WWE has opted not to tape its annual Tribute to the Troops special this year, marking the first time since the event’s inception in 2003 that the company has skipped the broadcast entirely. This has raised questions about the future of the event, which has historically been a significant part of WWE’s programming during the holiday season.

The decision comes during a year of substantial change within WWE’s leadership, leaving the status of Tribute to the Troops uncertain. While the promotion hasn’t made an official announcement about the event’s discontinuation, its absence has been noticeable. Historically, even in years like 2019 when no televised special aired, WWE still held live events to honor the troops. This year, however, no such activity has been reported.

The event is widely considered a Vince McMahon-driven initiative, originally proposed by WWE Hall of Famer John “Bradshaw” Layfield. The concept took shape in 2003, with WWE holding shows at military bases abroad until 2009. From 2010 onward, the event transitioned to domestic venues in the U.S.

The last notable mention of Tribute to the Troops came on the December 8, 2023, episode of SmackDown, which included a tribute-themed presentation but was not a dedicated event. With McMahon no longer at the helm, the show appears to have quietly faded from WWE’s calendar, further suggesting that it may no longer align with the company’s current direction.

WWE taped the annual Tribute to the Troops event on October 15th at the Toyota Arena in Ontario, California. 3 matches were taped for the show including:

• WWE Champion Big E vs. Dolph Ziggler
• Bianca Belair vs. Liv Morgan
• Universal Champion Roman Reigns vs. Shinsuke Nakamura (Non-Title Match)

Tribute to the Troops 2021 is set to air on Fox on Sunday, November 14th.

Tribute to the Troops 2021 Match Results:

1. WWE Championship
   Big E (c) defeated Dolph Ziggler
2. Bianca Belair defeated Liv Morgan
3. Non-Title
   Roman Reigns defeated Shinsuke Nakamura

Tribute to the Troops History

This will be the 18th edition of the Tribute to the Troops show. The first took place in 2003. It is said to have been the brainchild of John “Bradshaw” Layfield. From 2003-2010 the event was held in Iraq aside from 2005 when it was held in Afghanistan.

Before last year’s event, former Marine Lacey Evans spoke to TV Insider about what the event means to her.

“You never want to let your brothers and sisters down,” Evans said. “There is a camaraderie if you have been in the military. We’re expected to be strong emotionally, physically, and mentally. Once you get out, you miss being in the military every day. But at least my job allows me to be surrounded by them on and off because WWE has so many partnerships. They have ones with the USO, Hire Heroes, Tribute to the Troops. I still get to see my brothers and sisters. It’s not climbing through the mud anymore, [but] it keeps me motivated as ever.”

NXT TakeOver: WarGames wasn’t the only WWE event that aired yesterday. WWE’s annual Tribute to the Troops also took place on FOX, headlined by a non-title matchup between WWE Champion Drew McIntyre and The Miz. Speaking with The Wrap ahead of the event, former Marine Lacey Evans detailed how the Marines saved her life. She also shared what an event like Tribute to the Troops means to her.

“Growing up, I did not have the role models that I needed. I didn’t know what I wanted to be. I didn’t know what a positive, happy, healthy lifestyle looked like,” Evans confessed. “All I knew, while looking around, [was] my dysfunctional, drug-infested, mental health. Anger, depression. It seeped and destroyed my family. That’s the life that I knew.”

Lacey Evans then explained why Tribute to the Troops resonates so much with her. The Raw Superstar highlighted how she knows all about how difficult it is to leave family when deploying for active duty:

“I know not only what the military goes through — the veterans, the active-duty — but their spouses, their kids. They’re going through hell,” Lacey Evans explained. “The divorce rate’s high, the arguments are high. The veterans are tired, the active-duty — they go through a lot.”

Last night’s Tribute to the Troops took place at WWE’s ThunderDome at the Amway Center in Orlando, FL. Alongside the non-title main event, WWE also hosted a ten-man tag team match and a women’s tag team match between Bianca Belair and Sasha Banks versus Bayley and Natalya.

