WWE Announces Record Subscribers For The Network

WWE issued the following today, announcing a record 2.1 million subscribers for the WWE Network. You can read the full release with chart at the WWE Corporate website by clicking here.

WWE® Network Hits Record 2.1 Million Subscribers

04/09/2018

WWE® Raises Q1 and Full Year 2018 Guidance

STAMFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- WWE® (NYSE:WWE) today announced that its digital streaming service, WWE Network, reached a record 2.12 million total subscribers following last night's WrestleMania®.1 This is a 9% increase from April 3, 2017, the day after WrestleMania last year.

"We expect to deliver record subscriber levels, revenue and Adjusted OIBDA in 2018," said George Barrios, WWE Co-President. "WWE Network's continued growth along with our massive reach across traditional television as well as digital and social platforms, reaffirms the effectiveness of our global, multi-platform content strategy."

WWE Network Subscriber Highlights

WWE Network achieved record levels of total and total paid subscribers as of April 9, 2018. Total paid subscribers reached 1.81 million, representing a 9% increase from April 3, 2017 – the day after WrestleMania last year.

King of the Ring and Mae Young Classic Set to Return on WWE Network

During the 2018 WWE Hall of Fame Ceremony, a promo aired that revealed that WWE will be reviving the King of the Ring tournament, this time with the stars from WWE's United Kingdom Division. They will also be holding another Mae Young Classic tournament with various female talents from around the world.

2018 WWE Hall Of Fame Legacy Wing Names Revealed

A few years ago WWE introduced the Legacy Wing as a way to highlight professional wrestlers who helped pave the way for the business during the earlier years of the business, and this year more names will be inducted.

PWinsider has confirmed the following names for the 2018 WWE Hall of Fame Legacy wing: 

– Former WWWF champion Stan Stasiak 

– Lord Alfred Hayes 

– Dara Singh 

– Cora Combs 

– El Santo 

– Jim Londos 

– Rufus J. Jones 

– Sputnik Monroe 

– Boris “The Great” Malenko

WWE Cleared By Judge In Federal Concussion Lawsuit

A federal judge has cleared WWE from a concussion lawsuit filed by two former wrestlers in the company, Vito LoGrasso and Evan Singleton. While Singleton did not compete on the main program, LoGrasso popularized himself as "Big Vito," and competed in both ECW and WCW before his WWE run.

The wrestlers alleged that WWE committed fraud by failing to disclose the link between concussions and permanent damage. However, Judge Vanessa Bryan dismissed these claims based on a number of factors.

"The evidence does not support a finding that WWE knew of a risk that repeated head injuries incurred while performing as a professional wrestler could cause permanent degenerative neurological conditions," Judge Bryant wrote in a 21-page filing.

The wrestlers also claimed that the head-trauma work of Joseph Maroon (who was responsible for making the final decision of clearing Daniel Bryan to return to in-ring action) and Mark Lovell dates back to the 1980s, but Judge Bryant refuted this claim stating that they did not work for WWE at the time. According to Bryant, 2008 was the earliest that their knowledge can be imputed to WWE. LoGrasso competed in WWE from 2005-2007.

Judge Bryant also rejected the argument of WWE learning of the dangers of concussions by former WWE competitor Chris Nowinski, who started his own concussion research company after having to retire from wrestling in 2003 due to continuous post-concussion symptoms.

"Plaintiffs have not offered any new evidence showing that WWE was aware of Nowinski's research, that anyone at WWE read Nowinski's book, or that anything in Nowinski's book would suggest a link between professional wrestling and permanent degenerative neurological conditions," Bryant concluded. In addition, she also refuted claims of WWE concealing their awareness of Chris Benoit's CTE diagnosis to LoGrasso.

"Although WWE attempted to discredit the finding that Benoit had CTE, and tried to distance WWE from Benoit's behavior, no reasonable jury could find that WWE concealed the fact of Benoit's diagnosis from LoGrasso," Bryant stated.

For Singleton, his career ended in 2012 when he did not take a chokeslam properly. He claimed that he did not attend a presentation by Maroon a month earlier, which provided insight on the topics of drug abuse and concussion risks. As a result, Bryan deemed Singleton's claim inconsistent with WWE withholding information for the purpose of inducing him to continue wrestling.

