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XL Kickoff: Feb. 8, 2024
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Top 10, Jan. 5, 2024
SmackDowns
most jaw-dropping moments: SmackDown New Years
Revolution 2024 highlights
Paul
Heyman informs Roman Reigns of Fatal 4-Way decision:
SmackDown New Year's Revolution exclusive
Paul
Heyman has not invited The Rock to the table: SmackDown
New Year's Revolution 2024 highlights
The
Rock makes stunning return to whip Jinder Mahals
Candy A**: Raw Day 1 highlights, Jan. 1, 2024
Rhea
Ripley and Dirty Dominik Mysterio zipline
in Perth, Western Australia
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PLE's (Premium Live Events) 2024
Confirmed
at time of publication
WWE
Royal Rumble
January 27.
Tropicana Field
St. Petersburg, Florida
WWE
Elimination Chamber: Perth
February 24.
Optus Stadium
Perth, Western Australia, Australia
WWE
WrestleMania 40
April 6, April 7.
Lincoln Financial Field
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
WWE
Backlash: France
May 4.
LDLC Arena
Décines-Charpieu, Greater Lyon, France
WWE
Money in the Bank
July 6.
Scotiabank Arena
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
WWE
Bash in Berlin
August 31.
Mercedes-Benz Arena
Berlin, Germany
Media
Man: WWE, part of the TKO Group is riding a wave of
momentium. Strike while the iron is hot. Global domination
of the professional wrestling landscape continues.
Premium Live Events is the newer term what previously
were called Pay-Per-View (PPV) events. Under leadership
of Nick Khan and Triple H WWE is powering ahead in
a very much global major event direction, as well
as presenting amazing storytelling and in-ring action,
while the marketing, merch and media arms keep powering
ahead, frequently breaking and smashing records. Back
in our Optus TV PPV and Main Event TV collaboration
work at Optus we always saw the potential of massive
WWE growth, but certainly never saw it getting this
big. - Greg Tingle, Media Man Group
NETFLIX
TO BECOME NEW HOME OF WWE RAW BEGINNING 2025
Long-Term Deal Brings Weekly Live Sports Entertainment
to Netflix
STAMFORD,
Conn., January 23, 2024 WWE, part of TKO Group
Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: TKO), and Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX)
today announced a long-term partnership that will
bring WWEs flagship weekly program Raw
to the worlds leading entertainment service.
This marks a major programming shift as Raw leaves
linear television for the first time since its inception
31 years ago
Beginning
in January 2025, Netflix will be the exclusive new
home of Raw in the U.S., Canada, U.K. and Latin America,
among other territories, with additional countries
and regions to be added over time. Likewise, as part
of the agreement, Netflix will also become the home
for all WWE shows and specials outside the U.S. as
available, inclusive of Raw and WWEs other weekly
shows SmackDown and NXT as well as the
companys Premium Live Events, including WrestleMania,
SummerSlam and Royal Rumble. WWEs award-winning
documentaries, original series and forthcoming projects
will also be available on Netflix internationally
beginning in 2025
This
deal is transformative, said Mark Shapiro, TKO
President and COO. It marries the cant-miss
WWE product with Netflixs extraordinary global
reach and locks in significant and predictable economics
for many years. Our partnership fundamentally alters
and strengthens the media landscape, dramatically
expands the reach of WWE, and brings weekly live appointment
viewing to Netflix.
We
are excited to have WWE Raw, with its huge and passionate
multigenerational fan base, on Netflix, said
Netflix Chief Content Officer, Bela Bajaria. By
combining our reach, recommendations, and fandom with
WWE, well be able to deliver more joy and value
for their audiences and our members. Raw is the best
of sports entertainment, blending great characters
and storytelling with live action 52 weeks a year
and were thrilled to be in this long-term partnership
with WWE.
In
its relatively short history, Netflix has engineered
a phenomenal track record for storytelling,
said Nick Khan, WWE President. We believe Netflix,
as one of the worlds leading entertainment brands,
is the ideal long-term home for Raws live, loyal,
and ever-growing fan base."
With
1,600 episodes to date, Raw is the most iconic show
in sports entertainment. Since its debut in 1993,
Raw has delivered action, compelling drama and unmatched
athleticism 52 weeks a year. Blending the best
of scripted content with unpredictable live entertainment,
the three-hour show has helped launch the careers
of Dwayne The Rock Johnson, Stone
Cold Steve Austin, Triple H, John Cena, Roman
Reigns, Bianca Belair and Charlotte Flair.
The
show is currently the No. 1 show on USA Network, where
it brings in 17.5 million unique viewers over the
course of the year. One of televisions best
performing shows in the 18-49 advertising demographic,
Raw trends on X 52 weeks a year while each new episode
is airing. On social media, WWE has more than one
billion followers across its platforms.
###
About
WWE
WWE, part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO), is an
integrated media organization and the recognized global
leader in sports entertainment. The company consists
of a portfolio of businesses that create and deliver
original content 52 weeks a year to a global audience.
WWE is committed to family-friendly entertainment
on its television programming, premium live events,
digital media, and publishing platforms. WWEs
TV-PG programming can be seen in more than 1 billion
homes worldwide in 25 languages through world-class
distribution partners including NBCUniversal, FOX
Sports, TNT Sport, Sony India and Rogers. The award-winning
WWE Network includes all premium live events, scheduled
programming and a massive video-on-demand library
and is currently available in approximately 165 countries.
In the United States, NBCUniversals streaming
service, Peacock, is the exclusive home to WWE Network.
Additional information on WWE can be found at wwe.com
and corporate.wwe.com.
About
Netflix
Netflix is one of the world's leading entertainment
services with over 247 million paid memberships in
over 190 countries enjoying TV series, films and games
across a wide variety of genres and languages. Members
can play, pause and resume watching as much as they
want, anytime, anywhere, and can change their plans
at any time.
About
TKO
TKO Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: TKO) is a premium
sports and entertainment company that comprises UFC,
the worlds premier mixed martial arts organization,
and WWE, an integrated media organization and the
recognized global leader in sports entertainment.
Together, our organizations reach more than 1 billion
TV households in approximately 170 countries, and
we organize more than 350 live events year-round,
attracting over one million fans. TKO is majority
owned by Endeavor Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: EDR),
a global sports and entertainment company.
Forward-Looking
Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements
within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995 intended to be covered by the safe
harbor provisions contained in Section 27A of the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
All statements in this press release that do not relate
to matters of historical fact should be considered
forward-looking statements, including, without limitation,
expected programming and viewer benefits under the
multi-year domestic media rights partnership with
and NBCUniversal. These statements are neither promises
nor guarantees and involve known and unknown risks,
uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance
or achievements to be materially different from what
is expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements,
including, but not limited to the factors discussed
in the section entitled Risk Factors in
TKOs final prospectus on Form 424(b)(3) filed
with the SEC on September 19, 2023, as any such factors
may be updated from time to time. Forward-looking
statements speak only as of the date they are made
and, except as may be required under applicable law,
neither TKO nor WWE undertake any obligation to update
or revise any forward-looking statements, whether
as a result of new information, future events or otherwise
Investors
and others should note that TKO announces material
financial and operational information to its investors
using press releases, SEC filings and public conference
calls and webcasts, as well as its Investor Relations
site at investor.tkogrp.com. TKO may also use its
website as a distribution channel of material information
about the Company. In addition, you may automatically
receive email alerts and other information about TKO,
UFC and WWE when you enroll your email address by
visiting the Investor Email Alerts option
under the Resources tab on investor.tkogrp.com.
RAW
Is Wrestling Politics?
SmackDown
is Wrestling Politics?
Are
You Ready?
Chatter
and buzz concerning the building beef between Team
Rock and Reigns vs Triple H, Cody Rhodes and Co!
Is
someone going to get suspended?
Excertion
of power!
Wrestling
wars in the ring, backstage and perhaps in the boardroom?
The
Rock's position in TKO Group may be put front and
centre into the public domain on this and upcoming
editions of RAW.
Pro
wrestling with TKO and KO.
Head
Of The Table
Board
Of Directors
Creative
Control
Cerebral
Assassin
King
Of Kings
The
Real People's Champion Is...
"We
Want" chants
Who
may get sent to Australia (for punishment or reward)!
The
Art Of War
The
Man In The Arena
On
Script, off script, or elements of both!?
We
The People
Broadcast
announcers be ready to duck and weave!
Wrestling
News
WWE
Cody
Rhodes and Bayley win the Royal Rumble Matches to
earn the right to headline WrestleMania
At
the 2024 Royal Rumble, Cody Rhodes and Bayley both
outlasted 29 other Superstars to win their respective
Royal Rumble Matches and earn the right to challenge
a World Champion at The Showcase of the Immortals.
Plus, Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns
successfully defended his title against Randy Orton,
AJ Styles and LA Knight in a Fatal 4-Way Match, and
Kevin Owens accidently got himself disqualified in
a United States Title Match against Logan Paul.
Wrestling News
Cody
Rhodes Addresses Never Crossing Paths With CM Punk
In AEW
Cody Rhodes is surprised he never crossed paths in
any real way with CM Punk during their respective
runs in AEW.
The
American Nightmare spoke about this during the
WWE Royal Rumble 2024 post-show press conference on
Saturday night.
Its
funny that we meet back here, Cody said of himself
and Punk. Really. When we were at AEW, I thought
we would encounter one another there. It didnt
happen. For whatever reason, it didnt happen.
He
continued, I think both him and I had different
personal experiences. Dont believe anything
that Wade Keller put out about why I left or anything
like that. The truth is, nobody knows. Personal thing.
Probably a personal thing for Punk. That happens.
People come. People go. Its not a huge thing.
Rhodes
also spoke about reuniting with The Miz, Kofi Kingston
and Punk and it feeling like his first run in WWE.
To
see [CM Punk] tonight. To see Miz. To see Kofi. Those
were my guys, he said. First OVW show
I walked into, Brent Albright vs. CM Punk was the
main event and Punk was also running the whole show,
maybe set up the ring. To see that, sometimes you
want another person who you admire and respect to
stop looking at you as the kid and look at you and
see who you are now. I think he got to see who I am
now. That means a lot to me. Hes amazing, could
have gone either way, I look forward to what he does
in WWE.
