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TKO announces Q1 2026 financial results

TKO

TKO announced its Q1 FY2026 earning results last night, reporting a revenue of $1.597 billion and a net income of $249.8 million.

“TKO is off to a formidable start in 2026, with strong results and continued momentum across each of our businesses,” said Ariel Emanuel, Executive Chair and CEO of TKO. “We are reaffirming our full-year guidance, and today’s incremental $1 billion share repurchase authorization underscores our conviction in TKO and its long-term value.”

“TKO’s first quarter results reflect the strength and durability of our premium IP. Our media rights portfolio is firmly in place, our financial incentive packages continue to scale, and demand for our premium live events and experiences is healthy,” said Mark Shapiro, President and COO of TKO. “With UFC Freedom 250 at the White House and On Location’s FIFA World Cup partnership, TKO will take center stage this summer, crowning moments for audience growth, cultural relevance, and our business trajectory.”

Revenue increased 26%, or $328.1 million, to $1.597 billion. The increase primarily reflected an increase of $41.5 million at UFC, to $401.2 million, an increase of $84.2 million at WWE, to $475.7 million, and an increase of $179.1 million at the IMG segment, to $655.4 million.

Net Income was $249.8 million, an improvement of $84.3 million from $165.5 million in the prior year period. The improvement reflected the increase in revenue partially offset by an increase in operating expenses. The increase in operating expenses primarily reflected an increase in direct operating costs of $166.8 million, an increase in selling, general and administrative expenses of $16.9 million, and an increase in depreciation and amortization of $43.3 million. The increases in direct operating costs and selling, general and administrative expenses were principally due to expenses recorded at the IMG segment related to the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics.

The full press release can be found at TKOGRP.com.

AEW pays tribute to Ted Turner on Dynamite

AEW paid tribute to former WCW boss Ted Turner yesterday on Dynamite, with Tony Schiavone kicking of the broadcast on TBS honoring the 87-year-old media mogul who passed away earlier in the day.

Schiavone discussed Turner’s love for professional wrestling and how he felt it should be on national television and credited him for all being there.

Sting also made a surprise unannounced appearance, coming to the ring and talk about how both he and Schiavone knew Turner very well and how it’s because of him that he and Schiavone have shared the stage for the past four decades.

A 10-bell salute followed the tribute, with Turner’s photo and “In Memoriam Ted Turner 1938-2026” on the big screen.

Dynamite preview for 05/06/2026

Dynamite logo

There will be three hours of AEW action tonight on TBS as after the first two-hour Dynamite, a one-hour Collision will also follow.

Only four matches have been announced so far at time of this writing:

  • Darby Allin vs Kevin Knight for the AEW World title
  • Jon Moxley vs Juice Robinson in an AEW Continental title eliminator match
  • Dax Harwood vs Orange Cassidy in a double jeopardy match
  • Mina Shirakawa and Harley Cameron vs Hikaru Shida and Kris Statlander

Dynamite will start in its usual 8PM ET time slot while Collision at 10PM ET. Both shows will also simulcast live on HBO Max in the United States and on MyAEW internationally.

Raw views for 04/27/2026

Raw

Raw last week had 2,800,000 global views on Netflix, the lowest since March 9, and a 500,000 viewer drop from the post-WrestleMania show. Last year’s show the week after WrestleMania dropped 600,000 viewers.

The show managed to get the #6 spot on the Netflix top 10 global chart, one spot behind Hogan’s documentary. Raw had 5,200,000 viewing hours based on an episode edited to 1 hour and 47 minutes.

Raw was in the top 10 in 12 different countries this week, charting in Bahamas, Bahrain, Bolivia, Bulgaria, Canada, Egypt, India, Mexico, Nicaragua, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom, and United States.

Eric Bischoff and Ric Flair reflect on former boss Ted Turner following his death

Former WCW President Eric Bischoff said that Ted Turner changed his life and the lives of his children while appearing on The Ariel Helwani Show today following the news of Turner’s passing.

