MLW Underground will not have a second season Reelz according to a report.
PWInsider reports Reelz issued a statement saying that both parties has agreed that MLW was not a fit for the network and that no further discussions are taking place with regard to a second season.
The statement is a follow-up to one issued in April saying Reelz were in discussions with MLW with regard to future seasons airing on the network after Underground’s initial 13-week run on the channel.
During Underground’s run on Reelz, the network reached an agreement with NBCUniversal’s Peacock service to air a Reelz stream. As WWE and Peacock have an exclusivity agreement regarding wrestling programming appearing on the service, Reelz was blacked out on Peacock during the two-hour MLW time block.
Reelz’s statement to PWInsider reads:
“We evaluated wrestling on REELZ and decided that it was not a great fit with the current programming direction of the network and MLW agreed so there are no further conversations taking place.”
Reelz is available in 40 million US homes according to their website. The network’s hit show is On Patrol Live, which garnered an average of 689,000 viewers (0.22 rating) and 131,900 18-49 year-old viewers (0.1 rating) over its two episodes last weekend.
After several months away, new MLW content will return to beIN Sports and YouTube next month.
On a graphic displayed on Tuesday’s season finale of MLW Underground on Reelz, it was announced that Fusion will return to its former broadcast homes on Thursday, May 25th.
Several weeks ago, MLW announced Fusion would return but didn’t provide any details at the time. After MLW Underground debuted on Reelz earlier this year, new episodes of Fusion, Fusion: Alpha and MLW Azteca ceased on beIN and YouTube in February without any mention as to why.
Reelz releases statement on MLW future
Speaking of Reelz, the network released a statement to PWInsider Wednesday regarding their future with MLW that didn’t give any real idea as to what their future together may hold.
A spokesperson said, “Season 1 has ended and we are continuing talks for season 2.”
MLW content on Reelz has to be blacked out when airing on Peacock due to WWE’s exclusive partnership with the NBCUniversal-owned streaming service — something that was mentioned in MLW’s revamped ongoing lawsuit against WWE.
In March, there was confusion as to the future of the MLW/Reelz relationship following a statement released to Variety that indicated MLW would be done airing there after this month. Both MLW and Reelz denied releasing the statement.
Richard Holliday is a free agent, but MLW will welcome him back if he wants to return.
MLW founder Court Bauer revealed the news during a Tuesday appearance on Busted Open Radio, saying Holliday’s contract expired during his chemotherapy treatments which were completed earlier this year.
Holliday revealed last December that he was diagnosed with stage four Hodgkins lymphoma. He has been with MLW since 2018 and signed a multi-year deal in May 2020.
Bauer said the two sides stay in regular touch and that Holliday’s recovery has gone well. He said he told Holliday that “a seat is warm for him” in MLW when, and if, he wants to return.
MLW & Reelz
On the future of MLW Underground and Reelz following the recent questions around its future, Bauer said it’s “business as usual” without giving any clear answer on the future of the partnership.
“A month and a half ago, a press release came out and put up a lot of question marks. It’s been business as usual. People try to connect dots and that’s always the way things have been in wrestling,” he said.
He said they will do a season finale on Reelz as they have done in the past on BeIn which he expects people to read into when it comes to their future with Reelz.
Live TV shows
Bauer said the company will do live televised events and it’s something they have been working on prior to the pandemic. He said they have received bids and should be announcing something this summer but didn’t specify whether that would be on Reelz, a different provider, or pay-per-view.
While there is still no clarity on the long-term relationship between MLW and Reelz, the former did announce that Battle Riot V will appear on the network this April.
A spot during this week’s MLW Underground stated the annual 40-man match for a future MLW Championship shot would air “this spring” on Reelz. On Twitter Wednesday, they announced the airdate will be on Tuesday, April 25th in their usual time slot.
The event is set to be taped on Saturday, April 8th at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The questions surrounding MLW and Reelz are due to Reelz’ new relationship with Peacock. Because WWE has an exclusive arrangement with Peacock, MLW’s weekly Underground TV has to be blacked out when it airs on the streaming service.
Variety reported that MLW would wrap up with Reelz in early-April after a ten-week run. Both sides denied making the statement to Variety and a Reelz representative said, “No decisions have been made by MLW or Reelz and we are both committed to a good outcome for MLW, its fans and Reelz.”
However, that non-committal to their future raised questions as to how long MLW will remain on Reelz due to the Peacock exclusivity.
MLW is still involved in a lawsuit against WWE and in an amended complaint, they used this situation to attempt to bolster their claims.
Thus far, seven episodes have aired of MLW Underground TV. Shortly after the new show began, new episodes of MLW Fusion ceased on former network partner BeIn.
*The biggest issue of the year, the 2022 Awards issue is up on the site
*Winners and top ten finishes in dozens of categories related to both pro wrestling and MMA as well as as listing of everyone who had won an award dating back to 1980. We also have comments on the voting in the major categories and notes on different career breakthroughs.
