Here's more wrestling news for May 5th 2022
And your headlines for Afternoon include
Actor/former WWE writer announces HUGE plans to start his own wrestling promotion! What makes it different from all the others?
Shocking news about AEW: Fight Forever Video game! What’s going wrong with Kenny Omega and Yuke’s?
WWE Dominates AEW when it comes to online search popularity
Stephanie McMahon named in influential women’s list by Variety
“It was awesome.” WWE Producer compares the original NXT to NXT 2.0
Recently released WWE Superstar teases starting an Only Fans account And more!
We’re starting off with actor Freddie Prinze Jr was around a decade ago, was writing for WWE, and has a great deal of respect for the wrestling industry.
Last November, Prinze began his own podcast, Wrestling with Freddie, but is now getting ready to take another huge leap.
Speaking on his podcast, the actor announced that he is planning on starting up his own promotion, and hopes to have it up and running in the next 18 months.
Freddie said that he plans on his company being a pro union promotion, which would certainly set him apart from the other big promotions out there.
Being a union promotion, Prinze said that he wants all talent to be part of the Screen Actors Guild, ensuring them certain rights wrestlers don't usually get, but this could be a problem.
Being a SAG member would mean the wrestlers wouldn't be allowed to work on non-union shows, which would severely limit the number of companies they can work for.
Freddie went on to say how he plans on giving men's and women's wrestling equal time, and that events will last about two hours.
Prinze said that while he could get the promotion started sooner, it would mean leaving his family and going to Australia for three months, something he's not willing to do.
The actor admitted that he does not have a TV deal yet, but is working on it, but that the first shows will be taped and distributed online.
Freddie Prinze Jr certainly has a lot of plans for his new promotion, but starting a promotion is incredibly hard work, so we'll have to see how this new venture goes for the wrestling fanatic.
Over to AEW now, as Kenny Omega has several roles with the company, and in addition to being a wrestler and Executive Vice President, is also in charge of the AEW Games division.
Omega has been working exceptionally hard during his hiatus from TV on AEW: Fight Forever, the upcoming console video game, but this Is proving to be a very difficult task for all involved.
Sports Gamers Online reports that the relationship between AEW Games and Yuke’s the developers of the game, has been far from positive, with Omega reportedly finding himself frustrated and ‘
hating’ working with Yuke’s.
One source, who wished to remain anonymous claimed that it feels like Yuke’s is trying to quote “take advantage” of Omega’s inexperience in game development, as this is the first console video game he has
been a part of.
There have reportedly been multiple arguments over the game’s direction, as well as constraints on development, with the game’s budget also being a huge issue.
Last year, it was reported that AEW were “in the red,” due to investing an eight-digit-figure, at least $10 million, into their Games division, and the source also spoke about how the tense relationship
between the two sides could have long-term ramifications: It can be repaired, but it comes down to desire. If either side doesn’t want to continue, then AEW will
look for a new partner. Yuke’s will almost certainly sign on for another game and is even pushing for it, but AEW is nervous about any long-term deal after this
Video games have often been a staple of pro wrestling, and fans have been excited for some time over AEW: Fight Forever, but with a lot of money already invested and an incredibly tense
relationship, this game may be the first, and last AEW Video game made by Yuke’s
Ever since AEW started in 2019, there’s been a lot of talk about the promotion’s popularity, with fans of Tony Khan’s creation promising to one day overtake WWE.
That day may come one day, but it won’t be any day soon, at least according to recent online searches.
When Brandon Thurston of Wrestlenomics did a deep dive into wrestling related online searches, he found that in 2022 so far, WWE has dominated the search market share, with 80.1% of
searches relating to Vince McMahon’s company.
AEW is in second, but it’s a distant second place, earning just 12.4% of searches, with New Japan taking the bronze with 5%.
Impact Wrestling was able to get 1.5% of the market, while Ring of Honor, MLW and the NWA collectively earned a combined 1% of the market.
Given Tony Khan’s purchase of ROH, it’s surprising to see them so low down when it comes to the fans’ interest online, as the wrestling world remains to be dominated by Vincent Kennedy McMahon.
