WWE Signs Women’s Wrestling Star To Work As Performance Center Coach

WWE has signed former indie wrestling star Allison Danger to work as a coach at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, according to the Wrestling Observer.

Danger, age 44, is the younger sister to ECW Original and current WWE Producer/Trainer Steve Corino.

Danger worked as a guest coach at the Performance Center back in mid-May, but was then brought to Las Vegas in August to work in the ring with talents at the SummerSlam Week tryout camp. It was noted in August that WWE brought Danger to the SummerSlam tryouts because she lived in the Vegas area, and because she had worked as a guest coach in May. That apparently led to Danger getting the full-time gig.

Danger, who wrestled from 2000 – 2013, was significantly influential in the rise of modern day women’s wrestling. She most notably worked for SHIMMER, WSU and ROH. Danger was trained by her brother, CM Punk, the CHIKARA Wrestle Factory, and others.

WWE has also signed Kenn Doane (fka Kenny Dykstra of The Spirit Squad) to work as a WWE Performance Center Coach.

All Elite Wrestling is the strongest challenger WWE has seen in 20 years

Major League Wrestling CEO details plan to take on WWE and AEW juggernauts

AJ Mendez Confirmed As Executive Producer For ‘WOW’ Revival

Former WWE Divas Champion AJ Mendez (AJ Lee) is returning to the “WOW: Women of Wrestling” promotion on commentary. WOW World Champion The Beast and former champion Tessa Blanchard will lead the roster.

ViacomCBS Global Distribution Group announced a new multi-year distribution deal with WOW today. The women’s wrestling promotion is owned by Los Angeles Laker owner Jeanie Buss, and created by David McLane.

New episodes of WOW will launch in weekend syndication beginning in the fall of 2022, according to a press release issued to us tonight. ViacomCBS has already secured 160 markets for the show, representing 70%of the United States via licensing agreements with deals that include CBS-owned-and-operated stations and the Sinclair Broadcast Group. Previous WOW seasons are expected to begin airing on CW Seed and Pluto TV this December.

AJ will provide color commentary on each broadcast, but will also serve as Executive Producer, along with Buss. WOW creator and founder McLane is the Executive Producer of production, along with two-time Emmy winner Nick Staller. ViacomCBS Global Distribution Group will distribute the series in the United States and internationally.

Stephanie McMahon Makes Forbes 2021 List Of World’s Most Influential CMOs

The ninth annual ranking from Forbes is based on 30 digital and social channels analyzed by data science teams from Sprinklr and LinkedIn. The pool of candidates were drawn from more than 500 CMOs and brands from across a wide range of Forbes lists and external lists, such as the World Federation Of Advertisers and the Brand Finance Global 500. Candidates that were considered had to be active and in their role from at least January through May of 2021. The list was created with assistance of artificial intelligence, while the brand performance metrics were based on more than 4.5 billion social media engagements.

McMahon ranked #2 on the list, the same spot she claimed in 2020. She ranked #13 in 2019.

Forbes wrote the following on Stephanie for the 2021 list:

While she may be the only CMO with “professional wrestler” on her resume, Stephanie McMahon an influential marketer far beyond the WWE ring. Along with overseeing the creation of the bio-secure “ThunderDome” during the Covid-19 crisis, McMahon also helped drive fan engagement for live and streaming matches, navigated the return to in-person events in July and built one of the largest TikTok followings for a sports property.

McMahon has also led cross-company collaborations. To help Netflix promote its Army Of The Dead show, WWE had zombies circle the ring and become part of the show. And earlier this month, the WWE partnered with Connor’s Cure and The V Foundation to raise money for fighting pediatric cancer. She’s also helped The Ad Council with its vaccine marketing including PSAs for people to learn more about their options for getting vaccinated.

The Way TV Ratings Are Measured Is Changing, WWE & AEW To Be Impacted

The 18-49 demographic viewership has long been considered the most important number for advertisers when it comes to analyzing the ratings of U.S. television broadcasts.

The higher the 18-49 demo, there more advertisers have been traditionally willing to spend on commercials, however, that is all about to change.

A report in the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, reveals there’s going to be a shift away from the traditional 18-49 being used as the sole deciding factor for advertisers and where they spend their money.

The new key data for advertisers to watch will be "total impressions" a show is able to generate. This will reportedly include streaming and on-demand numbers, rather than live broadcasting viewership or demographics.

The change is expected to come in January 2022 and it will be very interesting to see how this impacts both WWE and AEW, especially since they focus on their 18-49 demographic viewership. The belief is that when the new numbers are included, the genre that will benefit the most are sports programs and shows on streaming services such as Netflix.