Lacey Evans appeared on the show in a segment explaining why she joined the Marines. You can watch her appearance below:

On Tuesday, WWE announced the air date for this year’s Tribute to the Troops celebration. The taping for this special will be held today at Fort Hood with a two-hour special airing Thursday, Dec. 20 at 9/8c on USA Network.

It was also noted in the announcement that the event will feature a special appearance by Jon Stewart, former host of The Daily Show and a long-time supporter of our servicemen and women. Country music star Morgan Wallen will perform for the troops in attendance.

This is the second time Fort Hood has hosted The Most Patriotic Show of the Year, first serving as host in 2010. It was noted in the announcement that Superstars will spend time giving back to military personnel and their families stationed on base and activities include a Be a STAR bullying prevention rally, as well as hospital visits and military outreach initiatives at various installations across the base.

“It is an honor to celebrate our servicemen and women for their unwavering commitment and sacrifice to our country,” said Vince McMahon, WWE Chairman & CEO. “We are proud to return to Fort Hood and continue WWE’s Tribute to the Troops tradition for the 16th consecutive year.”

It was also noted that “WWE Tribute to the Troops began in 2003 to honor our servicemen and women and their families. In the tradition of Bob Hope, WWE brings together the best of sports, entertainment and pop culture with celebrity appearances and performances from music’s most popular acts in what is considered TV’s most patriotic and heartwarming show of the year.”

We will post spoilers from the taping of this special on the site later today.

WWE is bringing back their Tribute to the Troops special for another year. This 16th annual event will take place on Tuesday, December 4th, at Fort Hood, Texas. As of this writing, WWE did not provide an airing date for the special on the USA Network but it will likely air around Christmas.

This is the second time Fort Hood has hosted The Most Patriotic Show of the Year, first serving as host in 2010. It was noted in the announcement that Superstars will spend time giving back to military personnel and their families stationed on base and activities include a Be a STAR bullying prevention rally, as well as hospital visits and military outreach initiatives at various installations across the base.

It was also noted that “WWE Tribute to the Troops began in 2003 to honor our servicemen and women and their families. In the tradition of Bob Hope, WWE brings together the best of sports, entertainment and pop culture with celebrity appearances and performances from music’s most popular acts in what is considered TV’s most patriotic and heartwarming show of the year.”

As of this writing, WWE has yet to announce any matches or segments for the show.

WWE’s annual Tribute to the Troops show was taped yesterday at a naval base in San Diego. The show is scheduled to air on Thursday, December 14th on the USA Network.

2017 Tribute to the Troops Match Listings

1. Paige, Sonya Deville, and Mandy Rose (Absolution) vs. Bayley, Mickie James, and Sasha Banks
2. Charlotte Flair vs. Ruby Riott (Riott Squad)
3. New Day & the Usos vs. Benjamin & Gable, and Rusev & Aiden English
4. Shinsuke Nakamura, AJ Styles, and Randy Orton vs. Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, and Jinder Mahal

WWE will be returning to an outside setting for their 15th annual Tribute to The Troops special today in San Diego, California. This is the first time in many years that matches for the Troops special are being taped outside on or near a ship.

Matches for the 15th annual Troops Tribute are being taped at the USS Dewey. WWE is also filming at various events in and around the base, which will air during the two-hour special on Thursday, December 14th.

Below are more photos from today’s events. Check back later for spoiler results from WWE’s Tribute to the Troops 2017 tapings.

Gearing Up #TributeToTheTroops pic.twitter.com/IVU1IySzMy

— Samoa Joe (@SamoaJoe) December 5, 2017

Preparing for #Troops15 at @USNavy Base San Diego. Thank you all for your service, this show is for YOU! @DeptofDefense pic.twitter.com/MPQXEZbJVL

— Triple H (@TripleH) December 5, 2017

The Lads #tribute pic.twitter.com/xY4WBY7xmT

— Sheamus (@WWESheamus) December 5, 2017

Everyone is a little wet after some Navy training at #NavalBaseCoronado! #Tribute15 @TributeToTroops pic.twitter.com/XewRa7mC2K