From one McMahon to another now, as Stephanie McMahon picked up a big award this week, as she was named on Variety’s ‘New York Women’s Impact Report List.’
The list is made each year by Variety, who look for women who have made a major impact in the media landscape over the past 12 months, and Stephanie joins some very entrepreneurial females.
McMahon shares the list alongside HBO Documentary and Family EVPs Nance Abraham and Lisa Heller, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming chairman Frances Berwick, DirecTV Lead Manager of
Influencer & Sponsored Content Alyssa.
As WWE’s Chief Brand Officer, Variety said how McMahon has been a “shining light on the female performers,” in just the latest of several accolades for the former WWE Women’s Champion.
In September 2021, WWE relaunched NXT as NXT 2.0, in an effort to appeal to younger fans.
That hasn't exactly worked out, as the average age of NXT 2.0 viewers are reportedly in their 60s, and fan responses to the show have been mixed at best.
Tyson Kidd knows all about the brand, both on screen and behind the scenes, and in a recent interview with the Dropkick Podcast, discussed why fans have struggled with NXT 2.0 compared to its
black and gold predecessor: "People don’t like the change and now NXT feels like it’s gone back to being developmental. It’s still
its own brand but it has more of a developmental feel [as compared] to a couple of years ago where it was a super -indie with WWE production. It was awesome.”
That last line is particularly interesting, as it could easily be read that Kidd doesn't believe that NXT 2.0 is awesome.
To its credit, NXT 2.0 has its own stars, with Bron Breakker and Nikita Lyons both earning a ton of praise backstage, but it may still be a very long time before fans accept NXT 2.0.
reunion shows.
Next January, WWE will host it’s annual Royal Rumble, and the company is already making plans for the event.
The official start of the Road to WrestleMania and one of the most unpredictable nights of the WWE calendar, WWE wants a big venue for next year’s event, and they may have already found it.
PW Insider is reporting that the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas is the front runner to host the 2023 Premium Live Event, which would make it the third time that the Rumble has took place there.
The first time was in 1997, where ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin won the first of his three Rumbles, and the second time was in 2017, where Randy Orton punched his ticket to WrestleMania 33.
With the Rumble still being over half a year away, plans could still change, but after the success of WrestleMania 38, it appears that WWE will be bringing another one of their biggest Premium Live
Events back to the Lone Star state
Now, when wrestling fans are asked to name the greatest talker in the business, it’s not long before The Rock’s name is thrown into the ring.
Known for cutting incredible promos, The Rock has used his gifts on the microphone to transition into a Hollywood career, but there are some who could hold their own against the Brahma Bull.
On the most recent Busted Open Radio, Bully Ray, Tommy Dreamer and Mark Henry discussed the future stars of the business, and Bully said how AEW’s MJF has a very bright future ahead of him:
“If anybody could ever challenge what The Rock was able to accomplish on the microphone, I think it’s MJF. I think given time, seasoning, the right people to stand across from him,
the right people to tighten his screws, MJF could become the next Rock on the microphone.”
Bully Ray also praised WWE U.S. Champion Theory and AEW’s Hook as stars of the future, while Mark Henry chose Wardlow, and Tommy Dreamer selected Impact’s Ace Austin.
In just three years with AEW, MJF has already become a huge name for the company, thanks in part to his refusal to break character, and time will tell whether he can reach the same
level of mega stardom as the People’s Champion.
And we’re ending today with Stephanie De Lander, formerly known as Persia Pirotta, who was released from NXT 2.0 last week.
As one of the 10 names to be cut, De Lander will have to wait out a 30-day non compete clause before she can wrestle elsewhere, but she’s now teased creating an Only Fans account.
On Twitter, the former NXT 2.0 asked her fans whether she should start an account which distributes exclusive photos and content to paying subscribers, and the vast majority of responses were
greatly in favour of her setting up an Onlyfans. If she does, De Lander will be the latest ex-WWE name to have an Only Fans, with Toni Storm and Scarlett Bordeaux
having an account on the platform, and given WWE’s PG rating and control over their talent, this is something she’d never even be able to consider, had De Lander not been released last week.