Update On WWE Evil

WWE Evil will be “an entertaining psychological expose into the minds of the most diabolical antagonists in WWE history, and their impact on mainstream culture.” Cena later commented that WWE has produced some of the best bad guys (and ladies) ever, and that he was “excited to highlight those who made us boo, scream, and sometimes cry!”

There is still no word on when WWE Evil will premiere on Peacock, but Halloween was rumored at one point. Campbell mentioned in the quote above that the series will arrive later this year. It was reported back in September that several WWE Hall of Famers and Superstars were interviewed for the series, including The Undertaker, Mick Foley, The Godfather, RAW Tag Team Champion Randy Orton, SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos, Batista, Bayley, Paul Heyman and others

WWE Terminates Broadcast Partnership And Shuts Down WWE Network In Russia

WWE released the following statement today: “WWE has terminated its partnership with Russian broadcaster Match and shut down WWE Network in Russia effective immediately. The move eliminates access in Russia to any WWE programming, including the company’s weekly Raw, SmackDown and NXT shows, its on-demand library, and all of its premium live events, including WrestleMania 38.”

Tony Khan Acquires Ring Of Honor

Throughout the past few weeks, Tony Khan and various AEW stars have hyped a “massive announcement” to be revealed on tonight’s episode of Dynamite. Tony even promised to personally appear in the ring for the big moment, which was a promise he fulfilled at the opening of the show this evening.

After thanking the crowd and promising the get the action going soon, Tony Khan said it would be the biggest night in the history of the company.

It was revealed that the major announcement is Tony Khan signed a deal to become the official owner of Ring Of Honor.

It was noted earlier this week in a report that sources from multiple wrestling companies say there was a possible sale of ROH and another promotion. It’s clear now that the deal was between AEW and Ring Of Honor.

ROH has been on a hiatus since December’s Final Battle pay-per-view, and Supercard of Honor is scheduled to be their first show back on Friday, April 1. The company announced in the lead-up to Final Battle that they were taking some time off during the first quarter of this year to “work internally to reimagine” the company and return with a “new fan-focused product and provide a unique experience.” Khan previously indicated that the announcement was not related to any individual talent acquisition, and instead, it had to do with a new business deal for AEW. 

A&E And WWE Expand Original Programming Multi-Year Partnership

WWE and A&E have officially expanded their original programming partnership, which is a multi-year deal. This will lead to 130 worth of new content related to the company.

There will be new seasons of several popular shows, while a brand new series, ‘WWE Rivals’ (working title) is being created.

A&E and WWE today announced a multi-year expansion of their successful programming partnership with the commissioning of more than 130 new hours of premium WWE-themed series and specials to air exclusively on A&E platforms and to be distributed worldwide by A+E Networks.

The multi-platform partnership includes 35 new episodes of the genre-defining, Emmy-award winning franchise “Biography,” featuring documentaries on legends of WWE.  Last year’s “Biography: WWE Legends” episodes drove “Biography” to become A&E’s most-watched series in 2021.  WWE is also beginning production on 24 new episodes of the original series “WWE’s Most Wanted Treasures,” which will air over multiple seasons. The first season of “WWE’s Most Wanted Treasures” was A&E’s most-watched new series of last year.

A&E has also ordered 40 hours of the new series, “WWE Rivals” (working title).   “WWE Rivals” (w.t.) will chronicle the little-known stories behind the biggest clashes in WWE history.  The episodes will include revelatory insights from those who were a part of the rivalries that often extended far beyond the ring and the cameras.

Additional hours of original programming are currently in development as well.

Through in-depth films helmed by some of the industry’s top directors and storytellers, “Biography” continues its focus on meaningful events and personalities as well as their impact on our culture. Through new and archival interviews and never-before-seen footage, each film will give fans an in-depth look at the early lives, rise to fame, and careers of some of the most influential stars in WWE history.

“WWE’s Most Wanted Treasures” takes viewers on a journey to find some of WWE’s most iconic, lost memorabilia.  In each episode, WWE Superstars and Legends investigate, negotiate, bid, and travel across the country to unearth rare items in the hopes of preserving and sharing the legacy behind the memorable moments in WWE history.

