Based on fan feedback since February 2024, the top two locations that fans want a major live TNA show are New York City and Los Angeles.
Just based on population statistics that show most Americans live on the East Coast I'd guess NYC wins. But LA and California have a lot of people too.
I can see them paying a little something based on the website info. They also appear to be filming content of these people to use in future video packages.
WWE will provide the most prominent independent wrestling schools in the U.S. with the "WWE ID" official designation, with the goal of guiding new trainees and existing talent at these select institutions with enhanced developmental opportunities.
WWE ID will identify the top independent wrestling prospects with an official "WWE ID Prospect" designation and support their developmental journey. WWE ID will give fans the opportunity to follow the paths of these standout prospects on the independent wrestling scene through curated, behind-the-scenes content, as well as highlights and matches showcased across WWE's social platforms.
The schools in question:
- Reality of Wrestling (Booker T)
- Elite Pro Wrestling Training Center
- Nightmare Factory (Cody Rhodes)
- KnokX Pro Entertainment & Academy (Reno Anoa'i & Rikishi)
- Black & Brave Academy (Seth Rollins)
They cover most of the country with those facilities.
Info from WWE ID recruitment portal. link
This came up in the locked topic... The WWE ID stuff... how does everyone understand it to work?
From what I've gathered...
WWE shows interest in a person but not enough to sign them to NXT. Instead they receive a contract that gives WWE right of first refusal, so if AEW or MLW came calling WWE could match the offer and sign them to NXT or pass on them. While under the WWE ID contract they continue doing what they are already doing otherwise.
I think PWInsider also reported some WWE ID creative/stories will take place in independent events, but I can't confirm that as I read it in passing and now can't find it.
I just don't understand keeping somebody you don't want to use. It's just stupid. I understand they signed the contract, but those contracts are crap. I also don't run two multi-million-dollar sports franchises and don't have all the data and info that TK has either but as an outsider, it looks McMahon levels of petty.
What does losing Starks to WWE hurt? Nothing, Tony has something like 200 on the roster, and I think somebody calculated he only uses about 80 of them. Just cut your losses and send him packing, it's a win-win because it saves AEW money to use on Final Countdown when Bobblehead Bryan wants to come back.
I mean it's gotta be as good as watching a colony of ants or a family of Ice Cream's wrestle... man I miss Chikara.
I don't want to be mean, but when she returns can she spend a year in NXT? I really thought moving to WWE was going to be good for her because she could go to NXT, but they rushed her to the main roster and it shows. I like her, she's unique, and teaming with Bianca hasn't been horrible, although it does seem a waste for Bianca to be put back down the card that far.
They could bring in Enzo and team him with Caster, talk about live mic roulette each week.
Just some thoughts:
-
I sometimes forget just how great Roderick Strong really is.
-
I think it's tiring when the announce team mentions Mercedes' love of Eddy in every match.
-
I also think Mercedes would be a good fit for MVP.
-
What are the odds that Mercedes holds onto the TBS Title until she beats Jade Cargill's record?
-
NJPW Jay White was on tonight and I love to see it.
-
Who won Kyle Fletcher and Will Ospreay, everyone who watched it, that's who.
Well yeah, his character is basically Mox Lite.
What do they do with them if they break up is my biggest concern.
I loved Caster trying to get Bowens to pin him, surely that would have worked right, right?
Why does nobody from the Embassy like Nana, I wish they had grabbed somebody from it just as a surprise, they could have gotten taken out too, but saved Nana.
I think it would have been better storytelling to have Nana escape but now everybody knows they are going to kill him, then when they finally get him Swerve can go all Super Swerve on them to end the feud.
Who is collecting these things? If this had been something he did while Champ I could see it, but this seems to be a modern invention and isn't, in my opinion, worth considering.
I've put a lot of effort into making plex posters that match/have a uniform look for 90% of my library, from what I've seen this will make all that useless as they switch to what appears to be fanart only. I don't necessarily care for that change.
I used to get detention or once in school suspension for doing the DX crotch chops.... now the woman who helped put those on TV is going to be head of the US Education system... can I get a retroactive pardon on those chops?
It's certainly a shocking number when you consider this used to be the number 2 company in America regularly pulling in over a million viewers.
TNA's more like a 0.02 rating. The AI Chatbots say average of 82k, but I found some ratings from last year:
https://ustvdb.com/networks/axs/shows/impact-wrestling/
EDIT: Here's some updated ratings: https://ustvdb.com/networks/axs/shows/tna-impact/
I don't want to shade TNA, I still enjoy their product, but their viewership is already low due to the channel they are on, so I don't imagine moving AEW/ROH to Thursday kills them even if it is head-to-head.
Honestly Sling looks like it's already on borrowed time, so it'll be nice for people that have it to be able to jump.