LoGrasso claimed that he suffered head trauma in five matches during his two-year stint in the WWE. During the May 2016 video deposition, LoGrasso recalled a six-man tag match, multiple matches against William (Steven) Regal, and one with Mr. Kennedy. In one of those matches against Regal, he hit his head, but "didn't know if [he] had a concussion." He also admitted that he did not review his medical records, and went back and forth on his testimony of whether he watched the matches where he claims that head trauma was suffered.

Also in the deposition, LoGrasso affirmed that he was a part of violent matches in ECW voluntarily, and although he had the ability to say that he was not going to take part of any of these matches, he did not. He also affirmed that he had a personal doctor during the time he was in WWE, and admitted that he never went to anyone to tell them that he may have suffered a head injury during the times he claimed that he did.

Source: Courthouse News Service

Triple H On If He And Stephanie Will Be In The Business As Long As Vince McMahon Has Been

If he and Stephanie will be in the business for as long as Vince McMahon has:

"I think for Vince McMahon, it's his passion and his life. It's just who he is as a human being and as a person. For Stephanie, this has been her family business and her life, and a passion as well. Same thing for me. I've had a long career and deeply into this. Vince McMahon will do this until he can no longer do it. I think we feel the same way. We have a strong passion for this, and for us to take his vision is very important for us. Take that vision, which he has done really well, to take that vision from where it is and beyond where it will be to bring the brand, the company, the business and all of it, like he did. To have a vision beyond what it is today and where it can go. I think that the WWE, in the form of entertainment, as a media juggernaut, and a content creator, and all of that, I think is just scratching the surface of where we can be in the future, and I look forward to that future. When Vince McMahon will no longer be around, I hope Stephanie and I can do it justice and in the future of where it needs to be and hopefully futures beyond that will take it beyond anywhere we can imagine it to be."

WWE Statement On Hulk Hogan Appearing At Future WWE Events

As noted, Hulk Hogan has reportedly been in talks with WWE about returning to the company to "help others learn from his mistakes." Hogan is also appearing at today's HBO Sports' Andre the Giant documentary premiere, which WWE is a part of.

Hogan told TMZ earlier today that he might "maybe someday" return to WWE, but will not be at WrestleMania next week. WWE issued this statement, via PWInsider, saying that Hogan is not scheduled to be a part of any upcoming events.

"Hulk Hogan is an important part of Andre the Giant's history, however his appearance at tonight's HBO premiere of the documentary and his plans to help others learn from his mistakes does not mean WWE is rehiring him. Hogan is not scheduled to be at any upcoming WWE events."

Hogan hasn't appeared for WWE since being fired by the company in 2015 shortly before a tape containing him making racist remarks was made public. Hogan, who was upset with his daughter Brooke dating a black man, used the n-word several times in the tape and said, "I guess we're all a little racist."

Video: Triple H and Stephanie McMahon train for WrestleMania

Triple H Talks New WWE NXT Title, Being Excited For Daniel Bryan, Training With Stephanie McMahon

Triple H recently spoke with USA Today's "For The Win" blog at this link to promote WrestleMania 34 and the match with Stephanie McMahon against Ronda Rousey and WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle, plus the WWE NXT "Takeover: New Orleans" event. Below are highlights:

Are you serving as Stephanie's coach or trainer as she's preparing for this match?

I mean, honestly, as a husband, do you really coach your wife on a whole lot? We're training a lot. We train together, whether that be in the gym or in the ring. We're trying to make sure she's as ready as possible.

I worked with her – it's an interesting thing that I've been there for so much of the evolution of her as a character, even prior to us having a relationship together. I've been there all along the way and I've put her matches together for a lot of them, almost all of them, with her. It's exciting to see this one come to fruition, but you know, she's also a little bit older, has a little bit more responsibility. She's got a lot going on, as we both do, but she wants to make sure her girls see her proud. So there's a lot of pressure on her right now.

The biggest story of the week in WWE was Daniel Bryan's return after being medically cleared. What has it been like watching him work behind the scenes to get back to where he is?

It's been an amazing process. One of the hardest things I've ever had to do is tell talent that they can't do this anymore. That you can't live your dream. And for somebody like Daniel, man, it was soul-crushing.