— WWE (@WWE) December 5, 2017

#WWE and #NXT Superstars are enjoying their time at the Naval Base in San Diego! #Troops15 @TributeToTroops @USNavy @WWEEmberMoon @MojoRawleyWWE @MontezFordWWE pic.twitter.com/fhN9K1iHou

— WWE (@WWE) December 5, 2017

#Tribute15 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/H3NP3MCL5R

— Charlotte Flair (@MsCharlotteWWE) December 5, 2017

WWE sent in the following press release on Monday announcing that this year’s Tribute to the Troops special will be taped on Tuesday, 12/5 from Naval Base San Diego. The show will air as a two-hour special the following Thursday, 12/14, on the USA Network.

WWE THANKS AMERICA’S ARMED FORCES WITH 15^TH ANNUAL TRIBUTE TO THE TROOPS  CELEBRATION

STAMFORD, Conn. and San Diego, CA., November 20, 2017 – WWE (NYSE: WWE) today announced that the 15^th annual WWE Tribute to the Troops event will be held on Tuesday, December 5 at Naval Base San Diego with a two-hour special airing Thursday, December 14 at 8/7C on USA Network.

WWE began Tribute to the Troops in 2003 as a way to honor our servicemen and women and their families, and today it is considered TV’s most patriotic and heartwarming show of the year. In the tradition of Bob Hope, WWE brings together the best of sports, entertainment and pop culture with celebrity appearances and performances from music’s most popular acts.

While in San Diego, WWE Superstars will spend time giving back to military personnel and their families. Activities include a Be a STAR^® bullying prevention rally, as well as hospital visits and military outreach initiatives at various installations including Naval Base San Diego, Naval Air Station North Island and San Diego Naval Medical Center.

“We are thrilled to welcome WWE for their 15^th annual Tribute to the Troops celebration continuing what has become a great tradition during the holiday season,” said San Diego Naval Base Commanding Officer, Charles Womack. “The servicemen and women of San Diego could not be more excited, and look forward to participating in this inspirational event.”

“It is a privilege to honor our servicemen and women for their commitment and sacrifice to our nation,” said WWE Chairman & CEO Vince McMahon. “Tribute to the Troops is our most meaningful show of the year and we are proud to continue the tradition at Naval Base San Diego.”

– John Cena will be returning as a guest host on NBC’s “Today” morning show next Monday (12/28) and Tuesday (12/29). Cena will be in town for his WWE TV return at next week’s RAW from Brooklyn, NY at the Barclays Center.

• Video: Cena’s Most Recent Appearance On The Today Show

– The following matches are scheduled for tonight’s WWE Tribute to the Troops special on the USA Network:

• Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose, The Dudley Boyz, The Usos, Kane & Ryback vs. The League of Nations & The Wyatt Family
• Rusev vs. Jack Swagger
• Kevin Owens vs. Ryback
• Team BAD & Paige vs. Charlotte, Brie Bella, Becky Lynch & Alicia Fox
• Mark Henry vs. Bo Dallas

• Spoilers: Tribute To The Troops Tapings Results

WWE taped their 2015 Tribute To The Troops special tonight in Jacksonville, Florida.

– The night opens up with the announcement there will be a 16-man main event later

– Rusev defeated Jack Swagger with The Accolade in a back and forth match.

– Mark Henry defeated Bo Dallas in a squash match.

– Kevin Owens comes out and cut a promo about why he thinks Canada is better than the United States. Ryback interrupts and we get a match.

– Ryback defeated Kevin Owens by count out.

– Paige, Sasha Banks, Naomi and Tamina Snuka defeated Charlotte, Becky Lynch, Brie Bella and Alicia Fox in a tag match.

– The team of Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose, The Usos, The Dudley Boyz, Kane and Ryback defeated the team of Sheamus, Rusev, King Barrett, Alberto Del Rio, Bray Wyatt, Luke Harper, Erick Rowan and Braun Strowman

– The band Train performed. Various celebrity tributes aired on the big screen throughout the show

WWE issued the following press release today announcing that TV personality Howie Mandel will be appearing at tonight’s Tribute To The Troops taping. This year’s Tribute to the Troops special will air on the USA Network on December 23rd. We will have full results from the Tribute To The Troops and the SmackDown tapings later tonight here on SEScoops.com and the SEScoops app.

