A&E, WWE Expand Partnership With Competition Series

A&E is deepening its partnership with the WWE — including adding an in-ring competition to its roster of programming.

The cable network has picked up a series called WWE LFG, which will feature would-be pro wrestlers vying for a WWE contract while receiving training and coaching from in-ring legends Paul “Triple H” Levesque, the Undertaker, Shawn Michaels and others. (The “LFG” in the title stands for “Legends & Future Greats,” A&E says.)

Along with the competition series, A&E has also ordered a second new series, WWE’s Greatest Moments — which, true to its name, will break down iconic matches and events in the company’s history — and a fifth season of its docuseries WWE Rivals.

“Literally filled with blood, sweat, and tears, there’s never been a series that combines in-ring action, behind-the-scenes reality, high-stakes drama, and some of WWE’s greatest icons all in one package,” A+E Networks president of programming Rob Sharenow said in a statement. “From total unknowns to legends, LFG will give viewers a raw, ground-up, 360-degree view of what it truly takes to make it in the WWE. Our collaboration with WWE has clearly struck a chord with audiences, and we’re excited to continue producing premium content that resonates with a diverse viewership.”

Said Levesque, the WWE’s chief content officer, “A&E has proved to be an excellent home for WWE content, and we’re excited to partner with their fantastic team on these new show concepts and the latest season of WWE Rivals.”

LFG is reminiscent of Tough Enough, a competition series that aired in the early 2000s (and was briefly revived in 2010) that also put would-be WWE stars through their paces. The new show will also feature WWE greats Booker T, Mickie James and Bubba Ray Dudley mentoring the contestants, who will complete in weekly matches in addition to learning the behind-the-scenes aspects of the business.

Levesque, Lee Fitting, Ben Houser, Michaels and Jeremy Borash executive produce LFG for the WWE, with. Elaine Frontain Bryant and Brad Abramson serving as EPs for A&E.

WWE play-by-play man Michael Cole will host Greatest Moments, which will feature past and current wrestlers looking back at some of the company’s defining matches. WWE’s Levesque, Fitting, Houser and Marc Pomarico exec produce with A&E’s Bryant, Abramson and Jonathan Partridge.

source: hollywood reporter

Sports Illustrated: 20 Greatest WWE Wrestlers Of All Time

20 - Becky Lynch

19 - Mick Foley

18 - Chris Jericho

17 - CM Punk

16 - Andre the Giant

15 - Randy Orton

14 - Edge

13 - Rowdy Roddy Piper

12 - Kurt Angle

11 - Macho Man Randy Savage

10 - Bruno Sammartino

9 - Bret Hart

8 - Shawn Michaels

7 - Triple H

6 - The Undertaker

5 - Roman Reigns

4 - John Cena

3 - The Rock

2 - Hulk Hogan

1 - Stone Cold Steve Austin

The Undertaker Comments On Triple H’s Management Style in WWE

During the latest episode of Six Feet Under (via Fightful), The Undertaker gave his thoughts on how Triple H runs WWE creative, describing it as a ‘very calm’ management style. He also noted that it was almost “too calm” for him.

He said:

 “He’s doing it calmly. So I’m not I’m not around, obviously, like I used to be. When I was working full-time, or even when I wasn’t working full-time. It was just so chaotic. There is like this calm backstage. The crew itself, the talent, they’re relatively young. Top to bottom, they’re young people. They’re all so chill. I’ve seen Triple H get worked up, but I haven’t seen him yell at Talent. I haven’t seen him bad mouth anybody. There’s been times where you come back through the curtain and you know that ass-chewing is coming. I haven’t seen that with him. Like I said, I haven’t been around a whole lot, but I’ve been around enough, and I know him well enough, and I can just tell it’s such a chill vibe. For me, I almost don’t like it because it’s almost too calm. To me, and this is just me on the outside looking in, it’s like they don’t care enough. It’s not that. It’s just the atmosphere.”

The Undertaker Comments On WWE Future Without Vince McMahon

The Undertaker was recently interviewed by ESPN during which he was asked for his thoughts on Triple H taking over creative and talent relations for WWE. Check out highlights below:

On WWE’s direction without Vince McMahon:

“They’re loosening the reins a little bit as far as what guys can say and do,” Calaway, a longtime locker room leader, told ESPN. “I think the product will probably be a little more aggressive. I think that’s going to come through in the creative.