He went through *a lot* to try to get back to where he was, without any guarantee that it would ever work. But you take the advice of the doctors, the same doctors that told you he couldn't, tell you he can… man, it's like a second lease on life for him. Really excited, really happy for him. Watching him on TV the other night, just sitting at the monitor watching was unbelievable.

TakeOver: New Orleans will feature a six-man ladder match for the inaugural North American Championship. What do you hope this new title will represent for NXT?

I think it's part of a long-term strategic plan for the brand. You see with the UK title, the North American Championship, I think as we branch out and become bigger, [with more] opportunities in different places.

It allows for multiple events to take place with championships represented where I feel like, in locations across North America, Mexico, Canada, the North American Championship can be defended and be a main event-style match with the right players. The NXT Championship could be going internationally at that same period of time. It really depends, but it's part of a long-term strategic plan.

Source: USA Today

Triple H On WWE 205 Live Changes And Listening To Fans

We noted a while back that Triple H recently took over full control of WWE 205 Live from Vince McMahon. Triple H spoke with PWInsider after last week's WrestleMania 35 press conference at MetLife Stadium and said the brand is a work in progress but they're listening to the fans and going into WrestleMania 34 season with "guns blazing."

"It's a work in progress for sure. Every single show we do is a work in progress, at all times. If you think, hey this is what it is, you're done. That's across the board for WWE. People's tastes change. Time changes. You do the same thing for too long, that gets boring. You constantly have to evolve. It's one of the great things about our industry, I think. It's constantly evolving. You constantly have to be in front of it. The day you stop thinking I have something to learn about this, you're done. So, to me, all of it, is a work in progress. 205 Live is a work in progress," Triple H said. "Look, it went in a direction after the Cruiserweight Classic, it went in a direction that was believed to be the right direction, and then fans told us it wasn't the right direction. So, we've changed course. They told us they didn't like vanilla, so we went to chocolate. They told us, 'We're digging the chocolate right now', so we're going to stick with it and I think that's the exciting part of, you know... the great thing is we can turn on a dime and we can deliver to people the things they want to see. Sometimes, it may take a little bit to get rolling. Sometimes, it might happen immediately. It just depends. I feel like we are heading in a good direction for 205 Live right now, NXT is firing on all cylinders. I think we're gearing up to head into WrestleMania season with a lot of guns blazing and it's an exciting time."

WWE sends a scout to Penn State Pro Day

In listing those who attended Wednesday’s Pro Day, the Penn State football program revealed some unusual information: A scout from World Wrestling Entertainment was in attendance.

That came as a surprise and raised immediate questions about which player or players the WWE scout was looking at. There’s been some speculation that the WWE scout could have been looking for XFL players, but that seems unlikely: The XFL isn’t launching for two more years, and Vince McMahon has made clear that the XFL is his own separate venture, not an arm of the WWE.

More likely, the WWE just wants to get a better handle on the kinds of big, strong, athletic men who are going to be looking for work in the months ahead. It’s highly unlikely that a player who’s good enough to get drafted could be lured away by the WWE, but there are plenty of players at Pro Day workouts who aren’t going to make it to the NFL. It makes sense for the WWE to look at those players.

Backstage News On What Daniel Bryan Agreed To In Order To Get Cleared By WWE

Daniel Bryan revealed in an interview with WWE this week that he was cleared to return to in-ring competition by WWE on Monday. While he was cleared on Monday, the decision wasn't finalized until very shortly before WWE made the public announcement of his return on Tuesday, according to Dave Meltzer in the latest edition of The Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

Bryan hasn't wrestled since April of 2015, shortly after he won the WWE Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania 31. He retired the following February after an EEG test revealed slowing of brain activity and a small lesion in an area of his brain that causes seizures. Bryan had reportedly suffered two seizures and over 20 concussions in his career. Bryan was later told by his doctors that retiring was premature, and that the lesion is a vague thing. He had gotten cleared by several doctors since then, and has said that he would wrestle elsewhere when his WWE contract expires in September if he were healthy and WWE would not clear him.

WWE sent Bryan to get tested by several neurologists chosen by WWE Medical Director Dr. Joseph Maroon over the past two months. After they cleared him, Meltzer noted that Maroon was scheduled to test Bryan next week to clear him, however it was changed to this past Monday so that WWE could start building the WrestleMania angle this week.

More?