Here’s the full press release:

HOWIE MANDEL SET TO APPEAR AT WWE® TRIBUTE TO THE TROOPS

STAMFORD, Conn., December 8, 2015 – Actor and comedian Howie Mandel will join the 13th annual WWE Tribute to the Troops event being held tonight at Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla., for military personnel and their families stationed at the Jacksonville Naval Air Station, Naval Station Mayport and Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base. Tribute to the Troops will air during WWE Week on USA Network on Wednesday, December 23 from 8-10 PM ET.

Mandel is best known for his work as the host of the popular game show Deal or No Deal and as a judge on America’s Got Talent. He was also the creator and star of the popular children’s cartoon Bobby’s World.

Click here to watch a promo WWE Tribute to the Troops featuring Howie Mandel.

In the tradition of Bob Hope, WWE brings together the best of sports entertainment and pop culture with celebrity appearances and performances from music’s most popular acts for our servicemen and women, to honor their commitment and dedication to our country. Tribute to the Troops has become a holiday tradition and is considered TV’s most patriotic and heartwarming show of the year. Mandel will join Grammy Award-winning rock band Train as the special guest performers for the event.

Related: Photos: WWE Stars Visit The Troops

WWE will be taping Thursday’s SmackDown and this year’s Tribute to the Troops special tonight from Jacksonville, Florida. SmackDown will feature the TLC IC title match contract signing with Kevin Owens and Dean Ambrose. Tribute to the Troops airs on the USA Network on 12/23. Check back later tonight for spoilers from both shows.

WWE talent is visiting the troops in Jacksonville this morning:

The #BigShow, @ronkillings1, @saronasnukawwe, and @sashabankswwe pose with some of the troops at Naval Air Station Jacksonville! #Troops #WWE

A photo posted by WWE (@wwe) on Dec 8, 2015 at 6:47am PST

.@Ryback22, @TheDeanAmbrose, @WWEUsos and @NaomiWWE kick off the tour of Kings Bay with PT #Troops pic.twitter.com/HhF7IW6WzC

— Tribute to Troops (@TributeToTroops) December 8, 2015

https://twitter.com/joeystyles/status/674236171413807104

Real HEROES #TributetotheTroops @ Naval Air Station Jax @WWE pic.twitter.com/74XgUEKmfs

— Charlotte Flair (@MsCharlotteWWE) December 8, 2015

Today, @SashaBanksWWE and @RonKillings tried out a helicopter simulator at Naval Air Station Jacksonville! #Troops pic.twitter.com/qGis6azn6B

— Tribute to Troops (@TributeToTroops) December 8, 2015

Don't miss @WWE @TributeToTroops Wednesday, Dec. 23 at 8/7c on @USA_Network! #Troops https://t.co/LU80CKsiK7

— WWE (@WWE) December 8, 2015

– WWE posted the above video preview for this year’s Tribute To The Troops special, which airs on Wednesday, December 23rd at 8pm EST. on the USA Network.

– On Monday’s WWE TLC “go-home” edition of RAW, a contract signing for the WWE Intercontinental Championship match between Kevin Owens and Dean Ambrose at Sunday’s TLC pay-per-view was announced for this week’s SmackDown. WWE will be taping SmackDown on Tuesday night at the Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida.

– Speaking of SmackDown, WWE aired the following promo for the show moving to the USA Network during Monday’s RAW. WWE SmackDown moves from SyFy to the USA Network on Thursday, January 7, 2016.

• Ronda Rousey FiNALLY Opens Up About KO Loss To Holly Holm In New Interview!

– In an interesting note, WWE’s new contract with NBC Universal no longer includes two shows per year on NBC, which means NBC will not be airing the WWE “Tribute to the Troops” shows any longer.