On Triple H in charge:

“I mean, he’s brilliant, he really is. I don’t think he gets enough credit for his wrestling acumen. I think he’ll be a huge asset to the development of a lot of guys. And he’s a no bulls— kind of guy too. He’s going to let you know what you’re doing that’s right and what you’re doing that’s wrong. I think it’s going to be a step in the right direction with Hunter [another nickname for Levesque].”

UNDERTAKER 1 deadMAN SHOW comes to Nashville July 29

As first reported by the Tennessean, the UNDERTAKER 1 deadMAN SHOW will make its debut on Friday night, July 29 at Wildhorse Saloon in Nashville, Tenn. as part of SummerSlam Week.

UNDERTAKER 1 deadMAN SHOW will feature “The Phenom” in an intimate setting, sharing never-before-heard stories from his Hall of Fame career and taking questions from the WWE Universe in attendance.

Tickets for UNDERTAKER 1 deadMAN SHOW go on sale this Tuesday, June 28 at 10 a.m. CT via Ticketmaster.com.  A limited number of VIP tickets, which includes premier seating and a meet-and-greet with The Undertaker, will also be available. 

The Undertaker Set For The WWE Hall Of Fame

WWE announced today that Taker will be the headliner for the 2022 Hall of Fame induction ceremony, which has been confirmed for Friday, April 1 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, TX. The event will stream live on Peacock and the WWE Network.

WWE has also confirmed that for the first time ever, the WrestleMania go-home edition of SmackDown and the Hall of Fame ceremony will air live on the same night from the same venue. WWE noted that this will give all fans in attendance an unprecedented opportunity to witness both events for one price. A 2-for-1 ticket special will go on sale this Tuesday, February 22 at 10am CT via Ticketmaster.

WWE noted that Taker will appear on NBC’s Weekend TODAY show on Saturday morning to discuss the induction.

The Undertaker And The New Day Announced For Interactive Movie From WWE & Netflix

The Undertaker and The New Day will be featured in a new interactive film to be released by WWE and Netflix in time for Halloween.

Netflix Interactive announced today that “Escape The Undertaker” will be released on Tuesday, October 5.

The interactive film features The Undertaker and The New Day (Kofi Kingston, Xavier Woods, Big E). Viewers will be able to decide the fate of The New Day as they enter Taker’s mansion.

The following synopsis was released for the film, courtesy of Polygon:

“In this interactive film featuring WWE Superstars, The Undertaker has set a trap for the decorated tag team The New Day at his mansion. What they don’t know: The Undertaker’s mansion is an extreme Haunted House, packed to the brim with supernatural challenges. It’s up to viewers to decide the fate of these three poor souls trying to survive the wrath of The Undertaker.”

The Undertaker tweeted on the project.

“Be careful whose door you knock on… never know who is on the other side! ⚱️ 

Ric Flair Appears At NWA 73

Former NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair returned home at tonight's NWA 73 event in St. Louis.

Flair thanked a number of people including Vince McMahon, Triple H, Shawn Michaels, Undertaker, and Steve Austin. He told Vince McMahon, "I love you. That’s why I’m here" and said that as long as he is alive he will never let people forget about the NWA which made him a star back in the day.

Flair mentioned that Vince knows this is where he belongs. He thanked Triple H for not giving up on him during his time in WWE and mentioned the NWA Title is hanging in Triple H’s office. Flair said Shawn Michaels and Taker carried him at the age of 59. Flair said that Steve Austin always asks him to tell NWA stories.

He went on to tell a Harley Race story and mention some of the greats of NWA. He also thanked Randy Orton and Bob Orton and wants Randy to one day to break his prestigious title record. He also mentioned his kids.

Flair also had praise for NWA owner Billy Corgan and joked about how he thought the company wanted him to challenge Worlds Champion Nick Aldis.  Flair hit the ropes and then did his strut and said that Corgan only wanted him to talk and not get back in the ring.

One-of-One Vince McMahon T-Shirt And Signed Billion Dollar Bill Part Of New Auction Partnership Between WWE And Goldin

WWE and Goldin are giving fans the chance at bidding on some truly one-of-a-kind items, including a “Billion Dollar Bill” signed by Vince McMahon himself!

Goldin, the leading marketplace for trading cards, collectibles and memorabilia, and WWE have partnered for a new memorabilia auction that starts today. The auction includes a billion-dollar bill featuring and signed by Vince McMahon, a 1-of-1 “Billionaire Bucks” t-shirt, as well as seven unique SummerSlam memorabilia items, a chance to tour the WWE Warehouse with Triple H and a WrestleMania meet-and-greet with The Undertaker.

