Tag: WWE

Eric Bischoff Announced For The WWE Hall Of Fame

WWE has announced Eric Bischoff for the 2021 Hall of Fame Class.

Bischoff appeared on WWE’s After The Bell podcast today with Corey Graves and Vic Joseph, where WWE confirmed the induction.

Bischoff will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame during WrestleMania 37 Week on Tuesday, April 6. The ceremony will air live on the WWE Network. He joins Molly Holly as confirmed names for the 2021 class so far.

As noted, the 2020 WWE Hall of Fame class will also be inducted during WrestleMania 37 Week this year. Names for that class include Batista, JBL, The Bella Twins, The British Bulldog, Jushin Thunder Liger and the nWo (Hulk Hogan, Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, Sean Waltman).

Bischoff last worked for WWE as the SmackDown Executive Director in June 2019. He was released from that role just a few months later in October. Bischoff has made three special appearances on AEW Dynamite since then.

Below is WWE’s full announcement, along with a clip from After The Bell:

Eric Bischoff to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2021

Eric Bischoff, a pioneer behind the scenes in sports-entertainment, as well as an incredibly entertaining performer in front of the camera, is the latest inductee in the WWE Hall of Fame’s Class of 2021. He was surprised with the news of his induction on WWE After the Bell, which you can listen and subscribe to on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

He will enter the WWE Hall of Fame during the 2021 Induction Ceremony, which will take place on Tuesday, April 6, streaming exclusively on Peacock in the United States and on WWE Network in the rest of the world.

Bischoff broke into the sports-entertainment industry in the late 1980s for fellow Hall of Famer Verne Gagne’s AWA. He started off in sales but soon became an on-air talent, hosting the AWA’s shows on ESPN and interviewing the legendary territory’s stars. But as the 1990s arrived, the AWA was on the brink of going out of business, so Bischoff made a move that would eventually change the industry.

He joined World Championship Wrestling in 1991, hosting shows and calling the action on WCW’s weekly television shows. But by the mid-1990s, Bischoff had risen the ranks and became executive producer of WCW. He helped bring Hulk Hogan to the company and launched WCW Monday Nitro, the competitor to WWE’s Monday Night Raw that kicked off the infamous Monday Night War that helped make sports-entertainment a pop culture phenomenon.

Bischoff didn’t shy away from the camera either, joining up with 2020 WWE Hall of Fame inductees The nWo as they ran roughshod on the promotion. After WWE purchased WCW in 2001, he brought his brand of ruthless leadership to WWE in 2002 as the first General Manager of Monday Night Raw. His arrival was one of the most shocking moments in WWE history, and his time in charge of the red brand was defined by one simple phrase: “Controversy creates cash.”

Bischoff never strayed far away from controversy as General Manager, as he engaged in rivalries with the likes of “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and John Cena. He continued to innovate, as well, with concepts like Raw Roulette and the Elimination Chamber, which lives on as one of WWE’s annual pay-per-view events.

For Bischoff’s innovation behind the scenes and his memorable performance in front of the camera, there is no greater honor than induction into the WWE Hall of Fame.

Don’t miss Eric Bischoff take his place in the WWE Hall of Fame during the 2021 Induction Ceremony, Tuesday, April 6, streaming exclusively on Peacock in the United States and WWE Network everywhere else. The ceremony will honor both the 2020 and 2021 classes.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Andrade Breaks Silence On WWE Status Reports

Andrade says the reports on his WWE status are true.

As noted last week, Wrestling Inc. exclusively revealed that Andrade requested his WWE release while backstage at the March 8 edition of RAW. It was later reported that he looked “absolutely miserable” while at the taping. This was revealed after Andrade dropped the “WWE” from his Twitter handle and removed WWE from his bio.

Andrade broke his silence on Twitter this morning and said the rumors are true. He said he does not know what the future holds, but he wants his dreams to come true.