Wrestling
News and Streaming News
Netflix
to become new home of WWE Raw beginning 2025
STAMFORD,
Conn., January 23, 2024 WWE, part of TKO Group
Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: TKO), and Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX)
today announced a long-term partnership that will
bring WWEs flagship weekly program Raw
to the worlds leading entertainment service.
This marks a major programming shift as Raw leaves
linear television for the first time since its inception
31 years ago.
Beginning
in January 2025, Netflix will be the exclusive new
home of Raw in the U.S., Canada, U.K. and Latin America,
among other territories, with additional countries
and regions to be added over time. Likewise, as part
of the agreement, Netflix will also become the home
for all WWE shows and specials outside the U.S. as
available, inclusive of Raw and WWEs other weekly
shows SmackDown and NXT as well as the
companys Premium Live Events, including WrestleMania,
SummerSlam and Royal Rumble. WWEs award-winning
documentaries, original series and forthcoming projects
will also be available on Netflix internationally
beginning in 2025.
This
deal is transformative, said Mark Shapiro, TKO
President and COO. It marries the cant-miss
WWE product with Netflixs extraordinary global
reach and locks in significant and predictable economics
for many years. Our partnership fundamentally alters
and strengthens the media landscape, dramatically
expands the reach of WWE, and brings weekly live appointment
viewing to Netflix.
We
are excited to have WWE Raw, with its huge and passionate
multigenerational fan base, on Netflix, said
Netflix Chief Content Officer, Bela Bajaria. By
combining our reach, recommendations, and fandom with
WWE, well be able to deliver more joy and value
for their audiences and our members. Raw is the best
of sports entertainment, blending great characters
and storytelling with live action 52 weeks a year
and were thrilled to be in this long-term partnership
with WWE.
In
its relatively short history, Netflix has engineered
a phenomenal track record for storytelling,
said Nick Khan, WWE President. We believe Netflix,
as one of the worlds leading entertainment brands,
is the ideal long-term home for Raws live, loyal,
and ever-growing fan base."
With
1,600 episodes to date, Raw is the most iconic show
in sports entertainment. Since its debut in 1993,
Raw has delivered action, compelling drama and unmatched
athleticism 52 weeks a year. Blending the best
of scripted content with unpredictable live entertainment,
the three-hour show has helped launch the careers
of Dwayne The Rock Johnson, Stone
Cold Steve Austin, Triple H, John Cena, Roman
Reigns, Bianca Belair and Charlotte Flair.
The
show is currently the No. 1 show on USA Network, where
it brings in 17.5 million unique viewers over the
course of the year. One of televisions best
performing shows in the 18-49 advertising demographic,
Raw trends on X 52 weeks a year while each new episode
is airing. On social media, WWE has more than one
billion followers across its platforms.
Netflix
to Become New Home of WWE Raw Beginning 2025
01/23/2024
Long-Term
Deal Brings Weekly Live Sports Entertainment to Netflix
STAMFORD,
Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- WWE, part of TKO Group Holdings,
Inc. (NYSE: TKO), and Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX) today
announced a long-term partnership that will bring
WWEs flagship weekly program Raw
to the worlds leading entertainment service.
This marks a major programming shift as Raw leaves
linear television for the first time since its inception
31 years ago.
Beginning
in January 2025, Netflix will be the exclusive new
home of Raw in the U.S., Canada, U.K. and Latin America,
among other territories, with additional countries
and regions to be added over time. Likewise, as part
of the agreement, Netflix will also become the home
for all WWE shows and specials outside the U.S. as
available, inclusive of Raw and WWEs other weekly
shows SmackDown and NXT as well as the
companys Premium Live Events, including WrestleMania,
SummerSlam and Royal Rumble. WWEs award-winning
documentaries, original series and forthcoming projects
will also be available on Netflix internationally
beginning in 2025.
This
deal is transformative, said Mark Shapiro, TKO
President and COO. It marries the cant-miss
WWE product with Netflixs extraordinary global
reach and locks in significant and predictable economics
for many years. Our partnership fundamentally alters
and strengthens the media landscape, dramatically
expands the reach of WWE, and brings weekly live appointment
viewing to Netflix.
We
are excited to have WWE Raw, with its huge and passionate
multigenerational fan base, on Netflix, said
Netflix Chief Content Officer, Bela Bajaria. By
combining our reach, recommendations, and fandom with
WWE, well be able to deliver more joy and value
for their audiences and our members. Raw is the best
of sports entertainment, blending great characters
and storytelling with live action 52 weeks a year
and were thrilled to be in this long-term partnership
with WWE.
In
its relatively short history, Netflix has engineered
a phenomenal track record for storytelling,
said Nick Khan, WWE President. We believe Netflix,
as one of the worlds leading entertainment brands,
is the ideal long-term home for Raws live, loyal,
and ever-growing fan base."
With
1,600 episodes to date, Raw is the most iconic show
in sports entertainment. Since its debut in 1993,
Raw has delivered action, compelling drama and unmatched
athleticism 52 weeks a year. Blending the best
of scripted content with unpredictable live entertainment,
the three-hour show has helped launch the careers
of Dwayne The Rock Johnson, Stone
Cold Steve Austin, Triple H, John Cena, Roman
Reigns, Bianca Belair and Charlotte Flair.
The
show is currently the No. 1 show on USA Network, where
it brings in 17.5 million unique viewers over the
course of the year. One of televisions best
performing shows in the 18-49 advertising demographic,
Raw trends on X 52 weeks a year while each new episode
is airing. On social media, WWE has more than one
billion followers across its platforms.
About
WWE
WWE,
part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO), is an integrated
media organization and the recognized global leader
in sports entertainment. The company consists of a
portfolio of businesses that create and deliver original
content 52 weeks a year to a global audience. WWE
is committed to family-friendly entertainment on its
television programming, premium live events, digital
media, and publishing platforms. WWEs TV-PG
programming can be seen in more than 1 billion homes
worldwide in 25 languages through world-class distribution
partners including NBCUniversal, FOX Sports, TNT Sport,
Sony India and Rogers. The award-winning WWE Network
includes all premium live events, scheduled programming
and a massive video-on-demand library and is currently
available in approximately 165 countries. In the United
States, NBCUniversals streaming service, Peacock,
is the exclusive home to WWE Network. Additional information
on WWE can be found at http://wwe.com and http://corporate.wwe.com.
About
Netflix
Netflix
is one of the world's leading entertainment services
with over 247 million paid memberships in over 190
countries enjoying TV series, films and games across
a wide variety of genres and languages. Members can
play, pause and resume watching as much as they want,
anytime, anywhere, and can change their plans at any
time.
About
TKO
TKO
Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: TKO) is a premium sports
and entertainment company that comprises UFC, the
worlds premier mixed martial arts organization,
and WWE, an integrated media organization and the
recognized global leader in sports entertainment.
Together, our organizations reach more than 1 billion
TV households in approximately 170 countries, and
we organize more than 350 live events year-round,
attracting over one million fans. TKO is majority
owned by Endeavor Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: EDR),
a global sports and entertainment company.
Forward-Looking
Statements
This
press release contains forward-looking statements
within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995 intended to be covered by the safe
harbor provisions contained in Section 27A of the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
All statements in this press release that do not relate
to matters of historical fact should be considered
forward-looking statements, including, without limitation,
expected programming and viewer benefits under the
multi-year domestic media rights partnership with
and NBCUniversal. These statements are neither promises
nor guarantees and involve known and unknown risks,
uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance
or achievements to be materially different from what
is expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements,
including, but not limited to the factors discussed
in the section entitled Risk Factors in
TKOs final prospectus on Form 424(b)(3) filed
with the SEC on September 19, 2023, as any such factors
may be updated from time to time. Forward-looking
statements speak only as of the date they are made
and, except as may be required under applicable law,
neither TKO nor WWE undertake any obligation to update
or revise any forward-looking statements, whether
as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Investors
and others should note that TKO announces material
financial and operational information to its investors
using press releases, SEC filings and public conference
calls and webcasts, as well as its Investor Relations
site at http://investor.tkogrp.com. TKO may also use
its website as a distribution channel of material
information about the Company. In addition, you may
automatically receive email alerts and other information
about TKO, UFC and WWE when you enroll your email
address by visiting the Investor Email Alerts
option under the Resources tab on http://investor.tkogrp.com.
(Sources:
Netflix, WWE/TKO Group and Business Wire)
Streaming News
Netflix
to stream WWEs Raw starting next year in its
biggest jump into live entertainment - January 28,
2024
Netflix
and TKO Group Holdings said Tuesday that the streaming
platform will air the WWEs flagship program
Raw starting next year.
Netflix
is trying to drive revenue by cutting down on subscription
sharing and pushing viewers toward its ad-tier membership.
The
streaming platform is making its first major foray
into live sports, while WWE will get access to Netflixs
roughly 250 million global subscribers.
Netflix
and TKO Group Holdings said Tuesday that the streaming
platform will air WWEs flagship program Raw
starting next year, in Netflixs first major
foray into live sports.
The
10-year deal is valued at more than $5 billion, according
to a company filing. Netflix will have the option
to exit the deal after five years and to extend it
for another decade. The streaming platform will be
able to stream Raw globally, and will
start the agreement with exclusive rights to it in
the U.S., Canada, U.K. and Latin America. Netflix
will also become the home for all WWE shows and specials
outside the U.S., including SmackDown
and NXT as well as WrestleMania,
SummerSlam and Royal Rumble.
TKO
shares spiked more than 20% following the news and
a separate announcement that actor and former wrestling
superstar Dwayne Johnson would join its board of directors.
Netflix shares rose less than 1%, hours before the
company was set to report earnings after the bell
Tuesday.
Netflix,
which is trying to drive revenue by cutting down on
subscription sharing and pushing viewers toward its
ad-tier membership, has made few attempts at live
programming in its history. Adding Raw,
which currently airs on USA Network and produces three
hours of live programming per week year-round, to
its programming lineup will be a boon to the platform
and a significant historical shift for Netflix.
This
is a super game changer, said TKO President
and Chief Operating Officer Mark Shapiro in an interview.