Hulk Hogan Finally Returning To WWE?, WWE Issues Statement And Confirms Recent Talks With Hogan

WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan may finally be returning to the company soon.

WWE officials are currently having talks about a Hogan return, according to PWInsider. Discussions for the return began several weeks back.

There's no word yet on what kind of role Hogan may come back for but there's speculation on an authority role for SmackDown now that Shane McMahon took an "indefinite leave of absence" from his SmackDown Commissioner duties and current blue brand General Manager Daniel Bryan has been cleared to perform as an in-ring talent once again. PWInsider also noted that Hogan could be coming back just to resume his role as a WWE Ambassador, not necessarily as an on-air performer.

WWE distanced themselves from Hogan back in 2015 due to the racist comments debacle that he was involved in. Hogan made the comments during a conversation he had with Heather Clem, the then-wife of his former best friend, Bubba the Love Sponge. Hogan was secretly filmed by Bubba and this footage would lead to Hogan suing Gawker and other involved parties. Hogan ended up winning a judgement of $115 million against Gawker and that led to a settlement of $31 million.

There have been rumors of WWE working with Hogan again since the heat died down from the scandals he was involved in but it looks like the return may actually be happening now.

WWE issued the following statement to PWInsider in response to the report and confirmed that they have had talks with The Hulkster:

"We have had discussions with Terry Bollea (aka Hulk Hogan) about how he can help others learn from his mistakes, however, he is not under any contract with WWE."

Vince McMahon’s XFL Revival Faces Early Competition From New Football League

WWE's chairman and chief executive Vince McMahon already has an opponent in drawing away NFL's football fans, and it comes from a surprising name: Charlie Ebersol. Not only did Charlie's father, and longtime NBC executive, Dick help Vince launch the original XFL 17 years ago, but the younger Ebersol directed the recent ESPN 30 for 30 documentary on the original failed launch of the XFL. Today, Ebersol announced the formation of the Alliance of American Football.

After political protests by NFL players and concussion injuries gained recent attention, ratings for the league fell by 17 percent. Perhaps seizing on this environment, McMahon announced this past January that he'd revive the XFL (backed by $100 million in stock he sold). He emphasized a more family-friendly stance than the previous XFL, downplaying the sexy cheerleaders and violence of the original league and adhering more to the current PG-era of the WWE. He also stressed nonpolitical actions during games and employing players without criminal backgrounds.

Ebersol's announcement of his Alliance for American Football league also might mean McMahon's plan will come too late. Whereas Vince wants to revamp the XFL in in early 2020, his rival scheduled his launch for February 9, 2019 on CBS, soon after the next Super Bowl.

More?

Daniel Bryan Cleared To Return To In-Ring Action

Following more than two years of extensive evaluations, WWE Superstar Daniel Bryan has been medically cleared to return to in-ring competition by leading neurosurgeons, neurologists and concussion experts, including Dr. Robert Cantu, Dr. Javier Cárdenas and Dr. Jeffrey Kutcher.

Bryan underwent a full review of his medical history and received comprehensive neurological and physical evaluations independent of WWE. He was cleared by each doctor as well as WWE's Medical Director, Dr. Joseph Maroon.

Paul and Aurora

Triple H posted the following on twitter:

I've been fortunate to do a lot of amazing things in my life.
Nothing compares to moments like this...
#MyLittleGirl
#DaddyDaughterDance
#Proud

Triple H Speaks To Students In WWE College Class

We noted back in January how Robert Morris University near Pittsburgh was offering a class on WWE for the Spring 2018 semester. The "Survey of WWE" class is a part of the Sports Management catalog and offers 3 credits to students, taught by Patrick Synowka. Below is the class synopsis:

"This course examines the cutting-edge business and artistic presentation practices of a global leader in live entertainment, World Wrestling Entertainment (NYSE: WWE). Students will review the history covering the professional wrestling business,its talent development, theatrical influences/production practices, event/facility management operations as well as WWE's innovative branding, marketing and mass media strategies

WWE Changes Name Of Fabulous Moolah Memorial Battle Royal

WWE is changing the name of the first-ever Fabulous Moolah Memorial Battle Royal to take place at WrestleMania 34. The new name will be the WrestleMania Women's Battle Royal.

WWE sent us the following statement on the name change today:

"After further consideration, we believe it's best to proceed with the name 'WrestleMania Women's Battle Royal.' What remains most important is that this historic match is part of WWE's unwavering commitment to the Women's Division."

