Former Impact Wrestling Knockouts champion Taya Valkyrie wrote that she was part of the cast of season four of the now-canceled GLOW on Netflix.
Valkyrie said that she was cast in the show this past February and was looking forward to finally get her chance as an actress and work alongside some of the most talented women behind and in front of the camera.
“I’m heart broken that the work we did will never be seen and that we didn’t get to finish what had been started. Thank you to everyone that was so nice to me and supportive on set. I guess I’ll just have to wait a little longer to meet ya Hollywood,” she wrote.
Her involvement with the show was kept under wraps but she decided to talk about it after Netflix officially canceled the show.
The cast of GLOW also showed their disappointment with several messages posted on Twitter and some fans lashed at Netflix for canceling two women-fronted shows after they also pulled the plug on Teenage Bounty Hunters.
A mirror selfie posted by Braun Strowman showing his abs didn’t go down very well with fans as Strowman forgot to clean up his vanity, leaving a syringe in plain sight.
“Just a lil ab update,” Strowman wrote, accompanied by the photo as part of his Instagram feed. The photo has since been deleted after a bunch of comments were posted, noting the syringe on the bottom right of the photo.
The former Universal champion acknowledged those comments and posted another photo writing, “For everyone trying to make a big deal about the last post I did and delete. I take b12 shots everyday because my body is super sensitive to caffeine and I can only use so much without it feeling like I’m having heart palpitations.”
Common symptoms for those who show sign of B-12 deficiency include fatigue, lethargy, depression, difficult maintaining balance, vision changes, heart palpitations, and others.
Erik of The Viking Raiders announced in a post on social media that he underwent surgery to remove a surgical screw from his triceps.
“Today I had some hardware removed from my cyborg arm. I’ve been putting off this surgery for a very long time and just worked around and thru the pain and limitations caused by a surgical screw protruding into my triceps,” Erik wrote. “For the last several years I’ve been fighting and training with one arm tied behind my back. Thanks to the wonderful Dr Dugas, I’m excited to come back at full strength. I’ll see you guys real soon.”
Erik now joins his tag team partner Ivar on the injured list, with Ivar undergoing neck surgery a couple of weeks ago after an injury he suffered during a match on Raw.
Erik’s surgery took place at the Andrews Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Center in Birmingham, Alabama, the same place where almost all WWE Superstars go to get fixed up.
Monday Night Raw dropped in the ratings this week versus the toughest competition so far but still avoided getting an all-time low. The show averaged 1,686,000 viewers, down 136,000 viewers from last week.
The first hour did 1,791,000 viewers, then dropped to 1,666,000 viewers for the second hour, before closing the night with 1,601,000 viewers. Raw faced an uphill battle with the NFL on CBS doing 14 million viewers, NFL on ESPN doing nearly 9 million viewers, and MLB on TBS doing 2.3 million viewers, apart from news shows which did better numbers due to Trump’s COVID-19 coverage.
Raw was #6, #7, and #8 in the top 50 cable chart with 0.56, 0.52, and 0.49 ratings respectively and was #44 in overall viewership for the night on cable. (Ratings credit: Showbuzzdaily.com)
Bayley has surpassed the 500-day mark as Smackdown Women’s champion over two championship reigns.
Bayley won the title from Charlotte Flair during an episode of Smackdown in October of last year, just five days after she lost it to Flair at Hell In A Cell.
Now in her 361st day as champion in this second reign, Bayley occupies the number one spot as the longest-reigning Smackdown Women’s champion by combined days. Becky Lynch is in the second place with 216 days as champion over three different reigns. Charlotte rounds up the top three with five reigns and 189 days as champ.
Bayley now trails Asuka, whose NXT Women’s title reign a couple of years ago lasted a total of 522 days over one championship reign.
Barstool Sports CEO Erika Nardini has joined the WWE Board of Directors. The announcement was made in a press release issued yesterday.
“Erika is a seasoned executive with a tremendous track record of building businesses, developing experiences, and engaging different audiences across the media ecosystem,” said Vince McMahon, WWE Chairman & CEO. “Her entrepreneurial spirit, business acumen and understanding of today’s consumers will serve as a perfect addition to our Board of Directors.”
Nardini was named Barstool Sports’ first CEO in 2016 and since that time the company has experienced tremendous brand and business growth as one of the fastest-growing lifestyle brands on the internet, generating hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue. During her tenure at Barstool Sports, Nardini has launched more than 35 brands, including breakout franchises in sports, entertainment, female lifestyle, business and sports betting. She also spearheaded the development of more than 1,500 social accounts, a top channel on SiriusXM and the #1 selling flavored vodka in North America, Pink Whitney.