He said thousands of people who just like him, got to work at Turner Broadcasting, got opportunities, got to grow, and got to pursue their careers because of the entrepreneurial, groundbreaking vision that Ted Turner had.

“When Ted said to me, ‘Eric, go compete,’ I had no idea how to do it. I literally sat down and made a list of all the things that they do, I’m going to do as many of them as differently as I can,” Bischoff said. “Had Nitro not come along, had I not gone weekly, had I not shifted the focus and changed the creative to address the 18-49 year old demo, Vince would have been stuck in the mud doing what he’d always done, and he wouldn’t be in business today.”

Ric Flair also reacted to the news, having spent several years of his career working for Turner in WCW.

“So sorry to hear about the passing of the great Ted Turner! The man that created cable before cable was cool,” Flair wrote on X. “On top of all of that, he created so many opportunities for so many wrestlers because of his love for wrestling. Rest in peace my friend! Thank you for the memorable personal times that we spent together.”

Collision rating for 05/02/2026

Collision on Saturday night drew 347,000 viewers, down 50,000 viewers from the previous episode. It was the least-watched show since January 24. The show had a 0.06 rating in 18-49, up 0.01 from the prior week. (Ratings credit: Programming Insider)

Bobby Lashley says WWE fumbled by releasing Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods

Bobby Lashley said that WWE fumbled by releasing Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods and said that he would like to see the duo in AEW when they are legally able to.

Speaking in an interview with Good Karma Wrestling, Lashley called the move “horrible,” arguing that they should have taken both of them “to the end and give them whatever they want” because they’ve given the business everything they had.

Lashley spoke highly of Kingston and Woods, saying that you can’t find a person in this business who will speak ill of them.

In a separate interview on The Danny Ocean Show, Lashley also added that if The Hurt Syndicate can get the services of The New Day, they would be unstoppable.

“If we bring those guys on there, we’d be just unstoppable,” he said. “I don’t think there’s any guess game in what’s going to happen next. I think Kofi and Woods, I think they’re just amazing talent, and I think that anybody and everybody is going to throw in their money to try to pick those guys up.”

He added that hopefully they come to AEW, and if they do, The Hurt Syndicate will try to get them because he’d love to work with them again.

Smackdown rating for 05/01/2026

Smackdown this past Friday drew just 1,153,000 viewers, down 114,000 viewers from the previous week and the lowest number since February 20. The show had a 0.25 rating in 18-49, down 0.07 from the prior show and was #3 on the top 50 cable chart for the night behind the NHL Playoffs. (Ratings credit: Programming Insider)

Stephanie Vaquer’s ex-boyfriend found guilty of domestic violence and attempted femicide

Mexican reporter Antonio Nieto is reporting that Rogelio Reyes, the ex-boyfriend of WWE Superstar Stephanie Vaquer, was found guilty of domestic violence and attempted femicide.

The crime took place in March 2023 while she worked for CMLL and Reyes, who wrestled as El Cuatrero, worked for rival promotion AAA.

Vaquer filed a complaint at the time arguing that Reyes forced himself onto her after choking her and throwing her against a wall. Six days after the complaint, he was arrested following an AAA event and charged with attempted femicide and domestic violence.

He was released in March 2025 from jail pending further prosecution. He is expected to serve more jail time after the sentence which is set for next week.

Hulk Hogan: Real American documentary on Netflix takes #5 spot on top 10 chart

Hulk Hogan

The Hulk Hogan: Real American docuseries on Netflix took the #5 spot on the Netflix top 10 chart, making it two weeks in a row among the most-watched Netflix shows worldwide.

The four-part documentary had 3,100,000 global views based on 12,900,000 of global hours viewed, even surpassing Raw in the chart this week.

It was in the top 10 chart in 14 different countries including Australia, Austria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, United Kingdom, and United States.

