Monday Night Raw drew an average of 1,973,000 viewers this week, up 152,000 viewers from the previous week. This was the most-watched Raw since the Raw After Mania on April 3.
The first hour drew 2,074,000 viewers and that was followed by 2,043,000 viewers in the second hour, and then down to 1,803,000 viewers in the third and final hour.
Raw was #2, #3, and #4 in the top 50 cable chart for the night with 0.63, 0.62, and 0.57 ratings respectively for an average of 0.61, up 0.05 from last week. (Ratings credit: Showbuzzdaily.com)
WWE Women’s World champion Rhea Ripley appeared on NXT last night to send a warning to NXT champion Carmelo Hayes and sidekick Trick Williams.
Ripley told the duo to mind their own business and not interfere in Judgment Day affairs, because if they do it again, they will become Judgment Day’s business.
Hayes and Williams came to the aid of Seth Rollins last week after Finn Balor attacked him from behind following his successful title defense against Bron Breakker. Hayes then appeared on Raw and stopped Balor from hitting Rollins with a chair and later the two had a match which ended with Balor pinning the NXT champion clean.
A loser leaves NXT match has been booked for next week’s NXT on USA Network, with The Dyad taking on The Creed Brothers.
Jagger Reid and Rip Fowler, previously known as the Grizzled Young Veterans, requested their release a few months ago but after initial reports suggested that they got it, it turned out that their original request was turned down.
The duo will be out of a contract in a few months and it looks like this match will be the one which writes them off completely from television.
They have been working for WWE since 2018 as part of NXT UK and then NXT. They joined The Schism last year, changing names in the process.
Bryan Danielson’s wife Brie Garcia uploaded a photo of the x-ray of Bryan’s broken arm and there’s definitely fracture, with her saying that the injury is worse than they originally thought.
“Not sure to be proud or chastise him for wrestling 10 more minutes with this break,” she wrote. “Definitely worse than we thought! Nurse Brie ready for action!”
Danielson noted in the post-show press conference that AEW doctors think it’s a break and looking at up to eight weeks out of action, but this was before the x-ray showed the actual damage.
If the injury sidelines him longer, he will be surely missing the All In show in London’s Wembley Stadium in late August.
Gone are the days of scanning television guide schedules or setting a reminder for your favorite Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fight. The digital age has bestowed upon us a plethora of platforms that allow us to view these thrilling matches at our convenience. This article will guide you on how to watch UFC online and ensure you never miss out on any important fight.
UFC is the Mecca of MMA
Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is an explosive, heart-pounding sport that has gained considerable traction over the past few decades. And within the realm of MMA, UFC is the holy grail. With the UFC boasting an array of champions and notable fighters, the intensity and raw athleticism demonstrated are unmatched.
From Ronda Rousey to Conor McGregor, the UFC has introduced us to an array of legendary fighters who have kept us on the edge of our seats with their spectacular performances. As a fan, missing an important UFC fight is like missing an important part of MMA history. And with the digital platforms available today, there’s no reason to let that happen.
How to Watch UFC Online
There are several ways you can enjoy UFC fights online, regardless of where you are in the world. Here are the top three platforms you can subscribe to:
#1 ESPN Plus
As the exclusive broadcaster of UFC in the United States, ESPN Plus is a must-have for any UFC fan residing in the country. Subscribing to ESPN Plus gives you access to all the main cards, preliminary fights, and exclusive UFC content. Plus, you get the benefit of watching other sports as well.
#2 TSN Direct
For Canadian UFC fans, TSN Direct is the go-to online platform. This service broadcasts UFC events in Canada, allowing viewers to enjoy the same full coverage as their counterparts in the United States. Not to mention, TSN Direct also provides other sporting events, making it a good all-round sports streaming service.
#3 Get UFC Fight Pass
For the hardcore fans who don’t want to miss a single punch, UFC Fight Pass is the ultimate solution. This service provides access to every UFC fight, including prelims, early prelims, international events, and even exclusive access to behind-the-scenes footage and fighter interviews. UFC Fight Pass is available worldwide, making it a universal solution for UFC fans everywhere.