“The rumors are true and I don’t know what the future holds but I want to make my dreams come true. thank you for giving me so much support these last days Los rumores son ciertos y no se lo que me prepara el futuro, pero quiero hacer realidad mis sueños. Gracias por tanto apoyo [folded hands emoji],” he wrote.

There is no word yet on if WWE has changed their mind on granting Andrade’s release request, but it’s been reported that he would not be released. He is still listed as a RAW Superstar as of this writing on the official WWE roster page. Andrade was not backstage for this week’s RAW but that is not unusual as he has not been backstage for most shows since taking a hiatus last year.

Andrade, who is engaged to be married to Charlotte Flair, last appeared on the WWE Draft edition of RAW in October of last year. He was taken out by “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt in his last appearance. He then took some time off to undergo a minor procedure after the Draft, but was never officially drafted to RAW or SmackDown. Andrade was scheduled to be out of action for around a month, but has not been seen since then. There were rumors of a return to WWE NXT or a possible RAW storyline with Charlotte, but nothing ever came of those rumors.

After strong runs in Mexico and New Japan Pro Wrestling, WWE signed Andrade to work NXT in November 2015. He made his in-ring debut in January 2016 at a NXT live event, and had a successful run on the brand until being called up to SmackDown in April 2018 as a part of the Superstar Shake-Up. He is currently a one-time NXT Champion and a one-time WWE United States Champion. Andrade last wrestled on the October 12 RAW Draft show, which was a loss to Angel Garza.

https://twitter.com/AndradeElIdolo/status/1372539679053074435

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE NXT Preview 3/17/2021

Tonight’s WWE NXT episode on the USA Network will feature more build for the upcoming two-night “Takeover: Stand and Deliver” event during WrestleMania 37 Week.

WWE is teasing more in the new feud between Karrion Kross and NXT Champion Finn Balor for tonight’s episode.

It was previously announced that Leon Ruff vs. Isaiah “Swerve” Scott would be happening tonight, plus tag team action with Timothy Thatcher and Tommaso Ciampa vs. Imperium’s Marcel Barthel and Fabian Aichner, but the WWE website indicates that those matches may have been pulled, possibly due to the recent COVID-19 outbreak.

As of this writing the following matches are being advertised for tonight:

* Karrion Kross sets his sights on NXT Champion Finn Balor

* NXT Cruiserweight Champion Jordan Devlin returns to the United States to confront NXT Cruiserweight Champion Santos Escobar

* Austin Theory vs. Dexter Lumis

* LA Knight makes his NXT in-ring debut

WWE Announces New WrestleMania 37 Tickets On-Sale Date

WWE has announced that WrestleMania 37 tickets will finally go on sale this Friday, March 19 at 10am ET via Ticketmaster.

Tickets were originally scheduled to go on sale this past Tuesday, but WWE issued a statement saying the on-sale date would be pushed back as they were still working on finalizing plans for the big two-day event.

WWE also announced today that the WrestleMania 37 pre-sale will begin tomorrow, March 18 at 10am ET. Fans can register for the pre-sale by visiting wrestlemania.com/presale.

Ticketmaster previously confirmed that WrestleMania 37 will use socially-distanced pod seating at Raymond James Stadium. The following COVID-19 safety message was added to the WrestleMania 37 tickets page earlier this week:

“These events use seating in pods of 1 to 6 people per pod. Pods must be purchased in their entirety and may not be divided. Tickets in a pod may not be sold or transferred to anyone other than family/trusted acquaintances who have chosen to attend the event together, unless all such tickets (i.e., the full pod) are being sold or transferred to one party. Unless otherwise exempted by law, guests must wear a face covering – local venue rules apply.”

Ticketmaster also announced that all ticket buyers will have the chance to also purchase a commemorative WrestleMania 37 chair and a commemorative limited edition WrestleMania 37 magnet during the ticket purchasing process.