*Match of the week and performer of the week
*Full coverage of Elimination Chamber, the decision on the main event, the WrestleMania direction, different options, WrestleMania ticket demand, records set at Chamber, and Tony Khan and Ariel Helwani
*Coverage of Keiji Muto’s retirement at the Tokyo Dome with the unique storytelling in the main event and some great matches underneath
*Mercedes Mone returns after nine months to win the IWGP women’s title with full coverage of New Japan in San Jose, Mone’s future in Japan, who is in for a major push in Stardom, notes on Stardom’s upcoming biggest show in its history and some of the top matches
*The most detailed look at the TV ratings over the past week for all wrestling shows, including segment by segment, why AEW Dynamite and WWE Raw were up and other notes
*Mercedes Mone talks coming to Stardom
*Stardom tournament updates and next big show
*Notes from the Yuji Nagata vs. Kento Miyahara Triple Crown change and future All Japan big shows
*What country is New Japan talking about touring soon
*Fantastica Mania notes
*Notes on the Jerry Jarrett funeral and more Memphis wrestling history
*The death of Richard Belzer and the incident with Hulk Hogan
*Kurt Angle talks health issues
*Death of Brian Bukantis
*WBD business update
*Contract notes on top AEW talent
*Lineup for Revolution
*Ticket advances for all WWE & AEW shows
*Streaming numbers for AEW & WWE
*International TV ratings including what show broke its all-time record in what country
*Congressman going after Power Slap
*New UFC fights
*More on WWE potential sale and value
*Details of how if there is a Saudi Arabian purchase of WWE and how interested they are in it, what that would mean
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Wednesday Update
WWE
Finn Balor and Beth Phoenix were guests this week on The Bump. Liv Morgan and Lita will be guests on next week’s episode of The Bump to celebrate International Women’s Day.
Sami Zayn on Twitter: “Today marks my 21st anniversary as a pro wrestler. My 20th year in the business was somehow my best. It started crazy and it ended crazy, with an incredible range of emotions in between. Thanks to everyone who came on the ride with me. Lots of love.”
PWInsider is reporting that WWE will begin moving employees to their new world headquarters location later this month. The plan reportedly is to have those first divisions of the company in the building by the end of March.
Deadline reported that ‘Barmageddon’, which aired following Raw in its first season and was hosted by Nikki Bella, has been renewed for a second season.
Booker T will appear in the upcoming season of Pawn Stars.
Britt Baker talked about her recent transition as a babyface to The New York Post. “It was time. You feel it. You try to fight it as much as you can even though you probably shouldn’t. There comes a point where it’s just time.”
On February 20, the company filed trademarks for “AEW All Access” and “QTV”. All Access is the name of AEW’s new reality show that will premiere later this month on TBS, while QTV has been hyped on recent episodes of AEW Dark.
Other Wrestling
Variety reported that MLW’s run on the Reelz channel wraps up after ten weeks. Despite Reelz’s linear channel airing on Peacock starting today, Tuesdays at 10 pm ET will be unavailable on the service due to Peacock’s deal with WWE.
Microman was interviewed by Sports Illustrated’s Justin Barrasso. He said that despite his size, he doesn’t want to be a mascot like his father, Kemonito. “I needed to prove myself to [trainer] Último Guerrero,” he said. “He pushed me, and I never gave up. He saw this future in me, and he believed in me. He didn’t want to be a mascot. I didn’t want to be that, either. I am here to wrestle. I know I am smaller than anyone else, and I have heard hurtful comments about it. But I stay strong. That is why I decided to call myself Microman.”
Yuya Uemura on Twitter wrote that he is ‘good’ following what looked like a neck injury suffered during this weekend’s Impact television tapings. I’m good. “I will revenge Sami soon!”
Hijo del Vikingo has been added to GCW’s Into the Light event on April 21 in Atlanta.
Sumie Sakai has been added to GCW’s Scene of the Crime show in Atlanta on April 22.
Mayra Dias Gomes, known as May Valentine in the NWA, was profiled on Perez Hilton’s website. She will be on the cover of the February 2023 issue of Playboy Magazine.
Reelz has reached a deal with Peacock — but MLW content won’t be included.
It was announced on Tuesday that Reelz and Peacock have agreed to a deal to bring Reelz’s linear channel and on-demand programming to Peacock starting this Wednesday. But because of Peacock’s exclusivity with WWE, the linear channel won’t be available when MLW Underground is airing.
“There is one quirk under the Reelz deal: While it will include the channel’s live linear feed, it will not stream Tuesdays in the 10 p.m. hour, as Reelz airs Major League Wrestling in that hour,” the Hollywood Reporter wrote. “Peacock has a streaming deal with the WWE, which has exclusivity in the category on Peacock.”
MLW Underground made its debut on Peacock on February 7. Last week’s East Coast airing of the show averaged 97,000 viewers and drew a 0.03 rating in the 18-49 demo. It was MLW’s best viewership on Reelz to date.
Earlier this month, the Northern District of California’s U.S. District Court granted WWE’s request to dismiss the antitrust lawsuit that MLW filed against them. MLW was granted 21 days to submit an amended complaint or appeal.
MLW owner Court Bauer stated that their legal team was already working on amending the complaint. “We have every intention to continue pursuing our case against WWE,” Bauer said in a statement to PWInsider.
The antitrust lawsuit claimed that WWE pressured third parties like Tubi and Vice to abandon contracts and prospective relationships with MLW.
