This Day In Wrestling History: NXT Takeover Is Born

Today is the one year anniversary of the first ever NXT Takeover live event on the WWE Network. Charlotte defeated Natalya in an incredible match to become the new NXT Women’s Championship, and Andrian Neville successfully defended the NXT Championship against Tyson Kidd in the main event.

Natalya took to Instagram to comment on her excellent, critically acclaimed match with Charlotte for the NXT Women’s Championship.

Instagram @natbynature:

One year ago today I had a “WrestleMania moment” in front of 400 people in Winter Park, Florida. Everything I’ve ever learned from The Dungeon in Calgary, training in Japan, wrestling in England & of course WWE Developmental, were put to the test. All of the places I traveled to wrestling for very little money (OK 8 loonies) and sometimes very small crowds (9 people in Cold Lake, Alberta anyone? AND wearing a hideous fuchsia singlet my uncle Ross designed for me) proved to be invaluable experiences preparing me for a ‘moment’ like this. (I’ll save the rest of the sob stories, because we all have them across the board! Cry me a river and then get over it!) It was all worth it to be given the opportunity we were given at #NXT. We were afforded the TIME, the HYPE and most importantly the RESPECT of serious women athletes. It was surreal and unforgettable. And I wish so much I could experience more of this. That is a dream I have: That EVERY girl I work with, who has a real passion for this, gets a chance to paint their own masterpiece in the ring and feel on top of the world. 
#TBT to when @charlottewwe vs. @natbynature stole the show at the first ever #NXTTakeOver! Watch us now on the Award-Winning #WWENetwork!

Kevin Owens Talks Developing A Relationship With Triple H, Importance Of John Cena Match, RAW Debut

The Whig has a good interview with Kevin Owens, who talked about facing John Cena at Elimination Chamber this Sunday. Below are a few highlights:

Debuting on RAW a couple of weeks ago:

"It felt great. It was a surreal moment. Really surreal. (It was) something I've waited for for so long."

Working with Triple H:

"I feel like I've developed a bit of a relationship with Hunter throughout these last few months. It goes beyond the ring. We'll talk about our kids, we'll talk about life. He's very good to me. To have him take time out of a very busy day, he's busy on Raw, and he took the time to tell me to just make sure you are who you are. And I know that's kind of the advice he gives everyone, but to hear it from him, it really means something because 'Make sure you stay who you are' means that who I am, he's got faith in. That's a big thing."

How big his match with John Cena is this Sunday at Elimination Chamber:

"There's no denying how big it is. There's not a whole lot of people that walk into WWE, show up on Raw, lay out the top guy in the industry for the last 10 years and get to wrestle him two weeks later at a major event like Elimination Chamber, but I get to do that. That will literally never be taken away from me, no matter what happens from here on out."

More on ROH Airing on Destination America

-TNA talent was not informed of the deal between D.A. and ROH and found out like everyone else, when the news broke online.

-So far as we know, TNA officials (possibly including Dixie Carter) were not aware there was a deal happening between D.A. and ROH. The two sides coming to terms had very little, if nothing, to do with TNA and whether or not the network plans to continue running Impact Wrestling past September.

-D.A. has syndicated broadcasting rights of the already existing Ring of Honor TV series. That means it will be the same show that airs on syndication all around the country on Friday or Saturday (depending on where you live). That being said, ROH will maintain their syndicated programming through Sinclair and their affiliates, so they aren’t trading one network for another. This is a matter of getting the TV show into a few major networks they had trouble penetrating before, most notably Chicago, Philadelphia, New York and Los Angeles.

-The status of Samoa Joe is uncertain. He was scheduled to work ROH TV dates in the future, but it’s believed WWE allowed him to work anywhere as long as it was not for a rival television network. With ROH on Sinclair this wasn’t a problem, but D.A. makes them a national TV show, which could mean they have to go back to the negotiating table, or that Joe would have to make a long-term decision one way or the other.

-Wade Keller is reporting that there is potential down the line for D.A. to air first-run ROH content at some point in the future.