The Days of Cable TV are Over
The shift from traditional cable TV to digital streaming platforms has revolutionized the way we consume sports entertainment. With these online platforms, you have the freedom to watch your favorite UFC fights whenever and wherever you want. No more fretting about missing an important match due to scheduling conflicts.
Embracing these digital platforms not only provides you with unrestricted access to UFC events but also offers a wealth of exclusive content that enhances your viewing experience. It’s an exciting time to be a UFC fan, as the sport’s accessibility continues to expand and evolve in the digital age. So go ahead and subscribe to a service that best fits your needs, and never miss another thrilling UFC fight.
Variety has reported that WWE is doing a shakeup in their backstage interviewing staff for both Raw and Smackdown.
Jackie Redmond has been promoted to Monday Night Raw and will tag team with Byron Saxton for all things Raw brand. Redmond will also serve as co-host of all upcoming WWE premium live events kickoff shows along with Kayla Braxton, Booker T, and Pete Rosenberg.
Cathy Kelley will leave Raw and move over to Smackdown where she joins Kayla Braxton as backstage interviewer.
Megan Morant will host Raw Talk and Smackdown Lowdown, international shows for TV, and digital shows such as Raw sidecars on Twitch.
The biggest winner in this change is obviously Redmond, who has been working for WWE since 2021. The Canadian has 10 years experience in broadcasting and also works for the NHL Network and WBD Sports during NHL season.
The second night of NXT Gold Rush takes place tonight on USA Network with an NXT title match as the main event.
Five matches have been announced for this evening’s card, with Carmelo Hayes defending his gold against Baron Corbin. NXT Women’s champion Tiffany Stratton takes on Thea Hail for the title, Gallus defend their NXT Tag Team titles against Edris Enofe and Malik Blade, Nathan Frazer defends his NXT Heritage Cup against Dragon Lee, and Kiana James takes on Gigi Dolin.
Last week’s broadcast was headlined by Seth Rollins defending the World Heavyweight title against Bron Breakker.
A few current wrestling stars have booked roles for the upcoming independent movie titled Queen of the Ring, based on the true story of Mildred Burke.
Burke was a pro wrestler who held the NWA Women’s title for nearly 20 years. She died in February 1989 at the age of 73 and is part of the WWE Hall of Fame Legacy group.
WWE’s Charlotte Flair and Liv Morgan will be playing the roles of June Byers and Clara Mortenson. Byers was one of Burke’s biggest rivals while Mortenson is a wrestler-turned-actress.
Trinity Fatu from Impact Wrestling has also just been announced for the movie although it’s not clear which wrestler she will play.
Other notable names in the movie are Kelli Berglund, who currently plays the role of Crystal on Starz’s Heels and Francesca Eastwood, the daughter of Clint Eastwood, who plays the role of Mae Young. Emily Bett Rickards will play the leading role of Mildred Burke in the movie.
Collision on the eve of Forbidden Door drew 595,000 viewers on Saturday, a drop of 221,000 viewers from the premiere episode. The show had a 0.21 rating in the 18-49 demo, down 0.12 from last week and was #4 in the top 50 cable chart for the night. (Ratings credit: Showbuzzdaily.com)
PWinsider.com is reporting that last night’s Raw had a lot of involvement from Vince McMahon creatively, the second show in a row where McMahon had a significant say and made lots of changes to the original scripts.
Three of last week’s Smackdown matches as originally announced did not happen following McMahon’s intervention and required a rewrite. While McMahon is not physically at the events, he is getting more heavily involved in all aspects of creative even though he publicly said he’d only be involved in the top angles.
This does not seem to be the case anymore, with McMahon dipping his fingers more and more since the Endeavor acquisition has been announced. PWInsider adds that many in the company feel that McMahon’s influence will grow as WWE’s sale edges closer.
NXT champion Carmelo Hayes made his Raw debut last night but came up short in his non-title match against former NXT champion himself Finn Balor.
