SEScoops

Tag: WOS

  • Report: Ratings for First Episode of WoS on ITV in Dispute

    Report: Ratings for First Episode of WoS on ITV in Dispute

    WoS/World of Sport re-debuted on ITV last night in the 5pm time slot. This was the first time that the programme had aired on the channel since the New Year’s Eve 2016 special which reportedly earned around 1.25 million viewers.

    The rating now appears to be in for the first show as the Broadcasters’ Audience Research Board (BARB) allegedly posted a number of 0.9 million (around 920,000) average with an 8.7% share. The show apparently peaked at 1.1 million. This has however now been refuted by John Williams, a scheduler at ITV who claimed that this figure was incorrect, or at least wasn’t the full picture:

    Apparently the overnight numbers published by BARB do not include +1 or HD viewing, so the 920k figure would purely be based on Standard Definition/SD viewers. What this means for the actual number is now really up in the air…The 5pm time slot on ITV last week drew around 1.5 million at a 16% share and peaked at 2.3 million according to The WATW who initially posted the overnight numbers, this was for well established game show ‘The Chase’ which itself is not an ‘on demand’ heavy programme as it’s regularly shown and not episodic:

    So if ITV were able to draw an extra 500-600k viewers from the HD and +1 versions of the show then this would be a far more respectable number than the initially believed 920k. Either way the fact that nearly 1 million people saw British professional wrestling is quite the achievement for a show that was not heavily publicised…however it is also true that numbers will likely need to improve for the coming 9 weeks to truly be classed as a success both on the WoS and ITV fronts. It is also very important to remember that potential viewers via Sky Plus (DVR) or the ITV Hub (on demand) could be taking a portion off of the live viewership.

    A re-run of the debut episode ran this morning on ITV in the 10:50am-11:50 time slot and it will be extremely interesting to see the number that this generates, the show is definitely aimed at a family demographic and the ‘breakfast viewing’ audience could be lucrative.

     

  • WoS/World of Sport Stars React to Debut Show

    WoS/World of Sport Stars React to Debut Show

    WoS/World of Sport’s first show of their re-debut took place tonight on Britain’s biggest mainstream channel ITV. The programme is set for a 10 show stint running into October and is available to every television set in the United Kingdom.

    The stars of the show took to Twitter after the event to react to pro wrestling returning to British television, including Davey Boy Smith Jr, Will Ospreay, Grado, Stu Bennett, SoCal Val and Kip Sabian.

    You can check out all of our WoS coverage via the UK section at the top of the site, including the news of a Major Title Change on Night 1, Stu Bennett hyping the reboot, our Exclusive interview with Viper/Piper Niven and our Editorial explaining why WoS heading to mainstream British television is a really big deal.

    https://twitter.com/WillOspreay/status/1023251872268906496

     

  • Major Title Change On World Of Sport Premiere

    Major Title Change On World Of Sport Premiere

    World of Sport’s (WOS) premiere episode took place on Saturday night on Britain’s biggest mainstream channel, ITV. The program is set for a 10 show stint running into October and is available to every television set in the United Kingdom.

    One of the major news items coming from the show was the announcement that WoS Champion Grado would be defending his title in the main event. WoS Commissioner Stu Bennett/Wade Barrett announced that a 5-man elimination match would determine a number 1 contender and after some confusion former PROGRESS ATLAS Champion Rampage Brown and Justin Sysum were added to the main event.

    The Triple Threat bout headlined the show and Rampage Brown eventually took the win to become the NEW WoS Champion, defeating Grado in his first defence since winning the belt on New Years Eve 2006. Rampage is a well respected veteran in the UK scene having performed for the likes of DEFIANT, ICW, NGW, IPW:UK, IMPACT, PCW and the aforementioned PROGRESS.

    The next episode takes place Saturday night on ITV at 5pm, you can check out more information at the official WoS website.

  • Stu Bennett Hypes WoS Reboot and Talks WWE Career

    Stu Bennett Hypes WoS Reboot and Talks WWE Career

    Former WWE Intercontinental Champion Stu Bennett will be joining UK legend Alex Shane and former TNA star SoCal Val on ITV’s WoS for the next ten weeks as part of the broadcast commentary team.

    Bennett has been making the media rounds for the new show over the past week and recently spoke to The Telegraph on the history, future and legacy of British wrestling, specifically World of Sport as well as his time in WWE.