When you look back at the chapters of sports
media history, new chapters are driven by extraordinary
new paradigms. ESPN and Turner bringing NFL to cable
in 1987. Rupert Murdoch bringing football to Fox in
1994. When new histories are written, Raw on Netflix
will be such a chapter starter.
Netflix
has dabbled in sports recently with documentary-type
series about Formula One and professional golf, tennis
and football. This deal will allow Netflix to tap
into WWE intellectual property for similar projects.
With WWE permission, Netflix could even develop movies
or series around WWE characters, a person familiar
with the matter said.
For
TKO, the parent company of WWE, striking a deal with
Netflix brings WWE wrestling to about 250 million
global subscribers. WWE President Nick Khan has had
Netflix on his radar as a potential landing spot for
Raw for several years.
He
discussed the worlds largest streamer on a WWE
earnings call in the first quarter of 2022, referencing
how Netflix has showed openness to changing long-held
stances, such as rejecting advertising and cracking
down on password sharing. As recently as December
2022, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos said at the UBS
Global TMT Conference that Netflix had not seen
a profit path to renting big sports.
Netflix
is willing to make adjustments and reverse positions
when it identifies an issue, Khan said back
in 2022.
Choosing
Netflix
TKO
held discussions with other media companies but zeroed
in on Netflix in December, according to people familiar
with the matter.
Netflixs
global footprint, which outreaches every other streaming
service, was a key draw for WWE, Shapiro said.
This
is one of the greatest entertainment platforms in
the world, Shapiro said of Netflix. It
has marketing you cant even comprehend. It has
positioning thats unparalleled in terms of what
they do on their front page.
Netflix
announced earlier this month it had 23 million monthly
active users for its advertising tier, which the company
launched in November 2022. Matches will be scripted
around commercial breaks to satisfy ad-free customers,
who will see continued action from live matches that
arent important to the outcome, such as a wrestler
in a sustained headlock, according to a person familiar
with the matter.
Raw
is the top program on the USA cable network, drawing
17.5 million unique viewers per year, the companies
said. Shapiro said Amazons ability to stream
Thursday Night Football this season without
a glitch and Peacocks recent success streaming
a National Football League playoff game gave him confidence
Netflix will be technologically sound streaming Raw,
even if it hasnt done anything like this on
a consistent basis yet.
Disclosure:
Comcast NBCUniversal, CNBCs parent company,
owns USA Network.
Clarification:
This story was updated to reflect that Netflix said
it had 23 million monthly active users for its advertising
tier.
TKO APPOINTS DWAYNE JOHNSON TO BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Johnson
Granted Full Ownership of Trademarked Name, The
Rock
NEW
YORK (January 23, 2024) TKO Group Holdings,
Inc. (NYSE: TKO) (TKO), a premium sports
and entertainment company, has appointed Dwayne Johnson
to its Board of Directors, effective today.
Johnson,
one of the most decorated WWE Superstars in company
history and the most followed American man globally
on social media platforms, brings decades of experience
in live entertainment and sports to the Board. Through
his expansive business portfolio, which includes Seven
Bucks Productions, Teremana Tequila, ZOA Energy, Project
Rock, and the recently combined spring football league,
the United Football League (UFL), Johnson has significant
experience identifying and cultivating revenue generating
media rights, live events, sponsorship, licensing,
and social media opportunities. The appointment of
Johnson reflects TKOs commitment to delivering
long-term value and strong performance for shareholders
through strategic growth initiatives across both UFC
and WWE.
Vince
McMahon, Executive Chairman of the Board, TKO, said:
Very few people on the planet understand the
convergence of sports, entertainment, media, and business
like Rock. We are proud to have him join the TKO board
to help take our company to new heights.
Dwayne
The Rock Johnson, said: My grandfather,
High Chief Peter Maivia, and my dad, Rocky Soulman
Johnson, wouldve never thought this day would
come. Which is why Im very humbled to have a
seat at the table that has decades of history and
family legacy for me. A table that my family helped
to build. Being on the TKO Board of Directors, and
taking full ownership of my name, The Rock,
is not only unprecedented, but incredibly inspiring
as my crazy life is coming full circle. At my core,
Im a builder who builds for and serves the people,
and Ari is building something truly game changing.
Im very motivated to help continue to globally
expand our TKO, WWE, and UFC businesses as the worldwide
leaders in sports and entertainment while proudly
representing so many phenomenal athletes and performers
who show up every day putting in the hard work with
their own two hands to make their dreams come true
and deliver for our audiences. Ive been there,
Im still there and this is for them.
Ariel
Emanuel, CEO, TKO, said: I am thrilled to partner
with Dwayne and welcome his immense talent to TKOs
Board. Dwayne brings an incredible track record of
creating content and building globally recognized
consumer brands, and he will play a key role in realizing
our ambitions for TKO.
WWE
has also entered into a services and merchandising
agreement with Johnson that provides for his promotional,
licensing, and other services, and an intellectual
property assignment agreement pursuant to which Johnson
has secured ownership of the trademarked name, The
Rock. The name is derived from his father, WWE
Hall of Famer Rocky Johnson, who was the first Black
champion in WWE history (alongside partner Tony Atlas).
Johnsons grandfather, Peter Maivia, a Samoan-American
professional wrestler, was posthumously inducted into
the WWE Hall of Fame in 2008.
The
addition of Johnson, as well as todays appointment
of Brad Keywell to TKOs Board of Directors,
will increase TKOs board from 11 to 13 members.
Dwayne
Johnson Background
Dwayne
Johnson is a global entertainer and entrepreneur who
manages a diverse and ever-expanding media and business
portfolio. Johnson serves as the co-founder and CEO
of Seven Bucks Companies, a multi-platform global
enterprise crossing all entertainment and creative
verticals with an audience-first mentality. A third-generation
performer, Johnson began his WWE career in 1996 and
remains one of WWEs preeminent WWE Superstars
in the organizations history.
Johnson
develops, produces, and stars in all forms of entertainment
content via his production company, Seven Bucks Productions,
LLC, which he co-founded in 2012. In addition to Seven
Bucks Productions, LLC, Johnson has founded multiple
business ventures, including Teramana Tequila, the
fastest-growing tequila brand in history, and co-founded
ZOA Energy, LLC, an energy drink company in partnership
with Molson Coors. In 2020, Johnson co-led a consortium
to acquire the XFL, a professional American football
league, which re-launched in 2023 before merging with
the USFL to form the UFL. Johnson also maintains several
prominent brand partnerships. Alongside Under Armour,
Inc., Johnson founded and developed a line of fitness
apparel under the Project Rock brand.
In 2016 and 2019, Johnson was named by TIME as one
of the worlds most influential people.
A
dedicated philanthropist, Johnson serves as a National
Celebrity Wish Ambassador for Make-A-Wish and has
been granting wishes with the organization for over
20 years. In 2008, the United States Congress and
the United States Joint Leadership Commission recognized
Johnson with the prestigious Horizon Award, the U.S.
Congressional Award given to an individual in the
private sector who has demonstrated outstanding leadership
and provided opportunities for youth nationwide. Johnson
graduated from the University of Miami, where he earned
a football scholarship and became NCAA National Football
Champions.
Johnson
has been a client of Endeavors WME agency for
nearly 13 years.
About
TKO
TKO
Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: TKO) is a premium sports
and entertainment company that comprises UFC, the
worlds premier mixed martial arts organization,
and WWE, an integrated media organization and the
recognized global leader in sports entertainment.
Together, our organizations reach more than 1 billion
TV households in approximately 170 countries, and
we organize more than 350 live events year-round,
attracting over one million fans. TKO is majority
owned by Endeavor Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: EDR),
a global sports and entertainment company.
Profiles
Wrestling
Sports
Entertainment Combat
Sports Pop
Culture Streaming
Network
Media
WWE.com
News
News
United
States Champion Rey Mysterio vs. Logan Paul
Undisputed
WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns vs. LA Knight
SmackDown
results, October 20, 2023: Bianca Belair returns and
spoils Damage CTRLs plans after IYO SKY retains
her title over Charlotte Flair
SmackDown
results: Oct. 20, 2023
Undisputed
WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns to battle LA Knight
- Dont miss WWE Crown Jewel on Saturday, Nov.
4, at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT, streaming LIVE from in
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, exclusively on Peacock in the
United States and on WWE Network everywhere else.
Roman
Reigns and LA Knight set to sign contract for title
fight at WWE Crown Jewel
WWE
NXT, Oct. 17, 2023: Carmelo Hayes punches his ticket
to Halloween Havoc for a championship match against
Ilja Dragunov
WWE
After The Bell with Corey Graves
WWE
inks deal with new broadcasting partner for Japan
It
has been announced that WWE and ABEMA have agreed
to a media rights partnership. Starting this October,
WWE programming will stream exclusively on ABEMA platforms
in Japan. ABEMA platforms will carry Raw, SmackDown,
and NXT, along with WWE premium live events.
Raw
and SmackDown will both broadcast free-to-air in Japan
every week with Japanese commentary immediately following
first broadcast in the U.S., for the first time ever.
Starting with Raw on Tuesday, October 3 (and every
Tuesday night at 8pm local time) and SmackDown on
Saturday, October 7 (and every Saturday night at 8pm
local time), both weekly shows will also be available
to watch on-demand. The new agreement will also see
NXT available to watch on-demand in Japan via ABEMA
Video.
Additionally,
all WWE Premium Live Events (PLE's) will air exclusively
live on ABEMA, with all past editions of WrestleMania
available to view on-demand via ABEMA Video beginning
October 1.
WWE
broadcasts are returning to Japan for the first time
since 2021. WWE's partnership with J Sports ended
at the conclusion of that year.
WWE
enjoys a long history with Japan. WWE wrestlers have
performed in numerous Japanese rings over the decades,
just as plenty of Japanese pro wrestling talents have
performed in the WWE and other American based promotions
over the years.
List
(partial) of Japanese wrestlers who have performed
in the WWE and/or NXT
@WWENXT
. WWE former names include WWF (World Wrestling Federation)
and WWWF.