“We are honored to be working with WWE for our first-ever auction featuring fan experiences,” said Ross Hoffman, CEO of Goldin. “WWE has built a brand that is constantly innovating and providing the best to their fans, and we could not be more proud to help provide a new way to engage with their passionate fans. And what better way to do so than to offer experiences with storied WWE Legends Triple H and The Undertaker!”

“Goldin is a clear industry leader, and we believe this is an incredible opportunity to give fans a chance to own a unique piece of SummerSlam history,” said Scott Zanghellini, WWE Senior Vice President, Revenue Strategy & Development.

The autographed billion-dollar bill and “Billionaire Bucks” t-shirt were created specifically for this auction. An additional unsigned bill and “Billionaire Bucks” t-shirt will be available for auction in-venue at SummerSlam in Las Vegas this Saturday, August 21.

The seven WWE SummerSlam memorabilia items include:

The Barb Wire Baseball Bat Ric Flair used in his victory against Mick Foley in the “I Quit” match at SummerSlam 2006 (LOT 23)

The shears Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake and Hulk Hogan used in their 1989 match victory against “Macho Man” Randy Savage and Zeus (LOT 24)

The Night Stick Big Boss Man used in his match against Koko B. Ware at SummerSlam 1988 (LOT 25)

The Money in the Bank Briefcase Randy Orton cashed in on Daniel Bryan to become WWE Champion at SummerSlam 2013 (LOT 26)

The Arena Banner used at SummerSlam from 1992-1997 (LOT 27)

The Ring Skirt used at SummerSlam from 1989-1997 (LOT 28)

The Ring Skirt used at SummerSlam in 1998 (LOT 29)

The Undertaker Talks About WWE's Drug Testing Protocol

During an interview on The Joe Rogan Experience, The Undertaker revealed he is currently working for WWE under a legends contract like that of Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan etc. He revealed the news wh talking about drug testing in WWE.

"Before I switched my contract — now I’m not a Talent, I’m a Legend — I only worked two or three times a year, but I was under a regular contract. Under a regular contract, and this is if you tested clean, you had to have four mandatory piss tests and two blood tests every year. They’d get to the end of the year and I’d get a call, ‘Go to the lab and do a piss test.’ I hadn’t been in the ring in 6 or 7 months, but they’d look at the book and say ‘oh, we forgot about him.’ So you get the piss test done, but that was only three. Sure enough, next day, another phone call, ‘go back to the lab.’ 

They’re totally random, they just show up. I was home, that’s why I didn’t get tested until the end. I know what the protocol is and if anyone could get out of it, it would be me, and I couldn’t get out of it."

The Undertaker signed a contract recently until 2035.

WWE And Omaze Are Offering Fans The Chance To Tour The WWE PC With The Undertaker

The Undertaker just had his Final Farewell at WWE Survivor Series, but WWE is offering fans the rare chance to step into the ring with “The Phenom” Through Omaze and a collaboration with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the winner of a sweepstakes will get get to meet “The Deadman”” himself. The experience includes a tour of the WWE Performance Center, led by The Undertaker, and a picture with him, too. Plus, the winner gets to make their own ring entrance, Here’s the announcement from the official website: “Hear that? It’s the Undertaker’s bell. And it tolls for YOU. The Undertaker is inviting you and a friend to join him at the WWE Performance Center for an unforgettable experience. You’ll tour the training center for the wrestling stars of tomorrow with the wrestling legend. Take some truly epic photos. And even step into the ring with The Undertaker—don’t worry, not for a Tombstone Piledriver—but to create your own custom ring entrance! Flights, hotel and autographed WWE title belt included.” Fans can enter the running until it ends on February 24, 2021. No donation is required, but fans who buy numerous entries can increase their chances of winning while donating to the cause. The winner will be announced on March 10, 2021.

The Undertaker Has Talked With Triple H About Coaching At The WWE PC

The Undertaker recently spoke with Tony Maglio of The Wrap and in a Q&A session, he discussed various topics, from The Boneyard Match at WWE WrestleMania 36 to The Last Ride documentary. In one interesting exchange, Undertaker said he’s trying to figure out what’s next for him, adding that he’s open to being a coach but travel is one obstacle in his way.