MGM Teaming With WWE For Revival Of American Gladiators

A report from Deadline reveals that MGM and WWE are teaming up to revive the classic competition series "American Gladiators."

A new series has been pitched by Mark Burnett which would see a reimagined version of the show. MGM and WWE will serve as executive producers on the project.

In 2008 Hulk Hogan and Laila Ali hosted a reboot on NBC. Prior to that, the show had an initial run from 1989-1996 on syndication and also had a successful British version made on ITV in the UK between 1992-2000 with a revival on Sky in 2008.

Another reboot was attempted in the U.S. in 2018 with Seth Rogan, but plans were dropped.

Happy Birthday Stephanie

Stephanie McMahon Levesque
September 24, 1976

Triple H Comments On His Recent Cardiac Event

WWE Executive Vice President of Global Talent Strategy & Development Paul "Triple H" Levesque posted his first public comments since his recent heart surgery on Twitter:

"I’ve been blown away by the outreach and support from so many people. I’m recovering, doing well, & deeply grateful for all the love in my life. Especially grateful for Shawn Michaels & all the Superstars & WWE NXT Crew! (Steph and the girls loved the snacks!) See you soon"

Rumor Mill - Vince McMahon Reportedly Looking To Make WWE NXT 2.0 An Edgier Product

WWE Chairman & CEO Vince McMahon reportedly has some significant plans in store for the WWE NXT 2.0 brand.

Word going around WWE is that McMahon has plans for NXT 2.0 to be a more edgier product, according to Fightful Select. This would be a part of the ongoing revamp for the brand.

It was reported that the NXT 2.0 brand may target more of a P18-34 demographic, which would go for everything from in-ring work and aggression, to harsher language, and the like. It was also noted that there may be more lenience when it comes to the attire worn by female Superstars, although it wasn’t specified exactly what that means. Another point brought up was that the brand may “keep up with current affairs with promos and character verbiage.”

There’s no word on when these changes might be implemented, and it was noted that sources haven’t heard much more outside of a brief internal acknowledgement that the changes have been discussed.

At least some officials at the USA Network are aware of the potential changes, and are said to be in support of them.

Adam Cole Comments On Shawn Michaels And Triple H

“I’ve been so open with how much of a relationship I formed with Shawn Michaels. He is an idol of mine. A guy I look at as the greatest professional wrestler of all-time. To have the chance to work under him was really cool. Triple H, as well, treated me with nothing but respect and is someone I learned so much from, whether it be things that may seem small but are a big deal in the ring or a work ethic. I feel like the pro wrestler I am today is a lot better than Adam Cole was four years ago. A lot of that is because of my time in NXT.”

AEW And The Owen Hart Foundation Announce Partnership, Tournament To Be Held

 All Elite Wrestling (AEW) and The Owen Hart Foundation (OHF), a nonprofit charity which provides a vast range of assistance and opportunities to individuals in-need across the world, are collaborating to honor the legacy of late wrestler Owen Hart, a beloved figure in the professional wrestling community and beyond. This collaboration includes launching the annual Owen Hart Cup Tournament within AEW, which will see the winner receive a Cup known as “The Owen,” as well as the production and distribution of unique and original Owen Hart merchandise, including specified retail goods as well as the upcoming AEW console video game.

This alliance incorporates opportunities to develop Owen Hart action figures via AEW’s partnership with Jazwares, apparel, posters, and additional collectable merchandise. Owen Hart is survived by his wife, Dr. Martha Hart, who spearheads The Owen Hart Foundation with a mission of providing global aid to at-risk communities (e.g., scholarships, housing, various forms international assistance, food drives, backpack giveaways and Christmas projects).

“AEW’s relationship with the Hart family dates back to our inaugural pay-per-view event, Double or Nothing in 2019, and Owen’s influence is still felt today,” said Tony Khan, AEW CEO, GM and Head of Creative. “To extend his memory and his legacy even further through this agreement is a powerful and meaningful moment for the entire wrestling community.”

“The Owen Hart Foundation is extremely pleased to partner with AEW in this wonderful joint venture to honor Owen’s substantial international wrestling career and the lasting influence he and his craft has had in the sport. AEW’s Owen Hart Cup Tournament serves as a tremendous tribute to Owen and provides an incredible way for professional wrestling enthusiasts to celebrate his work in a most fitting way. We trust that Tony Khan and his amazing AEW team will do a brilliant job with this highly anticipated project. This OHF/AEW partnership is my special gift to all of Owen’s magnificent loyal fans who forever remember him and his inspiring repertoire of talents,” said Dr. Martha Hart.