of growing pains. It’s a mix of creative and athletics and a lot of different things. Our focus has to be us, period.”
AEW also officially revealed that they will be presenting statistics by tracking each competitor’s wins and losses, analyzing their moves, assessing damage to their opponents, and providing insights into their winning streaks.
“One thing we really strongly want to present is wins and losses mattering again in pro wrestling. That takes more than the W and the L column,” Rhodes said. “We’re talking about percentage of times someone loses to this particular maneuver, percentages against somebody of this height, a whole by-the-numbers approach that really intrigues me. It’s not a cornerstone of AEW necessarily but it’s a great peripheral element we’re working on and that’s going to be exclusive to us.”
No official date has been announced regarding when the show will start airing on TNT. B/R Live will exclusively stream AEW Double Or Nothing on Saturday, May 25th, while the hour-long live pre-show special, The Buy-In, will stream on WarnerMedia and AEW’s social channels.
Source: Wrestling Inc.
It was widely expected but finally confirmed this week when it was announced that SmackDown Live will be a part of FOX’s Friday TV lineup. It will debut on October 4 and occupy the same time slot as it does currently on Tuesdays on USA Network.
Fridays are typically the worst days for TV ratings, but WWE President George Barrios attempted to put a positive spin on the move during a fireside chat this week at the 47th Annual J.P. Morgan Global Technology, Media and Communications Conference in Boston.
“It’s hard to compare,” Barrios said referencing when SmackDown aired on Fridays from 2005-2015. “We have been on Friday nights before but we’ve never been live. We think it’s a net positive, generally. Having a few days between [Raw and SmackDown] is helpful to some degree. But ultimately, we’ll see how the fans react. But we think it’s a generally positive thing happening.”
SmackDown started out on Thursdays before moving to Fridays. It then moved back to Thursdays briefly before moving to Tuesdays in 2016.
As Barrios mentioned, this will be the first time the show will air live on Fridays. In regards to if SmackDown will air on a tape delay on the West Coast, Barrios deferred to FOX.
“Our partners are still working through that. If you look at today, depending on who the provider is, even with USA, in terms of live on satellite is different than on cable. So, I think FOX will work through that themselves as well. I don’t think they’ve announced it, so we’re not gonna announce it,” stated Barrios.
Source: Wrestling Inc.
They had the talent, the events and the money, and now All Elite Wrestling has a TV home. Per a press release, the promotion announced they are partnering with WarnerMedia to air on TNT in prime time later this year.
No specific date for a launch has been discussed, but there could be an update announced during today’s WarnerMedia presentation inside Madison Square Garden.
“All Elite Wrestling is a talent-forward, fan-first league whose inclusive approach to creating high-quality athletic wrestling competitions is already making waves with fans and attracting top-tier wrestlers,” stated EVP of Commercial Operations, Content Strategy and Monetization Michael Quigley. “It is high-adrenaline, gripping entertainment and we can’t wait to bring it to fans everywhere with this game-changing new business.”
B/R Live, a live streaming service from WarnerMedia, will stream all AEW-related events, including Double or Nothing on May 25. “The Buy-In”, an hour-long pre-show, will be available on WarnerMedia and AEW social channels. Matches on that card include the Casino Battle Royal and Kip Sabian v. Sammy Guevara. Streaming on PPV has also been discussed. The event will also be seen in the United Kingdom via ITV.
AEW promises to focus on producing fast-paced, high-impact competitions. They say that they will offer fans less scripted, soapy drama, and more athleticism and real sports analytics, bringing a legitimacy to wrestling that it previously not had. They claim that wrestlers will also be given more freedom to explore their characters and highlight their athletic abilities.
AEW will be presenting statistics for the first time ever in wrestling by tracking each competitor’s wins and losses, analyzing their moves, assessing damage to their opponents, and providing insights into their winning streaks.
“Wrestling fans have wanted – and needed – something different, authentic and better for far too long,” said AEW President and CEO or AEW Tony Khan. “AEW is answering the call. AEW is about more than wrestling. It’s about a movement fueled by wrestling fans who have been underserved and perhaps even disappointed by what the industry has produced in recent years. AEW is rising to the occasion with DOUBLE OR NOTHING and today taking it a step further by partnering with WarnerMedia, which is as committed as we are to making wrestling fans the one and only priority. With WarnerMedia, AEW is poised globally to redefine wrestling as we know it today.”
AEW first became a reality on January 1, 2019 in a Being The Elite segment. This will be the first major wrestling program outside of WWE on TNT since WCW in 2001.
Below is the full press release.
