WWE Announces New Virtual Reality Experiences For Fans

WWE issued the following today:

NextVR and WWE® Bring Fans Closer to the Action with Virtual Reality

01/09/2018

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. & STAMFORD, Conn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– NextVR, the leader in broadcasting live events in virtual reality, and WWE today announced a new partnership to bring fans unique WWE experiences in virtual reality, featuring highlights from select 2018 WWE special events.

The virtual reality experiences will be approximately 10 minutes in length and available for free to fans globally on a new WWE channel within the NextVR app following each event. The content will provide fans with a completely new experience, featuring highlights from WWE’s biggest events including the excitement of the fans, athleticism of WWE’s larger-than-life Superstars, pivotal moments, epic showdowns and surprise appearances, giving them the opportunity to see the action as if they were there live.

“WWE is amazing in VR, and we know fans are going to love it,” said David Cole, NextVR CEO. “Our patented VR broadcasting pipeline will bring fans ringside with WWE Superstars to experience the electrifying energy and spectacle firsthand.”

“We are always looking to create compelling content across platforms, and we are excited to partner with NextVR to bring our fans closer to the action than ever before,” said Michelle Wilson, WWE Chief Revenue & Marketing Officer. “As the technology behind virtual reality continues to evolve, this is a unique opportunity for us to partner with NextVR, a leader in this space, to provide new experiences to our passionate fans around the world.”

For each production, NextVR will work alongside WWE’s award-winning TV and production team to position NextVR’s custom virtual reality cameras throughout each event to capture the most immersive views of WWE action.

Fans with a Samsung GearVR headset or Google Daydream View, along with a compatible smartphone, PlayStation VR, or Windows Mixed Reality can download the free NextVR app from the corresponding platform store to access the free highlights.

Steve Austin And More Big Names Revealed For WWE RAW 25 Episode

WWE has confirmed more big names for the RAW 25th Anniversary episode that takes place on January 22nd from two locations in New York City – the Barclays Center in Brooklyn and the Manhattan Center.

 Below is the updated list of non-regulars scheduled to appear that night and a new promo for the show.

* Free agent John Cena

* WWE Universal Champion Brock Lesnar

* The Undertaker

* WWE Hall of Famers Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler

* WWE Hall of Famers Kevin Nash and Scott Hall

* WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair

* The Bella Twins

* JBL and Ron Simmons

* The Dudley Boyz

* WWE Hall of Famer Steve Austin

* DX: WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels, Triple H and The New Age Outlaws

The video doesn’t mention Sting but there is a crow just after The Undertaker. Could this be a hint that we could see Sting at RAW 25?

RAW Preview 1/8/18

Tonight’s WWE RAW will take place from the FedExForum in Memphis, TN as the road to the Royal Rumble continues.

The Miz returns tonight on RAW and Universal Champion Brock Lesnar is scheduled to appear.

* The Miz is ready for his close-up

* Who will be next to challenge Roman Reigns?

* Will Team Red’s titans wreak havoc once again?

* What’s next for Finn Balor and his “good brothers”?

* How will Alexa Bliss bounce back from her defeat to Asuka?

* Enzo Amore to defend his Cruiserweight Championship against Cedric Alexander

NJPW Owner Wants To Work With WWE?

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NJPW Owner, Takaaki Kidani, spoke to Tokyo Sports about some future goals he has with NJPW. @STRIGGA of Purolove.com provided the translations. Kidani hopes to continue filling out the Tokyo Dome, eventually filling the seats in the outfield, but to do that he’ll need more young Japanese stars, and a heavyweight star in his twenties. Between a rising fan base and sales in 2018, Kidani continued that NJPW will have more money to pay wrestlers and are looking to continue to bring in wrestlers who had a relationship with WWE until “the other side” says “let’s get along.” Clearly, bringing in Chris Jericho had a positive impact on the company’s bottom line and overseas exposure as NJPW has already lined him up to face Tetsuya Naito.

Source: WrestlingINC

Backstage Update On Enzo Amore’s WWE Status After Getting Sick, How Bad Braun Strowman Was Last Week

WWE Cruiserweight Champion Enzo Amore missed Monday’s RAW title match with #1 contender Cedric Alexander due to a bad case of the flu. Enzo was also pulled from the Mixed Match Challenge, which begins on January 16th.