-With syndication and a national TV deal, plus PPV and IPPV and on-demand through their website, it’s very possible Ring of Honor will take over as the #2 promotion in the U.S. just in terms of viewership and TV ratings. Whether or not they’ll beat the two-hour Impact show remains to be seen (although it’s incredibly unlikely at the start, as TNA has a more established national presence), but it’s the combination of everything that puts them over the top.

-Destination America wants pro wrestling on their network. The entire reason there was talks about them dropping TNA – and it may very well still happen in September – is that Impact is expensive to run. Pro wrestling ad rates are through the roof, and many advertisers just don’t like wrestling, period. WWE was in a similar situation with USA Network, who is now trying to better promote them across all of NBC, basically by pushing them as celebrities and not pro wrestlers. ROH gives D.A. an incredibly inexpensive pro wrestling brand and, unlike Impact, they aren’t responsible for the vast majority of their financial backing.

-ROH may end up airing as both a lead-in and a follow-up, meaning they would replay the show directly before and after Impact every week. So basically ROH ratings would help Impact, and Impact would help ROH.

News On Today's TNA Conference Call

We noted before via F4Wonline.com that TNA officials said they couldn't address the Destination America reports during today's conference call with talents. However, TNA President Dixie Carter did tell the company that TNA has a good relationship with Destination America. This has also been confirmed by PWTorch.com.

Dixie added that they are planning for 2016 but would not comment on reports of Destination America having an "out clause" in September due to legal advice. Dixie did add that out clauses in TV deals are common.

The call reportedly went over 90 minutes with Dixie giving a 10 minute introduction. Talents spoke for about 30 minutes and needless to say, there were some angry talents on the call.

'The Four Horsewomen' of NXT: Sasha Banks, Charlotte, Bayley and Becky Lynch on how they're changing women's wrestling

If you’ve watched WWE NXT any time in the past year (and you really should be watching WWE NXT), you’ve likely noticed something: The women’s division is really damn good.

Bolstered by out-of-nowhere performances by the likes of NXT Women’s Champion Sasha Banks and more, the ladies of NXT have blown up to main-level attractions under the guidance of WWE COO Triple H. As NXT TakeOver: Unstoppable approached, and just hours before Sasha and Ric Flair progeny Charlotte main-evented NXT’s first Live Event in Philadelphia, Charlotte, Sasha, Bayley and Becky Lynch sat down for a roundtable interview with WWE.com. The division’s “Four Horsewomen” opened up on how they got to where they are, where they see themselves going (hint: WrestleMania) and why someday they’ll tell the boys to “Follow that.”

So without further ado, sit back and enjoy some straight shooting from the show-stealin’, wheelin’-dealin’, high-flyin’, revolutionizin’, hug-givin’, match-winnin’ and (onetime) Irish-jiggin’ women — key word — of NXT. Click here.

Ring Of Honor Wrestling To Broadcast On Destination America In June

Ring of Honor Wrestling has announced that they will be broadcasting on Destination America beginning on June 3rd. Destination America themselves later confirmed this news and stated that ROH Wrestilng episodes would air before episodes of TNA Impact Wrestling.

PWInsider.com is reporting that the deal between ROH Wrestling and Destination America is, in fact, a national broadcast deal. They also report that the two parties have been in talks "for the past few months" and that their deal has nothing to do with the apparent situation going on between the network and TNA Wrestling.

Furthermore, it is also being reported that the episodes of ROH Wrestling that will air on Destination America will be the ones that are both owned and distributed by the Sinclair Broadcasting company. It appears that what will happen is that the episodes will air first on Sinclair-owned networks over the weekend before being broadcast on Wednesdays on Destination America. It is also being reported that ROH Wrestling will air every week on Destination America at least through the end of this year, though it could end up being longer than that.