    Bennett started by referencing the ‘state’ of British wrestling in the last decade: “I am turning 38, and I grew up a complete wrestling nerd, but the UK wrestling scene when I was coming up was abysmal. There were maybe two or three good wrestlers in the country. By about 2003, if you got a hundred people at an event, you felt like it you’d sold out Wembley.”

    When asked about about his subsequent move to WWE and the United States Bennett said that “I’d started out as a goody (face) here, but the second I got to America: English accent, bad guy (heel). I loved it. On the rare occasions I have been cheered, I have not found that rewarding. For me, to get a negative reaction, get people’s backs up, I love that. I main-evented a SummerSlam, which is the WWE’s second-biggest show. Being in the ring with John Cena, The Undertaker, guys I had watched as a kid: that was a seal of approval. They doubted that it could happen to an English kid.”

    You can read the full interview here

  • Viper Talks World of Sport/WoS, WWE Evolution PPV & More (Exclusive)

    Viper Talks World of Sport/WoS, WWE Evolution PPV & More (Exclusive)

    World of Sport/WoS will be returning to mainstream British television this Saturday night at 5pm on ITV. The show will be running for 10 episodes until mid October in front of the largest potential viewing audience in decades.

    SEScoops staff writer Jake Jeremy spoke to star of the WoS Women’s division Viper about her involvement in the new rebooted show, the WWE Evolution PPV and comparisons between WoS and NXT UK. Check it out below:

    Jake Jeremy – I am joined by Viper of Pro Wrestling: EVE, PROGRESS, ICW…and now World of Sport…oh and of course Stardom!

    Viper – Of course you can’t forget Stardom!

    Jake: We’ve just seen the premiere of WoS and next week you’ll be included in a huge bout…you’re going to be on mainstream television for the next 10 weeks that’s pretty incredible

    Viper: When we were all talking about the show it was hard to grasp the concept, what I hope is that we’re going to have an impact on people’s lives. I’ve been talking to friends that say I’m going to be on lunchboxes, t-shirts and things like that…we’re going to be like Wolf and Jet from the Gladiators! We’re going to be that to a generation of kids, we aren’t going to be quite as athletic cause they were all olympians (laughs), but for me that is the most important thing, it’s about the kids

    Jake: If there’s one young person that watches WoS and says “I can do that” then this is all worth it right?

    Viper – Exactly. Not even so much if people want to become pro wrestlers it’s about giving kids heroes and villains (baddies), that’s so influential in kid’s lives and I’m a very bad girl throughout this series (laughs)

    Jake: So now you’ve appeared on ITV, you were on the BBC so…Channel 4 next?

    Viper: Well the company that filmed my BBC documentary (Raise The Roof) they don’t just record for the BBC, they do anything with Phil and Kirstie (UK TV stars) and more with Channel 4 than the BBC so that could be a thing! Maybe I could just go in the Big Brother house? Sign me up (laughs)

    Jake: We could just get Pro Wrestling: EVE on Channel 4?

    Viper: That would also be good, let’s do that. That would be amazing

    Jake: Well there has been an absolute boom in Women’s wrestling which has been a long time coming. WWE are obviously doing their Evolution All Women’s PPV…because apparently they invented Women’s wrestling

    Viper: (laughs…a lot)

    Jake Jeremy: You don’t have to say anything, it’s fine it’s me saying this.

    Viper: Erm…I will concur (laughs)

    Jake: I’ve tried to explain to people how big of a deal this really is, professional wrestling on mainstream television. It’s such a big thing and every year ITV gets seen in 34 million households. The NXT UK brand is being shown on a Network with sub 2 million people just as a reference point

    Viper: When we were talking about it and all of the comparisons “is it going to be as big as WWE?” Ok so, X Factor. How many people watch X Factor on ITV?

    Jake: Millions per week. Saturday night is big for families in the UK and you’ll have kids watching the shows with their parents/grandparents who remember Big Daddy and Giant Haystacks…then they’ll see Will Ospreay for the first time and be blown away. To me I’ve seen him perform a thousand times but to a young/older casual fan an Enziguri will amaze them

    Viper: It’s going to blow their minds. After watching the first episode I’m really proud because when we all made this we knew there would be three main demographics that we needed to appeal to. We had to appeal to the kids, parents and hardcore fans. Especially the people who do remember World of Sport from before. It’s very hard to please all three.