Enzo reportedly got sick while in Toronto over the weekend with WWE for the annual holiday live event tour. He had been wrestling Kalisto all week but did not wrestle in Toronto. The Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that Enzo got sick while in Toronto but he did not want to go to the hospital there. He then flew to Miami for RAW on New Year’s Eve and ended up going to the hospital on New Year’s Day. He checked himself out of the hospital on Monday and went to the arena for RAW but officials didn’t want him there because they were worried that he might be contagious.

There was concern backstage after Braun Strowman had left the tour earlier in the week due to the flu but was back for RAW. The Observer notes that Braun was said to be violently ill. As Raj noted before, there were other wrestlers that were sick backstage on Monday and several were given an IV. It was not confirmed that they had the flu or another illness but many skipped going out on New Year’s Eve the night before because they were sick.

No word yet on when Enzo will be back in the ring but it could be this weekend as he has been medically cleared. No word yet on why he was pulled from the Mixed Match Challenge, which doesn’t begin for another 2 weeks. The match with Cedric is still expected to take place when Enzo returns.

Source: WrestlingINC

Jim Ross & Jerry “The King” Lawler Confirmed To Be At WWE RAW 25th Anniversary

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WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross confirmed on Twitter yesterday that he and fellow Hall of Famer Jerry Lawler are booked to be at the RAW 25th Anniversary episode on January 22nd in New York City.

 JR did not confirm that he and Lawler will be reuniting for TV but that has been the speculation. Lawler just noted on Twitter this week that he was still hoping to reunite with JR at the special event.

The RAW 25th Anniversary will air live from New York City at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn and the Manhattan Center Grand Ballroom, the original home of RAW. Superstars confirmed as of this writing include The Undertaker, WWE Hall of Famer Kevin Nash, Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels, John Cena, WWE Universal Champion Brock Lesnar, WWE Intercontinental Champion Roman Reigns, RAW Tag Team Champion Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose, Asuka, Braun Strowman, RAW Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss, Samoa Joe, Sheamus, Cesaro, Kane and RAW General Manager Kurt Angle. SmackDown Superstars are also advertised – WWE Champion AJ Styles, Randy Orton and Jinder Mahal.

Source: WrestlingINC

WWE’s Mixed Match Challenge Will Feature Beth Phoenix On Commentary

beth phoenix wwe mixed match challenge facebook commentary team

Mixed Match Challenge — WWE‘s upcoming show on Facebook — will feature a fresh face on the commentary team, Hall of Famer Beth Phoenix.

Renee Young and Byron Saxton appropriately announced the show’s commentary team on Facebook Live and revealed that Beth will be joined by Corey Graves and Michael Cole.

It’s unclear if the former Women’s Champion inked a full-time deal with the company or if this is just a guest-stint during the show’s 12-week run.

MMC premieres January 16 at 10 ET.

 

Source: Pro Wrestling Sheet

WWE U.S. Championship Tournament Brackets Revealed, Winner To Be Crowned At Royal Rumble

united states championship tournament brackets revealed

Below is a new WWE Now video with Cathy Kelley revealing that the finals of the WWE United States Title tournament will take place at the January 28th Royal Rumble pay-per-view in Philadelphia.

 SmackDown General Manager Daniel Bryan announced the tournament on this week’s SmackDown after ruling that Dolph Ziggler had relinquished the title, just days after winning it at Clash of Champions.

Bobby Roode and Jinder Mahal won matches on this week’s SmackDown to advance to the second round. Other first round matches include Xavier Woods vs. Aiden English and Zack Ryder vs. Mojo Rawley. You can see the tournament brackets below:

First Round

Bobby Roode defeated Baron Corbin

Zack Ryder vs. Mojo Rawley

Jinder Mahal defeated Tye Dillinger

Xavier Woods vs. Aiden English

Second Round

Bobby Roode vs. Mojo Rawley or Zack Ryder

Jinder Mahal vs. Xavier Woods or Aiden English

Finals

Bobby Roode or Zack Ryder or Mojo Rawley vs. Jinder Mahal or Xavier Woods or Aiden English

Finn Balor Says His Main Future Goal Is To Create Another Alter Ego

On the WWE Network’s Table For 3, The Hardy Boyz, Matt and Jeff, sat down for a meal with fellow WWE Superstar Finn Bálor. Among many other things, Finn and Jeff talked about the use of face paint in their presentations. Also, Finn discussed his future goals and Jeff discussed the possibility of facing off against ‘The Demon King’.