Hayes rescued World Heavyweight champion Seth Rollins last week after his match against Bron Breakker when Balor jumped the champion from behind. Hayes was ringside for Raw and Rollins acknowledged him, thanking him for the helping hand last week. During the same segment, Balor came out again and went to use a chair against Seth, but Hayes was there once again to block it.
A match was then made for later in the broadcast between Balor and Hayes and Balor went over, clean, after he pinned Hayes following a Coup de Grace.
Hayes is headlining tonight’s NXT Gold Rush night two defending against Baron Corbin.
Rampage on TNT drew 391,000 viewers this week, down 32,000 viewers from the previous show. It drew a 0.11 rating in the 18-49 demo, down 0.02 from the prior week and placed #11 on the top 50 cable chart for the night. (Ratings credit: Showbuzzdaily.com)
Friday Night Smackdown on FOX drew 2,354,000 viewers this week, down 76,000 viewers from the previous week. The show did a 0.61 rating in the 18-49 demo, down 0.06 from last week. It was #1 on all of network and cable television for the night, more than doubling anything remotely close. In the overnight numbers, hour one drew a total of 2,275,000 viewers and 2,229,000 viewers in hour two. (Ratings credit: Showbuzzdaily.com)
Hours after defeating Kenny Omega to win the IWGP United States title, Will Ospreay praised the former leader of the Bullet Club, calling him “once in a lifetime.”
The two had a 40-minute classic match which tore the roof off the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, with Ospreay coming out on top this time around.
“There will never be anyone that will be able to master the craft the way he has,” Ospreay wrote. “Overcoming him was legitimately the most challenging and yet rewarding task of my life.”
Ospreay added that while everyone can say that they’re “all elite,” Omega is “above elite.”
In return, Omega said that the better man won on Sunday and that the IWGP United States title is in good hands.
“Keep Don away from it,” Omega added, referring to Don Callis.
To commemorate the 25th anniversary of their Hell In A Cell match at King of the Ring 1998, Mick Foley and The Undertaker met up in Austin, Texas to rewatch their iconic match.
In a near-30 minute video uploaded by WWE, Taker and Foley looked back on some of the most outrageous moves that took place in the match, including Taker sending Foley flying from the top of the cage and then chokeslamming him through the cage roof.
Foley was on a family vacation at Disney but agreed to leave and then go back the next day after filming. He told Taker that he’s the only man in the world that he would give up a Disney family vacation for.
Raw opens with Rhea Ripley and Dominik Mysterio in the ring and talking about Cody Rhodes being a loser and a wanna be. Cody Rhodes quickly came out, and as Cody gets in the ring, Rhea stays in the ring, Dominik goes out of the ring and stands on the apron.
Cody calls Dominik a scared little boy. As Dominik and Rhea walk to the back, Cody begs Dominik to come give him a shot. Dominik goes back to the ring, gets on the apron but jumps back down and walks away with Rhea. Cody says at Money in the Bank he wants to find out if he is half the man his father is or if he is just mami’s little boy.
Shinsuke Nakamura VS. Ricochet
Bronson Reed is ringside for this match. As the action spills outside Bronson Reed stands up and Nakamura threw Ricochet’s leg to Reed and Ricochet kicked Reed in the head. The action goes back in the ring. Reed gets on the apron and gets thrown out of ringside.
In the end it was Ricochet with the shooting star press who gets the win.
Winner: Ricochet
Matt Riddle was interviewed earlier and challenged Gunther for the Intercontinental Championship.
Byron Saxton then interviews Riddle who is interrupted by Ludwig Kaiser. As Riddle hooks the armlock on Kaiser, Gunther makes the save and kicks Riddle’s previously injured ankle and accepts his challenge.
Dominik yells at Adam Pearce and wants Cody in a match tonight against someone big and strong and Pearce asked who that is, and Rhea says we will get back to you.
Ronda Rousey VS. Raquel Rodriguez
Raquel goes up to the top rope, but Shayna reached in and moved Rousey. Just then, Liv attacks Shayna and Rousey pulls Raquel down with a pinning combination and holds her down for the three count.
