The CW launched an NXT FAST channel, a new 24/7 channel which streams solely NXT episodes and content.
FAST, which stands for free ad-supported streaming television, is popular on services such as Tubi, Pluto, and other streaming services such as DirecTV Stream and others, where channels such as Baywatch, Survivor, 90210, and classic series stream on.
TNA also has a FAST channel available where older episodes of Impact and pay-per-views air continuously.
The NXT FAST channel is available online and also on the CW app and streams episode which have so far aired only on their network. It is not currently available on other streaming providers.
Kris Statlander was not the only one who lost her title last night on Dynamite as Tommaso Ciampa also surprisingly dropped his TNT title to Kyle Fletcher.
The match, which was widely praised as one of the best ever for the two, ended with Fletcher hitting a Michinoku Driver, a lariat, and a brainbuster in succession for the win.
This brought Ciampa’s title reign to an end after just 11 days, having won it from Mark Briscoe on Collision on January 31.
Speaking of Briscoe, the former champ interrupted Fletcher’s celebration and said that they’re 3-3 in their series and wants match #7 to end it all. Fletcher accepted the challenge on the condition that this would be a ladder match. The match was then announced for Grand Slam: Australia this weekend.
Thekla won the AEW Women’s title on Dynamite last night, defeating Kris Statlander in a strap match which main evented the broadcast.
The match ended when Statlander ate a spear from the Austrian and then had both her hands tied up behind back. Thekla delivered a curb stomp as well for good measure and covered her for the pinfall victory.
After the match, Skye Blue, Julia Hart, and Thekla continued to beat up the now former champion until Jamie Hayter and Alex Windsor came in for the save.
This ends Statlander’s 144-day reign as champion. She won the title from Toni Storm at All Out in Toronto this past September.
Collision drew 388,000 viewers last Saturday night, down 104,000 viewers from the previous episode. The show had the same 0.07 rating in 18-49 as it did the prior week and was #27 on the top 50 cable chart for the night. (Ratings credit: Programming Insider)
Combo tickets for Smackdown and Raw at WrestleMania 42 weekend went on pre-sale today on AXS.COM using the code WWETIX.
These combo tickets do not come cheap, with the least expensive being $215.60 plus tax for literally the last row in the T-Mobile Arena and the most expensive costing $2,237.26 plus tax for ringside. Tickets in the 100 Level start from $313.86 plus tax for both shows.
Only half the arena is currently open for sale during the pre-sale, and with these prices, it’s going to be a hard time to sell just like WrestleMania itself is also struggling.
Tickets will be out on sale go the general public on Friday, February 13 at 10AM.
Individual tickets will be made available at a later time.
Appearing on the AEW Close Up show with Renee Paquette, new TNT champion Tommaso Ciampa admitted that the biggest factor joining AEW was money.
Ciampa said that when he was in NXT and moving to main roster, he was not financially stable to take the risk at the time so he decided to stay put.
But now, with two children and financial stability, Ciampa said he was ready to bet on himself and make the leap of faith.
“That’s the biggest thing that you start to go is like we are getting a definitive income, it’s a salary,” Ciampa told Paquette.
“When I left NXT to make the move to the main roster, financially, we were not ready to do that, and we knew it,” he continued. “So, there was not really a question of, ‘Okay, let’s take a risk. Let’s bet on ourselves.’ We got at that time a three-year-old, now a seven-year-old. It just wasn’t in the cards. Yeah…but now I’m starting to go, yeah, I think we are at the point financially, let’s take the risk!”
Ciampa won the TNT title in his first match in AEW, so for now, betting on himself is paying dividends.
Janel Grant, who is the subject of a massive lawsuit against Vince McMahon, WWE, and others, will be making a rare public speaking appearance at the Connecticut Alliance Survivors Speak Event on February 19, 2026 at 10AM.
Her appearance will come as survivors, advocates, legislators, and state leaders will gather to call on the legislature to codify the federal Prison Rape Elimination Act into state law and reform state non-disclosure agreement policies which are used to silence survivors.
“We are all more vulnerable to coercive control than we realize. Coercive control happens in increments, and entire industries are built on systems of coercive control,” Grant said in a press release.
“Tools such as NDAs can be used to ominously justify anything, and even turn a life into someone else’s storyline, keeping even those who have not signed confidentiality agreements working in fear. Any system that sacrifices people, whether current or former employees, at the expense of safety and human dignity, is dangerous, if not impossible, for someone to ‘leave.’ I’m not alone in living a life looking over my shoulder. Evolving systems and holistic change in how we address sexual violence remains painfully slow. I am here to be a part of the solution and give a voice to people in Connecticut who are living and working in fear. I want to empower others with information in the hopes that we can create a better and safer world,” she continued.
Grant is a former WWE employee who alleges that she was a victim of physical and emotional abuse, sexual assault, and sex trafficking by Vince McMahon, John Laurinaitis, and others.