– As noted, WWE Hall Of Famers Ric Flair and Shawn Michaels will be the guests on the next two editions of fellow WWE Hall Of Famer Steve Austin’s “Stone Cold Podcast” on the WWE Network. Unlike Austin’s past podcasts where he would do the shows live on the WWE Network after RAW from the city that RAW was in that particular week, the Flair and Michaels podcasts were taped ahead of time, which is why WWE was able to show promotional clips of the shows during this past Sunday’s Survivor Series pay-per-view.

– WWE posted the following tweet to promote a new WWE.com feature looking at current WWE Superstars with the longest tenure in the company.

Which @WWE Superstars can say they've been around longer than ANYONE else on the roster? https://t.co/mYtjRpaQjz pic.twitter.com/KSx3EmA7jG

— WWE (@WWE) November 25, 2015

• Video: Emotional Footage Of Ronda Rousey’s Family Watching Her Get KO’d

(Partial Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)

WWE sent out the following press release on Thursday:

“WWE® WEEK” TO KICK OFF DECEMBER 20TH ON USA NETWORK, FEATURING THE 2015 WWE SLAMMY AWARDS AND WWE TRIBUTE TO THE TROOPS®

NEW YORK and STAMFORD, Conn., – November 19, 2015 – USA Network and WWE will kick off the holiday season with an action-packed “WWE Week.”  The week begins Sunday, December 20 with SANTA’S LITTLE HELPER, followed by MONDAY NIGHT RAW®; the 2015 WWE SLAMMY AWARDS on Monday, December 21; a live SMACKDOWN® on Tuesday, December 22; and a two-hour WWE TRIBUTE TO THE TROOPS special on Wednesday, December 23. The week will also include a daytime roadblock featuring interviews with WWE Superstars and Divas.

On Sunday, December 20, from 8pm-10pm ET, USA will air SANTA’S LITTLE HELPER, an original comedy from WWE Studios and 20th Century Fox.  The film follows a fast-talking businessman who is given the opportunity of a lifetime to become Santa Claus’ second-in-command.  SANTA’S LITTLE HELPER is directed by Gil Junger and produced by Richard Lowell and features WWE Superstar The Miz® and WWE Diva Paige®.  AnnaLynne McCord (“90210,” “American Heiress”) and Eric Keenleyside (“Godzilla,” “The Interpreter”) star.

On Monday, December 21, from 8-11pm ET, USA will air MONDAY NIGHT RAW, live from Minneapolis, MN, featuring the annual fan-voted SLAMMY AWARDS, the WWE’s biggest awards event of the year, honoring the best of the year with its own golden statue.  On Tuesday, December 22 from 8-10pm ET, USA will air SMACKDOWN live from Des Moines, Iowa. Both RAW and SMACKDOWN  will showcase a star-studded cast of WWE Superstars and Divas, and deliver a shot of adrenaline to viewers with over-the-top action, feats of athleticism and high- octane drama.

On Wednesday, December 23, from 8-10pm ET, USA will air the 13th annual holiday special, WWE TRIBUTE TO THE TROOPS.  In the tradition of Bob Hope, WWE brings together the best of sports entertainment and pop culture with celebrity appearances and performances from music’s most popular acts — performed for our servicemen and women, to honor their commitment and dedication to our country. This year, Grammy Award-winning rock band Train will perform.  WWE TRIBUTE TO THE TROOPS has become a holiday tradition and is considered TV’s most patriotic and heartwarming show of the year.  It will chronicle WWE’s visit to Florida’s Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena for military personnel and their families stationed at the Jacksonville Naval Air Station, Naval Station Mayport and Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base.  While in town, WWE Superstars and Divas will spend the day giving back to those who serve and their families with visits to each base, a Be a STAR anti-bullying rally, and military outreach.

WWE also takes over USA DAYTIME from 11am-3pm Monday, December 21 – Friday, December 25, as host Cat Greenleaf conducts interviews from her iconic stoop with WWE Superstars and Divas.

MONDAY NIGHT RAW on USA is the most-watched, regularly scheduled, year-round program on cable, with a live three-hour block every Monday night, 52 weeks a year.  RAW has been a cable mainstay for more than 20 years and is consistently a top ten show on television. The three-hour block on USA averages 1.9MM P18-49, 2.0MM P25-54 and 4.3MM total viewers P2+.  RAW and SMACKDOWN have reached 48.2 Million viewers in 2015.