Winner: Ronda Rousey
A video package of Finn Balor is shown where he became the first ever Universal Champion.
The World Heavyweight champion Seth “Freakin” Rollins is out to the ring next. Seth introduces the NXT Champion Carmelo Hayes and thanks him for having his back at NXT this past Tuesday. He then talks about his Money in the Bank match with Finn Balor. Seth then says he is tired of talking and wants Finn to come out and finish what he started last week. As Seth goes to close out his interview, Finn Balor slides in with a chair and they start fighting. The action spills outside where Finn takes the advantage until Carmelo rips the chair out of Finn’s hands and Seth clotheslines Finn over the barricade.
Byron Saxton interviews Tommaso Ciampa and says he has been out of action nine months and The Miz did not even call him once.
Tommaso Ciampa VS. The Miz
The Miz attacks Ciampa on the way to the ring, the match never officially started.
Winner: No Match
Sami Zayn & Kevin Owens walk up to Ludwig Kaiser and Gunther, and they begin to argue.
Dominik Mysterio VS. Akira Tozawa
Dominik hits the frog splash for the win.
Winner: Dominik Mysterio
Trish Stratus and Zoey come to the ring. As we come back from break, Zelina Vega, Bayley and Iyo Sky have joined Corey Graves and Becky Lynch is announced and joins the Money in the Bank summit. After each takes a turn at talking and claiming they are going to win the Money in the Bank ladder match, a fight breaks out. After the fight its Becky Lynch who climbs the ladder and takes down the women’s briefcase and kisses it and holds it in the air.
Carmelo Hayes is interviewed by Cathy Kelly. He says it’s an honor to be here and he is here as a guest of Seth Rollins and he is going to go against Finn Balor tonight.
Becky Lynch and Rhea Ripley have words in the back. With Lynch saying she might win the Money in the Bank just to watch Rhea squirm.
Gunther VS. Sami Zayn
Gunther finally beats Zayn with a powerbomb.
Winner: Gunther
A video package of Carmelo Hayes is shown.
Natalya is interviewed backstage about being dominated by Rhea Ripley last week. She says her biggest battle is the one in her head. And challenges Rhea for next week.
Finn Balor VS. Carmelo Hayes
Finn hits Coupe de Grace for the win.
Winner: Finn Balor
Cathy Kelly interviews Cody Rhodes who says he can’t wait for the day they don’t have to talk about the Judgement Day any longer.
Cody Rhodes VS. Damian Priest
Cody with the Cody Cutter then Cross Rhodes for the win.
Winner: Cody Rhodes
After the match, Dominik Mysterio again ran in the ring and hit Cody and ran back out.
Braun Strowman has started his road to recovery after he underwent cervical fusion surgery in early June.
“Just got the green light to start light weight training again,” Strowman wrote on social media. “Time to rebuild the monster.”
Strowman had a level one fusion on his C4/C5 vertebrae in Birmingham, Alabama, and is expected to be out for months. Typical recovery takes around six months.
After undergoing surgery, Strowman admitted it was scary to find out he had to go under the knife but thanked WWE for taking the upmost care of their talent.
The Forbidden Door pay-per-view in Toronto has become AEW’s biggest live gate according to AEW President Tony Khan.
Khan said that the show grossed around $1.2 million US and it becomes one of the top three biggest live gates in history of professional wrestling in Canada. WWE’s WrestleMania 18 and WrestleMania 6 occupy the top two spots.
AEW did a full year of pay-per-views grossing over $1 million but Revolution in San Francisco this year broke that streak.
The $1.2 million gate will only be AEW’s biggest number for the next two months as All In will completely smash that record come August in Wembley Stadium.
AEW officially announced their All Out weekend schedule which will take place just a few days following All In in London.
Dynamite will air live along with Rampage tapings on Wednesday, August 30 at the NOW Arena. Collision will air live from the United Center on Saturday, September 2, and that will be followed by All Out live on September 3 also from the United Center.
This will be the United Center’s first time hosting All Out and the first time that the NOW Arena misses on the show since its inception except for the pandemic show in 2020.
