WWE Tough Enough Returning To USA Network

The official WWE website has released a statement from USA Network President Chris McCumber in which he reveals that WWE reality series "Tough Enough" will be returning to television on USA Network in 2015.

"I am pleased to announce that USA is bringing back 'Tough Enough,' the action-packed competition reality show from the ratings juggernaut, WWE," McCumber said in a speech today during the Television Critics Association winter press tour. "The show will have a completely new format, with live elements that will truly make this event television."

McCumber continued, "After signing another multi-year deal for Raw and SmackDown, this is the perfect time to bring back the series and capitalize on the enormous audience appeal of sports-entertainment."

New on WWE Network video-on-demand: Tough Enough Season 1

Now available on WWE Network on-demand, relive the first season of WWE’s groundbreaking reality series Tough Enough! Under the guidance of experienced WWE trainers, watch as ordinary men and women endure intense physical training while gaining a firsthand education in wrestling on an unforgettable road to the WWE roster.

WWE Nixes Plans to Bring Back Tough Enough for the WWE Network

We noted back in July that the new season of WWE Tough Enough, scheduled to be filmed at the Performance Center in Orlando, was being pushed back due to budget cuts.

There had been talk of shooting the show in the fall but in recent weeks there were no discussions about filming. The budget for Tough Enough was heavily reduced this past week and then the show was scrapped altogether. No word yet if WWE will film the show at a later date but for now it's not happening.

WWE Delays Production of Two Major Shows Due To Budget Cuts

WWE has reportedly now pushed back the filming of the latest edition of WWE Tough Enough until October due to the companies ongoing budget cuts.

The company is also unsure about the future of Legends House with some members of the production team being told that no second season will air at all. The original plan had been for Tough Enough to begin filming this week and to go right to filming Legends House.

Rumors of WWE looking to cut $20 million from their budget this year are now confirmed. Vince McMahon has reportedly decreed that they cut $20 million and while they may not get that far, that's what Vince wants.

Triple H Talks About Future Plans for NXT, Tough Enough, Vince's Opinion on NXT, Merriman, More

Today, Triple H has been very busy promoting tomorrow's NXT Takeover live special on the WWE Network, not just to Michael Cole on WWE.com, but also to the wrestling media in an official conference call, which has been made publicly available on f4wonline.com. Below is all the news and interesting comments Hunter made during the 50 minutes Q&A session:

Triple H said they're considering eventually doing monthly NXT live specials for the WWE Network, but at the moment the plan is to stick with the quarterly format. He put the specials over as a great learning experience for all the NXT talent, down to the trainee cameramen, audio and lighting technicians, directors and producers, to work side by side with the WWE crew on a live television shoot, which is perfect preparation to get them ready for a position on the main WWE roster and build anticipation amongst fans for that moment.

Hunter admitted that just because an act works in the small, intimate setting of the NXT tapings at Full Sail University, it doesn't mean they will translate well in major arenas on a national scale, partly due to the extra pressure of finally getting to work in the big time.
He cites Cesaro as an example of someone who he had to pull aside after watching his NXT matches and tell him "Do that when you get to Raw, do that when you get to Smackdown, you work differently [here].", as he adapted to the transition.
The NXT Takeover name was inspired by the real-life takeover of WWE television by former NXT talent like The Shield, The Wyatt Family, etc.

It sounds unlikely that they will move to more regular NXT TV tapings and more live specials at the moment due to the increased costs involved, but it remains a work in progress.

Triple H claimed that the next step in the development of the WWE Performance Center is finding the right people and talent to make it as productive as possible and they are doing a series of global tryouts to find performers that not only can get over as stars in their local market, but also succeed internationally.

"I can look at Bray Wyatt and say Bray right now is just becoming comfortable. That's really how I feel and people can say, now listen, has he been knocking it out of the park since he walked in the door? Absolutely, but he is just now to me, from what I see and what I know of him, is just starting to get comfortable. That kid is nicking the surface of where he's gonna go, because he's just now starting to feel it and just now starting to get in the groove."

"Daniel Bryan's a prime example of that, he's not the same guy he was five years ago working [in Japan and on the independent scene], he had to transition too of becoming a character and a personality and a persona and you know that's where he is now. It didn't change what he does in the ring, it didn't change his skill level, it didn't change anything, but I've always believed that the business is a puzzle and there's a million pieces of it and one is skill in the ring, another is talking. There is all these different pieces, the more pieces of that puzzle you have, the better of a success you're going to be, and there were some pieces of the puzzle he had in spades and there are others he didn't have, and now he does and that's why you see his success. No different than anybody else, it's putting all those pieces together."