    Jake: Someone like Kip Sabian is going to be a big star throughout the series because everyone can resonate with his character

    Viper: He’s fantastic. He and Iestyn Rees (from ICW) really stood out and could be massive stars. When you think about all of these random shows like The Only Way Is Essex and shows that started from nothing…look where these people are now. This is going to catapult so many people so you aren’t just going to be a wrestler anymore you’re going to be a personality. It’s a really exciting time for us and for wrestling as a whole. The feedback generally is “this can only get better”

    Jake: It’s a ten episode run so that’s through the whole summer…into?

    Viper: Mid October. I have so much faith in the show and can’t wait. It’s just the perfect amount of time as well

    Jake: Yes it’s not a 6 hour show that goes on to six o’clock in the morning where I wonder what I’m doing with my life (laughs). So ITV 5pm Saturday nights!

    Viper: (laughs) Get it watched, tell your granny to watch it! Grannies well love it, they were so violent!

    Further information on the return of WoS can be found on the company’s official website

  • WoS (World of Sport) Returning to Mainstream Television Is a Really Big Deal

    WoS (World of Sport) Returning to Mainstream Television Is a Really Big Deal

    This Saturday night will see the return of professional wrestling to mainstream UK television.

    This is yet another fantastic development in a 5 year span that has seen grappling in the United Kingdom erupt on the global scene. It cannot be understated how the likes of PROGRESS, Rev Pro, ICW, Attack! Pro, Fight Club: Pro, IPW:UK and Pro Wrestling: EVE have shaped the incredible talent pool that we have in the British Isles and a ‘bubble’ which many predicted would burst years ago has turned into a seismic shift.

    Just a decade ago wrestling in the United Kingdom was essentially built on the use of ex-WWE/TNA talent, this is not a knock on those performers however it was evident that the cost of bringing over stars from the United States was not cost effective and extremely limiting when attempting to build domestic names and have enduring storylines that fans could cling to. Fast forward to 2018 and we have an abundance of UK bred stars that are breaking boundaries on home soil as well as Japan, Europe and the States.

    The announcement of WoS’ return in a 10-part series did initially spark some controversy from fans of the UK scene, the original New Year’s Eve special and subsequent collaboration with Jeff Jarrett’s Global Force promotion killed off any initial buzz that the brand had generated and it appeared as though the story had ended…yet here we are with a 10 part series set to run as of this Saturday with a brand new roster of extremely talented UK stars.

    The return of WoS to mainstream UK television really is a big, big deal. Viewing habits in the UK have tended to label Saturday night as a family orientated block with the likes of X Factor, Ninja Warrior UK and (in times past) Gladiators being featured programming, all on the ITV channel. With young wrestling fans expecting a presentation quality akin to WWE and an older demographic just wanting to relive the years of Big Daddy and Giant Haystacks it cannot be understated that WoS has a challenge to be ‘all things to all people.’

    When you consider the potential outreach of WoS compared to say NXT UK it isn’t even in the same ballpark. World of Sport will be broadcast on ITV/STV which is available in every single television set in the United Kingdom, with the ITV family of channels reaching 38.4 million viewers a week…WWE Network isn’t close to that, but you wouldn’t expect them to be.

    You do have to remember that the NXT UK brand will be geared towards an already established professional wrestling fanbase whereas the aformentioned family audience for WoS will be more casual, so again WoS will have the challenge of branching out and essentially creating it’s own audience to attract the sort of viewership that ITV will be expecting when their ratings figures appear later in the week.

    In terms of pro wrestling being on one of the ‘big four’ British channels (BBC 1 & 2, ITV and Channel 4) you have to go back to the Attitude Era when Channel 4 would air WWE PPVs such as the Royal Rumble 2000, this created a huge buzz for the product in the UK and defined a generation of wrestling fans…in more recent times TNA/IMPACT has been extremely successful with a respectable following in the UK through their ties to The Wrestling Channel, Challenge and 5Spike.

    With WoS being broadcast for 10 episodes with the potential of a touring brand and mainstream publicity many more younger fans would be exposed to the likes of Grado, Viper, Rampage and Will Ospreay, this will be huge for the ongoing British wrestling revolution and could help the grassroots of the scene.

    This Saturday night will see the return of professional wrestling to mainstream UK television, this a really big deal.

    Will you be watching WoS on Saturday night? Let us know your thoughts in the comments

  • Stu Bennett/Wade Barrett Hypes The Return of World of Sport (WoS)

    Stu Bennett/Wade Barrett Hypes The Return of World of Sport (WoS)

    World of Sport/WoS will be making a return to mainstream British television next Saturday July 28th. The iconic UK wrestling brand will be making an initial run of 10 shows on ITV/STV, a channel that is available on every single TV set in the UK.