With more than 800 original episodes, SMACKDOWN is the second longest-running weekly episodic program in U.S. television history, only behind MONDAY NIGHT RAW. Over the past 15 years, SMACKDOWN has been broadcast from 170 different venues, in 148 cities, in seven different countries including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Iraq, Japan, Italy and Mexico.

Follow the social conversation with #Troops on @WWE @TRIBUTETOTROOPS @USA_NETWORK.

WWE announced their official plans for this year’s Tribute To The Troops special, which will be taped on Tuesday, December 8th at Florida’s Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena for military personnel and their families. Here is the official announcement:

WWE Tribute to the Troops comes to Jacksonville

WWE announced that the 13th annual WWE Tribute to the Troops event will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 8, at Florida’s Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena for military personnel and their families stationed at the Jacksonville Naval Air Station, Naval Station Mayport and Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base. Tribute to the Troops will air on USA Network on Wednesday, Dec. 23, at 8 p.m. ET.

In the tradition of Bob Hope, WWE brings together the best of sports entertainment and pop culture with celebrity appearances and performances from music’s most popular acts for our servicemen and women, to honor their commitment and dedication to our country. Tribute to the Troops has become a holiday tradition and is considered TV’s most patriotic and heartwarming show of the year.

While in Jacksonville, WWE Superstars and Divas will spend time giving back to those who serve and their families with Be a STAR anti-bullying rallies, hospital visits and military outreach at the Jacksonville Naval Air Station, Naval Station Mayport and Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base.

Florida Governor Rick Scott said, “We can never thank our veterans and military members enough for their brave service to our nation. It is important to frequently honor our American heroes for the sacrifices they have made to keep our families safe. Florida remains the most military friendly state in the nation and we are proud to host this year’s Tribute to the Troops celebration.”

“WWE has gone above and beyond the call of duty in supporting the men and women of the U.S. Navy,” said Rear Adm. Mary Jackson, Commander, Navy Region Southeast. “We are very fortunate to have the upcoming Tribute to the Troops right here in Jacksonville, home to more than 22,000 Sailors and their families. I am hearing lots of excitement and energy about this event! This is also a special time for us to say thank you to WWE!”

“It is a privilege for WWE to entertain our military as a way to thank them for their commitment and sacrifice for our country,” said WWE Chairman & CEO, Vince McMahon. “Everyone at WWE looks forward to this annual celebration, and we are proud to partner with the U.S. Navy and Governor Rick Scott to put smiles on the faces of the servicemen and women and their families.”

• Paul Heyman Seems To Think A CM Punk Return To WWE Isn’t Out Of The Question …

– The following is an excerpt from a new interview with Beth Phoenix where the former WWE Diva talks about competing in the 2010 Royal Rumble match and looking up to Chyna.

“I gotta tell ya, it’s hard to put any sort of priority on these moments that meant a lot to me, but the reason that that in particular was so special, I looked up to the character that Chyna was while she was in WWE because that character was just empowering to women. Just something really, really special. And there was something about me that felt I could do that in my own way. I could just be an example for girls that you don’t have to just accept the minimum, shoot for the stars!”

You can check out the complete interview at CauliflowerAlleyClub.org.

– Below is a photo of Vince McMahon arm-wrestling Senator Pat Roberts during the company’s recent Tribute to the Troops taping in December. You can check out a full gallery of photos from their time with the troops this year at Community.WWE.com.

• VIDEO: Jon Jones & Daniel Cormier Get Into It AGAIN At Behind-The-Scenes Fighter Meeting [WATCH HERE >>]

– WWE.com has published a feature looking at 2014’s most unexpected breakout stars, including Damien Mizdow, Stardust, Jack Swagger and The Bunny.

– Shawn Michaels noted on Twitter that he is working on finalizing a book signing tour for early 2015. “Wrestling For My Life: The Legend, the Reality, and the Faith of a WWE Superstar” is scheduled to be released on February 10th.