Triple H plans to continue mixing in some WWE talent on NXT broadcasts, as it helps their trainees develop, allows them to deliver more compelling storylines on NXT and also potentially reinvigorate the career of someone like Tyson Kidd who have suffered injury setbacks and been underutilized on Raw and Smackdown since their return. However, someone like Cesaro now seems to be deemed to be too big a star to be used regularly on NXT.

There's consideration being made to running NXT house shows and other NXT activities during the weekend of WrestleMania 31. The promotion will definitely be a big part of WrestleMania week.

Hunter claimed that Vince McMahon was surprised at the amount of interest in NXT on the WWE Network. Indeed, he was blown away by the audience figures and the social media buzz for NXT in general and NXT ArRIVAL in particular. He was expecting just a cool looking show, but felt they had launched a brand instead. Thus, NXT is expected to play a bigger and more prominent role on the WWE Network as the brand grows and evolves.

Regarding a new series of Tough Enough for the Network, it's being proposed to be shot at the WWE Performance Center, but it's not a 100% confirmed.

Regarding the WWE status of Christian and Rey Mysterio, they're both still recovering from injuries and Triple H hopes they're back as soon as they can.

Regarding physical training at NXT, the mindset is now different and they concentrate on training for active functional strength and for the performers to be as bulletproof and durable as possible, rather than pure bodybuilding to look as muscular and impressive as possible.

Triple H admitted that they do cut talent who are too engrained in a certain alternative style that they can't do something else or are unwilling to adapt to work in their environment and philosophy.

Regarding KENTA and Prince Devitt, Triple H had no comments on those rumors.

Hunter put over Charlotte as progressing very well and an amazing natural athlete. Regarding putting her in a match with Natalya as a continuation of the feud between her father Ric Flair and Nattie's uncle Bret Hart, he said: "Part of me when I do these things I just put my fan hat on for a minute and go, here's the people I've got to work with, what do I want to see? What would I like to watch? What would I tune into the Network to see from an NXT standpoint and that's kind of how we book it."
Regarding Shawne Merriman, Triple H said they're still in discussions with him. Hunter thinks he's a great guy, an amazing athlete and a very smart individual and he'd love to have him in NXT.

Rumor Mill - Details On The Return Of Tough Enough, Change Of Philosophy In WWE

It looks like the WWE is going in the direction of using actual trained wrestlers for the return of Tough Enough as opposed to starting from scratch and offering a developmental deal. Preliminary information suggests the cast will feature talent already under developmental contract.

Speaking of WWE developmental, there may be a change in philosophy in the company’s system. There have been internal talks about signing talent solely for use on NXT. The thinking is that NXT is its own brand and the company has to decide if it could be a permanent home for some talent where there isn’t a spot for them on the main roster.

While WWE has heavily considered producing a cruiserweight-only show as original WWE Network programming, the thinking is they may already have that with NXT.

The use of Tyson Kidd and Natalya on NXT are good examples of the company slightly pivoting when it comes to developmental. While the core purpose of NXT will always be to develop new talent, it’s not the only purpose with the evolution of WWE Network.

Update On WWE Tough Enough Filming

The next season of WWE Tough Enough will indeed be filming for six weeks at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, beginning in early July. It will air this fall on the WWE Network.

Rumor Mill - Details Revealed on WWE Tough Enough Returning

WWE Tough Enough is returning this year on the WWE Network and will reportedly be filmed at the Performance Center with NXT talents who aren't regulars on TV. It's said that this season will be very different from past seasons and it's also scheduled to be one of four reality TV shows for the Network in 2015 with Legends House and two other shows that haven't been announced yet.

WWE Conference Call Highlights: New TV Deal Update, Tough Enough Returning, Total Divas & WWE Studios News, 2nd Quarter Losses Expected

WWE held a conference call for its first quarter financials this morning, and it was hosted by Michael Weitz, George Barrios and Vince McMahon. The following are some highlights from the call:

-Vince said that with Network subscriptions and PPV buys, WrestleMania 30 did over 1 million buys, and the launch of the Network has been well received by fans and industry experts.

-Vince said WWE will be announcing a new TV deal in several weeks, and the company is currently negotiating in India.

-Barrios said WWE maintains the belief that the Network will hit 1 million subscriptions by the end of the year, and 2 to 3 million as the Network grows.