WCW founder and former owner Ted Turner passes away at 87

Ted Turner, the man who helped bring in WCW and pretty much change the landscape of professional wrestling in the mid 90s, has passed away.

His death, at 87 years old, was announced by Turner Enterprises in a press release. Turner had endured a long battle with Lewy Body Dementia which ultimately led to his death.

The media mogul bought Jim Crockett Promotions in November 1988 and founded WCW, appointing Eric Bischoff to the helm which eventually led to WCW giving WWE a run for their money in the mid 90s, with the introduction of Monday Nitro and the ratings war with Raw.

During the Monday night war, WWE poked fun at Turner on television on multiple occasions, naming him Billionaire Ted and featuring skits which portrayed him as knowing nothing about professional wrestling.

Turner was not just about pro wrestling though, in fact, WCW was just a small part of his empire. He also owned the Atlanta Hawks, CNN, Turner Network Television, Turner Classic Movies, Cartoon Network, and man other outlets.

EVIL unveils his new name in NXT, to make in-ring debut next week

EVIL’s new name in NXT has been revealed as Naraku.

The former IWGP Heavyweight champion appeared in a promo on last night’s NXT, saying that NXT champion Tony D’Angelo has something that he wants and said that they will eventually cross paths.

Towards the conclusion of the promo, he announced that he will be using the name Naraku and would be making his NXT in-ring debut on next week’s episode.

AEW returning to Boston for back-to-back TV tapings in July

AEW is returning to Boston, Massachusetts for two televised events in July.

The company will run back-to-back Dynamite and Collision television tapings on July 16 and July 17 respectively, both shows at the MGM Music Hall at Fenway.

The most expensive tickets are available for both shows via Ticketmaster.com now during the pre-sale, with the cheapest ticket for Dynamite at $164 and $110.90 for Collision.

Tickets go on sale to the general public on Monday, May 11 at 10AM ET.

More tickets released for Clash In Italy premium live event

Clash in Italy

WWE has released additional tickets for the Clash In Italy premium live event for later this month.

With the majority of the Inalpi Arena sold out, two sections in the 200 level have been fully opened with tickets starting from €143.75. Some floor seats also remain available starting from €460 and going all the way up to €977.50 for ringside.

This will be the first WWE premium live event ever in Italy and takes place on Sunday, May 31 in Turin. WWE will also hold Raw live from the same arena the following day.

Tickets are available via Ticketmaster.it.

Backlash 2026 matches to air on ESPN2 revealed

Backlash 2026

The first hour of this Saturday’s Backlash premium live event will be airing on ESPN2 and yesterday WWE announced which matches will be part of that hour.

The first hour will feature Seth Rollins taking on Bron Breakker and then Trick Williams defending his Intercontinental title against Sami Zayn.

Backlash is starting an hour early at 6PM ET. The broadcast will air in full on the ESPN app with Unlimited plan for viewers in the United States and on Netflix internationally.

Tickets for the show remain available via Ticketmaster.com and are 20% off if you use the code CLUBWWE.

Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods break their silence on shock WWE departure

Days after shocking the wrestling world with their departure from WWE, both Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods broke their silence to discuss their decision.

The two refused to restructure their existing WWE deals which was signed last year and this led to their release.

Kingston said that he was overwhelmed by the messages he received and can’t help but to be filled with gratitude.

He wrote that his story has been nothing short of remarkable and he’s blessed to have such a career. He thanked his friends and co-workers, who he’s very proud to call his family.

“Most people go through life without ever experiencing a love like I have for Woods and E. That bond alone would have made this whole experience worth it,” Kofi wrote.

Kofi noted that his mission was always to provide a comfortable life to his family filled with heartwarming memories. He achieved that, because of the fans, but had to give some advice.