On the subject of face/body paint, Finn indicated that his demon persona helps him manage insecurities.

“It’s very hard to explain, but it’s almost like putting on a mask protects you from people’s judgments and lets you completely flow freely, like, with all your aggression and our animosity against anything. And I think everyone, deep down, has insecurities issues, especially in this business. And I find that maybe getting to hide behind the paint, so to speak, kind of protects you from those insecurities and helps me channel a different side of my personality that isn’t always available to me.”

Moreover, Finn noted that he did not know that the paint would change his body language and demeanor.

“I didn’t realize how much the paint was going to affect how I moved and how I walked. And it wasn’t something that consciously happened. It was because the first time I’d done it was a Tokyo Dome show, I want to say in 2013-14, and I walked out there and I was a completely different person. I hadn’t rehearsed anything, planned anything, but I remember walking to the ring almost in a limp and I was like, ‘why the hell am I limping?’ It was almost as though the paint took control and it changes the direction your mind moves in.”

Jeff agreed with Finn with respect to face paint, saying that it allows him to be free as a performer.

“Every time I paint my face, I’ve always thought of it as my alien skin, the reptilian inside me that makes me different. When I think of aliens, I think of the skin, like, the abstract piece I do on my face, it doesn’t matter. I’m just in such a free zone. I’m just so at peace with myself when I’m doing it. And then, when I do the deal when I close my eyes, and take a picture, I go, ‘tonight, that is my canvas. My face is my canvas.’ Then, I get that, man. You go out there and you’re just more somehow, like, because you’re not your normal self. And to me, it just feels artistically free to express yourself and don’t have a care in the world about what anybody else is thinking! And so, I would be, on purpose, I would be real messy, a lot of the time, with neon, glow-in-the-dark paint. Even after I’d paint my face, I’d go smear it all over my hands and give people confidence not to care at that point in time and just have faith and confidence in yourself and just roll with it.”

As for future goals Finn claimed that he would like to continue to evolve his character. The inaugural WWE Universal Champion stated that his main goal is to create another alter ego for himself.

“Obviously, seeing [the Hardys] continue to evolve the last 25 years, that inspires me to keep evolving my character. And I’m quite happy with how I’m doing at the moment, but I’m always trying to push myself to create something new and I think my main goal going forward over the next five, 10 years would be maybe create another alter ego like you guys have.”

Additionally, Jeff said that he hopes a match between ‘The Enigma’ and ‘The Demon King’ is “inevitable”.

“I’ve heard it a lot, man, and people are kind of waiting to see us, like, ‘I can’t wait to see ‘The Enigma’ and ‘The Demon’ in the ring at the same time’ with painted up faces. Hopefully, that’s inevitable, so we’ll see.”

Sources: WWE, Table For 3  with H/T to WrestlingINC

Backstage News On A Major Potential WrestleMania 34 Match

Image result for WrestleMania 34

It was recently revealed that the main event for the SmackDown-branded WWE Fastlane pay-per-view in March will be AJ Styles defending the WWE Championship in a five-way match against Randy Orton, Shinsuke Nakamura, Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn. While it’s not a lock, that would suggest that Orton, Nakamura, Owens and Zayn aren’t winning The Royal Rumble match in January, since it wouldn’t make sense for them to challenge for the title at Fastlane and then again at WrestleMania.

There had been speculation that Styles would be defending his WWE Championship against John Cena at WrestleMania 34, with the storyline being that Cena would be trying to break Ric Flair’s recognized record of 16 World title reigns. According to Dave Meltzer in the latest edition of The Wrestling Observer Newsletter , Cena will not be facing Styles at the event as Cena “is in a much bigger match than Styles.” He added that while he doesn’t know exactly who Cena will be facing, he was told that the match will be clear within a few weeks.

Meltzer noted that the only names he could come up with to be facing Cena were The Undertaker, Batista, Goldberg or Hulk Hogan, however it would be a surprise with Hogan given his controversy with his leaked racist rant, as well as his issues with his back. It is expected that some angles for the top WrestleMania matches will be shot at the 25th anniversary of RAW on Monday, January 22, 2018. The special will emanate from both the Barclays Center and the Manhattan Center in New York City, and will feature appearances by The Undertaker, Kevin Nash and Shawn Michaels, among others.

Source: WrestlingINC