-Barrios said Tough Enough will be coming to the Network, but he did not specify whether or not it will be new seasons of the show, or archives of past seasons.

-TV revenue was up thanks mostly to Total Divas. WWE Studios revenue was up mostly thanks to The Call. Scooby-Doo and Oculus are delivering strong performances that are in line with expectations.

-Live event revenue was up from the previous year's quarter due in part to a rise in ticket prices and new VIP packages.

-They expect a $7-$10 million loss for the second quarter of this year.

Steve Austin Talks Wrestling At WrestleMania 30, HHH In Charge Of WWE, Match With CM Punk, More

Busted Open satellite radio show with Stone Cold Steve Austin
Host: Dave Lagreca, Doug Mortman, and Mike Riker
Airs Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays on Sirius 92 and XM 208 from 2-4 ET

On if he misses Tough Enough: Hell, I do miss it. I don’t know why or how WWE and USA network combined dropped the football on that show because it was turning in the numbers it needed to. Everybody loved it. It was great television. I had a chance to get back into the wrestling business. Get my hands back in and mold people to be future WWE superstars or take them through the paces. And they took that all away. That was my first experience into reality television and that’s what made me fall in love with that specific line of work. Once again, why they dropped the ball, I have no idea. But it was a piss poor decision if you ask me.

On if he likes the direction the WWE is taking right now, appearing to be a little more edgier than they have been in the past couple of years: Well now they’re just starting to turn the corner with some of these new cats they brought in. So they’re picking it up a little bit. I mean there are a lot of guys still walking on eggshells in that territory or in that locker room. I’m actually considering doing another podcast and that’s gonna be breaking down Monday Night Raw and Friday Night Smackdown and a little bit of TNA. Just to add to my two show rotation a week. So I’m going to be examining that product a lot more in depth. I kind of gotten away from watching it, to a large degree in recent past. Especially since they jacked it up to a three hour Monday Night Raw. That’s tough to fulfill three hours worth of content and keep it interesting and not stale. So I’m gonna delve into that, take a look at it, and report about it accordingly. I think they are finally heading back in the right direction though to bottom line it.

On how much does Triple H have to do with this direction the company seems to be heading in: Well I think as long as Vince is around and hopefully he is around for a long time, it’s gonna be his baby cause he’s the one that bought the territory from his dad and made it into what it is, a global phenomenon. Put everyone else out of business with the vision that he had, has taken it through all the different changes that he has. But I know that when I speak about Triple H, I know that he comes from the same school I come from. And he was kind of the last guys to come up in the territory systems. But he digs the work, he digs the serious nature. He’s still knows he’s got to entertain a wide variety of age, you know the demo. And there is something for everybody in the show now. And it was kind of a little bit more adult orientated maybe when I was in there but I think Triple H is gonna bring a serious nature to the business from his presentation or how he views the business still. I think it’s going to be a combination of everybody involved. Because obviously right now, it’s still Vince’s baby and it always will be.

On if he thought that the "What?" chants would still be around at this point: You know, no because that’s the funny thing I’ve been gone for 10 or 11 years or whatever it’s been. So that’s a whole generation removed. I mean there are some youngsters that have never seen or heard of Stone Cold. So for that to be still around, for them to still be doing it. It’s a testament to the staying power of one word and I had no idea what I was creating back in the day when I did.

On the "What?" chants being hurtful now and having no place to be used: Yeah but you know what, here’s the thing. To anybody delivering a promo in the ring, if you don’t give those pauses in your delivery of your promo speech, whatever business you’re doing. If you don’t give them that spot to put the what in, they cannot. So all they have to do is speed up their cadence a little bit. You ain’t gotta rush through your promo but you can still make your points. Also stagger the pauses so they can’t get into a rhythm. So there is a way around the what. It’s just a lot of people aren’t smart enough to figure it out.

On if we could possibly see Stone Cold at Wrestlemania 30, if he is healthy enough to get back in the ring again: Oh I’m healthy enough. My knees coming around just fine, it’s better than it’s ever been because I’ve been doing my do diligence on my rehab. I’ve got two new ligaments. Everything else is pain free. I’m still in shape been working out harder than I’ve ever worked out. But here’s the deal. When you’re gonna try to commit to do a Wrestlemania 30, you’re looking really at, at least a two to three month commitment, if not four. So you know you’re talking about, taking everything else of the table. I can still do my podcast but take everything else off the table and focus specifically on that task. To do it the way I would do it, to do it the way Stone Cold Steve Austin would do it, at a 120 percent. Because to go out there and to try to perform at 85-90 percent because you didn’t prep enough. That would be bogus, that would be BS that would be letting the crowd down. And that would be representing the Stone Cold Steve Austin that I know and love to a degree that is not acceptable. So once you throw a legitimate, real deal offer down on the table and say let’s talk, then we’ll talk. But until then, conjecture.