Earlier this year, Nardini launched a strategic partnership with casino operator Penn National Gaming, valuing the company at $450 million. In September 2020, Barstool Sports and Penn National Gaming launched the Barstool Sportsbook.
Deadline.com is reporting that streaming giant Netflix has canceled GLOW, which was set to return for its fourth and final season. The cancellation was attributed to COVID-19 where many productions shut down.
“COVID has killed actual humans. It’s a national tragedy and should be our focus. COVID also apparently took down our show,” series creators Liz Flahive and Carly Mensch said in a statement to Deadline. “Netflix has decided not to finish filming the final season of GLOW. We were handed the creative freedom to make a complicated comedy about women and tell their stories. And wrestle. And now that’s gone. There’s a lot of sh*tty things happening in the world that are much bigger than this right now. But it still sucks that we don’t get to see these 15 women in a frame together again.”
Production on the fourth season of GLOW had started already and they were three weeks into filming when COVID-19 hit in mid-March. The pandemic forced production to shut down and the crew did not return to work ever since. GLOW had one episode ready and work started on the second episode when production was halted.
“We’ve made the difficult decision not to do a fourth season of GLOW due to COVID, which makes shooting this physically intimate show with its large ensemble cast especially challenging,” a Netflix spokesperson said in a statement to Deadline. “We are so grateful to creators Liz Flahive and Carly Mensch, Jenji Kohan and all the writers, cast and crew for sharing this story about the incredible women of GLOW with us and the world.”
Netflix had been working to get production back up and running for the past seven months but filming entirely in Los Angeles proved to be difficult as well as women wrestling each other made the show high-risk to produce safely during a pandemic due to physical contact. The earliest GLOW would have returned was in 2022 and with the significant delay and the increased costs of production, Netflix decided to pull the plug.
All of the series regulars have been paid for season 4 in full.
GLOW earned 15 Emmy nominations and three wins during its run.
Mustafa Ali was revealed to be the leader of Retribution last night on Monday Night Raw.
Ali wrestled MVP in the second-to-last match on Raw but Lashley and Benjamin joined their follow Hurt Business partner and surrounded Ali in the ring. At that point, before any attack happened, the lights started flickering and Retribution showed up, surrounding the ring.
But as Ali looked like he was going to join The Hurt Business in the fight against Retribution, the swerve happened. Ali left the ring and went to face T-Bar and Mace at the bottom of the ramp as MVP smiled. But that smile soon turned into fear as this time it was Ali who turned around and smiled, revealing that he was affiliated with the faction.
“Get ’em,” Ali said and on command, Retribution attacked The Hurt Business, leaving them a mess at ringside.
Ali, and the rest of the Retribution, then posed in the ring to end the segment.
The second half of season two of Miz and Mrs. will premiere on Thursday, November 12 on USA Network at 10:30PM ET.
The first six episodes of the second season aired in January, February, and March of this year and averaged 450,000 viewers per episode, down a whopping 50% from season one.
“A lot has changed for the Mizanin family, as Miz and Maryse welcomed their second daughter and experienced the joys and challenges of becoming parents of two,” the preview for the second half reads. “Also, with a newly-retired, fan-favorite grandfather, George, taking advantage of an available guest room, there’s never a dull moment in the Mizanin house.”
Former WWE producer Sarah Stock was arrested yesterday in Evansville, Indiana according to PWInsider.com and charged with aggravated battery, resisting law enforcement, disorderly conduct and public intoxication by alcohol.
Stock was booked in the early hours of Sunday morning, at approximately 4:25AM and was later released by the Vandenburgh Sheriff’s Department.
Stock was hired in 2015 as a WWE Performance Center coach and also producer and worked mainly with the women’s division. She never wrestled or worked for WWE before but had a successful career in AAA and TNA wrestling under the names of Dark Angel and Sarita.
She was released from WWE last month along with Mike “IRS” Rotunda after getting furloughed due to the coronavirus cost-cutting measures.
WWE is inviting fans starting from this week to the weekly NXT live broadcasts on USA Network inside the Capitol Wrestling Center.
The company sent an email yesterday inviting a limited number of fans to be part of the audience and the offer is good for a maximum of six people.