We noted how the public backlash over WWE paying tribute to the WWE Hall of Famer Moolah began as soon as the match was announced on Monday's RAW. Fans were not happy over how WWE was honoring such a controversial figure. Moolah has been accused of pimping younger women's wrestlers and taking their pay decades ago, among other bad business practices.

WWE WrestleMania Sponsor Says Fabulous Moolah Battle Royal Name Is 'Unacceptable'

The backlash continues over WWE announcing the first-ever Fabulous Moolah Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania 34, which will feature female wrestlers from RAW, SmackDown and NXT. Many fans are outraged that WWE would name the match after Moolah, with WWE even disabling comments on the video above for the match on YouTube. While Moolah is a WWE and NWA Hall of Famer and NWA Hall of Famer, as well as a four-time WWE Women's Champion and a five-time NWA Women's Champion, her controversial past it being brought to the forefront.

Moolah, who passed away at the age of 84 in 2007, has been accused of corruption and "pimping" out female wrestlers during her era. Luna Vachon, Wendi Richter, Leilani Kai and others have discussed Moolah's checkered past, with several of the allegations being denied by Moolah.

"Moolah did send girls out to this guy in Arizona and pimped them out," Jeannine Mjoseth, a former student of Moolah who briefly wrestled as Mad Maxine, told Slam! Wrestling in 2014. "I actually spoke to him on the phone and asked him what he was looking for. He said, 'If I'm spending all this money, you know what I want.' That was part of Moolah's way of making money. She was just a bad person. Moolah didn't have a good bone in her body."

The son of African American female wrestler Sweet Georgia Brown, who passed away in 1989, also told some disturbing stories to the Free Times in 2006 of his mother's experiences during the time that she trained and worked for Moolah. Brown was Moolah's first black student, and her family implied that Moolah and her common-law husband, Buddy Lee, would exploit her physically and financially.

A petition was launched at Change.org to change the name of the battle royal, which is nearing 10,000 signatures. Fans have also been contacting Snickers, which is a sponsor of WrestleMania. While WWE has not responded to our request for a comment regarding the backlash, Mars Wrigley Confectionery US, the parent company of Snickers, called the decision to name the battle royal after Moolah "unacceptable." Below is their statement that we received:

We were recently made aware of the World Wrestling Entertainment Inc's (WWE) decision to honor a former wrestler during the upcoming WrestleMania 34 event. As a principle-based business that has long championed creating inclusive environments that encourage and empower everyone to reach their full potential, this is unacceptable. We are engaging with the WWE to express our disappointment.

Backlash Over WWE's Fabulous Moolah Memorial Battle Royal, Mainstream Media Attention, Petitions

As noted, WWE announced on Monday that the first-ever Fabulous Moolah Memorial Battle Royal will take place at WrestleMania 34 with female Superstars from WWE NXT, RAW and SmackDown competing, likely for a trophy. The match is named after WWE Hall of Famer and NWA Hall of Famer The Fabulous Moolah, a four-time WWE Women's Champion and a five-time NWA Women's Champion. Her last WWE match came on September 15th, 2003 as she defeated Victoria on RAW, a match that she was promised for her 80th birthday, making her become the first octogenarian to wrestle in a WWE ring. She made a few more non-wrestling appearances for WWE over the years before passing away at the age of 84 in 2007.

There has been significant backlash among fans on social media since WWE made the announcement on Monday night.

Moolah has been accused over the years of essentially being a pimp to younger women's wrestlers back during her prime, taking advantage of them and screwing others out of work and pushes, among other allegations. The stories on Moolah come from shoot interviews with women's wrestling stars such as Luna Vachon, Wendi Richter, Leilani Kai and others, plus other industry talk. You can read a "Wrestler's True Colors" Reddit thread on Moolah at this link, which details some of the claims made about Moolah before and after her death, some of which have been denied by Moolah.

"Moolah did send girls out to this guy in Arizona and pimped them out," Jeannine Mjoseth, a former student of Moolah who briefly wrestled as Mad Maxine, told Slam! Wrestling in 2014. "I actually spoke to him on the phone and asked him what he was looking for. He said, 'If I'm spending all this money, you know what I want.' That was part of Moolah's way of making money. She was just a bad person. Moolah didn't have a good bone in her body."