Shinsuke
Nakamura
Jushin "Thunder" Liger
Tiger Mask
Antonio Inoki
Asuka
Iyo Sky
Kota Ibushi
Kenta Kobayashi
Taka Michinoku
Tajiri
Mr Saito
Mr Fuji
Tatsumi Fujinami
Jumping Bomb Angels
Aja Kong
Bull Nakano
Insider
and litte known detail about the WWE - Japan connection:
Alongside
Rikodozan, there is not a more prominent figure in
Japanese wrestling history than Antonio Inoki. He
is the gentleman and mastermind who created New Japan
Pro Wrestling, which is now the leading wrestling
promotion in Japan. He has held well over 20 titles
from around the world, including the WWE world title!
The WWE does not officially recognize his reign after
defeating Bob Backlund on November 30, 1979.
NWF
Heavyweight champion Antonio Inoki defeated Backlund
in Tokushima, Japan to win the WWF title. Backlund
then won a rematch on December 6. However, then WWF
president Hisashi Shinma declared the re-match a no
contest due to interference from Tiger Jeet Singh,
and Inoki remained champion.
Inoki
fought in the legendary boxer vs wrestler match with
Muhammad Ali, a fight that ended up influencing the
creation of mixed martial arts, and eventually, the
UFC. In 1995, Inoki and "Nature Boy" Ric
Flair headlined two shows in North Korea that had
the highest attendance in wrestling history. In 2010,
WWE inducted Inoki into the Hall of Fame.
UFC-WWE
Merger Could Close As Early As September 12
The
$21.4 billion merger of two behemoths of the MMA and
professional wrestling industries the UFC and
WWE could possibly close in less than 20 days.
Back
in May, the WWE notified its shareholders that a vote
to close the transaction wouldnt be necessary.
Vince McMahon, as the co-founder and executive chairman,
represented 81.0% of the aggregate voting power in
the company and he had already submitted his written
approval for the merger on April 2.
Then
in June, Endeavor, the owner of the UFC, filed a report
with the SEC indicating that the merger review waiting
period prescribed under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust
Improvements Act had expired and all foreign
regulatory approvals have been obtained. Executives
noted the same at their most recent earnings call
on August 8.
Back
when the merger was first announced, I noted an interesting
feature of this merger was that the WWE isnt
a direct horizontal competitor to the UFC, which should
therefore allow it to sail through the regulatory
approval process, and thats exactly what
happened. In relatively short order, the two biggest
hurdles to closing one of the largest mergers in sports
entertainment history were cleared regulatory
and WWE shareholder approvals.
While
Endeavor executives said on the August earnings call
that they expect the merger to close in mid-to-late
September, one key hurdle seemed to still exist
based on the terms of the transaction agreement. According
to the closing conditions in that agreement, The
Information Statement shall have been mailed to the
WWE stockholders and at least 20 calendar days shall
have elapsed from the date of completion of such mailing.
The
definitive version of that statement was
posted to the SEC website this past Tuesday. Based
on that timeline, the UFC and WWE could officially
become the new sports entertainment conglomerate TKO
Group Holdings as early as September 12.
While
the merger doesnt have to close on that exact
date, it seems we now know the earliest possible closing
date, based on the transaction agreement.
So
the TKO countdown is on.
An
Endeavor representative didnt previously comment
on specifics of the merger timeline or immediately
respond to a new request.
WWE
and Slim Jim return to the ring with a record-breaking
partnership ahead of SummerSlam
3rd
August 2023
WWE
and Slim Jim today announced a multi-layered partnership
that will begin with Slim Jim serving as the Presenting
Sponsor of a marquee match at SummerSlam on Saturday,
Aug. 5 at Ford Field in Detroit. This partnership
between the two iconic brands pays homage to their
shared, savage past and marks the largest sponsorship
deal in WWE history.
WWE
and Slim Jim first crossed paths thirty years ago
with a series of explosive, in-your-face Slim Jim
commercials, featuring Macho Man Randy
Savage debuting the famous tagline Snap Into
a Slim Jim! that has remained a hallmark of
the Slim Jim brand ever since. The two global brands
will tap into that rich history with a reenergized,
multi-platform campaign which begins with The
SummerSlam Battle Royal Presented by Slim Jim,
the first of several custom integrations at WWEs
Premium Live Events. As part of the pact, Slim Jim
will also activate at Survivor Series in November,
in addition to Royal Rumble and WrestleMania 40 in
2024.
Alongside
our partners at Slim Jim and Conagra Brands, WWE is
excited to renew one of the most memorable collaborations
in sports entertainment history and theres no
better way to kick off the partnership than a 20-man
Battle Royal at SummerSlam, said Craig Stimmel,
WWE SVP, Head of Global Sales and Partnerships.
Slim
Jim has always been about crushing boredom and doing
the unexpected, which is also the cornerstone of WWE
and their memorable lineup of bold, in-your-face Superstars,
said Spencer Fivelson, VP & General Manager of
Snacks at Conagra Brands. Were thrilled
to be back in the ring with WWE to build on our shared
history and celebrate the savage energy of todays
WWE Superstars.
In
addition to the live event integrations, the WWE and
Slim Jim partnership will include custom content and
social media executions with Superstar talent, online
sweepstakes to drive fan engagement, in-store activations
and more.
Learn
more about The SummerSlam Battle Royal Presented
by Slim Jim here.
WWE
NXT results, June 13, 2023: Seth "Freakin"
Rollins agrees to defend the World Heavyweight Title
against Bron Breakker at NXT Gold Rush!
WWE Money in The Bank 2023
Seth Freakin Rollins
vs. Finn Bálor (World Heavyweight Championship)
Rollins
has had issues with The Judgment Day in recent weeks.
In his first World Heavyweight Title defense since
winning the title at WWE Night of Champions, The Visionary
took on The Archer of Infamy Damian Priest.
Despite
telling Priest that he would stay in the backstage
area, Bálor went to ringside anyway, and Rollins
defeated Priest to retain his title for the first
time.
On
the June 12 episode of Monday Night Raw, Bálor
challenged Rollins to a title match, exploding on
The Architect with pent-up aggression from their past.
Back
in the summer of 2016, Rollins and Bálor went
toe-to-toe at SummerSlam for the newly established
Universal Championship. The Prince became the inaugural
champion that night but not without a cost. Bálor
had his shoulder injured during the match, and as
such, he had to relinquish the title the very next
night on Raw.
Since
then, Bálor has not held a world title, making
his animosity for Rollins grow ever deeper. In the
ensuing years, Rollins and Bálor have gone
back-and-forth in the win-loss column with each other.
Most recently, Rollins defeated Bálor in the
World Heavyweight Title Tournament Semifinals.
Can
Bálor once again become world champion and
evict the demons from his past, or will Rollins continue
to be the World Heavyweight Champion?
Don't
miss WWE Money in the Bank on Saturday, July 1, at
a special start time of 3 ET/12 PT, streaming live
exclusively on Peacock in the United States and on
WWE Network everywhere else. (WWE.com)
WWE
Money in the Bank 2023
Cody
Rhodes vs. Dominik Mysterio
The
Judgment Day finally get their crack at Cody Rhodes
as The American Nightmare faces Dominik Mysterio live
at Money in the Bank in London, England.
After
weeks of The Judgment Days failed recruitment
of Rhodes, he and Mysterio came face to face on the
latest edition of Miz TV," and sparks flew
when they traded vicious barbs that led to The American
Nightmare slugging Dom Dom in the face
with his casted arm.
Since
returning to WWE at WrestleMania 38, Rhodes has been
on a personal journey to honor his family legacy,
whereas Mysterio has gone the opposite route, constantly
trashing his surname and his father, WWE Hall of Famer
Rey Mysterio.
Watch
Rhodes take on Mysterio at WWE Money in the Bank on
Saturday, July 1, at a special start time of 3 ET/12
PT, streaming live exclusively on Peacock in the United
States and on WWE Network everywhere else. (WWE.com)
Raw
preview, May 1, 2023: See all the results from the
2023 WWE Draft! (WWE.com)
SmackDown
results, April 28, 2023: Find out who was drafted
in Night One of the 2023 WWE Draft (WWE.com)
Video
Endeavor-UFC
deal is the next evolution of WWE, says Vince McMahon
(CNBC Television YouTube)
Tag
team deal: WWE to merge with UFC (CNBC Television
YouTube)
Endeavor
to merge UFC with WWE in $21 billion deal (CNBC Television
YouTube)
WWE
in talks to sell to UFC parent Endeavor (CNBC Teleivion
YouTube)
ENDEAVOR
ANNOUNCES UFC AND WWE TO FORM A $21+ BILLION GLOBAL
LIVE SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY (UFC.com)
UFC
in shock $13.5 billion takeover of WWE to create combat
sport juggernaut (FOX Sports)
ENDEAVOR
ANNOUNCES UFC® AND WWE® TO FORM A $21+ BILLION
GLOBAL LIVE SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY
April 3, 2023
New,
Publicly Listed Company to be 51% Owned by Endeavor
and 49% by Existing WWE Shareholders
Endeavor
to Contribute UFC into Company at Enterprise Value
of $12.1 Billion
BEVERLY
HILLS, Calif. and STAMFORD, Conn. (April 3, 2023)
Endeavor
Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: EDR) (Endeavor)
and World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: WWE)
(WWE) today announced that they have signed
a definitive agreement to form a new, publicly listed
company consisting of two iconic, complementary, global
sports and entertainment brands: UFC and WWE. Upon
close, Endeavor will hold a 51% controlling interest
in the new company and existing WWE shareholders will
hold a 49% interest in the new company.
Together,
UFC and WWE will have global reach, impressive scale
and omnichannel distribution. On a combined 2022 fiscal
year-end basis, UFC and WWE achieved revenue of $2.4
billion and a 10% annual revenue growth rate since
2019.
This
is a rare opportunity to create a global live sports
and entertainment pureplay built for where the industry
is headed, said Ariel Emanuel, CEO of Endeavor.
For decades, Vince and his team have demonstrated
an incredible track record of innovation and shareholder
value creation, and we are confident that Endeavor
can deliver significant additional value for shareholders
by bringing UFC and WWE together.
Given
the incredible work that Ari and Endeavor have done
to grow the UFC brand nearly doubling its revenue
over the past seven years and the immense success
weve already had in partnering with their team
on a number of ventures, I believe that this is without
a doubt the best outcome for our shareholders and
other stakeholders, said Vincent K. McMahon,
Executive Chairman of WWE.