Cesaro Reportedly Gone From WWE

Cesaro has reportedly left WWE.

Cesaro quietly exited WWE after his contract expired, according to PWInsider. He was originally scheduled to be at Friday’s SmackDown in Hershey, PA, but he will not be there as he is no longer with the company.

It was noted that WWE and Cesaro had been in contract negotiations, but they could not come to terms on a new deal.

Cesaro is reportedly free to sign with anyone he wants to as he is not under any kind of non-compete clause due to the contract expiring.

Cesaro last wrestled on the February 11 edition of SmackDown, losing to Happy Baron Corbin. The Swiss Superman had wrestled just 5 matches in 2022, and lost each one – teaming with Ricochet for a loss to Sheamus and Ridge Holland at WWE Day 1, teaming with Mansoor for a Fatal 4 Way loss to The Viking Raiders on the January 14 SmackDown, teaming with Ricochet for two Day 1 rematch losses on the January 28 and February 4 SmackDown shows, and then the February 11 loss to Corbin.

Cesaro, age 41, signed with WWE in 2011 after a successful run on the indies and ROH. He leaves WWE a five-time RAW/WWE Tag Team Champion, a two-time SmackDown Tag Team Champion, and a one-time WWE United States Champion. He also won the inaugural Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania 30 in 2014.

XFL And NFL Reach Partnership Agreement

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s XFL announced it has reached a new innovative partnership agreement with the NFL. The XFL is returning in 2023 after suspending operations in 2020 under Vince McMahon’s ownership. The XFL and NFL partnership comes at a time when alternative football leagues are popping up more frequently.

XFL president Russ Brandon told ESPN’s Kevin Seifert the new agreement will give the NFL a “petri dish” to experiment with proposed rules, test new equipment, and develop prospective officials and coaches.

However, the announcement doesn’t signal XFL’s demotion to a developmental league. The league sees itself as an equal competitor in the football industry. The vision for the future remains the same as always for the XFL.

When asked if the XFL would become a developmental league for the NFL, Dany Garcia replied, “That’s a no. We are a spring league. We will play at the highest level in the spring. There is not the anticipation of any player sharing that changes the dynamic. That’s not how we’re executing our vision.”

The deal is not exclusive because either league is still permitted to work with outside entities. This is about the innovation and development of the game of football because the XFL’s looking to make an impact and change the industry.

“One of the things we made clear starting off is that we were going to take a stewardship position on the game and the game of football, expanding it, and being impactful to the industry.”

The partnership benefits not only both leagues but the game of football as a whole. The official statement from the XFL reads, “The XFL has shown us that innovation is one of its core principles. We are hopeful that this relationship will support further development and improvements in the game of football at all levels.”

credit: ESPN Wrestling Inc

The Undertaker Set For The WWE Hall Of Fame

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

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

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

WWE Caps Off 2021 With Record High-Revenue

After a tumultuous year that would see WWE return to regular touring following the emergence of the global pandemic and numerous superstars released by the company, WWE ended 2021 with record-high profits. WWE recently released their Q4 2021 earnings report and the report shows that the company ended the year with record-high revenue of $1.095 billion.

WWE issued the following:

WWE® REPORTS RECORD 2021 RESULTS AND 2022 BUSINESS OUTLOOK

Fourth Quarter 2021 Highlights

Revenue increased 30% to $310.3 million

Operating income increased 131% to $83.6 million

Adjusted OIBDA1 increased 90% to $97.2 million

Returned capital to shareholders totaling $59.0 million, including share repurchases and dividends paid

Full Year 2021 Highlights

Revenue increased 12% to $1.095 billion, the highest in the Company’s history

Operating income increased 24% to $259.0 million

Adjusted OIBDA1 increased 14% to a record $327.1 million

Launched WWE Network content on Peacock, NBCU’s streaming service in the U.S., providing a larger audience and increasing viewership for WWE’s premium live shows, original series, and vast library

Announced a new strategy for premium live events, which focuses on staging these events in stadiums rather than arenas, and utilizes targeted dates to maximize WWE’s live audience potential

Completed consumer product deals including partnerships with Blockchain Creative Labs (Fox) to launch an NFT marketplace and with Panini to be the exclusive provider of WWE trading cards

Created the Next in Line program to recruit the next generation of WWE Superstars, which was initiated with 16 collegiate athletes, including Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson

Returned capital to shareholders totaling $202.0 million, including share repurchases and dividends paid

WWE Royal Rumble Brings In Big Money For St. Louis

Saturday’s WWE Royal Rumble Premium Live Event from The Dome at America’s Center was reportedly a big-time draw for St. Louis, according to the local NBC affiliate.