WrestleMania 37 will be limited to an overall ticket limit of 8 tickets. Night 1 and Night 2 will each have the 8 ticket limit. A door time of 4:30pm local time has been announced by Ticketmaster, while the start time of 6:30pm was listed.

As we’ve noted, the WrestleMania 37 combo and single tickets will range from $35 – $2,500, which is the same prices as last year.

WrestleMania 37 takes place on Saturday, April 10 and Sunday, April 11, from Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. For those who missed it, you can see the seating chart from Ticketmaster below but keep in mind this does not reflect what seats will be available for the show.

WWE has reportedly dropped the number of WrestleMania 37 tickets to just 25,000 for each night.

It was previously reported that WWE had plans for 45,000 fans for WrestleMania 37 Night 1 and Night 2, but now Eduardo Encina of The Tampa Bay Times reports that capacity for the big event will be just 25,000 fans for each of the two nights.

This is just 36% of full capacity for what WrestleMania would hold at Raymond James Stadium in a normal year without the pandemic. The stadium would usually be able to hold a maximum of 70,000 fans for WrestleMania, including floor seating.ADVERTISING

It was noted that WWE has dropped the number of seats to adhere to COVID-19 health and safety guidelines.

WWE has been working with local partners and government officials regarding COVID-19 safety protocols, according to the article. The NFL’s Super Bowl was also held at Raymond James Stadium last month and they had right at 38% capacity, and that crowd included 7,500 vaccinated healthcare workers.

WWE will give out free masks to fans as they enter the doors for WrestleMania 37. Wrestling Inc. previously reported on socially-distanced pod seating at this link. Additional health and safety protocols for WrestleMania 37 will include required masks, temperature checks, health screenings, cashless concessions and mobile ticketing.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE NXT Moving To Tuesday Nights Update

While not official as of this writing, it looks like the so-called Wednesday Night War between WWE NXT and AEW Dynamite will be coming to an end next month.

We noted earlier this month how there were reports of NXT moving to Tuesday nights on the USA Network. In an update, PWInsider has confirmed with WWE sources that the first NXT episode coming out of WrestleMania 37 Weekend is scheduled to air on Tuesday, April 13 on the USA Network.

It was noted that the internal production calendar for WrestleMania 37 Week currently has a taping scheduled for Tuesday, April 13.

NXT moving to Tuesday nights would put the show head-to-head against Impact Wrestling on AXS. NXT will likely remain in the 8pm time slot, the same time that Impact hits the air.

NXT has a two-night “Takeover: Stand and Deliver” event scheduled for WrestleMania 37 Week. Night 1 will air on Wednesday, April 7, and that looks to be the final NXT broadcast for Wednesday nights. Night 2 will air on Thursday, April 8, via Peacock and the WWE Network.

There’s no word on when WWE plans to announce the move to Tuesday nights.

WWE RAW Preview 3/15/21

Tonight’s WWE RAW on the USA Network will feature the go-home build for Sunday’s WWE Fastlane pay-per-view.

WWE has announced two title matches for tonight’s show. WWE United States Champion Riddle will defend against Mustafa Ali, while RAW Tag Team Champions Shelton Benjamin and Cedric Alexander will defend against The New Day.

WWE is also teasing that we will find out what’s next for WWE Champion Bobby Lashley now that The All Mighty Era has begun on RAW.

WWE SmackDown Preview 3/12/21

Tonight’s WWE SmackDown on FOX will see the roads to Fastlane and WrestleMania 37 continue.

WWE Looking To Have 45,000 Fans Each Night For WrestleMania 37, Start Times And Seating Chart Revealed

WWE officials are looking to have 45,000 fans at Raymond James Stadium for each night of WrestleMania 37.

A few months ago the hope was to put 30,000 fans inside Raymond James Stadium, according to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, but at a meeting held this past week a new goal of 45,000 fans each night was set.

