AEW Dark Preview 1/21/20

The following was taped for tonight’s AEW Dark episode on YouTube:

* Big Swole vs. Diamante

Tables Match: Shanna vs. Nyla rose

* Evil Uno and Grayson vs. Brandon Cutler and Sonny Kiss

* Jurassic Express vs. Strong Hearts

* Taz on commentary

“Chris Jericho’s Rock ‘N’ Wrestling Rager At Sea: Triple Whammy” Cruise Confirmed For 2021

AEW World Champion Chris Jericho will be hosting a third cruise in 2021.

It was announced yesterday as Jericho’s “Rock ‘N’ Wrestling Rager at Sea: Part Deux” cruise disembarked for the Bahamas, that the third annual cruise has already been confirmed. The announcement was made by Jericho himself.

“Chris Jericho’s Rock ‘N’ Wrestling Rager at Sea: Triple Whammy” will sail from February 1, 2021 through February 5, 2021. The trip will go from Miami, Florida to the Grand Bahama Island, and back.

The current cruise will wrap this Friday, sailing from Miami to Nassau, Bahamas, and is sold out. You can find full details on the trip at ChrisJerichoCruise.com.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Taz Signs Multi-Year Agreement With AEW

AEW has added another announcer to the team, this time being former WWE and Impact Wrestling announcer Taz.

The company shared a video on Thursday of Cody, Vice President of Business Strategy Chris Harrington and Taz signing the contract backstage at Bash at the Beach.

Taz says in the video that his people already looked over the contract and “the coin looks right,” so he and Harrington both sign the paperwork to make it official.

The ECW legend’s first appearance in AEW took place back in October as a guest commentator for AEW Dark. As we previously reported, AEW Dark will soon be moving to TNT now that WarnerMedia has extended All Elite Wrestling’s TV deal through 2023.

After signing the documents in the video, Taz says, “Looks like I’ve joined a revolution … again.”

Watch Taz sign his contract below.

https://twitter.com/AEWrestling/status/1217838923050881027

Source: Pro Wrestling Sheet

AEW Dark Coming To TNT With Changes

As reported on Wednesday, AEW and WarnerMedia have announced that their deal for AEW Dynamite on TNT has been extended through 2023. It was also announced that the two sides have agreed on a new AEW series to premiere at a later date. You can click here to read the full announcement with comments from AEW President & CEO Tony Khan, and you can click here to read insider details on the deal, including how much money it’s worth to AEW.

It looks like the second series will be AEW Dark, which currently airs Tuesdays on YouTube, but will be coming to TNT with some changes. It was noted earlier in another report that this second series would be an extra 4th hour of AEW programming each week, but it appears that may not be the actual story here.

The Wrap’s Tony Maglio spoke with Turner President Kevin Reilly at the Television Critics Association press event on Wednesday and Reilly revealed the news there. Dark will air weekly, on TNT, but it may not air for 52 weeks per year, likely due to other programming on TNT.

Reilly elaborated on the plan to add changes to AEW Dark before bringing it to cable TV.

“We’re going to embellish [AEW Dark] and put some additional material, kind of behind the scenes, kind of docu-follow stuff, if you will, about the athletes and the stories,” Reilly said.

Reilly later told Variety that the new-and-improved AEW Dark will not air on Monday nights against WWE RAW.

“We just figured, ‘Let’s bring it onto the network and make it a place where you truly plant up and coming talent,'” Reilly said. “I think we’ll start doing more packages there and filming some behind-the-scenes stuff, not for the matches that night but with other talent to plant stories and grow things that could eventually become another show in and of itself.”

Reilly also revealed that discussions to extend the deal for AEW Dynamite on TNT began over the holidays and noted that Dynamite has “over-delivered right out of the gate” for TNT.

“I just had this idea that this was the time to invest,” Reilly said. “This is a startup. It’s already over-delivered out of the gate. That’s really when you want to hit the gasoline a little bit. The guys already have ideas about additional talent and things they want to do and I wanted to incentivize them as a partner to do that. We also wanted to gave fans and talent who potentially want to come work with us the sense that this is here to stay. You can invest in it, it’s here to stay, and it’s only going to get better.”

Source: Wrestling Inc.

AEW Dynamite Bash At The Beach Preview 1/15/20

Tonight’s AEW Dynamite ‘Bash at the Beach’ will air live from the Watsco Center in Miami, Florida.

* #1 Contender’s Fatal 4-Way: The Young Bucks vs. Proud and Powerful (Santana & Ortiz) vs. Kenny Omega & Adam Page vs. Best Friends

* Jon Moxley vs. Sammy Guevara

* Awesome Kong and Mel vs. Shida and Kris Statlander

* PAC vs. Darby Allin

* Diamond Dallas Page, Dustin Rhodes and QT Marshall vs. MJF, The Butcher and The Blade

* Cody answers MJF

AEW And WarnerMedia Extend Dynamite Contract Through 2023, New AEW Show To Launch Soon

AEW and WarnerMedia have announced that the contract for Dynamite on TNT has been extended through 2023.