McMahon
continued, Together, we will be a $21+ billion
live sports and entertainment powerhouse with a collective
fanbase of more than a billion people and an exciting
growth opportunity. The new company will be well positioned
to maximize the value of our combined media rights,
enhance sponsorship monetization, develop new forms
of content and pursue other strategic mergers and
acquisitions to further bolster our strong stable
of brands. I, along with the current WWE management
team, look forward to working closely with Ari and
the Endeavor and UFC teams to take the businesses
to the next level.
The
new company will be led by Emanuel (Chief Executive
Officer), who will also continue in his role as Chief
Executive Officer of Endeavor, McMahon (Executive
Chairman of the Board) and Mark Shapiro, who will
be President and Chief Operating Officer of both Endeavor
and the new company. Dana White will continue in his
role as President of UFC and Nick Khan will serve
as President of WWE. The Board of Directors will consist
of 11 members who will be appointed at a later date,
six of whom will be appointed by Endeavor and five
of whom by WWE.
Together,
UFC and WWE expect to deliver an estimated $50 million
to $100 million in annualized run rate cost synergies
by leveraging, among other things, Endeavors
back office and robust infrastructure. Endeavor also
expects significant growth across revenue areas including
domestic and international media rights, ticket sales
and yield optimization, event operations, sponsorship,
licensing and premium hospitality. Endeavors
success at UFC, including increasing commercial opportunities
that have driven more than 2x Adjusted EBITDA growth
since its acquisition in late 2016, demonstrates the
significant value creation opportunity and upside
potential of having UFC and WWE under one roof.
Transaction
Details and Approvals
The transaction values UFC at an enterprise value
of $12.1 billion and WWE at an enterprise value of
$9.3 billion. The transaction represents a contribution
price of WWE of approximately $106 per share (before
any post-closing dividend). Additionally, UFC and
WWE will each contribute cash to the new company so
that it holds approximately $150 million. At closing,
Endeavor intends to sweep all excess cash at UFC,
and shareholders of the new company (other than Endeavor)
are expected to receive a post-closing dividend.
Under
the terms of the transaction, existing WWE shareholders
will roll all existing equity into the new entity
that will be the parent company of UFC and WWE (NewCo
until it is named at a later date) and intends to
list on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker
symbol TKO. The listing of NewCo will
expand the collective investor base to allow for broad
market participation across Endeavor and NewCo.
The
transaction has been unanimously approved by the Executive
Committee of the Board of Directors of Endeavor and
by the Board of Directors of WWE. The transaction
is subject to the satisfaction of customary closing
conditions, including receipt of required regulatory
approvals. The transaction is expected to close in
the second half of 2023.
This
marks the successful conclusion of WWEs strategic
alternatives review process. WWE embarked on this
process to take advantage of the companys unique
position in the entertainment ecosystem as well as
the inflection point coming with its media rights
renewals, both of which were widely recognized in
the marketplace through this process.
Advisors
Morgan
Stanley & Co. LLC and Goldman Sachs & Co.
LLC are serving as financial advisors to Endeavor,
and Latham & Watkins LLP is serving as legal advisor
to Endeavor. The Raine Group is acting as lead financial
advisor to WWE. J.P. Morgan and Moelis & Company
LLC are also acting as financial advisors to WWE.
The Raine Group, J.P. Morgan, and Moelis & Company
LLC each rendered fairness opinions to the Board of
Directors of WWE. Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton &
Garrison LLP is serving as legal advisor to WWE, and
Kirkland & Ellis LLP is serving as legal advisor
to WWEs controlling stockholder, McMahon.
Webcast
Endeavor
and WWE will make public a recorded audio webcast
at 8:00 a.m. ET today discussing this transaction.
The event and accompanying presentation materials
can be accessed at investor.endeavorco.com
or corporate.wwe.com/investors.
The link to the webcast, as well as a recording, will
also be available on those websites after the call
concludes.
#
# #
About
Endeavor
Endeavor
is a global sports and entertainment company, home
to many of the worlds most dynamic and engaging
storytellers, brands, live events and experiences.
The company is comprised of industry leaders including
entertainment agency WME; sports, fashion, events
and media company IMG; and premier mixed martial arts
organization UFC. The Endeavor network specializes
in talent representation, sports operations &
advisory, event & experiences management, media
production & distribution, experiential marketing
and brand licensing.
About
UFC®
UFC®
is the worlds premier mixed martial arts organization
(MMA), with more than 700 million fans and 228 million
social media followers. The organization produces
more than 40 live events annually in some of the most
prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting
to over 900 million TV households across more than
170 countries. UFCs athlete roster features
the worlds best MMA athletes representing more
than 80 countries. The organizations digital
offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS®, one of the
worlds leading streaming services for combat
sports. UFC is owned by global sports and entertainment
company Endeavor, and is headquartered in Las Vegas,
Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow
UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram
and TikTok: @UFC.
About
WWE®
WWE,
a publicly traded company (NYSE: WWE), is an integrated
media organization and recognized leader in global
entertainment. The Company consists of a portfolio
of businesses that create and deliver original content
52 weeks a year to a global audience. WWE is committed
to family-friendly entertainment on its television
programming, premium live events, digital media, and
publishing platforms. WWEs TV-PG programming
can be seen in more than 1 billion homes worldwide
in 25 languages through world-class distribution partners
including NBCUniversal, FOX Sports, BT Sport, Sony
India and Rogers. The award-winning WWE Network includes
all premium live events, scheduled programming and
a massive video-on-demand library and is currently
available in more than 180 countries. In the United
States, NBCUniversals streaming service, Peacock,
is the exclusive home to WWE Network. Additional information
on WWE can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com.
Cautionary
Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This
communication contains, and oral statements made from
time to time by our representatives may contain, forward-looking
statements within the meaning of the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
These forward-looking statements generally include
statements regarding the potential transaction between
Endeavor and WWE, including statements regarding the
expected timetable for completing the potential transaction,
the ability to complete the potential transaction,
expected synergies, impacts and benefits of the potential
transaction, projected financial information, future
opportunities, expected cash distributions and other
statements regarding NewCos and WWEs future
expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, results
of operations, financial condition and cash flows,
or future events or performance. Statements that do
not relate to matters of historical fact should be
considered forward-looking statements, including,
without limitation, the expected market opportunity,
growth, financial performance, realizable synergies
and closing of the transaction. All statements other
than statements of historical facts contained in this
communication may be forward-looking statements. In
some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements
by terms such as may, will,
outlook, should, expects,
plans, anticipates, could,
intends, targets, projects,
contemplates, believes, estimates,
predicts, potential or continue
or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions.
The forward-looking statements in this communication
are only predictions. Endeavor and WWE management
have based these forward-looking statements largely
on their current expectations and projections about
future events and financial trends that management
believes may affect its business, financial condition
and results of operations. These statements are neither
promises nor guarantees and involve known and unknown
risks, uncertainties and other important factors that
may cause actual results, performance or achievements
to be materially different from what is expressed
or implied by the forward-looking statements, including,
but not limited to: the transaction will not be consummated;
there may be difficulties with the integration and
in realizing the expected benefits of the transaction;
Endeavor and WWE may need to use resources that are
needed in other parts of its business to do so; there
may be liabilities that are not known, probable or
estimable at this time; the transaction may result
in the diversion of managements time and attention
to issues relating to the transaction and integration;
expected synergies and operating efficiencies attributable
to the transaction may not be achieved within its
expected time-frames or at all; there may be significant
transaction costs and integration costs in connection
with the transaction; the possibility that neither
WWE nor Endeavor will have sufficient cash at close
to distribute to shareholders (or that the amount
of cash available for distribution will be less than
what the parties expect); unfavorable outcome of legal
proceedings that may be instituted against WWE and
Endeavor following the announcement of the transaction;
and risks inherent to the business may result in additional
strategic and operational risks, which may impact
Endeavors, NewCos and WWEs risk
profiles, which each company may not be able to mitigate
effectively. In addition, a number of important factors
could cause Endeavors or NewCos actual
future results and other future circumstances to differ
materially from those expressed in any forward-looking
statements, including but not limited to those important
factors discussed in Part I, Item 1A Risk Factors
in Endeavors or WWEs respective Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December
31, 2022, as any such factors may be updated from
time to time in its other filings with the Securities
and Exchange Commission (the SEC), accessible
on the SECs website at www.sec.gov,
Endeavors investor relations site at investor.endeavorco.com
and WWEs investor relations site at https://corporate.wwe.com/.
Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date
they are made and, except as may be required under
applicable law, neither Endeavor nor WWE undertakes
no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking
statements, whether as a result of new information,
future events or otherwise.
Important
Information For Investors And Stockholders
This
communication is for informational purposes only and
is not intended to, and does not, constitute an offer
to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any
securities or a solicitation of any vote or approval,
nor shall there be any issuance or sale of securities
in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation
or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or
qualification under the securities laws of any such
jurisdiction. No offer of securities shall be made
except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements
of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
In connection with the transaction, NewCo expects
to file a registration statement on Form S-4 with
the SEC, which will include an information statement
of WWE and a preliminary prospectus of NewCo. After
the registration statement is declared effective,
WWE will mail to its stockholders a definitive information
statement that will form part of the registration
statement on Form S-4. This communication is not a
substitute for the information statement/prospectus
or registration statement or for any other document
that WWE may file with the SEC and send to its stockholders
in connection with the transaction. INVESTORS AND
SECURITY HOLDERS OF WWE ARE URGED TO READ THE INFORMATION
STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS AND OTHER DOCUMENTS THAT WILL
BE FILED WITH THE SEC CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY
WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN
IMPORTANT INFORMATION. Investors and security holders
will be able to obtain free copies of the information
statement/prospectus (when available) and other documents
filed with the SEC by WWE through the website maintained
by the SEC at http://www.sec.gov. Copies of the documents
filed with the SEC by WWE will be available free of
charge on WWEs website at https://corporate.wwe.com/.