    WoS announced their full roster and on-air personalities over the past month and one of the more intriguing is the involvement of former WWE Intercontinental Champion Wade Barrett/Stu Bennett. Bennett will be acting as the ‘Commissioner’ for the show and also providing commentary alongside SoCal Val and Alex Shane.

    Bennett recently took to Twitter to hype the upcoming debut show of this WoS reboot, he stated that “1 week from today, the greatest collection of British wrestlers amassed in over 30 years hits prime time on @ITV.. Who are you most excited to see? @WOSWrestling“

    Here’s the full official roster for WoS:

    • Rampage Brown
    • Grado
    • Iestyn Rees
    • Sha Samuels
    • Davey Boy Smith Jr
    • Adam Maxted
    • Nathan Cruz
    • CJ Banks
    • Brad Slayer
    • Martin Kirby
    • Lionheart
    • HT Drake
    • Doug Williams
    • Crater
    • Gabriel Kidd
    • Kip Sabian
    • Liam Slater
    • Robbie X
    • Will Ospreay
    • Stevie Boy
    • Joe Hendry
    • Justin Sysum
    • Ayesha
    • Kasey Owens
    • Kay Lee Ray
    • Bea Priestley
    • Viper

    Will you be watching next Saturday? Let us know in the comments.

  • WoS Reveal Official Website and Complete Roster

    WoS Reveal Official Website and Complete Roster

    WoS (World of Sport) has revealed their new official website ahead of their return to mainstream television on July 28th. As well as confirming the complete roster for the upcoming return of the iconic programme the website has an ‘events’ tab, possibly alluding to some Live Event shows taking place down the line however these are nowhere near confirmed.

    Here’s the full official roster:

    • Rampage Brown
    • Grado
    • Iestyn Rees
    • Sha Samuels
    • Davey Boy Smith Jr
    • Adam Maxted
    • Nathan Cruz
    • CJ Banks
    • Brad Slayer
    • Martin Kirby
    • Lionheart
    • HT Drake
    • Doug Williams
    • Crater
    • Gabriel Kidd
    • Kip Sabian
    • Liam Slater
    • Robbie X
    • Will Ospreay
    • Stevie Boy
    • Joe Hendry
    • Justin Sysum
    • Ayesha
    • Kasey Owens
    • Kay Lee Ray
    • Bea Priestley
    • Viper

    WoS has also announced that former TNA on air talent SoCal Val and British wresting legend Alex Shane will be joining former WWE Superstar Wade Barrett/Stu Bennett in the commentary booth for the rebooted series.

    Episode 1 of the new series will be airing on ITV Saturday 28th July at 5pm GMT.

  • NXT UK vs. WoS: Which Brand Has The Better Roster?

    NXT UK vs. WoS: Which Brand Has The Better Roster?

    The battle lines have been drawn…NXT UK and the WoS (World of Sport) rosters have been revealed in some form or fashion and now the new ‘war’ for supremacy on the British Isles has begun.

    NXT UK

    The long touted NXT UK brand was FINALLY announced as part of the Royal Albert Hall shows back in June with British wrestling legend Johnny Saint at the helm as the General Manager. WWE United Kingdom Champion Pete Dunne will be the focal point of the show which is being taped sporadically throughout the year (for the Network but potentially television if a deal can be reached), new Tag Team and Women’s Championships will also be created.

    So, here’s the NXT UK roster as we currently understand it:

    NXT UK Roster

    • Mark Andrews
    • Travis Banks
    • Tyler Bate
    • Joe Coffey
    • Mark Coffey
    • Joseph Conners
    • Noam Dar
    • Eddie Dennis
    • Jordan Devlin
    • Pete Dunne
    • Jack Gallagher
    • Sam Gradwell
    • Saxon Huxley
    • Amir Jordan
    • El Ligero
    • Dave Mastiff
    • Trent Seven
    • Ashton Smith
    • Tyson T-Bone
    • Flash Morgan Webster
    • Wild Boar
    • Kenny Williams
    • Wolfgang
    • Isla Dawn
    • Jinny
    • Killer Kelly
    • Charlie Morgan
    • Nina Samuels
    • Toni Storm
    • Zack Gibson
    • James Drake

    World of Sport

    The story behind the second reboot of WoS has been quite an unstable one. With the initial show airing way back on New Year’s Eve there was a huge opportunity for the programme to capture a whole new audience in the mainstream…unfortunately that did not come to fruition and a co-branding deal with IMPACT/Global Force Wrestling and Jeff Jarrett certainly did nothing for the brand.