The city of Tampa held a meeting on Wednesday, March 10 with representatives from local hotels and they were told that WWE is pushing to run Raymond James Stadium at 75% capacity on both nights of WrestleMania, Saturday, April 10 and Sunday, April 11. The capacity for a WrestleMania with the stage would have been 60,000, which is where the 45,000 figure comes from.

WWE usually exaggerates the announced attendance number for WrestleMania events, so it’s possible that they go with a number between 70,000 and 75,000, but it will depend on what is best for public relations. They may not exaggerate the number as high as they usually do because of the COVID-19 pandemic and how that would look.

WrestleMania 37 tickets will go on sale this coming Tuesday. 

Fans will be limited to purchasing 8 tickets for WrestleMania 37 Night 1 and Night 2 when tickets go on sale next Tuesday at 10am ET via Ticketmaster.

The Ticketmaster website notes that there is an overall limit of 8 tickets for the individual Night 1 and Night 2 events, and the same limit goes for the combo tickets that include admission to both nights.

Ticketmaster has also revealed the start time for WrestleMania 37. The doors to Raymond James Stadium are scheduled to open at 4:30pm and the start time is listed as 6:30pm as of this writing.

The listed start time could be for the main card. The WrestleMania 36 Kickoff pre-show started at 6pm on both nights last year, while the main card began at 7pm. WWE will likely clarify the start times in a few weeks once the card is updated.

The combo and single tickets will range from $35 – $2,500, which is the same prices as last year. Fans can sign-up to be notified about the ticket pre-sale via this link.

WWE is now using “Back In Business” as a tagline for WrestleMania 37. It was noted that additional WrestleMania 37 Week events will be announced soon. WWE will also be announcing details on COVID-19 safety protocols in the coming weeks.

WrestleMania 37 takes place on Saturday, April 10 and Sunday, April 11, from Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.

You can see the WrestleMania 37 seating chart from Ticketmaster below, along with the promo for tickets going on sale next Tuesday:

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Asuka Reportedly Dealing With A Concussion

RAW Women’s Champion Asuka is still out of action because she’s reportedly dealing with a concussion.

Asuka lost a tooth in taking the stiff kick to the mouth from WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion Shayna Baszler during the February 22 RAW show, but she also suffered a concussion during that spot, according to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

There’s no word on when Asuka might be medically cleared to compete, and there’s still enough time that she might be able to work WrestleMania 37, but that is not a given.

WWE has plans for Charlotte Flair to challenge for the RAW Women’s Title at WrestleMania, but that will depend on Asuka’s health. This is the second time that Flair’s WrestleMania 37 match has been put in jeopardy as they originally had her scheduled to feud with Lacey Evans, but Evans is now pregnant.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE NXT To Remain On Wednesday Nights?

The Walt Disney Company, which owns ESPN and ABC, announced a seven-year rights agreement with the NHL that is worth $400 million per year. This is double the price that NBC Universal has with the NHL.

The NHL is still negotiating with other companies for a second rights package as their deal with ESPN is mostly for streaming and only half of the NHL playoffs. NBC previously had exclusive rights to the NHL in a 10-year deal worth around $2 billion, which expires in October.

NHL games had been airing on Wednesday nights on the NBC Sports Network, which will be shutting down this year. With the network shutting down, it was expected that the Wednesday Night NHL games would likely move to the USA Network, which would result in the weekly WWE NXT show moving to Tuesdays.

NBC is still in negotiations with the NHL for the other half of the rights package. Fox Sports and CBS are also expected to put in bids. According to Sports Business Journal, negotiations between NBC and the NHL “had been strained over the past several weeks, especially as it pertains to price.”

If NBCU does secure the rights to the NHL, then NXT will likely move to Tuesdays. However if the rights go to FOX Sports or CBS, then it’s possible that NXT will remain on Wednesdays head-to-head with AEW Dynamite.

It is expected that once the NFL’s television rights are finalized in the next couple of weeks, it will be more clear where the three networks stand with the NHL package.

Source: Wrestling Inc.