Those selected will receive further correspondence with instructions on how to attend, COVID-19 testing procedures and on-site screening procedures. A photo ID is required upon check in and you must be over the age of 16 or else be accompanied by a guardian if you’re younger. Face coverings will be mandatory throughout the course of the event.
Judging from the e-mail, WWE is not charging fans to be part of the show. WWE is marketing the Capitol Wrestling Center as being “on the campus of the WWE Performance Center.”
After an absence of a year from WWE television due to an injury, former NXT Women’s champion Ember Moon made her return to the black and yellow brand last night at Takeover 31.
Moon was the mystery person who two weeks ago vowed to return to the brand and smashed a titles display outside Full Sail. She rode in with a bike and interrupted NXT Women’s champion Io Shirai at the end of her match as the two had a stare down.
Ember spent three years down in NXT and was one of the most popular females there before being called up to the main roster in 2018.
The NXT women’s division also got a nice addition in the form of Toni Storm, who also interrupted Io Shirai’s victory by appearing on screen saying that as of now, she’s back in the NXT brand. Storm formed part of the NXT UK roster before.
WWE is bringing back the Halloween Havoc WCW pay-per-view name as an NXT special, set for Wednesday, October 28 on USA Network.
The announcement came in the form of a video yesterday during NXT Takeover 31 which featured Shotzi Blackheart. Blackheart was said to be hosting this halloween special.
Halloween Havoc was a popular event which had 12 pay-per-views under the WCW brand from 1989 until 2000. This is the third WCW PPV which has been ported to NXT, with WarGames and Great American Bash being used already.
WarGames remains a Takeover special but the Great American Bash name was used as a two-night affair on USA Network this past July.
Both Finn Balor and Kyle O’Reilly took in some serious punishment last night but soldiered on with their match at Takeover 31.
In the post-show media call with the reporters, Triple H said that Finn Balor had to be transported to a local hospital to get an X-ray on his jaw while O’Reilly is also being checked.
O’Reilly’s injury came in first after Balor kicked him in the mid-section which looked like really knocked the wind out of KOR. O’Reilly kept clutching his abs throughout the rest of the match and at one point there was blood in his mouth.
Balor’s injury came after he ate a knee to the face courtesy of O’Reilly. Balor’s face looked a bit messed up after that and even started bleeding from his mouth as well.
Hopefully, there won’t be the need for a new NXT champion because if he has a serious jaw injury, that means Balor would have to surrender the NXT title again.
Here are the results from last night’s NXT Takeover 31 which took place from the redesigned WWE Performance Center, now known as the Capitol Wrestling Center, in Orlando, Florida.
Damian Priest defeated Johnny Gargano to retain the NXT North American title; Kushida defeated Velveteen Dream; Santos Escobar defeated Isiah “Swerve” Scott to retain the NXT Cruiserweight title; Io Shirai defeated Candice LaRae to retain the NXT Women’s title; Finn Balor defeated Kyle O’Reilly to retain the NXT title.
NXT kicks off a new era tonight with Takeover 31 live from the re-redesigned WWE Performance Center, now known as the Capitol Wrestling Center for NXT puproses. Four titles will be on the line in this five-match card and today we’ll take a look at the betting odds for all the matches.
In the NXT title main event match, champion Finn Balor is favorite with odds of 1/10 while his challenger, Kyle O’Reilly of The Undisputed Era has 11/2 odds for the title change.
Io Shirai will defend the NXT Women’s title against Candice LaRae and the champion is 4/9 favorite to retain while LaRae has odds of 13/8 to become new champ.
The NXT North American title is the third title to be defended tonight at Takeover. Champion Damien Priest will be looking for a big win and he’s 2/5 favorite to retain the title against Johnny Gargano who is 7/4.
Isiah “Swerve” Scott will get a chance to become the new NXT Cruiserweight champion as he takes on Santos Escobar. But Escobar is the favorite at 4/9 while the challenger is 13/8 for the upset.
And finally, the only non-title match on the show sees Velveteen Dream taking on Kushida. Dream is 8/11 favorite while Kushida has odds of 1/1.
Live from the WWE Performance Center, now renamed the Capitol Wrestling Center, NXT presents NXT Takeover 31 on the WWE Network. The full card is as follows:
Finn Balor vs Kyle O’Reilly for the NXT title; Io Shirai vs Candice LeRae for the NXT Women’s title; Damian Priest vs Johnny Gargano for the NXT North American title; Santos Escobar vs Isaiah “Swerve” Scott for the NXT Cruiserweight title; Kushida vs Velveteen Dream.