Destination America has also issued the following press release about the deal with ROH Wrestling:

DESTINATION AMERICA BRINGS MORE ACTION TO THE RING ACQUIRING THE RIGHTS TO RING OF HONOR'S WEEKLY TELEVISION PROGRAMMING

(Silver Spring, Md.) –Destination America announced today that it has signed a national broadcast deal with professional wrestling league RING OF HONOR, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc., bringing one of the most respected wrestling organizations to the only network dedicated to all-American entertainment. Destination America is now the one-two-punch to professional wrestling, adding RING OF HONOR (ROH) to its line-up after launching IMPACT WRESTLING in early 2015. RING OF HONOR has been delivering top wrestling matches for ten years with captivating hard-hitting stars such as Jay & Mark Briscoe, AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, The Young Bucks, Maria Kanellis, Adam Cole and Jay Lethal. Destination America will pack on the action beginning Wednesday June 3 with the series premiere of RING OF HONOR at 8/7c leading into brand new premieres of IMPACT WRESTLING at 9/8c.

"With the electric and intense matches that RING OF HONOR provides, Destination America is the network for fans to get an entire evening of jaw-dropping entertainment on Wednesday nights," said Marc Etkind, general manager of Destination America. "RING OF HONOR showcases tenacity, athleticism and passion and it serves as the place where America's favorite wrestling stars are born."

"We are very excited to be partnering with Destination America for the broader distribution of the ROH programming," commented Joe Koff, Chief Operating Officer - Ring of Honor Wrestling. "ROH will now reach an additional 57 million households including those in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia and other large cities where Ring of Honor is not currently airing. ROH has a loyal fan base and is one of the fastest growing major wrestling franchises in the country. With this great partnership with Destination America, we can continue to expand our footprint and reach while producing entertaining, original content and continuing to provide wrestling fans some of the best wrestling content available.

RING OF HONOR will premiere on Wednesday, June 3 leading into IMPACT WRESTLING, making Destination America the home for wrestling every Wednesday evening. The first match will feature the Briscoe Brothers, Mark and Jay, as they face off with the House of Truth in the main event. Also catch athletes of New Japan Pro Wrestling battle it out with the RING OF HONOR stars and follow former NFL lineman Moose compete against BJ Whitmer.

Since launching in 2012, Destination America has become one of cable's top fastest-growing networks, and continues to earn telecast ratings records among key series. In 2015 to date, Destination America has acquired over 50 million unique viewers. With top series that explore unique American cultures and ways of life – including Paranormal Survivor, Hillbilly Blood, Buying the Bayou, and BBQ Pitmasters – Destination America's programming spans the nation from Alaska, Hawaii and Colorado to Louisiana, West Virginia and communities in between. To find Destination America, go to destinationamerica.com/watchda.

WWE NXT to take over Monster Energy AFTERSHOCK 2015

The monsters of rock will meet the monsters of the ring, as the Superstars and Divas of WWE NXT are ready to bring their hard-hitting, in-your-face brand of sports-entertainment to the fourth annual Monster Energy AFTERSHOCK Festival in Sacramento, Calif., on October 24 and 25, 2015!

For the first time ever, AFTERSHOCK will feature live, in-ring matches with NXT Superstars and Divas like Finn Bálor, NXT Women’s Champion Sasha Banks, NXT Tag Team Champions Blake & Murphy, Charlotte, Bayley, Baron Corbin and more, alongside a star-studded lineup of the biggest names in hard rock, alternative and metal. The festival lineup includes Slipknot, Faith No More, Deftones, Shinedown, Jane’s Addiction, Marilyn Manson, Coheed & Cambria, Stone Temple Pilots, Breaking Benjamin, Eagles of Death Metal and many more!

NXT has grown into one of the hottest brands in sports-entertainment over the past two years, thanks to the high octane action it presents every Wednesday on the award-winning WWE Network. The Superstars and Divas of Tomorrow have also taken their show on the road, packing 5,000 fans into San Jose State University’s Event Center for an unforgettable, sold-out Live Event during WrestleMania 31 Week, as well as buzzworthy shows in Philadelphia and Albany, N.Y.