    Fast forward to earlier this year and WoS held television tapings for a new 10 part series that will be airing later this month. With a huge proportion of UK based stars having signed with WWE’s UK division there was certainly skepticism as to who WoS could even bring in. With former WWE Superstar Wade Barrett/Stu Bennett installed as the ‘Executive’ for the show and essentially the ‘General Manager’ they have a recognisable face for fans in the UK and here is the roster that they have amassed:

    WoS Roster

    • Will Ospreay
    • Davey Boy Jr
    • Grado
    • Moose
    • Primate
    • Joe Hendry
    • Martin Kirby
    • Iestyn Rees
    • Viper
    • Kay Lee Ray
    • Bea Priestley
    • Sha Samuels
    • Doug Williams
    • Rampage Brown
    • Lionheart
    • Nathan Cruz
    • Kip Sabian
    • Robbie X
    • Adam Maxted
    • Gabriel Kidd
    • CJ Banks
    • Liam Slater

    NXT UK vs. World of Sport

    Deciding which roster is ‘better’ is of course subjective. Even the idea that WWE and World of Sport/ITV are ‘at war’ is speculative at best but with the way that NXT UK seemingly ‘snapped up’ UK stars to contracts was certainly telling. Looking purely at the starpower on offer you have to give it to NXT UK, the likes of Pete Dunne, Trent Seven, Tyler Bate, Jack Gallagher and Zack Gibson are now well established to the WWE audience and Dunne in particular is seemingly being groomed for a huge run on the main roster when WWE deems him fit.

    WoS however is not slouching when it comes to in ring talent, with Will Ospreay leading the charge but huge underrated stars such as Nathan Cruz (PROGRESS’ first ever Champion), Kip Sabian and Martin Kirby having charisma and in ring guile that should translate well to a mainstream audience.

    Another area where NXT UK appears to have the edge is in their Women’s Division. Viper, Kay Lee Ray and Bea Priestley are indeed three of the best in ring female performers on the planet but when you line them up against the likes of Isla Dawn, Jinny, Killer Kelly, Charlie Morgan, Nina Samuels and Toni Storm it just doesn’t stack up and WoS are found wanting…IF ONLY we could get all of these stars on one programme.*

    Something else to factor in is the fact that WoS will only be running for 10 episodes initially, so do they really need a completely ‘stacked’ roster right now? Granted they DO have an incredibly talented pool of performers but in terms of numbers WWE again does have the edge…but seeing the likes of Ospreay light up mainstream British television is an extremely exciting prospect.

    What do you think of the two rosters and who do you think has the edge heading into the summer? Let us know in the comments.

    Side Note: The Pro Wrestling: EVE promotion can be very proud of the work they’ve accomplished on the UK scene when looking at these Women’s division stars, most if not all have been featured on an EVE card in the past few years and it has given Women’s wrestling a massive platform in the UK.

  • World of Sport Confirms Premiere Date, More Talent Confirmed

    World of Sport Confirms Premiere Date, More Talent Confirmed

    World of Sport (WoS) have confirmed the official start date for the new ‘reboot’ of the iconic British Wrestling series.

    The mainstream ITV channel will be hosting the 10 part series starting on Saturday 28th July at 5pm, which is a huge opportunity for the brand to present a new era of UK wrestling to a broad demographic and is clearly hoping that this will be a hit amongst viewers in the 16 and under as well as the older generations who may remember the days of Big Daddy and Giant Haystacks.

    WoS has also announced that Mae Young Classic competitor, ICW, Stardom and Pro Wrestling: EVE star Viper/Piper Niven will be part of the brand new series alongside Will Ospreay, Grado, Moose, Primate, Martin Kirby, Iestyn Rees, Viper, Bea Priestley, Sha Samuels, Doug Williams, Rampage Brown, Lionheart, Nathan Cruz, Kip Sabian, Robbie X, Gabriel Kidd, CJ Banks and Liam Slater.

    WoS has also announced that former TNA on air talent SoCal Val and British wresting legend Alex Shane will be joining former WWE Superstar Wade Barrett/Stu Bennett in the commentary booth for the rebooted programme.

    This is one of the biggest opportunities that the UK scene has been exposed to this century, ITV is one of the ‘big four’ channels in the United Kingdom alongside BBC 1, BBC 2 and Channel 4. Stars such as Ospreay who are already major names across the globe to independent wrestling fans will now be able to ply their trade to a brand new audience and potentially break out into the mainstream.