Dish Network and DirecTV's merger deal looks like it's not happening, which leaves Dish/Sling looking at possible bankruptcy again.
I did appreciate WWE bringing in Little Guido/Nunzio to do some stuff with Tony D'Angelo, just two wise guys showing each other respect...
WWE Releases Baron Corbin, Indi Hartwell, and Tegan Nox
PWInsider with the rest.
>Corbin, a former NFL star and Golden Gloves boxer, 40, was signed to WWE in 2012 and was part of the initial WWE NXT Black and Gold roster that helped kick off that brand's WWE Network era. He was brought to the main roster with an Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal win at Wrestlemania 32. He held the United States title and had several character changes over his run from a Lone Wolf badass, to a sad, broken comedy character that morphed into "Happy Corbin" after hitting it big in Las Vegas. In recent months, Corbin was billed as a free agent and returned to NXT as a veteran working with the younger talents. He was more versatile than given credit for and was a good utility player for the company in that he filled any role they tasked him with.
>Hartwell, 28, signed with WWE in 2019 and was most memorably a member of The Way with on-screen husband Dexter Lumis and adopted "parents" Johnny Gargano and Candice LaRae in NXT. She was brought to the main roster in 2023. Her final match for the company, teaming with LaRae, will air on tonight's Smackdown.
>Nox, 29, signed with WWE in 2017 but tore her ACL during the Mae Young Classic tournament that year. She made her main roster debut for WWE in 2021 but suffered another torn ACL. She was released in 2021 but brought back in 2022. She last wrestled for the company this past July.
That states these are the only three that were going to be released today.
WWE Announce Rhea Ripley Injury
Last night on NXT, Rhea Ripley was heinously attacked in the parking lot by Women's World Champion Liv Morgan and her enforcer Raquel Rodriguez. Following the brutal attack, it has been revealed that The Nightmare has suffered a fractured right orbital socket, which will put Ripley out of action for...
Inside the WWE Writers Room, ‘A Kingdom Ruled by Fear’
Six former writers for the shows 'SmackDown!' and 'Monday Night RAW' describe bullying and sexism behind the scenes while former CEO was in charge.
> Six former writers for the organization’s long-running shows SmackDown! and Monday Night RAW describe bullying and sexism behind the scenes while former CEO Vince McMahon was in charge
> “Everybody was getting yelled at all the time in the room,” one former writer says. “It was more saying shit that was humiliating or mean [that was then] couched as a joke, but it’s a nasty joke.” The writer adds, “If you’re being targeted in the room, nobody stands up for you, but that’s because if they do, they will get the bullet in the head, too. You don’t stick your head up out of the foxhole for anybody, because nobody wants to take a bullet.”
Former RoH COO Joe Koff Passes Away
PWInsider.com is extremely saddened to report the passing of Joe Koff, who was the The Chief Operating Officer of Ring of Honor when it was owned by The Sinclair Broadcast Group. Joe had been privately battling cancer for some time and made the decision in August that he was going to discontinue treatment in order to enhance the quality of time he had left with his family. Koff passed away early this morning.
New NXT Opening and Logo
Spoiler Title
New titles to put the new silver logo on them were introduced as well before the first match.
Killswitch/Luchasaurus Hospitalized
> An AEW star is in rough shape after a scary medical situation. Former AEW Trios, Tag Team and TNT champion Luchasaurus, aka Killswitch is recovering after his fiance found him collapsed on Friday, September 27. He was rushed to the hospital where they found his blood oxygen below 80 percent and determined he had pneumonia in both longs. It was discovered that he was days away from permanent lung damage. Killswitch has been on oxygen in the days that have followed, and was told to expect a recovery of over a month. His in-ring return is unclear. Fightful gained permission from those close to Killswitch/Luchasaurus before running this article.
WWE Bringing Back Saturday Night's Main Event on NBC & Peacock
WWE's iconic series "Saturday Night's Main Event" is set to return to NBC on Dec. 14
Variety has learned that the pro wrestling series will air live on NBC and simulcast on Peacock on Dec. 14 at 8 p.m. ET. It will originate from the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on Long Island, N.Y., the site of the first-ever “Saturday Night’s Main Event” back in 1985.
Puck Claims AEW TV Deal with WBD COULD be Announced Next Week
Puck: A Premium Entertainment Industry newsletter as reported by PWInsider... so Puck made a story, PWInsider reported what was in it... here we go...
>AEW's deal with WBD is "close to finalizing a package" and a formal announcement "could come as soon as next week, barring any last-minute challenges."
>It looks like it will be a four-year deal (three years guaranteed, plus an option)" with AEW broadcasts on "TNT, TBS and TruTV."
>broadcasts would be "twice a week" but did not give further explanation of what that meant
>$170 million per year number is "apparently in the ballpark"
>"AEW is also pitching another package, primarily to broadcast channels."