– Saturday night’s WWE’s Tribute to The Troops special on drew 1.55 million viewers. By comparison, the USA Network Troops special that aired last Wednesday night drew 2,230,000 viewers.

– Randy Orton defeated Kane via pinfall at Sunday night’s WWE Live Event from Hershey, PA. After being pulled from the previous night’s live event (yet doing a run-in during the main event), Orton wrestled an 8-minute match and did not seem to be injured last night.

– The 2014 WWE Tribute to the Troops special is scheduled to premiere on the WWE Network on Friday, January 2nd at 3pm EST.

– Speaking of the WWE Network, the next “Beyond the Ring” special will be the documentary portion of the “Wrestling’s Most Powerful Families” DVD, which was released back in 2007.

– For those who enjoy interesting trivia facts, it’s been pointed out recently that country music band Florida Georgia Line has made more WWE television appearances than Brock Lesnar since the Night Of Champions pay-per-view. Florida Georgia Line appeared at Night Of Champions, TLC and Tribute to the Troops while Lesnar has only appeared at Night Of Champions and last week’s RAW.

– Unless the January 1st edition of NXT on the WWE Network turns out to be a 2014 “Year-In-Review” type of show, Shoot Nation leader Chad Gable is scheduled to make his NXT in-ring debut, working against Tyler Breeze on the show.

• Natalya Posts EPIC, HILARIOUS Childhood Photo Of Tyson Kidd — MUST SEE!

The WWE Tribute to the Troops 2014 special from Wednesday, December 17th averaged 2.230 million viewers for the USA Network, according to Nielsen Media Research.

By comparison, last year’s Tribute to the Troops show drew 2.3 million viewers. In 2012, the special drew 1.31 million viewers.

– The Miz recently spoke with Ryan Fahey and Nick Swinke of Sports Town Chicago about the state of tag-team wrestling, his tag-team partner Damien Mizdow and WWE’s Tribute to the Troops special. You can check out the complete interview at SportsTownChicago.com.

– WWE recently posted the following video on their official YouTube channel, “5 Legends who never won a WWE title.”

The following is a preview for tonight’s WWE Tribute To The Troops special on the USA Network, taped last Tuesday night from Columbus, Georgia:

– John Cena, Dolph Ziggler, Ryback & Eric Rowan vs. Seth Rollins, IC Champion Luke Harper, Big Show and Kane in an 8-man tag team match.

– John Cena and Hulk Hogan appearing together.

– Dean Ambrose vs. Bray Wyatt in a No DQ Bootcamp match.

– The Rhodes Bros. vs. The Usos.

– Natalya, Naomi & Emma vs. Paige & The Bella Twins in a 6-Divas tag match.

Plus, there will be a performance by Florida Georgia Line.

*Spoilers* WWE Tribute To The Troops Taping Results For Tonight

As previously reported, USA Network will feature “WWE Week” this week, with a lot of WWE-related programming.

Below is the advertised programming for this week.

Monday: WWE Raw, The Condemned (starring Steve Austin)

Tuesday: Live Smackdown

Wednesday: Tribute to the Troops

Sunday: Jingle All The Way 2 (starring Larry The Cable Guy and Santino Marella)

Additionally, USA Network announced that WWE Superstars will be interviewed on their daytime programming from Monday through Friday.

The advertising lists Cat Greenleaf will interviewing The Miz, Big Show, Titus O’Neil, Brie Bella, and Stephanie McMahon. Those interviews will air between 11:00 a.m. ET and 3:00 p.m ET.

– WWE announced that Edge and Christian will be appearing on the final RAW of 2014. The event is scheduled for December 29th at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C.

– WWE Hall Of Famer Hulk Hogan recently spoke to WRBL 3 News about this year’s WWE “Tribute to the Troops” special. Below is an excerpt from the interview.

“When I see these soldiers doing what they do, they’re the best at what they do. It really makes me proud because every one, so far, has come up to me and said, ‘Hey Hulk, I was a little, teeny Hulkster growing up,’ or ‘I’m still a Hulkamaniac!’ That’s really cool to hear that.”