Non-GAAP
Financial Information
In
addition to the financials presented in accordance
with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles
(GAAP), this press release includes certain
non-GAAP financial information. Non-GAAP metrics have
limitations as analytical tools and you should not
consider them in isolation or as a substitute for
or superior to the most directly comparable financial
measures prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP. There
are a number of limitations related to the use of
non-GAAP metrics versus their nearest GAAP equivalents.
Other companies, including those in Endeavors
and WWEs industry, may calculate non-GAAP metrics
differently or may use other measures to evaluate
their performance, all of which could reduce the usefulness
of the non-GAAP metrics used in this press release
as tools for comparison. Endeavor and WWE urge you
to not rely on any single financial measure to evaluate
the Company and its business. See the presentation
available on Endeavors investor relations site
at investor.endeavorco.com and WWEs investor
relations site at https://corporate.wwe.com
for a reconciliation of these non-GAAP financial measures.
Powerhouse:
WWE, UFC merge to create $21b sporting giant
April
4, 2023
WWE
is saying goodbye to existing as a family-run business
as it joins with the company that runs Ultimate Fighting
Championship to create a $US21.4 billion ($31 billion)
sports entertainment company.
The
deal announced between Endeavor and World Wrestling
Entertainment, on the heels of its biggest event of
the year, catapults WWE into a new era after spending
decades under the control of the McMahon family.
Vince
McMahon purchased Capitol Wrestling from his father
in 1982, and took the regional wrestling business
to a national audience with stars such as Andre the
Giant, Hulk Hogan, Stone Cold Steve Austin,
John Cena and Dwayne The Rock Johnson.
The company, which changed its name to World Wrestling
Federation and later World Wrestling Entertainment,
hosted its first WrestleMania in 1985.
McMahon,
in an interview with CNBC, addressed doubts among
some WWE fans and industry experts that he would ever
make a deal for the business. Its the
right time to do the right thing. And its the
next evolution of WWE, he said.
In
a presentation after the deal was announced, the WWE
and Endeavor said that they will cross-promote to
drive brand awareness and deepen penetration of their
overlapping fan base, more than 700 million UFC fans
and 1.2 billion WWE fans worldwide.
Ties
already exist talent-wise between WWE and UFC, with
stars such as Brock Lesnar and Ronda Rousey crossing
over between the two organisations.
A
new publicly traded company will house the UFC and
WWE brands, with Endeavor Group Holdings taking a
51 per cent controlling interest in the new company.
Existing WWE shareholders will hold a 49 per cent
stake.
The
companies put the enterprise value of UFC at $US12.1
billion and WWEs value at $US9.3 billion.
The
new business, which does not yet have a name, will
be led by Endeavor chief executive officer Ari Emanuel.
McMahon, executive chairman at WWE, will serve in
the same role at the new company. Dana White will
continue as president of UFC and Nick Khan will be
president at WWE.
Together,
we will be a $US21+ billion live sports and entertainment
powerhouse with a collective fanbase of more than
a billion people and an exciting growth opportunity,
McMahon said in a prepared statement.
He
also provided some idea of where the focus of the
new company will be, saying that it will look to maximise
the value of combined media rights, enhance sponsorship
monetisation, develop new forms of content and pursue
other strategic mergers and acquisitions to further
bolster their brands.
Confirmation
that WWE is being sold comes after McMahon, a majority
shareholder of WWE, returned to the company in January
and said that it could be on the block with viewership
continuing to rise.
Rumours
swirled about who would possibly be interested in
buying WWE, with Endeavor, Disney, Fox, Comcast, Amazon
and Saudi Arabias Public Investment Fund all
in the mix.
McMahon
said on CNBC that there were several buyers interested
in WWE, but that combining with Endeavor is the right
move.
It
makes all the sense in the world for all these synergies
that we have to extract all of the value that we can
out of the marketplace, he explained.
Media
industry analysts viewed WWE as an attractive target
given its global reach and loyal fanbase.
The
company held its marquee event, WrestleMania, over
the weekend. The two-day spectacular, held at SoFi
Stadium in California, topped the existing global
viewership record by 28 per cent on the first night.
On the second night, it beat the existing global viewership
record by 33 per cent. Merchandise sales for WrestleMania
39 climbed 20 per cent from a year earlier. Last year,
WWE booked revenue of $US1.3 billion.
The
company is also a social media powerhouse. It surpassed
16 billion social video views in the final quarter
of last year. It has nearly 94 million YouTube subscribers
and more than 20 million followers on TikTok. Its
female wrestlers comprise five out of the top 15 most
followed female athletes in the world, across Facebook,
Twitter & Instagram, led by Rousey with 36.1 million
followers.
WWE
had more than 7.5 billion digital and social media
views in January and February of this year, up 15
per cent from the same time frame a year ago. And
WrestleMania 39 had more than 500 million views and
11 million hours of video consumed over the two days
of the event, a 42 per cent increase over last year.
The
new company plans to trade on the New York Stock Exchange
under the TKO ticker symbol. Its board
will have 11 members, with six being appointed by
Endeavor and five being appointed by WWE.
We
like the assets of UFC and also WWE in a world where
linear TV is losing market share to streaming, thus
live sport content is in high demand, wrote
Jeffries analyst Randal Konik said in a note to clients.
The
transaction, which was approved by the boards of Endeavor
and WWE, is targeted to close in the second half of
the year. It still needs regulatory approval.
Shares
of World Wrestling Entertainment, based in Stamford,
Connecticut, are up 33 per cent this year, but fell
nearly 4 per cent in Monday afternoon trading. Shares
of Endeavor, based in Beverly Hills, California, slipped
more than 7 per cent.
(AP)
Updates
on the WWE Sale and Potential Buyers Going Into WrestleMania
39 Weekend
CNBC
analyst David Faber reports that the WWE sale is
expected to conclude in the not too distant future,
which could mean the company is sold earlier than
mid-summer as initially expected by some.
Faber
noted today that the WWE sale process is going
quite well.
I
am hearing from people close to the situation that
its a pretty good sales process with some saying
its hot and heavy, he said.
Faber
added that people hes spoken with who were doubtful
a deal would happen, are less so now. Part of the
doubt has to do with concern that WWE Chairman Vince
McMahon will be reluctant to step aside if a deal
is made. Faber played a clip of WWE CEO Nick Khan
previously stating that McMahon is willing to step
aside.
It
was also reiterated that Comcast (NBCU parent company,
owners of USA Network and Peacock) is not in the running.
Faber
said we can all take our educated guesses
on potential buyers, mentioning Endeavor Group, Saudi
Arabias Public Investment Fund, a private equity
interest that could be in partnership with a well-known
name in the sport, and perhaps Liberty Media, an investment
firm based in Colorado. It was noted that Endeavor
would do a reverse Morris trust, which would see them
spin-off the UFC into a new company and merge that
with WWE.
Raw
results, Jan. 23, 2023: Brock Lesnar returns to send
a message to Bobby Lashley!
Raw
XXX delivers highest domestic gate in history of Monday
Night Raw
Raw
XXX was a defining night for the red brand and delivered
the highest domestic gate in the history of Monday
Night Raw.
A
sell-out crowd at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia
witnessed Sami Zayn's Tribal Court, an iconic moment
shared between Bray Wyatt and The Undertaker, a joining
of DX and Kurt Angle, the return of The Beast Brock
Lesnar and much more.
Thank
you WWE Universe for an unforgettable Raw XXX!
(WWE.com)
Vince
McMahon: News
Websites
WWE
- Vince McMahon WWE Corporate - Who
We Are
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McMahon - Wikipedia
Profiles
Wrestling
Promoters
Vince
McMahon Takes Actions in Support of Plan for WWE to
Undertake a Review of Strategic Alternatives and Capture
Unique Opportunity to Maximize Long-term Value for
All Shareholders
Submits
written consent to WWE Board electing himself and
Company veterans George Barrios and Michelle Wilson
as Directors
Actions
are necessary to ensure McMahon's full participation
in upcoming media rights negotiations and review of
strategic alternatives
GREENWICH,
Conn., Jan. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Vince McMahon,
the founder and controlling shareholder of World Wrestling
Entertainment Inc. ("WWE" or the "Company")
(NYSE: WWE), announced today that he has taken necessary
actions to position the Company to capitalize on a
unique opportunity to maximize long-term value for
all WWE shareholders. The actions, communicated to
WWE's Board of Directors today via written consent,
include the election to the Board of Mr. McMahon,
as well as Michelle Wilson and George Barrios
former WWE Co-Presidents and Board members, and currently
the Co-Founders and Co-CEOs of Isos Capital Management
and the requisite removal from the Board of
three directors. Mr. McMahon expects to assume the
role of Executive Chairman of the Board.
Mr.
McMahon's new role will enable unified decision making
through the Company's upcoming media rights negotiations
and a parallel full review of the Company's strategic
alternatives, which Mr. McMahon believes is the right
course of action and in the best interests of WWE
and WWE shareholders amidst the current dynamics in
the media and entertainment industry. As Mr. McMahon
has communicated to the Board, he believes there is
a narrow window of opportunity to create significant
value for all shareholders and that to do so, the
strategic alternatives review must occur in tandem
with the media rights negotiations. He also expressed
to the Board that he believes these two initiatives
require Mr. McMahon's direct participation, leadership,
and support as controlling shareholder.
"WWE
is entering a critical juncture in its history with
the upcoming media rights negotiations coinciding
with increased industry-wide demand for quality content
and live events and with more companies seeking to
own the intellectual property on their platforms,"
said Mr. McMahon. "The only way for WWE to fully
capitalize on this opportunity is for me to return
as Executive Chairman and support the management team
in the negotiations for our media rights and to combine
that with a review of strategic alternatives. My return
will allow WWE, as well as any transaction counterparties,
to engage in these processes knowing they will have
the support of the controlling shareholder."
Prior
to delivering written consent, Mr. McMahon sent two
separate letters to the Board in late December in
which he expressed the urgency of his return to the
Company as Executive Chairman and his desire to work
collaboratively with the Board and management team.
Following conversations with representatives of the
Company both before and after Mr. McMahon's most recent
letter on December 31, Mr. McMahon determined, consistent
with his rights as controlling shareholder, that the
steps announced today are necessary to maximize value
for all WWE shareholders.
Mr.