Forbes has picked up on the backlash at this link and fans have launched a Change.org petition to have the name of the battle royal changed at this link. The petition has 3,165 signatures and counting as of this writing. There's also a petition to have the match canceled at this link. That petition has 3,231 signatures and counting as of this writing. These Change.org petitions never force any actual changes in WWE but they are worth mentioning.

As seen below, fans have responded to various tweets from female Superstars regarding Moolah and the match, including tweets from Stephanie McMahon and WWE NXT Women's Champion Ember Moon. Liv Morgan had made a tweet on the match but it appears she deleted it due to the feedback from fans.

The first-ever Fabulous Moolah Memorial Battle Royal to take place at WrestleMania

The Superstars of Raw, SmackDown and WWE NXT's Women's divisions will have the chance to make history yet again when they compete in the inaugural Fabulous Moolah Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania 34.

As first announced on Raw, this ground-breaking battle royal will pay tribute to the first-ever WWE Women's Champion, The Fabulous Moolah, who not only paved the way for female competitors through the years, but also played a pivotal role in the first several WrestleMania events.

In the highly-anticipated free-for-all, members of the Women's divisions from Raw, SmackDown LIVE and WWE NXT will compete to be the last Superstar standing in the over-the-top-rope melee.

Jeff Hardy Arrested For DWI Following Traffic Accident

Jeff Hardy was arrested for Driving While Impaired on Saturday night in Concord, North Carolina after an accident on Concord Parkway. The accident happened at 8:11pm. Hardy was arrested at 10:39pm EST and released later that night. The police report notes that Hardy totaled his 2016 Cadillac CTS-V with an estimated $8,000 in damages. Hardy was not traveling over the speed limit but was going an estimated 50 mph at the time of impact. The report also indicates Hardy underwent some sort of test for alcohol but that the results were pending at the time of the arrest.

Officer Kelemecz wrote the following on the accident in the police report:

"Driver of Vehicle #1 ran off the roadway to the right, in turn striking about 105 feet of guardrail before the back end of the car spun out 90 degrees to the left, coming to rest in the middle of the right N bound lane of travel. The driver was arrested and charged with DWI."

The police report lists an estimated $5,000 in damages to the 105 foot of guardrail, owned by the NC Department of Transportation, which could be a factor in any restitution that the court orders Hardy to pay. As is standard in NC following a DWI arrest, Hardy's license have been suspended. His first court date is scheduled for Monday, April 16th in Cabarrus County.

In an update, WWE issued the following statement on the arrest to us this morning:

"Jeff Hardy is responsible for his own personal actions. We are investigating the matter and awaiting information from local law enforcement officials."

Ric Flair Talks Hip-Hop Community Respect

WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair recently spoke with Revolt to discuss his new appearance in the music video for the "Ric Flair Drip" single from Offset, 21 Savage and Metro Boomin. You can see the video above. Flair revealed that he wants to shoot a video with Offset's fiancee next, Cardi B. Flair commented on what it's like to be an icon to the hip-hop community today:

"I mean it's so rewarding. It's hard to explain all that stuff I did in the '80s. All that money I spent on jewelry when nobody was wearing it. [Laughs] It's all coming back around full circle. I used to sometimes want to kill myself later in life for all the money I spent renting jet airplanes, limousines, and all of that. But, now it's coming back full circle. I don't regret any of it. So to have the respect of guys like Snoop Dogg, who I've been friends with forever, and Offset, whose career and future is unlimited, I'm thrilled by it."

WWE Reportedly Planning To Introduce New Championships After Wrestlemania 34

WWE is reportedly planning on introducing a new set of Cruiserweight Tag Team Championships, and the titles would be debuted after Wrestlemania 34.

According to a report by PWInsider.com, multiple sources have confirmed the 205 Live brand will add the tag titles. The design of the titles has reportedly been finalized, but there is no current timeframe for when they might appear on TV besides the ‘post-Mania’ period.

It was also noted that several designs were worked on before the final ones were approved, and this should serve as a sign that WWE will continue to build the 205 Live brand moving forward.

Vince McMahon Makes Forbes 2018 Billionaires List, How Much Money Is McMahon Currently Worth?