“Do your best to live a life without regrets, control what you can control, always give it your all, and fight hard for what you believe in,” he wrote. “Do not ever compromise or accept less than your due when it comes to your worth. Find the courage to believe in yourself and fearlessly pursue your goals and dreams, because anything is possible.

He finished by saying that as the sun sets on one chapter, it must rise in another and “tomorrow is indeed…a New Day.”

Xavier Woods reflected on his 16-year journey in WWE, calling it his home where he grew up and found himself.

“When I first walked into FCW, I just wanted a chance to prove I belonged and to bring something different to professional wrestling,” he wrote. “That chance became a life full of moments I’ll carry with me forever — WrestleMania, championships, King of the Ring, arenas around the world, and the gift of connecting with all of you by being myself.”

He said that the bond he has with Kofi and Big E is something that he’ll cherish forever and was also thankful to everyone who helped build his UpUpDownDown channel.

Woods thanked the whole locker room and staff who he worked with throughout the years and had an extra shoutout to the props department, who he called the hardest-working department you’ll ever find.

“And to everyone who has been part of this ride: thank you for believing in me. Thank you for letting me be Xavier Woods. Thank you for giving me the confidence… to walk away as Austin Creed,” he concluded.

Both men are under 90-day no-compete clauses and while they cannot work anywhere else during that time, they will continue getting paid by WWE until the expiration of those three months.

TKO asking WWE talent for pay cuts as contract restructuring exercise takes place

TKO

Several industry insiders are reporting that TKO is undergoing several contract restructuring at WWE, where several Superstars have been asked to take a pay cut.

PWInsider.com reports that one particular individual was asked to take a 50% pay cut and agreed. Dave Meltzer of the Observer added that none of the top stars have been asked to undergo a restructure of their deal.

The restructuring is what led to the departure of Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods, the beloved duo known as The New Day. Both men were asked to take a pay cut on their current deal which was only signed last year and both refused to do so.

The pay cut seems to be ill-timed considering just a few weeks ago, the pay structure of the top TKO brass was revealed in a SEC filing, showing millions of dollars being paid to Ari Emanuel, Mark Shaprio, and Nick Khan.

It also comes at a time when WWE continues to announce record or near record revenues.

Chelsea Green undergoes heart procedure to correct SVT

Chelsea Green revealed in a post on social media that she underwent a heart procedure to correct SVT, supraventricular tachycardia.

The post was also accompanied by a photo of Green smiling in a hospital bed with her husband and fellow WWE Superstar Matt Cardona by her side.

“After 10 years, doctors finally caught my SVT and I was able to get a heart procedure done,” she wrote. “3 hours later and I’m on the mend.”

SVT is related to having a fast heart and erratic heartbeat.

She has not wrestled since February 6 episode of Smackdown. Green also suffered an injury which kept her out of the ring.

Impact rating for 04/30/2026

Impact

Impact last week drew 209,000 viewers, up 34,000 viewers from the prior week. The show had a 0.03 rating in 18-49, the same number it did the previous episode. The show went head-to-head with both NBA and NHL playoffs. (Ratings credit: Programming Insider)

Roman Reigns promises different outcome at Backlash against Jacob Fatu

WWE Raw finished with Jacob Fatu locking Roman Reigns in the Tongan Death Grip for the second week running but after the show went off the air, Reigns promised that come Backlash, the ending will be different.

The two signed their contract for the match in the main event segment of the show and Fatu had Reigns’ number once again.

“Saturday at Backlash will not look like this, I promise you,” Reigns told the crowd after cameras stopped rolling. “I’ve busted my ass for too long, I’ve held my ground in this company for too long, and I ain’t letting it go just yet. In Tampa, that’s where we have to hold it down.”

He said there in Omaha it’s where he realizes what has to happen come Saturday night.

“At Backlash, I’m whooping Jacob’s ass. At Backlash, it’s ‘and still.’ At Backlash, you’re looking at the Head of the Table and the Tribal Chief above all,” Reigns continued.