No details on the PPV's being added to the deal or not.
Rich Swann Suspended by TNA after Being Arrested in June
EDIT: Link to Post Wrestling Article
PWInsider is quoting PostWrestling.com but it's Mike Johnson so the story is likely vetted.
>PostWrestling.com is reporting that TNA has suspended former TNA Champion Rich Swann after they became aware that Swann was arrested this past June and charged with disorderly public intoxication and causing a disturbance, a misdemeanor offense. TNA stated to PostWrestling.com that they were not aware of Swann's 6/8 arrest until being asked for comment.
>Swann was released on a $250 bond on 6/9. He has a case hearing this week in Florida.
>It should be noted that on his Facebook page, Swann has posted numerous times in recent months that he has been alcohol free, which would line up with right after the arrest.
>“TNA Wrestling takes any and all charges against its performers seriously,” TNA told POST Wrestling in a statement. “Rich Swann is responsible for his own personal actions. He has informed TNA Wrestling that he is voluntarily entering into a substance abuse rehabilitation program. TNA Wrestling has suspended Rich pending the completion of its investigation into the incidents.”
>Swann had been paired with AJ Francis as First Class in recent months.
WWE Officials Met With Hardy Boyz
No word on what was discussed, but we have also heard some content was filmed to be rolled out via WWE digital as well.
The Hardys are scheduled for this weekend's TNA tapings and are signing today at Wrestlecon's Destination Cleveland.
WWE Hall Of Famer Gone From WWE
WWE Hall of Famer Beth Phoenix is no longer under contract to WWE, PWInsider.com has confirmed with multiple sources.
Phoenix last wrestled for the company in 2023 and had also been working as an announcer.
I copied their headline, but man is it worded dumb when they could just say Beth Phoenix has departed the company. But they wouldn't get a click that way.
WWE Raw Will Air on SyFy for the Next 2 Weeks, Due to Olympic Coverage
Due to USA Network coverage of the 2024 Olympic Games, WWE Monday Night Raw will shift over to Syfy for the next two Mondays.
It will return to USA on Monday 8/12.
What Do You Want to Talk About? Cody Rhodes Interviews Bayley
> Cody Rhodes sits down with Bayley to discuss her upbringing, career struggles, the possibility of WWE Evolution Pt. 2, and more, presented by Wheatley American Vodka.
Jamie Kellner, Exec Who Canceled WCW Television, Passes Away
Broadcasting Executive Jamie Kellner, who helped to launch both FOX and the now defunct WB Network passed away this weekend according to multiple reports, including Variety.
In the professional wrestling periphery, Kellner is best known as the executive who took over Turner Broadcasting after parent company Time Warner merged with AOL - making the decision to cancel World Championship Wrestling programming, including Monday Nitro on TNT, Thunder on TBS and WCW Saturday Night.
Ricochet Will Exit WWE
PWInsider.com has confirmed with multiple sources that WWE's Ricochet has given notice that he intends to exit the company when his current contract expires this summer. We are told that Ricochet is expected to be written out of WWE storylines very soon in advance of the contract expiration. Ricochet is currently part of WWE's Raw brand.
...
One source we spoke with said they were giving Ricochet "all the credit in the world for betting on himself." One would think he'll quickly be a hot commodity as a free agent.
Eddie Kingston Injury Update, It's Not Good (Tore ACL/Miniscus Too)
> Kingston suffered a tibular fracture working for New Japan Pro Wrestling several weeks back in California. > >Kingston confirmed that he suffered tears to his ACL and meniscus as well. They will require surgery. > >While Kingston had hoped to be back by AEW's All In: London, his post-surgery recovery will likely mean he will be out closer to nine months.
Cash Wheeler Case Dismissed, Prosecutors Don't Want to Go to Trial
Next week's scheduled trial against AEW's Daniel "Cash" Wheeler will not go forward, PWInsider.com has confirmed.
This afternoon, the Prosecutor's office filed "Nolle Prosequi."
The Latin phrase is used in court records as a legal notice that the Prosecution in a legal case has opted to drop and abandon the case. There is no word as to why the Prosecutors made that decision or why it took them until the week before the trial to drop prosecution.
As of this morning, there was a pre-trial hearing set for tomorrow afternoon at 2 PM and a trial slated for 5/20. All of that has been canceled. Wheeler's bond has been released and the case was officially closed as of 3 PM this afternoon.
WWE Releases - 04/19/2024
Vince McMahon Puts All Remaining Shares in TKO up for Sale
TKO Group filed a SEC filing this evening, revealing that all of Vince McMahon's remaining stock in TKO Group are now registered for sale, potentially opening the door for McMahon to exit as an owner if all of the stock is eventually sold.
McMahon currently holds about 5% of the stock and has been greatly selling off stock since his resignation for the company, building a massive cash warchest.