Tag: women of wrestling

Daily Update: Raw, Roman Reigns record, Women of Wrestling

Posted on by Dave Meltzer

Daily Update

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This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter:

August 1, 2022 Observer Newsletter: Vince McMahon resigns from WWE

  • In this issue:
  • The life and career of Vince McMahon. His rise, his fall, both sides of the coin, how things could have been different. The fall of the territories, the WCW feud, buying the company from his father, his pre-WWF promotions, announcing, getting on the USA Network, the expansion, Hulk Hogan, Saturday Night’s Main Event, the first WrestleMania, the death of Crockett Promotions, the McMahon family as TV characters, angles with the family he suggested that never happened, a potential sale, Paul Levesque, what brought Vince down, Brock Lesnar, Tony Khan and much more.
  • WrestleMania 2024
  • Full coverage of ROH Death Before Dishonor with business notes
  • SummerSlam and Clash at the Castle notes
  • Full coverage of the G1 tournament, with business, standings, star ratings and all that good stuff
  • Full coverage of Saturday’s UFC show
  • Television ratings for every national wrestling show
  • Details behind the IWGP Women’s Championship and why
  • Stardom PPV coverage from last week and the upcoming shows this week
  • Dragon Gate’s biggest shows of the year this week
  • Why a top Dragon Gate star left the promotion
  • Lots of injury updates
  • New Japan Strong tapings
  • Tragos/Thesz Hall of Fame induction ceremony notes
  • Nick Wayne’s flight issues make mainstream news
  • Update on AEW injuries and business
  • Streaming numbers for the week
  • Fedor’s last fight
  • How much Peacock is really losing
  • NXT vs. AEW is back on
  • International TV ratings

This Week’s Retro Observer Newsletter:

June 20, 2005 Observer Newsletter: ECW One Night Stand

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Monday News Update

Bryan and I will be up tonight covering Raw and the latest wrestling news. We did shows Saturday covering SummerSlam and UFC 277 and last night covering Ric Flair’s final match. Most of what we needed to say about the Flair show is on last night’s show.

Regarding the Sasha Banks and Naomi rumors of them returning, I don’t know that it’s signed yet but it is moving in that direction and internally they do expect it to happen.

I have a Sports Illustrated feature on changes in WWE.

Raw is tonight in Houston. A big crowd of well over 10,000 is expected at the Toyota Center. Riddle vs. Seth Rollins is advertised locally. They are doing a worked injury angle with Riddle so who knows when he’s back on TV wrestling, but it should be soon. No matches are announced at this point for TV. With it being the Monday after SummerSlam plus the curiosity of Paul Levesque creative, it should be another big number for television ratings as well.

We are looking for your thoughts on SummerSlam, UFC 277, the Flair retirement show and both NJPW shows in Nagoya with a thumbs up, down or middle, best and worst match for each show to [email protected]. We’re also looking for reports from Raw in Houston tonight live with any Main Event or dark matches or anything notable about the live crowd or not on television to [email protected]

G-1 tomorrow morning at 5:30 a.m.from Hamamatsu has Tomohiro Ishii vs. Great O’Khan, David Finlay vs. Will Ospreay with the physical U.S .title belt at stake, Tom Lawlor vs. Toru Yano, Tama Tonga vs. Sanada and Hirooki Goto vs. Kenta.

The WOW show returns to television in syndication on 9/17 and will air in every major market.

Today is the third anniversary of the death of legendary pro wrestler Harley Race. Yesterday was the seventh anniversary of the death of Roddy Piper. Both were major historical figures in the sport and Piper’s influence in WWE being the powerhouse it is today is generally underplayed.

WWE

  • Today marks 700 days for Roman Reigns as champion, the longest reign since Hulk Hogan in the 80s. It also marks 1,000 days for his career as champion, also among the longest total time as champion in history.
  • Several WWE stars including Rey Mysterio and AJ Styles are headed to Saudi Arabia next week for Gamers8, an electronic sports and games event held in Riyadh.

UFC

  • Yair Rodrgiuez said Saturday that he had no interest in facing Josh Emmett in a title eliminator for an interim title and wants to wait until Alexander Volkanovski is ready to get his title shot he was told he’d get with a win over Brian Ortega. He beat Ortega on the ABC show in Long lsland when Ortega was injured in the first round.