On if he is up to the challenge: Well if I’m gonna agree to the challenge, accept it and go into it because I want to and the business makes sense, then absolutely.

If Punk vs. Austin would be an all- time great match: Oh it definitely could. It brings a lot to the table from a verbal standpoint with his well thought out promos, the way in which he conducts his business. I like his product in the ring. I like to see him turn it up more in the mainstream. I like to see a little more physicality, laying in stuff a little more. I like to see him be a little bit more aggressive. That’s just off the top of my head. Other than that, I like everything about the cat.

On how big it would be if he wrestled at WM 30: Well I’m not going to put the cart in front of the horse. I’m not lobbying for a match. If the starts lined up, then it would happen, but it’s going to take a lot for those stars to line up. No sense in beating a dead horse. To think about it is one thing, to actually go out, come to terms and go through the business prep and actually accomplish a match, it’s a whole different ballgame and a major process.

Steve Austin Speaks on the Future of WWE Tough Enough

"I tell you what - that's been so long ago, I think that window is closed. And that's really too bad, because it was a hell of a show. I loved doing it, and everybody that watched it loved it. It was [WWE] ultimately who pulled the plug, and why they did, I have no idea. But that's on them, and I've moved on down the road and got a chance to start hosting a show called "Redneck Island" on CMT" ... "I enjoy reality television, and WWE dropped the ball with Tough Enough."

This Day in Wrestling History - 'Tough Enough' Debuts on MTV

The first episode of WWF(E) Tough Enough airs on MTV. The reality show/competition results in Maven and Nidia winning contracts after beating out 11 other participants. Nidia was released on November 3, 2004 and Maven was released on July 5, 2005.
June 21, 2001

Former WWE Diva Ivory comments On Chyna, Tough Enough, Miss Kitty, More

Lisa “Ivory” Moretti was recently interviewed by RingbellesOnline.com about Stacy “The Kat” Carter using Jerry Lawler, hating the finish to her WM 17 match with Chyna and more. Here are the highlights:

On what caused her to go to the GLOW audition, and why she stuck around: “I went there because my girlfriend Nadine – who was my tag team partner Ashley – was an actress, so she got a call for an audition. So she wanted to drag me over there because we were friends from our cheerleading days… I didn’t know anything about wrestling and didn’t want to get squashed by a bunch of big, huge musclewomen but when I met Mando [Guerrero], he was the guy that turned me on to wrestling because he was so passionate about it.”

On being a Tough Enough trainer: “I wouldn’t have picked Linda Miles [to win Tough Enough 2]. I avidly said that when we had our sit-downs to decide who would stay and who would go – I mean, it was just all up to us, of course – but Linda Miles definitely has great charisma, but I knew she had an ego problem and I outwardly said ‘I will shoot myself in my foot if Linda Miles gets picked,’ because I don’t want to share a locker room with her.”

On standing up Ricky Steamboat at the Cauliflower Alley reunion last month: “I had a date with Ricky Steamboat to go to the pool and have a vodka rocks with him, the the GLOW girls said, ‘We’re all getting together for lunch, you gotta do that,’ and I was like, ‘Ooh, Ricky Steamboat and vodka or all the girls at lunch.’ And I did the girls and lunch because there are more of them and this is the beginning and we’ve all got to stick together… I hoped he would have forgotten, but then later at the banquet he reminded me, and he couldn’t find me. I was like, ‘Oh, man! Did I just blow it!’”

Her opinion of Stacy “Miss Kitty” Carter: “She was a poison. She used her Jerry Lawler card just to get on board and Jerry Lawler was an announcer, so he’s got a lot of push on who he can say great things about and interject about during his two hours on TV and then he’s also privileged to be in on the writers’ meetings. So here you’ve got a person who comes on board that has somebody rooting for them. She snuck her way into an angle with Chyna as the Mini-Me girl; look at all the stuff she got on board with that was already existing without her help – Right To Censor… she [even] got in on the Women’s Title and what did she do with it? Nothing.”