It will be no different when WWE NXT takes over Monster Energy AFTERSHOCK 2015, October 24 and 25 at Gibson Ranch, just outside of Sacramento, Calif. Ticket pre-sales begin Wednesday, May 27 at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT. Public on-sale starts Friday, May 29 at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT. All tickets will be available at Aftershockconcert.com/tickets. Don’t miss your chance to see NXT live, up close and personal!

WWE discontinuing WWE App's second screen for Raw, SmackDown and WWE Network events

From WWE.com:

For the past three years, the WWE App has offered an award-winning, best-in-class second-screen experience, complete with exclusive interviews and match continuation footage, dedicated backstage photography and live voting that allowed the WWE Universe to change the course of our weekly programming. WWE fans were connected to Raw, SmackDown and monthly special events on the WWE Network like never before, as we strived to provide an unprecedented – and immensely interactive – way to watch TV.

However, in this ever-changing digital landscape, more and more fans are turning to alternate ways to consume our content during programming. As such, and to keep pace with evolving times, WWE is discontinuing its second-screen experiences for Raw, SmackDown and monthly special events on WWE Network, effective May 28, 2015, following SmackDown.

Instead, your "second-screen" experience will continue to live on the platform of your choice, whether it’s WWE.com, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, Periscope and many others. WWE is steadfastly committed to delivering multimedia-rich companion content how you want it, where you want it.

Thank you for tapping into the WWE App’s second screen, and prepare for WWE’s new and evolved interactive entertainment.

WWE Tough Enough App Available For Download

The official WWE Tough Enough app is now available to download from the App Store and Google Play.

The device allows fans to view audition videos and share them on social media.

The app will serve as a second-screen experience on Tuesday nights during Tough Enough, similar to what WWE Raw does with their second-screen experience.

Fans will be able to stream exclusive content that’s synchronized to the TV show, tweet the Tough Enough coaches, receive live results, view highlights and photos and breaking news.

Joey Styles Says NXT Is Like ECW

A fan on Twitter wrote WWE's Joey Styles and said pro wrestling hasn't been good since the original ECW days, which Styles obviously played a big role in. Styles replied and said WWE NXT is very much like the original ECW, but without the mindless bloody violence. Styles also replied to another fan who said mindless bloody violence is a good thing. Below are his tweets:

Actually, @TripleH's @WWENXT is very much like Original #ECW without the mindless bloody violence. I love it! https://t.co/wfzInYJ0Om

— Joey Styles (@JoeyStyles) May 24, 2015

Really? You wouldn't think so if you destroyed your body and bled twice a week. @WWENXT got it right. Enjoy it. https://t.co/lpWAbJBjdz

— Joey Styles (@JoeyStyles) May 24, 2015

Ric Flair Talks Wanting To See Triple H In The Ring More, If He Will Return As A Manager, More

WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair spoke to Tom Feaheny about his UK tour, his thoughts on WWE talent, his daughter Charlotte's current run in NXT and more. Below are some highlights:

Returning to the WWE as a wrestler:

"Physically I am more than able to return I don't think that's going to happen, Vincent Kennedy McMahon does not have me on the roster."

Returning to the WWE as a manager:

"I would love that I have been waiting on that for two years, but I don't anticipate that happening now, I understand that they have so many young guys, people they want to get established. I have no problem with it, but I don't think it will happen."

His daughter wrestling in NXT:

"I think she is going to be one of the biggest stars in the female division... I don't miss one of her matches, if I'm not there in person I am watching her on the network."

Triple H's role in WWE and NXT:

"I personally wish he was in the ring more because he is such a great performer. It's hard to maintain that edge when you are working part-time, I think he is doing a phenomenal job on a personal note, NXT is his baby and he has a lot to say about Raw and Smackdown and he is doing a great job, when you wrestle part-time the chances of injury can happen much easier."

Rumor Mill - WWE Planting Seeds for HHH vs Seth Rollins

According to The Wrestling Observer, WWE is planting seeds for a possible Seth Rollins vs Triple H feud somewhere down the line. During the “Architect of a Dream” segment on Raw last week, Triple H saying saying he sees a reflection of himself in Seth Rollins was to help setup the feud, as well as Rollins doing the Pedigree at Payback.