OTHER NOTES

  • Defy from Friday night in Tacoma, WA: No Way Jose b Ethan HD, Cody Chhun b Adriel Noctis, Guillermo Rosas b Levi Cooper (Tucker), Su Yung b Rebel Kel, Bollywood Boyz b Eddie Pearl & Ricky Gibson in a Mumbai street fight Christopher Daniels b Ortiz to keep interim Defy title. Next show is 8/20 at Washington Hall in Seattle. (thanks to Matt Farmer)
  • Funeral services for David “Blackjack” Brown are 8/3 at the Crane Funeral Home at 368856 Goddard in Romulus, MI 48174 at 11 a.m.
  • New Japan posted the Shingo Takagi vs. Will Ospreay match from the 2020 G-1 Climax tournament which finished high in match of the year balloting on its YouTube page today. (thanks to Suju Abraham)

AJ Mendez to serve as executive producer for WOW relaunch

Posted on by Ethan Renner

WOW is returning to television with a familiar wrestling personality also returning to the business to help relaunch the brand. 

AJ Mendez will serve as an executive producer and color commentator for the WOW – Women of Wrestling show when it returns to TV in syndication in September 2022 on ViacomCBS stations in the United States. 

Mendez has not been involved in pro wrestling since her retirement from WWE in 2015, but she has fashioned a new career as an author, comic book writer and mental health advocate. 

WOW announced their relaunch with a press release and a press conference on Wednesday. WOW and Los Angeles Lakers owner Jeanie Buss, WOW and GLOW’s original creator and Buss’s business partner David McClane, Mendez, Tessa Blanchard and The Beast were all part of the presser. A trailer for the new season of WOW can be seen here.

WOW last produced content in 2019. A series of tapings in 2018 and 2019 produced a season of WOW Superheroes that aired on AXS TV. When Impact’s parent company Anthem bought AXS, that signified the end of the partnership between WOW and AXS. 

WOW began as a successor to GLOW and ran in syndication during the pro wrestling boom period in 2000 and 2001. It was dark for over a decade, then was relaunched in 2012. It has since sporadically produced content on a variety of platforms. 

The WOW release trumpets the ViacomCBS deal as the largest distribution platform in the company’s existence. 

Past seasons of WOW will be made available on CW Seed and Pluto TV channels beginning in December 2021 in advance of the relaunch, according to Entertainment Tonight.

Danni, Alex Gracia, Briana Montez, Kate Smith and Imo Akpan were other talent mentioned in the WOW press release. 

Teal Piper signs with Women of Wrestling

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Ahead of making her professional wrestling debut, Teal Piper has signed with Women of Wrestling.

It was announced today that Piper has signed with WOW and will debut for the promotion at their television tapings on Wednesday, September 18 and Thursday, September 19. The tapings are being held at the Belasco Theater in Los Angeles, California.

Season two of WOW premieres on AXS TV at 8 p.m. Eastern time on Saturday, September 7. There will be 24 episodes in the season.

AEW revealed earlier this month that Piper (Roddy Piper’s daughter Ariel Teal Toombs) will make her pro wrestling debut as an entrant in the Casino Battle Royale on the All Out pre-show. The pay-per-view is taking place at the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates, Illinois on Saturday, August 31.

TMZ posted video of Piper training at WOW’s training center in Long Beach, California.

“Wrestling has always been a part of me, and while no one can ever replace my dad, I hope to make sure no one ever forgets him,” Piper said in a press release.

“WOW is proud to welcome Teal on board as the newest member of our family of Superheroes,” WOW owner Jeanie Buss said. “Her father, Roddy, left an indelible mark not only on wrestling, but on countless fans across the world. His spirit is alive and well within her, and the drive she has shown during her training sessions has been truly incredible to watch. WOW is honored to join Teal on her journey, as she pays tribute to Roddy’s legacy while blazing a new trail that is entirely her own.”

NJPW, WOW moving to Saturdays on AXS TV starting next month

Posted on by Joseph Currier

New Japan Pro Wrestling and Women of Wrestling are moving to Saturday nights on AXS TV.