It was also announced that AEW and WarnerMedia have agreed to launch another weekly series. There’s no word yet on details of the new show, but we will keep you updated.

The announcement from AEW and WarnerMedia also noted that AEW has racked up over 100,000 pay-per-view buys since launching. The upcoming Revolution pay-per-view will also air on B/R Live.

“When we launched AEW one year ago, we wanted to start a revolution that would disrupt the wrestling business, but everyone said that it would take a strong weekly television partner to make AEW real in the eyes of everyone – above all, the fans,” said AEW President & CEO Tony Khan in the presser. “What virtually no one realized at the time was Kevin Reilly and TNT were committed to this very same movement from Day One, and their belief in us made it possible for AEW to think and act big from the start. Here we are, only three months into Wednesday Night Dynamite, and now we’ve been extended through 2023! We’re now making the ultimate statement that the team of AEW and TNT is here to stay and to bring fans more of the great wrestling that the fans demand and deserve.”

Below is the full press release issued today and a new trailer from AEW and WarnerMedia:

START UP WRESTLING SENSATION ALL ELITE WRESTLING EXTENDED IN MULTI-YEAR PACT

AEW: DYNAMITE Extended Through 2023

WarnerMedia Greenlights New AEW Series

AEW: DYNAMITE on TNT is a Top 20 New Cable Unscripted Series and has Reached Nearly 32 Million Viewers Across All Platforms in Only Three Months

Pasadena, January 15, 2020 – WarnerMedia announced today an expanded relationship with All Elite Wrestling (AEW), the groundbreaking new wrestling league that has already redefined wrestling with resounding success after only a few months. WarnerMedia has extended their deal for AEW: DYNAMITE, a top 20 new cable unscripted series, through 2023. In addition, the parties have agreed to launch another night of AEW action, offering more of the fans’ favorite wrestlers, with a second show straight-to- series.

“When Tony Khan first shared with me his idea of starting a new wrestling league, I was impressed by his audacity to go up against a contender that has been the only game in town for twenty years, and ultimately believed that together we could bring his vision for a new, authentic, gritty product to bear,” says Kevin Reilly, chief content officer, HBO Max, president, TNT, TBS, and truTV. “The fans have spoken and after only three months, we have seen AEW shake up the wrestling world and this will only continue as we build upon this momentum.”

AEW: DYNAMITE exploded onto the wrestling scene when it premiered on TNT as the night’s #1 wrestling show. It has continued to deliver high performing episodes each week with the series averaging 1.2M total viewers and 654K A18-49 per episode in Live +7 Day viewing. In only three months, AEW: DYNAMITE has reached nearly 32 million people across all platforms. The show also delivers the youngest wrestling audience on television.

“When we launched AEW one year ago, we wanted to start a revolution that would disrupt the wrestling business, but everyone said that it would take a strong weekly television partner to make AEW real in the eyes of everyone – above all, the fans,” said Tony Khan, president and CEO of AEW. “What virtually no one realized at the time was Kevin Reilly and TNT were committed to this very same movement from Day One, and their belief in us made it possible for AEW to think and act big from the start. Here we are, only three months into Wednesday Night Dynamite, and now we’ve been extended through 2023! We’re now making the ultimate statement that the team of AEW and TNT is here to stay and to bring fans more of the great wrestling that the fans demand and deserve.”

Weekly action-packed matches continue to air live on Wednesdays from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET as part of TNT’s line-up of big, lean-forward television that gives viewers the best seat in the house for electrifying stories, dynamic characters and thrilling events. A global franchise, AEW has already secured broadcast deals in the UK, Canada, France and Germany and is available in over 100 other countries through the AEWPlus.com subscription service. Both parties are continuously exploring ways to further expand this relationship.

WarnerMedia announced in May 2019 that it was working with AEW by utilizing its position as a next- generation global media company to help build this league into a global pro-wrestling franchise. WarnerMedia has also been offering fans exclusive access to AEW’s extremely popular pay-per-view matches, which kicked off in May 2019, via B/R Live. Their next event, REVOLUTION, which takes place in Chicago on Saturday, Feb. 29, will also stream on the platform. With nearly 100,000 total AEW pay-per- view buys, B/R Live’s high fan engagement provides an invaluable opportunity to build AEW’s audience and maximize its viewership.

In addition to being a ratings success, AEW has earned a great deal of praise from a wide range of press. Newsweek called it “One of the best shows of 2019,” and four of AEW’s wrestlers were named in Sports Illustrated’s Top 10 wrestlers of 2019, with Jon Moxley being named “Wrestler of the Year.” The Washington Post also wrote that “AEW… is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to present pro wrestling differently, with a focus on diversity and inclusion in the ring, in the front office and in the audience.” USA Today referred to the league as the “new cool kids,” and the New York Post stated that AEW: DYNAMITE “showcased the superb in-ring action it’s known for.” Complex heralded AEW: DYNAMITE’s presentation as “top notch” and /Film wrote that “AEW is the best and most refreshing professional wrestling has been in years.”