You don’t need to be inside Wrigley Field to experience the energy and enigma of the match day. In fact, there are so many moments when the most passionate emotions of baseball fandom are witnessed even miles away from the field—including nearby bars, backyard cookouts, and even the living rooms full of multi-generational fans.
This is the spirit of the game that outgrows any baseball franchise beyond a team, box scores, and stands, and transforms it into a cultural legacy. And…there are few people who embody this legacy better than the fans of the Chicago Cubs!
Read on to find out how!
A Legacy Rooted in Unwavering Loyalty
A Cubs fan not only celebrates and cheers the team in its victories but also accepts and survives the failures with high spirits. A long term of championship drought, close misses, and heartbreaks, and the victory of the 2016 World Series have together strengthened the identity of the Chicago Cubs, believed to be strongly rooted in tradition, resilience, and unwavering loyalty. Such a level of loyalty does not die but evolves even outside the field!
Fandom that Extends from the Stands to the Streets
Want to see what devotion looks like? Just walk down the streets of Wrigleyville! The flags, the frescos, and the pinstripes on almost every corner of the street are not just for décor but to shout out the spirit and legacy of the team. In fact, this shoutout for the team stretches throughout the city, across the Midwest, and runs around the globe wherever Cubs fans gather to discuss offseason activities, debate classic matches, and relive the legendary 10th inning in Game 7.
Chicago Cubs fans do not just cheer the team but live their fandom. The team’s caps, jerseys, and vintage t-shirts are not mere souvenirs for fans but strong symbols that connect them and give them an identity.
The Merchandise that Narrates the Chicago Cubs Legacy
As the world of sports is evolving and harboring a growing number of Gen Z fans, there is a growing demand for Chicago Cubs-themed sports merchandise and apparel that not only reflects the team’s legacy but also the strong and unique bond it creates for the fans. Whether you are in Chicago to watch the Cubs play or are located in another time zone during the game, having the merchandise makes you feel connected. This passion mirrors trends seen across sports culture, where items like reversible basketball jerseys have become symbols of flexibility, identity, and modern fandom. And for the Chicago Cubs fans, this connection is real and serious!
A Brown Ben jersey is not just a shirt but a beautiful reminder of an enthralling game of 2016 and reflects the team’s virtues of community and persistence.
Expression of Love through Fan Art
The fans of the Chicago Cubs also use art to express their love and commitment. The word art of the Wrigley Field, hand-designed risograph schedule or walk-up music for the Cubs, are powerful embodiments of the appreciation and passion of the Cubs fans. This creative expression of the fans is not mere fandom, but a personal storytelling of Chicago Cubs’ legacy.
Hang out at Digital Platforms
It’s the digital age, and the fans and their discussions are restricted to the stands, streets, and suburbs? Of course not! Chicago Cubs fans give a shout-out to their beloved team across all digital communities, from Facebook groups to Reddit threads and from fan blogs to TikTok posts, through memes, stories, game highlights, and passionate discussions.
But it is not just talking…these communities also give the fans a platform to organize debates, meetups, and fundraising campaigns, and even support local initiatives relating to the legacy of the Chicago Cubs. And even here, wearing a vintage Cubs hoodie or jersey makes you not just a participant but a part of something greater!
It’s not just Fandom, but a Family Tradition
Chicago Cubs fans carry the legacy of the team even to their family heirloom. You can often see children and even toddlers clad in mini-caps and hand-me-down jerseys, reflecting a strong sense of a powerful shared identity. It is this fan community that speaks up, shows up, and even gears up in the colors and values of the Chicago Cubs and keeps its legacy alive and kicking.
And the Legacy Goes On!
While the Chicago Cubs is the story of resilience and perseverance, the Cubs fans are the passionate and proud narrators of the enigmatic legacy and spirit of the team. From stands to streets, cafes to community centers, and from office desks to online forums, these fans keep the spirit and its magic alive!
In the world of sports, it’s not the championships won that create a legacy, but the people who strengthen and energize the team despite the victories and failures, not just for one match or one day, but for the generations to come!
Smackdown this past Friday drew 1,459,000 viewers, up 199,000 viewers from the prior week and their best number since September 5. The show had a 0.35 rating in 18-49, up 0.06 from the previous show despite competition from the Olympics. Smackdown was #1 on the top 50 cable chart for the night, doubling the rating of second place and was #2 in all of television behind the NBC coverage of the Winter Olympics. (Ratings credit: Programming Insider)
Sol Ruca became the number one contender for the NXT Women’s title last night and will now face champ Jacy Jayne at the NXT televised event from Atlanta on February 24.
Ruca teamed up with Zaria to take on Kendal Grey and Wren Sinclair in the main event where the stipulation was that whoever gets the pinfall for their team earns the title shot.
Zaria had the match finished after hitting an F5 on Sinclair but just seconds earlier, she inadvertently tagged in Ruca while bumping into each other. Ruca took full advantage of the tag and landed a Sol Snatcher on Grey, with both her and Zaria pinning their opponents at the same time.
But Ruca was the legal woman in the ring and “stole” the victory from her tag team partner, who was not happy at all on how things ended after Jayne came out for a face off with her challenger.