WWE Chairman Vince McMahon is ranked #1,394 on the 2018 Forbes Billionaire List.

Forbes has Vince's 2018 Billionaires net worth at $1.7 billion as of today. They have Vince's Real Time net worth at $1.8 billion as of today.

This is Vince's second straight ranking on the annual list put out by Forbes. He missed the billionaire threshold in 2016 by just two months.

WWE Reportedly Set To Hold 100k Event In Australia In October

WWE is reportedly looking to hold one of their biggest events ever in 2018. The MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground) is looking to host more big events going forward, and WWE wants to capitalize on this desire. The venue has a capacity of over 100,000, and is the 10th largest stadium in the world.

According to the Herald Sun (a major newspaper in Victoria, Australia), WWE has partnered up with Visit Victoria to put on a show in October, one week after the AFL Grand Final, which takes place on September 29. An announcement for the event is excepted to occur at WrestleMania 34 on April 8.

The reports states it would be a PPV event and they would look to bring in names like The Undertaker, Rey Mysterio, and John Cena. If this event does occur, it would crush the previous attendance record (56,214) in Australia, which was UFC 193 featuring Ronda Rousey vs. Holly Holm. Rousey just signed her Raw contract at last Sunday's Elimination Chamber.

It's estimated the event would bring more than $100 million to the state's economy, along with 900 jobs.

Regarding past WWE pay-per-views, WrestleMania 32 in Dallas, TX, broke the 100K threshold at 101,763, although this number has varied in accuracy. Others coming close to 100K were WrestleMania III in Pontiac, Michigan at 93,173 (again, that number is disputed), WrestleMania 29 in East Rutherford, NJ, at 80,676, SummerSlam '92 in London, England at 80,355, and WrestleMania 23 in Detroit, Michigan at 80,103.

Source: Herald Sun

Former WWE Star Tammy 'Sunny' Sytch Arrested On Fugitive From Justice Charges

Tammy Sytch, also known as former WWE star Sunny, is once again behind bars, with cops saying she is a "fugitive from justice."

According to a report tonight by TMZ, jail records show that Sytch is currently locked up in New Jersey on contempt of court and fugitive from justice charges.

TMZ is trying to get more details on what exactly led to her arrest.

Sytch, who turned 45 years old in December, has been arrested several times over the years. In 2012, she was arrested five times in a four-week span, for disorderly conduct, third-degree burglary, and three counts of violating a protective order. She was arrested a sixth time in January 2013, also for violating a protective order. She served 114 days in jail and was released in May 2013.

In January 2016, Sytch pleaded guilty to driving while under suspension. On August 18, 2016, a judge sentenced her to 90 days in jail but counted her 97 days in rehab as jail credit. On September 23, 2016, 18 days into her probation, Sytch was arrested for violating her parole. The arrest was due to three DUI arrests in 2015. Sytch remained in jail on these charges through her arraignment in January 2017. She was fined $1,496.45 for the remaining charges and released on February 3, 2017.

Triple H Hits Social Media Milestone

Triple H hit 7 million followers on Twitter, making him the third most followed pro wrestling personality behind only The Rock and John Cena. The top 10 most followed WWE personalities as it stands right now are:

1. The Rock (12.6 million)

2. John Cena (10.9 million)

3. Triple H (7.1 million)

4. Randy Orton (5.8 million)

5. Sheamus 4.8 (million)

6. Steve Austin (4.4 million)

7. Daniel Bryan (4.3 million)

8. Shawn Michaels (3.9 million)

9. Nikki Bella (3.4 million)

10. Chris Jericho (3.4 million)

Roman Reigns is close to cracking the list, sitting at #11 with 3 million followers.

Stephanie McMahon On Shane McMahon’s Backstage Role In WWE

During a recent interview with Bloomberg, Stephanie McMahon commented on her brother, Shane McMahon, and his role behind the scenes in the sports entertainment company. Here is what she had to say:

“He is really a strong talent for us right now,” says Stephanie—though he isn’t, she points out, an actual executive at the company”

You can read the entire interview here.

WWE Announces Dual-Branded PPVs And Drops Two Events

WWE officially announced that starting with Backlash on May 6 their PPVs will now include both brands. WWE released the upcoming dual-branded PPVs along with their dates, which will be a total of 12 PPVs for 2018. Elimination Chamber will still be a Raw exclusive show and Fastlane will be a SmackDown exclusive show.