The Explore St. Louis organization reports that the WWE Royal Rumble had a local economic impact of $8.3 million in revenue “supporting the jobs of thousands of hospitality professionals throughout the region.”

It was noted that The Rumble also generated 11,000 hotel room stays in the area.

Rumor Mill - Triple H Not Returning To WWE NXT Anytime Soon

WWE Hall of Famer and Vice President of Talent Development Shawn Michaels has stepped up in a major way while his best friend has been away. Michaels is seen as the main person in charge of NXT 2.0 right now, and WWE officials are very high on his work.

There’s a feeling that Michaels has been under pressure to make new stars fast with the recent changes in the show, and he is credited with quickly making people like Grayson Waller, Tony D’Angelo, LA Knight, NXT North American Champion Carmelo Hayes, and NXT Champion Bron Breakker into stars very quickly. It was noted that this was not Michaels’ job when he was hired to work as a NXT Producer/Coach, but the workload fell upon him when Triple H took time off last year, and higher-ups feel like he has great aptitude for the creative process, and the understanding of how to make stars, and to make key talent stand out.

While Michaels is the main person in charge at NXT right now, he still has to answer to the top of the company, which includes WWE Chairman & CEO Vince McMahon and Senior Vice President Bruce Prichard. The Observer notes that even with the perception that McMahon and Prichard are running NXT, that’s not really the case as Michaels is in charge but McMahon has the final say.

Big Praise For Shawn Michaels

WWE Hall of Famer and Vice President of Talent Development Shawn Michaels has stepped up in a major way while his best friend has been away. Michaels is seen as the main person in charge of NXT 2.0 right now, and WWE officials are very high on his work.

There’s a feeling that Michaels has been under pressure to make new stars fast with the recent changes in the show, and he is credited with quickly making people like Grayson Waller, Tony D’Angelo, LA Knight, NXT North American Champion Carmelo Hayes, and NXT Champion Bron Breakker into stars very quickly. It was noted that this was not Michaels’ job when he was hired to work as a NXT Producer/Coach, but the workload fell upon him when Triple H took time off last year, and higher-ups feel like he has great aptitude for the creative process, and the understanding of how to make stars, and to make key talent stand out.

While Michaels is the main person in charge at NXT right now, he still has to answer to the top of the company, which includes WWE Chairman & CEO Vince McMahon and Senior Vice President Bruce Prichard. The Observer notes that even with the perception that McMahon and Prichard are running NXT, that’s not really the case as Michaels is in charge but McMahon has the final say.

Peacock Subscriber Updates, Stats On WWE Fans Using Peacock

Peacock hit 24.5 million active subscribers in the United States at the end of 2021, according to Comcast.

This is up 22.5% from the 20 million subscribers that were announced in June 2021.

Comcast also announced that Peacock lost $559 million in the last quarter and $1.7 million for the whole year of 2021. Peacock-related reported revenue was $335 million for the quarter, and $778 million for the year.

Peacock holds the rights to the WWE Network in the United States, and has been the main streamer of WWE Premium Live Events and other programming since April 4, 2021. It was announced in January 2021 that NBCUniversal had acquired the exclusive United States distribution rights to the WWE Network, and would be folding those rights into Peacock.

WWE had around 1.6 million total Network subscribers before the Peacock deal began, with around 1.1-1.2 million of those in the United States.

Analyst Matt Belloni reported earlier this month that of the 1.1 million subscribers that WWE Network had when they signed with Peacock, 1 million successfully converted to Peacock subscribers. It was also noted that more than 3 million Peacock subscribers have watched WWE content since it moved over last spring. Furthermore, more than half of those 3 million subscribers indicated that they signed up “because of WWE.”