“You know, that’s the pickle that I’m in right now, is trying to [figure] out what lane I want to take. I’ve been on the road for so long, that really doesn’t appeal to me, traveling and doing all that. I love to teach. Triple H and I have had many conversations about me working with the talent there at NXT, in Orlando at the PC. And I really enjoy that. And we’re just trying to figure out how it works because I’d have to come in and go out. I live in Texas. So I’m sure I will do more of that moving forward. I think there’s a lot of– I think I have a lot to offer. The product is changing and evolving, but I think there’s a lot of what I bring to the table that is still applicable to the product and these guys need to hear it and see it from somebody who has made it work. So we’ll see what happens there.”

WWE Announces The Undertaker's Final Farewell For Survivor Series

Undertaker's Final Farewell will take place at Survivor Series on Sunday, November 22 at 7 pm ET streaming live around the world on WWE Network, capping off The Phenom's legendary 30-year career.

One of the most iconic Superstars in WWE history and a pop culture phenomenon, Undertaker made his WWE debut at Survivor Series on November 22, 1990. From his debut with Brother Love to his critically-acclaimed match vs. AJ Styles® at this year's WrestleMania®, Undertaker has participated in some of the greatest matches in history against Hall of Famers such as Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair®, Triple H®, Shawn Michaels® and Mick Foley®; had multiple WWE Championship reigns; and held an unmatched and astounding undefeated streak at WrestleMania that lasted 21 years.

As part of Undertaker's Final Farewell and 30th anniversary, WWE is celebrating "30 Years of the Deadman" throughout November, including recently debuted documentaries "Meeting The Undertaker" and "WWE Untold: The Phenom and The Legend Killer" on WWE Network as well as "The Mortician: The Story of Paul Bearer" premiering this Sunday, November 8 and "Brothers of Destruction," which premiered in October at the Austin Film Festival, and will stream on WWE Network on Sunday, November 15. In addition, Undertaker will be a special guest on "Steve Austin's Broken Skull Sessions" immediately following Survivor Series.

Activation will also include special Undertaker photo galleries, video highlights and features on WWE.com, Undertaker Tik Tok Challenge, Instagram filter and Snapchat lens, two exclusive product opportunities with Funko only available at Amazon, feature space in 2,300 Walmarts including an exclusive Mattel action figure, national media appearances including The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and blocks of primetime programming from WWE's distribution partners around the world dedicated to Undertaker.

In addition to Undertaker's Final Farewell, WWE Survivor Series is the one night of the year where Raw® squares off against SmackDown®. Current matchups are highlighted by: WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns® taking on WWE Champion Randy Orton®; Raw Women's Champion Asuka® vs. SmackDown Women's Champion Sasha Banks®; Raw Tag Team Champions The New Day® against SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Street Profits®; United States Champion Bobby Lashley® vs. Intercontinental Champion Sami Zayn®; as well as men's and women's 5-on-5 Survivor Series Elimination matches.

The Undertaker Claims He Has ‘No Desire To Get Back In The Ring’

The Undertaker saw the last chapter of his ‘Last Ride’ documentary go live on the WWE Network and made some comments that seem to hint that he has wrestled his last WWE match. It appears that the Boneyard match with AJ Styles at WrestleMania 36 might have been the perfect ending for The Undertaker.

Speaking on his documentary, Undertaker said, “Here you are, climbing on your motorcycle and taking off. There was a lot of thought and a lot of emotion, one of those being ‘are you happy enough with that?’ It was a powerful moment. You don’t necessarily always get those. If there was ever a perfect ending to a career, that right there was it. If Vince was in a pinch, would I come back? I guess time would only tell there. In case of emergency, break glass, you pull out The Undertaker. I would consider it. At this point in my career, I have no desire to get back in the ring.”

Regardless of The Undertaker not completely closing the door, he ended by saying, “There’s nothing left for me to conquer or accomplish. The game has changed. It’s time for new guys to come up. The time just seems right. This documentary has helped me discover that and opened my eyes to the bigger picture and not judge myself as harshly these last few years.”

WWE Confirms Bill Goldberg, Brock Lesnar and Undertaker for Upcoming Saudi Arabian PPV

The following press release comes from WWE.com:

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA and STAMFORD, Conn. — The Saudi General Sports Authority, in partnership with WWE, will host an event at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Friday, June 7, at 8 p.m. AST. The event will feature WWE Superstars Roman Reigns, Undertaker, Kofi Kingston, Braun Strowman, Seth Rollins, Goldberg, AJ Styles and Brock Lesnar, and stream live on WWE Network.