PWInsider.com is reporting that WWE and AJ Styles are still locked in conversations over a potential role in the company following his career-ending loss to Gunther at the Royal Rumble.
The website says that when the show was fast approaching and both sides had not reached an agreement yet over a new contract, it was decided to go ahead with the plan of having AJ retire, a plan which Styles originally wanted since it coincided with his 10-year anniversary of his WWE debut.
Styles’ WWE contract is set to expire this month but WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque made it clear he hoped that Styles would remain with WWE, where he could be used as a producer, coach, or anything which he would want to do.
Last year, the former WWE champion made it clear that he was retiring from in-ring competition sometime in 2026, and that came just 31 days into the year.
WWE Raw managed to climb back in the Netflix top 10 global chart for the post-Royal Rumble episode, getting 3,100,000 global views and matching the same number of views of the last Raw of John Cena in November.
The January 26 episode did not chart but it’s up 600,000 views from the January 19 episode. The show had a total of 5,800,000 global hours in total streamed and was good enough for #6 on the global chart.
Raw was in the top 10 chart of 16 different countries, with Australia, Bahrain, Bolivia, Canada, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Guatemala, India, Mexico, Nicaragua, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom, and United States all charting.
Rob Van Dam has been added to the line up of WWE Superstars scheduled to appear at WWE World at WrestleMania 42 weekend.
The former ECW and WWE champion will be there on Monday, April 20. He is the second Hall of Famer to be announced this week following “Stone Cold” Steve Austin.
Tickets for photo ops and autographs will go on sale next month while tickets for WWE World entrance are available now.
WWE fans who currently subscribe to YouTube TV will have to wait several more months before they can get ESPN Unlimited for free as part of their subscription.
When ESPN Unlimited, the home of all WWE premium live events in the United States, launched in September, it was only available free to a couple of cable and streaming providers, and while the list has expanded since then, one of the most popular streaming services is still without it.
In a blog post announcing new streaming plans, YouTube said that ESPN Unlimited will be coming in Fall of this year, meaning that fans who subscribe and want to watch WWE PLEs, still have to shell out an additional $29.99 for the next several months to get ESPN Unlimited.
YouTube is launching a dedicated Sports Plan, among others, for $64.99 a month which will include FS1, NBC Sports Network, all of the ESPN networks, and eventually, ESPN Unlimited as well.
Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Wrestling is reporting through his Select service that bars and restaurants within the Allegiant Stadium area will not be able to broadcast WrestleMania live for their customers.
Apparently, a new rule is in place where shows cannot air in a public location if it’s within 50 miles of the event, with the idea behind it to increase ticket sales.
Typically, establishments pay a large licensing fee to be able to broadcast WWE premium live events at their premises, and that allows patrons to dine and drink at the location while also enjoying the shows.
WrestleMania 42 is lagging in ticket sales, largely due to high ticket prices as well as due to Vegas being generally really expensive on the whole.
Two more matches were added to the Elimination Chamber premium live event in Chicago.
AJ Lee, who returned on Raw last night, will be taking on Becky Lynch for the WWE Women’s Intercontinental title. This will be Lee’s first solo match since March 16, 2015 where she lost to Nikki Bella on an episode of Raw.
Her husband, WWE World Heavyweight champion CM Punk will also be in action in front of his hometown crowd as he defends the title against Finn Balor of The Judgment Day. This will be a rematch from the January 19 Raw.
With the other two Elimination Chamber matches which are expected to run for at least over 30 minutes each, the show looks like it will contain the usual four-match card.
The episode of Raw on Netflix last night ended with an in memoriam graphic for Jim Shank.
Shank, who passed away on February 6 right after his 60th birthday, was part of the WWE Event Technical Operations department where he worked for over 26 years and held the position of Technical Operations Manager.
Shank had been battling colorectal cancer for a few years and last year, a GoFundMe campaign for him raised over $220,745 which went towards his fight against cancer. Vince McMahon donated over half of that amount, with others such as Kevin Owens, Randy Orton, Cody Rhodes, Alexa Bliss, Bruce Prichard, Chris Jericho, and others donating large sums of money as well.
“On Friday, the @WWE family lost a beloved member of its production crew,” Triple H posted on X. “Jim Shank was a fixture backstage and an incredible teammate, who helped create the magic of the live experience at WWE. My thoughts and those of our entire crew and talent roster are with his family at this time. It’s never goodbye…but see ya down the road.”
WWE Hall of Famer Stone Cold Steve Austin will be at WrestleMania 42 weekend in Las Vegas and has been announced to be appearing at WWE World on Saturday, April 18 and Sunday, April 19.
The Rattlesnake, who lives in Nevada, was present at last year’s WrestleMania and made headlines for the wrong reasons after he crashed his ATV into the barricade live during the show, injuring a fan. Austin was there to announce the attendance.
For now he’s scheduled for WWE World only where he will be greeting fans for photos and autographs. Tickets for his appearances go on sale next month.