McMahon said, "Ms. Wilson and Mr. Barrios are
highly qualified directors whose professional experience
positions them well to help the Company achieve the
best possible outcomes in both initiatives. As former
WWE Co-Presidents and Board members, they are intimately
familiar with industry dynamics and the organization's
operations and have helped guide the Company through
past successful media rights negotiations. I look
forward to working closely again with Michelle and
George as well as the Company's remaining directors
and management team, who have my full support and
confidence. WWE has an exceptional management team
in place, and I do not intend for my return to have
any impact on their roles, duties, or responsibilities."
In
conjunction with the changes to WWE's Board, Mr. McMahon's
written consent also includes certain amendments to
the Company's bylaws to ensure that WWE's corporate
governance continues to properly enable and support
shareholder rights. These changes will be detailed
in a Schedule 13D amendment to be filed by Mr. McMahon
and a Form 8-K to be filed by the Company in the coming
days.
No
assurances can be given regarding the outcome or timing
of the review process. Mr. McMahon does not intend
to comment further until the process has concluded
or Mr. McMahon has otherwise determined that further
disclosure is appropriate or required.
Michelle
Wilson Biography
Ms.
Wilson is Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Isos Capital Management.
She is a leading sports and entertainment c-suite
executive and, prior to founding Isos with Mr. Barrios,
most recently served as Co-President and Board Member
of WWE until January 2020. In 2018, Forbes named Ms.
Wilson one of the 10 Most Powerful Women in Sports.
She also was featured on the Adweek 50 list, which
highlights the leading executives in Media, Marketing
and Technology, and named one of Sports Illustrated's
10 Most Influential Women in Sports. She joined WWE
in 2009 and prior to her appointment as Co-President,
served as Chief Revenue and Marketing Officer.
Previously,
Michelle served as the Chief Marketing Officer of
the United States Tennis Association, oversaw all
marketing efforts for the launch of the XFL, a partnership
between WWE and NBC, and held consumer products and
brand management positions at the NBA and Nabisco,
respectively. She received her MBA from Harvard Business
School and currently serves on the Boards of Bowlero
Corporation and Turtle Beach Corporation.
George
Barrios Biography
Mr.
Barrios serves as Isos Capital Management's Co-Founder
and Co-CEO. He is an award-winning c-suite executive
and most recently served as Co-President and Board
Member of WWE until January 2020. In 2017, Institutional
Investor ranked George among the Top 3 CFOs in the
Media Industry as part of its All-America Executive
team rankings. He joined WWE in 2008 as its Chief
Strategy and Financial Officer.
Previously,
he held leadership roles in finance, strategy and
operations at the New York Times, Praxair, Time Warner
and HBO. He received his MBA from the University of
Connecticut School of Business and currently serves
as the National Board Chair of the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Kirkland
& Ellis is serving as legal counsel to Mr. McMahon.
Forward
Looking Statements
This
press release contains forward-looking statements
pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward looking statements
include statements regarding Mr. McMahon's return
to the Board as Executive Chairman, the impact of
Mr. McMahon, Ms. Wilson and Mr. Barrios as members
of the Board, the timing and success of the Company's
media rights negotiations and the Company's review
of strategic alternatives. In addition, the words
"may," "will," "could,"
"anticipate," "plan," "continue,"
"project," "intend," "estimate,"
"believe," "expect," "outlook,"
"target," "goal," "guidance"
and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking
statements, although not all forward-looking statements
contain such words. These statements relate to future
possible events, as well as plans, objectives, expectations
and intentions and are not historical facts and accordingly
involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties
and other factors that may cause the actual results
to be materially different from future results expressed
or implied by such forward-looking statements. These
forward-looking statements are subject to uncertainties
relating to, without limitation, the matters referred
to in this release, the complexity of the Company's
rights agreements across distribution mechanisms and
geographical areas and the Company's review of strategic
alternatives. Forward-looking statements speak only
as of the date made and are subject to change without
any obligation to update or revise them. Undue reliance
should not be placed on these statements.
SOURCE
Vince McMahon
News
Full
Transcript from Todays WWE Meeting Led By Stephanie
McMahon, Nick Khan and Frank Riddick - January 6th,
2023
As
noted, WWE Chairwoman & Co-CEO Stephanie McMahon,
Co-CEO Nick Khan, and President & CFO Frank A.
Riddick III led a meeting via call earlier this afternoon
to address the return of Vince McMahon to the WWE
Board of Directors, and his plans to pursue a sale
of the company, among other issues. The meeting was
held at 3:45pm ET today, and was for all employees,
but not talent. The meeting went for around 10 minutes.
Courtesy
of Wrestlenomics,
a full transcript of what was said by Stephanie, Riddick
and Khan has been revealed. You can use the links
below the transcript to read the absolute latest on
Vince and WWE, the recent reports and press releases,
backstage reactions, and more.
Below
is the transcript and aforementioned links:
Stephanie
McMahon (WWE Co-CEO): Vince McMahon is coming
back to the board of directors. He has made it clear
upon his return what hes really most excited
about is the media rights opportunity in front of
us that weve all been discussing and tying that
to a strategic alternative process. And we wanted
to make sure we got with everyone as soon as possible
so you were aware of this message and also so we can
explain a little bit more about it. And hopefully,
we can answer questions moving forward. This format
doesnt allow for it. But, Frank, I kick it to
you. Im not going to attempt to explain strategic
alternatives. Id do a very basic level. Frank
has the details, so go ahead, Frank.
Frank
Riddick (WWE President, Chief Financial Officer):
Sure, so at a very high level, what Vince has proposed
and the process that would be followed would be to
engage with a banker and prepare some background information
on the company and present that to various potential
partners for the company to evaluate whether there
are any strategic transactions that would enhance
the value of the company to all constituencies, including
shareholders. And the idea is, as Steph said, the
timing of this is largely driven around the upcoming
media rights renewal and to do something that could
enhance, in addition, those renewal discussions. So
that would include when we say strategic
initiatives, strategic alternatives
for the company could include a broad range
of potential transactions, everything from a combination
with another company, an acquisition of the company
by someone, or a take-private transaction, taking
the company private and/or just simply some sort of
cooperation joint venture agreement. So its
pretty broad and I just would add a couple of things
to that. One is, of course, theres no assurance
that any transaction will actually happen or any transaction
will be forthcoming that makes economic and strategic
sense for the company. And, of course, Vince is the
controlling shareholder and controls the vote of the
stock of the company is the ultimate decider as to
whether theres a transaction that can happen.
So just to close out, all this from Nick and Steph
and my perspective is very positive for the company.
Its a great time to look at alternatives and
make sure that the company is well-positioned for
the future. I think as everybody is aware, theres
a lot of changes that have happened in the media landscape
in the last couple of years, even in the last six
months. And theres probably from a value of
content perspective never a better time in history
for the company to look at something like this. So
hopefully that gives you a better perception of what
that means.
Stephanie
McMahon: Thanks, Frank. And then, Nick, how does
that work as its tied to media rights and why
is that a great strategic opportunity for us?
Nick
Khan (WWE Co-CEO): Thanks, Steph, so these things
work hand-in-hand with one another. For example, since
our U.S. media rights are up in October of 24,
for any conglomerate so think Disney, Comcast,
Netflix, etcetera any conglomerate that might
be interested in WWE would be interested in purchasing
the company outright. They very well may be interested
in doing a media rights deal, but obviously, we couldnt
do a media rights deal, lets say, with Comcast
and then go sell to Disney. Those sort of companies
would want to make some sort of acquisition prior
to those media rights being up. So the timing is spot
on for that. In terms of the day-to-day of the company,
nothing is changing. Steph is in her role, Im
in my role, Franks in his role, Paul is in his
role, Kevin Dunn is in his role. And we would ask
everyone to stay focused on the business as hand [sic].
Were going to engage in this process. Were
going to look at it with open eyes and open hearts.
Were going to ultimately see whats out
there. And Vince will make his decision, as Frank
said, as the controlling shareholder, as to what he
wants to do with the company. For now, lets
focus on business as hand, if we could.
Stephanie
McMahon: Great, thanks, Nick. This feels so formal
since none of us are in the same room. And I just
wanted to add also, rejoining the board is Michelle
Wilson and George Barrios, who for those of you who
were here remember them as co-presidents. They have
so many years of experience here in WWE. And theyve
now been off on their own creating their own business
and have a lot to offer from a media standpoint, certainly
from an M&A standpoint. So they will be
and theyre very familiar with the company
so they will be joining the board, not management,
as Nick was spelling out. So again the management
structure stays the same, but Vince has joined the
board, and obviously, as the controlling shareholder.
And again, I just wanted to wrap up with reinforcing,
a) there may have been a lag on this video, so just
to let you know it has been recorded and will be shared
if you missed anything; b) when Frank talks about
how well-positioned WWE is and our performance, the
reason why were doing so well is, again, because
of all of you, because of our employees, who bring
everything that they have to table every single day.
And were just, were grateful, were
appreciative, and we want you to know that our employees
are incredibly important to us, and we recognize all
of your contributions, and you will be well-informed
throughout this process. We dont want there
to be obviously theres going to be some
animosity or not animosity, angst, natural
emotions that you might feel, and we want to make
sure that were on top of this and were
communicating with you and everyone has all the information
that they need. So again thank you to all of you.
This is an exciting time. It shouldnt be a scary
time. Its an exciting time for WWE. Our founder
is back on the board and is going to help lead this
process. And thank you to all of you. Its an
exciting way to kick-off 2023.
News
WWE
PROVIDES UPDATE REGARDING COMPOSITION OF ITS BOARD
OF DIRECTORS AND EXPLORATION OF STRATEGIC ALTERNATIVES
STAMFORD,
Conn., January 6, 2023 WWE (NYSE: WWE)
is providing the following update regarding the composition
of its Board of Directors and the exploration of strategic
alternatives.
Today,
we announce that the founder of WWE, Vince McMahon,
will be returning to the Board, said Chairwoman
& Co-CEO Stephanie McMahon, Co-CEO Nick Khan and
Chief Content Officer Paul Levesque. We also
welcome back Michelle Wilson and George Barrios to
our Board of Directors. Together, we look forward
to exploring all strategic alternatives to maximize
shareholder value.