Additional details on the event’s matches, ticket availability and pricing, and regional broadcast information will be announced in the coming weeks.

Full List Of CBS Sports Pro Wrestling 2018 Award Winners

Wrestler of the Year: Becky Lynch (WWE)

WWE Male Wrestler of the Year: Johnny Gargano

NJPW Wrestler of the Year: Kota Ibushi

Match of the Year: Kenny Omega def. Kazuchika Okada (NJPW Dominion 6.9)

WWE Match of the Year: Becky Lynch vs. Charlotte Flair vs. Asuka (TLC)

NXT Match of the Year: Andrade "Cien" Almas def. Johnny Gargano (NXT TakeOver: Philadelphia)

Tag Team of the Year: The Usos (WWE)

Rookie of the Year: Ronda Rousey (WWE)

Commentator of the Year: Mauro Ranallo (NXT)

Comeback Wrestler of the Year: Daniel Bryan (WWE)

Breakthough Wrestler of the Year*: Buddy Murphy (205 Live)

Feud of the Year*: Johnny Gargano vs. Tomasso Ciampa (NXT)

Best Pay-Per-View of the Year*: TLC: Tables, Ladders and Chairs

Best Moment of the Year*: Becky Lynch attacks Ronda Rousey on Raw

Best Promo of the Year*: Daniel Bryan before TLC
Smack Talker of the Year*: Samoa Joe

Worst Angle of the Year*: DeGeneration X vs. Brothers of Destruction

Triple H To Host WWE Facebook Watch Party

Triple H will be hosting a Facebook Watch Party on Facebook at 4pm ET on Thursday. The Game relive classic DX moments as he and WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels prepare to face Kane and The Undertaker at Crown Jewel the next day.

Triple H and Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker and Kane set for WWE Crown Jewel

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA and STAMFORD, Conn. — For the first time since 2010, Shawn Michaels will return to the ring alongside Triple H as DX take on The Brothers of Destruction, The Undertaker & Kane, at WWE Crown Jewel at the King Saud University Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Friday, Nov. 2.

WWE Crown Jewel will also include a Universal Championship Triple Threat Match featuring Roman Reigns, Brock Lesnar and Braun Strowman; a WWE Championship Match between AJ Styles and Daniel Bryan; and the first-ever WWE World Cup tournament to determine the best in the world.

General Sports Authority of Saudi Arabia Chairman, His Excellency Turki Al Sheikh, WWE Chairman & CEO Vince McMahon, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia invite the world to celebrate this signature event. Following the sold-out Greatest Royal Rumble in April, this is the second event as part of a long-term partnership between WWE and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

WWE Crown Jewel will stream live on WWE Network and be available on pay-per-view outside of the Middle East. Ticket availability will be announced in the coming weeks.

Kevin Nash Addresses Criticism Toward Triple H-Undertaker Match At Super Showdown

Kevin Nash was recently interviewed by Sporting Newsand gave his thoughts about criticism from fans who don't want to see another Triple H vs Undertaker match. Check out his comments below.

"No one cares about the young guys. When I watched Summerslam that (Undertaker and Tripe H) package caught my eye and made me want to see that match. I don’t know if I want to see Roman Reigns versus Undertaker again. What more of a rub can you give than that? He’s [been] given rubs before and they just aren’t getting over."

The Undertaker Believes Wrestlers Should Focus on Character Over Moves

WWE Superstar The Undertaker was interviewed by pastor Ed Young of Fellowship Church in North Texas. In the interview, he discussed how he wants wrestlers today to focus on character, not just moves.

On character over moves:

“It’s not about the moves — it really isn’t — it’s being able to evoke emotion in one facet or another. You have to either make people love you or you have to make people hate you.”

On the problem with too many moves:

“A lot of times what happens with these young guys is they’re so athletic, they’re so gifted, they’ll do some kind of double crazy back flip off the top rope and land on somebody on the floor and then that’s what the audience takes away from it: ‘this guy does crazy stuff.’ Well, you can only see that so many times before you’re like ‘I’ve seen that. I need something new,’” he said. “And that’s the position they sometimes back themselves into. They have to keep upping the ante. And when you up the ante like that, then you increase your potential for injuries.”

On how character work is the key to longevity:

“If you can’t bring that emotion out of your audience, you aren’t going to have them for long.”