The Takeover 31 Kickoff show will start at 6:30PM ET and will air live on the WWE Network, as well as WWE.com, YouTube, TikTok, Facebook and Twitter. Rhea Ripley will be the special guest for the Kickoff show.
When Triple H promised a new-look NXT he was not joking, and tonight, NXT Takeover 31 will debut in the new Capitol Wrestling Center, a re-designed Performance Center specifically done to hold NXT tapings.
The Capitol Wrestling Center name is a tribute to the Capitol Wrestling Corporation that was founded by Jess McMahon in 1953 and run by Vincent J. McMahon.
“It’s a historic callback to where this all began,” Triple H told Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated, which got the exclusive on the story. “We gutted the Performance Center and it’s now rebuilt, so it feels like we’re going back to the beginning. To me, it feels like we’re going back to 1953. Just like then, we’re doing something different and new, taking the business to a whole new level.”
The Capitol Wrestling Center will have a “mini” ThunderDome, with video walls around the ring but there will be something else inside the CWC tonight – fans!
Triple H confirmed that talent, friends, families, and fans will be in attendance for Takeover 31 with an estimated 100 people inside the building. Triple H stressed the importance of safety precautions and the whole thing was signed off by their medical team.
“Everybody that walks in the building will be PCR tested, take a questionnaire and be medically screened. There will be plexiglass pods with fans that are in groups, and the groups will vary in size. Everyone will wear masks, and each group will never be near anyone else,” The Game said.
Triple H added that the Capitol Wrestling Center will keep the feel and vibe of NXT while adding the technology of the ThunderDome. “It’s edgier, darker and raw – you’re walking into the ultimate heavy metal soundstage,” said Triple H. “The building is a throwback to Capitol Wrestling, a business that caused a shift in wrestling. That is exactly what we’re planning on doing again, starting today in NXT.”
Today marks the end of an era as NXT starts its television production from the WWE Performance Center, moving out of Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida.
The two parties started their partnership in 2012 where thousands of students who were studying at Full Sail took on several jobs during NXT live events and broadcasts, helping out in production, filming, audio, and everything in between while continuing their film and entertainment-related studies at the university.
As of last year, WWE awarded 22 scholarships to Full Sail students, amounting to nearly half a million dollars, allowing students to get real-world experience in broadcast television.
The first WWE Network televised event was held from Full Sail with NXT ArRival in February 2014 and since then, WWE has produced countless hours of programming for NXT and tournaments such as the Mae Young Classic, Cruiserweight Classic, and the reality TV show Tough Enough. Each televised show has the help of around 50 Full Sail students and over two dozen more individuals who help set up Full Sail Live for its weekly broadcasts.
WWE’s partnership with Full Sail also gave its students the opportunity to help out in other major WWE events such as WrestleMania where students were part of the camera team and other production supporting roles.
A few years ago, Full Sail President Garry Jones said that the university is “humbled” by WWE’s dedication and to help realize the dreams of their students. “Collaborating with WWE has elevated the education experience here at Full Sail University by creating many opportunities for our students to be mentored by some of the best minds in the entertainment production industry,” Jone said.
But with Full Sail mostly shut due to coronavirus, WWE has been handling all production themselves, defeating the purpose of filming inside Full Sail Live where students had been helping out. The university is also not allowing fans inside its Full Sail Live arena, preventing NXT from having a limited audience during its weekly shows.
The partnership between the two however is not completely shut as both are open to resuming their deal if and when the coronavirus pandemic is handled.
In his weekly Q&A Saturday Night Special on YouTube, former AEW World champion Chris Jericho said that he was supposed to take on Mike Tyson at All Out but they couldn’t get it done in time.
Tyson appeared at the Double or Nothing pay-per-view and then on Dynamite a few days later where he had a pull-apart with Jericho in an angle that looked very similar to the Tyson/Austin one from 1998 in WWE. The angle between the two obviously opened the opportunity for a match against each other down the line.
“Originally I was supposed to work with Tyson at the September pay-per-view, All Out 2, and we just couldn’t get it done in time,” Jericho said. “So, the second match I had with Orange was originally going to be the Mimosa Mayhem but we moved it to the rubber match position.”
Jericho and Tyson share a long history and Tyson even “knocked out” Jericho on an episode of Monday Night Raw a decade ago.