AEW is a new global wrestling league that features a world-class roster of diverse male and female wrestlers, giving fans a new wrestling experience for the first time in 20 years. AEW is about more than wrestling. It’s a movement fueled by fans. Focused on fast-paced, high-impact competitions, AEW offers fans more athleticism along with real sports analytics. Founded by President and CEO Tony Khan, AEW is headlined by Cody & Brandi Rhodes, Chris Jericho, Jon Moxley, The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson), Kenny Omega and Hangman Adam Page. The roster is also filled with incredibly skilled competitors including Nyla Rose, Awesome Kong, Dustin Rhodes, Jungle Boy, Dr. Britt Baker, MJF, Pac and SCU. In addition to being in-ring talent, Cody, The Young Bucks and Kenny Omega also serve as EVPs with Brandi Rhodes serving as Chief Brand Officer.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

AEW Dark Preview 1/14/20

The following was taped for tonight’s AEW Dark episode on YouTube:

* Darby Allin vs. Brandon Cutler

* Shawn Spears and Petor Avalon vs. Billy and Austin Gunn

* Shanna vs. Nyla Rose

* Legends of Memphis Wrestling honored

* Dave Brown will announce a match

Former Impact World Champion Brian Cage Signs With AEW

Former Impact World Champion Brian Cage has signed a multi-year deal with All Elite Wrestling, according to SoCal Uncensored.

Cage became a free agent after his Impact Wrestling contract expired. Last night at Impact’s Hard to Kill, he got squashed by Rob Van Dam.

He almost appeared at the first Casino Battle Royale at AEW’s Double or Nothing but that appearance was prevented by Impact officials.

Since making his 2004 debut, Cage wrestled in several promotions like AAA, Lucha Underground, Pro Wrestling Noah, and Pro Wrestling Guerrilla.

There is no word yet on when Cage will make his AEW debut.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

AEW Dynamite Tops WWE NXT In Viewership, NXT Fails To Crack Top 50

Week 14 of the Wednesday Night War saw AEW Dynamite top WWE NXT once again.

Wednesday’s Anniversary Edition of Dynamite on TNT drew 947,000 viewers, topping the 721,000 viewers garnered by NXT on the USA Network by 31%, according to Showbuzz Daily.

AEW ranked #6 in the Cable Top 150, while NXT ranked #55. AEW ranked #36 in viewership, while NXT ranked #45 in viewership.

Last week’s Dynamite episode drew 967,000 viewers and ranked #13 in the Cable Top 150, and #40 in viewership, so it was only down 2% against a live episode of NXT. Last week’s taped special edition of NXT drew 548,000 viewers and ranked #66 in the Cable Top 150, and #48 in viewership.

AEW drew a 0.36 rating in the 18-49 demographic, beating the 0.19 that NXT drew in the same demo by 89% this week. Last week’s AEW show also drew a 0.36 rating while the NXT episode drew a 0.15 in that demographic.

This week’s NXT episode was the first regular live show of 2020, headlined by the beginning of the 2020 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic and a Fatal 4 Way main event to crown the new #1 contender to NXT North American Champion Roderick Strong, won by Keith Lee. The Dynamite episode was the big Anniversary Edition.

Real Housewives of New Jersey on Bravo topped the night in the 18-49 demographic on the Cable Top 150 with a 0.45 rating, beating both NBA games on ESPN. Hannity topped the night on cable in viewership with 4.196 million viewers, ranking #10 on the Cable Top 150 with a 0.31 rating in the 18-49 demographic.

The Jeopardy special on ABC topped the night on network TV in the 18-49 demographic with a 24 rating, and in viewership with 14.872 million viewers.

Below is 2020 NXT Viewership Tracker:

January 1 Episode: 548,000 viewers with a 0.15 rating in the 18-49 demographic
January 8 Episode: 721,000 viewers with a 0.19 rating in the 18-49 demographic
January 15 Episode:

2019 Total: 10.209 million viewers over 13 episodes
2019 Average: 785,307 viewers per episode

Below is 2020 AEW Dynamite Viewership Tracker:

January 1 Episode: 967,000 viewers with a 0.36 rating in the 18-49 demographic
January 8 Episode: 947,000 viewers with a 0.36 rating in the 18-49 demographic
January 15 Episode:

2019 Total: 10.840 million viewers over 12 episodes
2019 Average: 903,333 viewers per episode

Source: Wrestling Inc.

AEW Dynamite “Tribute To Legends Of Memphis Wrestling” Preview 1/8/20

Tonight’s Anniversary Edition of AEW Dynamite will air live from Southaven, MS (the Greater Memphis area).

* Tribute to Legends of Memphis Wrestling

* Riho (c) vs. Kris Statlander (AEW Women’s World Championship)

* Sammy Guevara vs. Christopher Daniels

* Cody and Dustin Rhodes vs. Lucha Bros.

* Private Party vs. Hangman Page and Kenny Omega

* The Best Friends & Orange Cassidy vs. Jurassic Express

* Jon Moxley to give his answer about joining the Inner Circle

https://twitter.com/AEWrestling/status/1213501823027417089