As
Vince McMahon stated yesterday, WWE has an exceptional
management team in place, and I do not intend for
my return to have any impact on their roles, duties,
or responsibilities."
In
connection with the change in the composition of the
Board of Directors and in cooperation with Vince McMahon
as majority shareholder, the Company intends to undertake
a review of its strategic alternatives with the goal
being to maximize value for all WWE shareholders.
There is no assurance that this process will result
in a transaction.
Vince
McMahon, in his capacity as controlling shareholder
of the Company, has removed JoEllen Lyons Dillon,
Jeffrey R. Speed and Alan M. Wexler from the Board.
Vince McMahon, George Barrios and Michelle Wilson
have been added to the Board to fill the resulting
vacancies.
The
Board currently consists of:
Vince
McMahon
Stephanie McMahon
Nick Khan
Paul Levesque
Steve Koonin
Michelle McKenna
Steve Pamon
George Barrios
Michelle Wilson
Ignace
Lahoud and Man Jit Singh have resigned from the Board,
effective today.
About
WWE
WWE,
a publicly traded company (NYSE: WWE), is an integrated
media organization and recognized leader in global
entertainment. The Company consists of a portfolio
of businesses that create and deliver original content
52 weeks a year to a global audience. WWE is committed
to family-friendly entertainment on its television
programming, premium live events, digital media, and
publishing platforms. WWEs TVPG programming
can be seen in more than 1 billion homes worldwide
in 30 languages through world class distribution partners
including NBCUniversal, FOX, BT Sport, Sony India
and Rogers. The award-winning WWE Network includes
all premium live events, scheduled programming and
a massive video on-demand library and is currently
available in more than 180 countries. In the United
States, NBCUniversals streaming service, Peacock,
is the exclusive home to WWE Network.
Additional
information on WWE can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com.
Raw
preview, Oct. 10, 2022: D-Generation X proudly present
to you their 25th Anniversary Celebration
Don't
miss all the action of a historic episode of the red
brand on the season premiere of Monday Night Raw at
8/7 C on USA.
Whats
streaming this week on Peacock and WWE Network
Matt
Riddle def. Seth Freakin Rollins Inside
the Fight Pit
Bray
Wyatt makes a shocking return to WWE
Roman
Reigns def. Logan Paul to retain the Undisputed WWE
Universal Championship
November
5, 2022
Logan
Paul made a grand entrance, dropping down on a massive
podium before heading to the ring.
The
two started off tensely, with Roman Reigns taking
his time in his beatdown of the maverick.
Paul
fought back with a superb clothesline that left Reigns
down for a close two-count. Reigns called out YouTube
stars as he had a crossface locked on The Media Megastar
before Paul rallied by delivering a gut-wrench suplex.
Paul
had been training with Shawn Michaels ahead of the
match and emulated the two-time WWE Hall of Famer
by tuning up the band. The Sweet Chin Music attempt
was not so sweet, however, as the Undisputed WWE Universal
Champion turned it around by planting Paul with a
uranage.
Paul
nearly shocked the world when he landed his one lucky
punch followed by a Superman Punch, but Reigns was
able to survive.
In
shades of his win over The Miz at SummerSlam, Paul
once again flew through the air, smashing Reigns with
a frog splash through a table. This led to The Usos
coming out to check on Reigns before pummeling Pauls
entourage with superkicks.
Logans
brother Jake Paul came down to the ring, hitting both
Usos with his powerful right hand. A huge frog splash
from Logan Paul to Reigns couldnt seal the deal,
and Solo Sikoa hit the ringside area and started barking
back and forth with Jake Paul.
During
the commotion outside the ring between The Bloodline
and the Paul brothers, Reigns recovered and nailed
Logan Paul with a Superman Punch followed by a thunderous
Spear to continue his legendary reign.
*click
here for full article and multimedia
(WWE.com)
FORMER
UFC CHAMP CORMIER CONSIDERS LEAP TO WWE, EYES LESNAR
PHILADELPHIA (AP) Daniel Cormier got
physical as a guest WWE referee. He used a fist
to the throat to pin Seth Rollins against the
steel cage, and he issued a stern warning not to mess
with the former MMA great.
After
the match held inside a Fight Pit, Cormier chilled
backstage with a replica championship belt and playfully
declared he might not be done with WWE.
Im
defending this thing on the way out, Cormier
said. Bam! Right upside the head.
Cormier
laughed at the idea of knocking out a wrestler out
with a belt. But the thought of the UFC
Hall of Fame fighter following in the path of
Ronda Rousey, Matt Riddle and others who crossed over
from mixed martial arts to professional wrestler is
a very real one for Cormier.
The
lifelong fan Randy Savage was his all-time
favorite wore a traditional referees
uniform for his role in the match between Riddle and
Rollins at the WWE Extreme Rules card
Saturday night at the Wells Fargo Center. Cormier
got in Rollins face here and there but largely
stayed out of the fray in a fight won by Riddle
who spent five years with UFC by submission.
Those
guys are so talented, Cormier said in an interview
with The Associated Press. They knew exactly
what they were going to do and I was just trying to
stay out of the way. I didnt want to get in
the way and mess something up.
The
43-year-old Cormier retired from MMA following his
2020 loss to Stipe Miocic in a bout for the UFC heavyweight
championship. While Cormier did break his own deadline
of not fighting past his 40th birthday, he largely
left the sport on his own terms. Cormier simultaneously
held the UFC heavyweight and light heavyweight championships,
won championships in other MMA promotions, and built
a reputation as one of the sports good guys.
Hes a businessman and a burgeoning actor, and
he stayed in the UFC game as a commentator with Joe
Rogan for the biggest fight cards.
Im
still a part of the show, he said. Then
you do something like tonight and you get the crowd
yelling for you, screaming.
The
reaction just tugs even more at his pro wrestling
pull.
Like
some of wrestling's greats, Cormier is pretty good
on a microphone and tried for years to bait Brock
Lesnar into a fight inside the UFC cage. Lesnar started
in WWE before he jumped to UFC and won the heavyweight
championship and then returned to WWE and became one
of the companys biggest stars. Cormier took
the mic after he beat Miocic in July 2018 and issued
a challenge to Lesnar.
I
never thought I would fight him, but Brock Lesnar,
get your ass in here, he said as the Las Vegas
crowd roared.
Lesnar
entered the cage and the fighters postured and pushed
each other in some made-for-TV entertainment. Lesnar
grabbed the mic and bellowed, DC, Im coming
for you! Cormier then ordered Lesnar to get
out of my octagon, Ive got some pictures to
take.
Alas,
the dream fight between the hulking heavyweights never
happened in UFC.
But
now, inside a WWE ring, where Lesnar is still a box
office draw? Anything is possible.
Cormier
said the matchup does intrigue him, but not right
away.
Ive
been retired for a couple of years and I look like
it. But Id have to get in shape if I ever want
to do something like that," Cormier said. "The
door is not closed on anything right now in my life.
Cormier
had UFC President Dana Whites blessing to dabble
in WWE. WWE chief content officer Paul Triple
H Levesque tweeted that Cormier looks
right at home inside the Fight Pit, which was
a fancy name for a steel cage match.
You
just hope that you did a good enough job that they
ask you back, Cormier said.
Cormier,
who said he has no future commitments with WWE, is
scheduled to soon start shooting his role in the Warrior
TV series slated for the Paramount+ streaming service.
But hes ready to take the call to return to
the squared circle and tangle with Lesnar, Rollins
or any WWE star, if needed.
Im
still at an age where there are some opportunities,
but those opportunities need to start now if theyre
going to be something I pursue, he said.
News
WWE
News: JBL on Shawn Michaels angle, Gagne tragedy,
Working for his wife on Wall Street
(Credit:
Pro Wrestling Torch)
Profiles
WWE
Wrestling
JBL
-- JBL said in his latest blog
on WWE Universe that he won't be facing The Undertaker
at WrestleMania 25 after losing to Shawn Michaels
on Raw, but he has other plans.
"I
still believe I am destined to do something great
at Mania so tune in Monday Night and you will
see my plan start to unfold," JBL said.
--
On the tragic Verne Gagne story that is being
investigated as a homicide, JBL said: Really sad
to hear about the events regarding Mr. Gagne.
I really wish him, the other family, and his family
the best in the tragedy."
--
One of the big stories on Wall Street last week
was his wife, renown investment analyst Meredith
Whitney, starting her own firm specializing in
Investment Banking. JBL is licensed to work in
that area, so he will be helping Meredith advance
her career in the financial industry.
Whitney
made the decision following the government's recent
intervention in the financial market and JBL believes
they can compete against other Wall Street firms
for business.
"I
am now working for my wife-didn't think that would
happen, but I am happy," he said.
Link:
JBL
blog on WWE Universe.
Greg
Tingle comment...
JBL
might just be the world's greatest active pro wrestler
blogger! The way Layfield has diversified and has
created numerous revenue streams and news worthy elements
in the process is ultra impressive. If being a total
package in the pro wresting industry is part of the
key, like Hogan and The Rock were able to do so successfully,
JBL is a champion all the way. I witnessed Layfield
wrestling in Germany approximately 15 years ago and
he worked his ass off. It goes not surprise me to
see him going so well. His going on record regarding
'The Wrestler' were gutsy and showed insight that
the wrestling business seldom sees. It appears that
Layfield's goal to not end up broke like 'The Wrestler'
and helping fuel his goals. I believe that Layfield
is showing strong leadership in the professional wrestling
business for taking on what he has, and it may inspire
other wrestlers to diversify and think outside the
square. Layfield's darn hard work and staying power,
combined with his improved mic work has made him stand
out from the pack which is part of the secret in the
wrestling business. There may be a spot very close
to the likes of Roddy Piper, Chris Jericho and The
Funks. Layfield in a clique or tag team situation
with Triple H might work, with them both being power
players that WWE would be much worse off without,
and I think the fans and WWE top brass know this.
It appears he also has a great career ahead of him
as a writer should Layfield do down that path, and
in the current times I think one might do well to
listen to his firms financial advise as apposed to
some of the others on Wall Street. JBL used to be
average, but these days he's a champion. The real
deal and one major player for 2009, both in the WWE
and in his other endeavours.
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