AXS TV announced today that, beginning on July 13, NJPW on AXS and WOW are moving from Friday to Saturday nights. WOW will air at 8 p.m. Eastern time, with NJPW then airing at 9 p.m. Eastern.

Moving from Fridays to Saturdays means that NJPW and WOW won’t be going against SmackDown when it comes to Fox in October.

The opening night of this year’s NJPW G1 Climax will also air live on AXS at 6 p.m. Eastern on Saturday, July 6. The show is taking place at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.

That July 6 show will be the start of six weeks of same-day G1 coverage on AXS. After the shows take place on Saturday morning, two-hour broadcasts of them will air on AXS that night.

The A Block finals will take place on Saturday, August 10 and air on AXS later that night, the B Block finals are on August 11 and will air on AXS on Saturday, August 17, and the G1 finals will be held on August 12 and will air on AXS on Saturday, August 24.

Starting with the move to Saturdays on July 13, the first season of WOW on AXS will be replayed over eight weeks. The second season will then premiere on Saturday, September 7. There will be 24 episodes in the second season.

Tessa Blanchard signs with Women of Wrestling, set for AXS TV tapings

Posted on by Bryan Rose

Tessa Blanchard has signed with Women of Wrestling and is set for the promotion’s first television tapings for AXS TV next month.

Blanchard will challenge reigning champion Santana Garrett for the the WOW World Championship at the tapings. Blanchard is also working as a trainer at WOW’s Training Center in Southern California.

The first set of WOW tapings for AXS will take place at the Belasco Theater in Los Angeles on October 10 and October 11. WOW will begin airing weekly on AXS in January 2019.

“Knowing the expectations of our WOW fans to see the best in women’s professional wrestling, we are elated to sign Tessa Blanchard,” Women of Wrestling owner Jeanie Buss said in a press release. “Tessa enhances and elevates our athletic roster of talent beyond measure and we can hardly wait to showcase her skills in the series set to broadcast on Mark Cuban’s AXS TV.”

Blanchard will be wrestling for WOW while also being part of Impact Wrestling, where she is the current Knockouts Champion.

“I am grateful to both Impact Wrestling and the WOW executives for working out the details to allow me to pursue my dream of competing at the highest levels within our industry,” Blanchard said in the press release. “The success I’ve experienced in the past month in winning the Impact Championship, winning in Chicago at the ‘All In’ event in front of over 10,000 people, and now signing with WOW is what dreams are made of. My next dream to come true that will top off my year’s success will be when I beat Santana Garrett to win the WOW World Championship.”

The Women of Wrestling promotion is owned by Buss (the owner of the Los Angeles Lakers), with Mark Burnett and David McLane as partners. Burnett is the chairman of the MGM Worldwide Television Group, while McLane is most notable for developing the original GLOW series. WOW originally aired for one season as a syndicated show in 2000-2001, but was revived in 2012 and has been running shows in the Los Angeles area since then.

Women of Wrestling coming to AXS TV in 2019

Posted on by Dave Meltzer

AXS TV is adding a second wrestling promotion, and it couldn’t be more different from the first.

The home of New Japan Pro Wrestling in the United States has made a deal with Jeanie Buss (the daughter of Jerry Buss), David McLane, and MGM Television and Mark Burnett, to air the new Women of Wrestling promotion which will start on the station in 2019.

Women of Wrestling is a remake of GLOW, which gained cult popularity in the 80s and had a nostalgia run based on the current Netflix television show based on that promotion and the period.

This will also be MGM Television’s second foray into pro wrestling as they produce Lucha Underground.

AXS will produce and distribute the events, which they are describing as pro wrestling using major concert production.

“I knew of Jeanie’s passion for elevating women’s wrestling for several years, so when Mark Burnett told me what MGM Studios has planned for WOW, I decided to get involved,” said AXS TV Chairman and CEO Mark Cuban.  “AXS TV’s long-term success inside the squared circle and broadcasting New Japan Pro Wrestling makes airing WOW a natural fit.

The first tapings are scheduled for the end of this year, and the television will start in early 2019.