WarnerMedia Partners with All Elite Wrestling for Multi-Platform Launch of Groundbreaking New Wrestling LeagueTNT to Air Weekly Matches Later This Year
Inaugural May 25 Event Available on B/R Live and via Pay-Per-View AEW to Introduce a New Generation of Diverse Wrestlers and Give Fans a New Wrestling Experience for the First Time in 20 Years
May 15, 2019 – WarnerMedia announced today that it is partnering with All Elite Wrestling (AEW), the new professional wrestling promotion featuring a world-class roster of diverse male and female wrestlers, giving fans a new wrestling experience for the first time in 20 years. WarnerMedia and AEW together will build this powerhouse sporting league from the ground up and will begin airing weekly matches later this year. With this league, AEW is introducing a new generation of wrestlers to fans, offering fun, gripping and authentic athletic matches that will make wrestling more accessible to a broad audience. WarnerMedia will utilize its position as a next-generation global media company to build this league into a global pro-wrestling franchise.
Founded by President and CEO Tony Khan, AEW is headlined by members of The Elite, which includes all-star wrestlers The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson), Cody and Brandi Rhodes, Kenny Omega, and Hangman Page, and a roster that includes the legendary Chris Jericho. Omega, Cody and The Young Bucks also serve as executive vice presidents of the company in addition to in-ring talent, and Brandi Rhodes also serves as Chief Brand Officer.
Later this year, WarnerMedia will provide exclusive multi-platform access for fans to watch AEW events, airing live weekly matches on TNT in prime time, as well as streaming them through WarnerMedia’s B/R Live and on pay-per-view. A leading digital sports enterprise, B/R Live’s high fan engagement will provide an invaluable opportunity to build AEW’s audience.
“All Elite Wrestling is a talent-forward, fan-first league whose inclusive approach to creating high-quality athletic wrestling competitions is already making waves with fans and attracting top-tier wrestlers,” said Michael Quigley, executive vice president, commercial operations, content strategy and monetization, TBS and TNT. “It is high-adrenaline, gripping entertainment and we can’t wait to bring it to fans everywhere with this game-changing new business.”
“Wrestling fans have wanted – and needed – something different, authentic and better for far too long,” said Tony Khan, President and CEO of AEW. “AEW is answering the call. AEW is about more than wrestling. It’s about a movement fueled by wrestling fans who have been underserved and perhaps even disappointed by what the industry has produced in recent years. AEW is rising to the occasion with DOUBLE OR NOTHING and today taking it a step further by partnering with WarnerMedia, which is as committed as we are to making wrestling fans the one and only priority. With WarnerMedia, AEW is poised globally to redefine wrestling as we know it today.”
Focused on producing fast-paced, high-impact competitions, AEW offers fans less scripted, soapy drama, and more athleticism and real sports analytics, bringing a legitimacy to wrestling that it has not previously had. Wrestlers will also be given more freedom to explore their characters and highlight their athletic abilities. Introducing statistics to wrestling for the first time ever, AEW will raise the stakes for its matches and deepen fan engagement by tracking each competitor’s wins and losses as the wrestlers pursue championships, analyzing their moves, assessing damage to their opponents, and providing insights into their winning streaks.
B/R Live will serve as the exclusive digital streaming partner in the United States for AEW’s inaugural event, DOUBLE OR NOTHING, on Saturday, May 25, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. DOUBLE OR NOTHING, which sold out in under 30 minutes, features an exhilarating card including the headline clash between Kenny Omega and Chris Jericho; Cody taking on his brother Dustin Rhodes; The Young Bucks battling the Lucha Bros for the AAA World Tag Team Championship; Hangman Adam Page clashing with PAC; and Britt Baker, Nyla Rose and Kylie Rae competing in a three-way match.
Additionally, the hour-long live pre-show special THE BUY-IN will stream on WarnerMedia and AEW’s social channels. THE BUY-IN includes the first ever “Casino (Battle) Royale,” which will see 21 competitors including Jimmy Havoc, Billy Gunn, MJF and Jungle Boy entering the ring in waves of five wrestlers every three minutes followed by one final entrant, lucky number 21, all fighting it out in the ring until there is one winner, whose reward will be a future title shot against the first ever AEW World Champion.
The media rights deal was negotiated by Khan and Bernie Cahill, co-founder of Activist Artists Management, LLC, an entity in which Khan is also an investor and partner.
Source: Wrestling Inc.
All Elite Wrestling announced that Earl Hebner, Paul Turner and Aubrey Edwards have signed with the promotion as referees.
Hebner is a veteran referee who is best known for his run with WWE from 1988 through 2005. He made his debut as the evil twin of his real-life brother Dave Hebner on the February 5, 1988 edition of The Main Event, where he was paid off by Ted Dibiase to secretly replace Dave and steal the WWE Championship away from Hulk Hogan. He is probably best remembered for his role as the referee in the Montreal Screwjob, where he called for the bell when Shawn Michaels had then-WWE Champion Bret Hart in a Sharpshooter, despite Hart never submitting. Both Dave and Earl were fired from WWE in 2005 for selling unauthorized WWE merchandise without the company’s knowledge. Earl worked for TNA from 2006 through 2017, and was inducted into their Hall of Fame in 2015.