On Chyna squashing her at WrestleMania X-Seven: “She was a taker in the ring, not a giver… The only regret I have is that I should have kicked out at WrestleMania. If Mae and Moolah taught me anything, it was, ‘It’s live, do what you want to do.’ And when she lay on me like she did at the very end, I thought, ‘That is so rank’… and then the very next day at lunch, Stone Cold said to me ‘I didn’t like the way she pinned you.’ I said, ‘Me neither!’ “He said, ‘You should have kicked out.’ And I said, ‘That’s what I was thinking!’”

Jim Ross Comments on Andy Leavine

Jim Ross, who was down at FCW evaluating talent this week, was asked by a fan when we will see Tough Enough winner Andy Leavine debut. He replied:

"Don't see it being eminent. Lots of work to do."

Former Miss USA and WWE Tough Enough Star Arrested

Former Miss USA Rima Fakih was arrested in Michigan early Saturday for suspicion of drunken driving ... this according to an attorney for the beauty queen.

Police would not confirm the arrest -- and Fakih even tweeted yesterday she wasn't even in Michigan -- but her attorney, Donald Elder, told the Detroit Free Press, "Unfortunately she was."

Elder told the paper Fakih was "very saddened and very apologetic for the situation that she is in right now."

As for the tweet, Fakih posted around 5:00 PM on Saturday: "Let’s clear things up now.... I’m NOT in Michigan and I’m NOT in jail! Wrong Fakih." The tweet has since been deleted.

source: tmz.com

Last month, Fakih claimed she was in talks with Triple H to return to WWE.

Bill DeMott on a second season of "Tough Enough"

On his official Twitter account when asked if there would be a second season of "Tough Enough", Bill DeMott responded saying yes and he was slated to return as a trainer. DeMott then seemed to back track later writing on Twitter, "if and when there is another season of @wwetoughenough it will be @steveaustinBSR,@trishstratuscom ,@BookerT5X and myself..IF."

source: wrestleview.com

USA Wins 20th Consecutive Quarter

USA won 2Q11, extending its unprecedented run as the #1 ad-supported cable entertainment network in prime among total viewers to 20 consecutive quarters as 3.01 million came to the all entertainment network, beating NBA-fueled TNT by +11% as well as topping TNT in households with 2.27 million, +14% over TNT. More of the quarter’s top 40 scripted telecasts were on USA than on any other network for both P25-54 (14) and P18-49 (10):

WWE Tough Enough is the #2 new reality series of the year to date among total viewers (2.74 million).

WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW had a championship quarter, growing year to year across the board: P25-54 (2.49 million) +6%, P18-49 (2.51 million) +6%, P18-34 (1.21 million) +10%, total viewers (5.22 million) +7%, and households (3.46 million) +3%. More total viewers watching cable Mondays from 9pm-11pm tuned to USA’s WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW than anything else in 2Q11. WWE Raw continues to hold the title as the #1 choice for M18-34 in its usual Monday 9pm-11pm timeslot, beating every network on television, broadcast or cable, except for CBS in M18-49, ABC and CBS in P18-49, P18-34, and total males. WWE Raw delivered more P25-54 than FOX head to head this quarter

USA Network is the #1 network in all of basic cable and is seen in over 102 million U.S. homes...More?

source: tvbythenumbers

Rumor Mill - Tough Enough's Andy Ripped Backstage

After the Tough Enough finale part of RAW a few weeks back, WWE's John Laurinaitis ripped into Andy Leavine for about five minutes about how Leavine sh## on everything Vince McMahon and Steve Austin have done for the business, and about how he was a piece of crap who will never amount to anything in the business. Laurinaitis was mad because they felt Andy should have stayed down longer after the slap from Vince and the Stunner from Austin.

source: wrestling observer

This Day in Wrestling History - 'Tough Enough' Debuts on MTV

The first episode of WWF(E) Tough Enough airs on MTV. The reality show/competition results in Maven and Nidia winning contracts after beating out 11 other participants. Nidia was released on November 3, 2004 and Maven was released on July 5, 2005.
June 21, 2001

Tough Enough Winner Andy Leavine Reveals What's Next

In a new interview for WWE.com, Tough Enough winner Andy Leavine says that he's heading back to WWE's training facility, FCW, which I'd gather is a logical next step for the rookie Tough Enough winner. Leavine says in the interview,

"First in 'Tough Enough,' and now in preparation for my impending WWE career, I get the opportunity to learn from the best," WWE's new Superstar added, describing the privilege of studying with the likes of Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat and "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes. "Their overall influence and wisdom are the biggest advantages I have toward becoming a true force to be reckoned with."