Below is WWE's official statement:

"After WrestleMania, you'll get the best of both brands – Raw and SmackDown LIVE – every month, on every pay-per-view. Catch every event streaming live on the award-winning WWE Network.

WrestleMania 34 - April 8, 2018

WWE Backlash - May 6, 2018

WWE Money in the Bank - June 17, 2018

WWE Extreme Rules - July 15, 2018

SummerSlam - Aug. 19, 2018

WWE Hell in a Cell - Sept. 16, 2018

WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs - Oct. 21, 2018

Survivor Series - Nov. 18, 2018

WWE Clash of Champions - Dec. 16, 2018"

A few changes have been made to the original PPV schedule. 

Previously, Payback (SmackDown) was scheduled to be on May 27, but has been removed. Extreme Rules (Raw) was initially scheduled to be on September 16, but is now on July 15 with Battleground(Raw) being removed. Hell in a Cell (SmackDown) was on September 30 and has been moved to September 16.

FDA Authorizes Marketing Of First Blood Test To Aid In The Evaluation Of Concussion In Adults

The FDA has released the following news which will no doubt have an affect on the way WWE, the NFL and other sports institutions handle concussion treatment:

FDA authorizes marketing of first blood test to aid in the evaluation of concussion in adults

New quick testing option to help reduce need for CT scans, radiation exposure for patient

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today permitted marketing of the first blood test to evaluate mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), commonly referred to as concussion, in adults. The FDA reviewed and authorized for marketing the Banyan Brain Trauma Indicator in fewer than 6 months as part of its Breakthrough Devices Program.

Most patients with a suspected head injury are examined using a neurological scale, called the 15-point Glasgow Coma Scale, followed by a computed tomography or CT scan of the head to detect brain tissue damage, or intracranial lesions, that may require treatment; however, a majority of patients evaluated for mTBI/concussion do not have detectable intracranial lesions after having a CT scan. Availability of a blood test for concussion will help health care professionals determine the need for a CT scan in patients suspected of having mTBI and help prevent unnecessary neuroimaging and associated radiation exposure to patients.

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Rich Swann And WWE Mutually Part Ways

WWE today announced that Rich Swann is done with the company. In a statement, they said that the two parties have mutually agreed to part ways.

"Rich Swann and WWE have mutually agreed to part ways as of today, February 15, 2018," WWE posted on their official website. "WWE wishes Swann the best in all of his future endeavors."

Swann was arrested and charged for false imprisonment/kidnapping and misdemeanor battery (touching or striking) after an incident with his wife Vannarah Riggs, who currently works for Impact Wrestling as Su Yung, in mid-December. Swann was driving a car with Riggs and apparently began to critique her performance at a wrestling show earlier in the night. Swann supposedly got angry and Riggs jumped out of the car because she was worried that the argument was going to escalate. Swann allegedly stopped the car in traffic and yelled for her to return before putting her in a headlock and dragging her back to the vehicle. The car was apparently not in park, and it crashed into a telephone pole. Swann denied physically touching Riggs and the couple reconciled shortly after.

At the Television Critics Association Winter Tour event in California in early January, Stephanie McMahon and Triple H said that Swann would be immediately terminated from the company if he was found guilty.

"We are just waiting on legal," Triple H said. "We have a zero tolerance policy on that, as you've seen, so he's suspended until it is determined legally one way or the other."

"And if he's convicted, he will be released," Stephanie stated.

Triple H added, "Immediately."

All charges against Swann were dropped in late January after prosecutors determined that there was insufficient evidence to move forward with the case.

CNN Money Posts Article About WWE's Financial Success, How Much It's Now Worth

CNN Money has posted an article about WWE's current financial success. WWE stock has been at an all-time high as of late, and according to the article, the company as a whole is now worth almost $3 billion.

The article mentions how the WWE Network has been a success for WWE so far, as well as WWE's incredible popularity on social media. The article also acknowledges that while Monday Night Raw and SmackDown Live television ratings aren't quite as high as they used to be, they both still averaged about three million viewers a week throughout 2017. Raw in particular draws about the same number of viewers as an NBA basketball game on broadcast television.

WWE's revenue is expected to continue to grow in the coming years, according to several of the experts who spoke to CNN Money.