Edwards has been a referee on the independent scene, and also worked briefly in NXT last year as their second-ever female referee.
Turner is a veteran ROH referee who had been with the company since its inception. His profile is still listed on ROH’s website as of this writing.
You can check out the announcements for all three referees below:
https://twitter.com/AEWrestling/status/1128472548537192448
https://twitter.com/AEWrestling/status/1128492883303129088
Source: Wrestling Inc.
Tonight’s WWE SmackDown will be taped from the O2 Arena in London, England today with the final hype for WWE Money In the Bank.
* SmackDown LIVE’s Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match participants to throw down in pivotal Fatal 4-Way Match
* Will Kofi Kingston accept KO’s invitation to come on The Kevin Owens Show?
* Can Fire & Desire scorch Asuka & Kairi Sane on Tuesday night?
Tonight’s WWE 205 Live will be taped from the O2 Arena in London, England today.
* WWE 205 Live vs. NXT U.K.
* Fatal 4-Way Match: Humberto Carrillo vs. Gentleman Jack Gallagher vs. Mark Andrews vs. NXT UK Tag Team Champion James Drake
* WWE Cruiserweight Champion Tony Nese vs. Ligero
WWE has announced that former Impact X Division Champion DJZ reported to the WWE Performance Center in Orlando this week to begin working for the company.
It was reported back in mid-March that DJZ had signed with WWE. The 32 year old left Impact Wrestling on December 31 after his contract expired. He first debuted for Impact back in 2011 and worked there off & on, becoming a two-time X Division Champion and a one-time Tag Team Champion with Andrew Everett.
Below is WWE’s full announcement on signing DJZ:
“DJZ” Michael Paris reports to WWE Performance CenterOne of the world’s top high-flying Superstars has come to the WWE Performance Center.
Michael Paris, better known to sports-entertainment fans as “DJZ,” reported for training this week at WWE’s facility in Orlando, Fla.
A professional grappler for nearly 15 years, Paris specializes in dynamic, top-rope offense, and has put many competitors away with moves like the 450 Splash and the 630 Splash. He has experience wrestling internationally, including in Mexico, Japan and the United Kingdom. Paris has also captured dozens of championships on his journey to WWE, such as the International Wrestling Cartel’s Super Indy Championship, a title formerly held by the likes of AJ Styles, Johnny Gargano, Adam Cole and Corey Graves.
Paris’ signing comes on the heels of several other high-profile acquisitions. In January, the WWE Performance Center welcomed a new class of 12 athletes, while international wrestlers Kushida, Shane Strickland and Humberto Garza all reported for training last month.
Sami Zayn defeated Braun Strowman in the Falls Count Anywhere main event of last night’s RAW to earn Braun’s spot in the men’s Money In the Bank Ladder Match at the May 19 WWE Money In the Bank pay-per-view.
Strowman is currently dealing with an injury, according to Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio, but that is not why he was pulled from the match. There’s no word yet on injury details, but Strowman could be working through some sort of biceps or triceps injury.
Regarding Strowman losing his Money In the Bank spot to Zayn, Meltzer reported that the removal was a part of a longer storyline that will play out over the next month or so. Strowman is working hurt, but the injury is not bad enough that he needs to take any time off right now.
There’s been a lot of speculation on Strowman’s WWE future as of late. He reportedly received heat from WWE officials after winning the 6th Annual Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania 35. The end of the match was said to be a mess as Strowman forgot some of his spots. It was reported in late April that the botched spots are why Strowman hasn’t had much of a push since winning the Battle Royal.
Source: Wrestling Inc.
Killer Kross reportedly requested his release from Impact Wrestling, according to Mike Johnson of PWInsider.
According to the report, Kross had signed a multi-year deal with the company last year that pays him per date. Kross was reportedly unhappy with the financial aspects of the deal, and tried to renegotiate a guaranteed contract worth six-figures per year based on what he feels his value is outside of the company. Kross apparently also has some issues with creative, but the main concern was financial.
Impact reportedly felt that Kross was offered the deal when he wasn’t very well known and he became a star on their platform. They apparently countered with a new restructured three-year deal, however it was “well below” the six-figures that Kross was requesting. Kross turned down the deal and requested his release last week. It was noted that the release was not granted, and Impact has no plans to let him go. Johnson added that the relationship between Kross and Impact remains professional.
During an interview with Interactive Wrestling Radio earlier this year, Kross discussed signing with Impact over WWE.
“Everything happens for a reason,” Kross said. “I don’t say this in a negative way but I don’t think people in WWE internally or the fan base would have had any idea how to receive this character if I had went there first with it. That has a lot to do with their general platform and their presentation. I don’t think they would have known how to implement this character.
“…Maybe one day there will be a time and a place for this guy on that stage. But, [Impact] is the perfect place to be doing this.”
Source: Wrestling Inc.