  • Commentary Team and Top NJPW Star Confirmed for WoS

    Commentary Team and Top NJPW Star Confirmed for WoS

    World of Sport (WoS) has been making several announcements over the past few days confirming the on air talent that will be appearing for the new 10 part series starting later this month.

    The company has now announced that former IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Will Ospreay will be making his way to mainstream British television for ITV.

    The following stars have also been contracted by ITV to feature on the new 10-part show and will be announced in the coming weeks: Grado, Moose, Primate, Martin Kirby, Iestyn Rees, Viper, Bea Priestley, Sha Samuels, Doug Williams, Rampage Brown, Lionheart, Nathan Cruz, Kip Sabian, Robbie X, Gabriel Kidd, CJ Banks and Liam Slater.

    WoS has also announced that former TNA on air talent SoCal Val and British wresting legend Alex Shane will be joining former WWE Superstar Wade Barrett/Stu Bennett in the commentary booth for the rebooted series. Val tweeted earlier today “Joining the #WOSW @ITV team as a commentator is a huge honor, especially as a female in #wrestling! I couldn’t be more excited to watch the action with you!”

  • First Names Officially Announced for World of Sport (WoS) incl. Former WWE Superstars

    First Names Officially Announced for World of Sport (WoS) incl. Former WWE Superstars

    World of Sport (WoS) has officially announced the first few names for the upcoming return of the iconic series on British television.

    WoS announced via their Twitter and Facebook accounts that former WWE Superstar and General Manager of DEFIANT Wrestling Stu Bennett/Wade Barrett would be a ‘WOS Executive’ and commentator for the 10 part series which begins later this month. Bennett made the following comments on Twitter following the reveal:

    “Get ready for something massive this summer on @ITV. I’ve brought together the absolute best of the UK wrestling scene & they are going to blow your minds. 100% BRITISH-MADE WRESTLING is BACK on TV! Do not miss it..”

    Also announced for the series are the following stars of the UK scene:

    • Adam Maxted (5* Wrestling, NGW)
    • British Bulldog Junior (Former WWE Superstar Davey Boy Smith Jr)
    • Kay Lee Ray (ICW and Pro Wrestling: EVE)
    • Joe Hendry (ICW and WCPW)

    The show is expected to start on the UK’s ITV channel later this month with a Saturday night slot rumored to run just after the successful Ninja Warrior UK programme.

    The following stars have also been contracted by ITV to feature on the new 10-part show: Will Ospreay, Grado, Moose, Primate, Martin Kirby, Iestyn Rees, Viper, Bea Priestley, Sha Samuels, Doug Williams, Rampage Brown, Lionheart, Nathan Cruz, Kip Sabian, Robbie X, Gabriel Kidd, CJ Banks and Liam Slater.

    This is one of the biggest opportunities that the UK scene has been exposed to this century, ITV is one of the ‘big four’ channels in the United Kingdom alongside BBC 1, BBC 2 and Channel 4. Stars such as Ospreay who are already major names across the globe to independent wrestling fans will now be able to ply their trade to a brand new audience and potentially break out into the mainstream.

  • World of Sport (WoS) Release Official Trailer for New Series

    World of Sport (WoS) Release Official Trailer for New Series

    World of Sport (WoS) has released a brand new trailer hyping the upcoming reboot series on the UK’s mainstream ITV channel (you can check this out at the bottom of the page).

    The video features narration from the new WoS General Manager Stu Bennett/Wade Barrett and also highlights some of the big players making their way to Saturday nights.

    The following stars have contracted by ITV to feature on the new 10-part show: Will Ospreay, Davey Boy Jr, Grado, Moose, Primate, Joe Hendry, Martin Kirby, Iestyn Rees, Viper, Kay Lee Ray, Bea Priestley, Sha Samuels, Doug Williams, Rampage Brown, Lionheart, Nathan Cruz, Kip Sabian, Robbie X, Adam Maxted, Gabriel Kidd, CJ Banks and Liam Slater.

    This is one of the biggest opportunities that the UK scene has been exposed to this century, ITV is one of the ‘big four’ channels in the United Kingdom alongside BBC 1, BBC 2 and Channel 4. Stars such as Ospreay who are already major names across the globe to independent wrestling fans will now be able to ply their trade to a brand new audience and potentially break out into the mainstream.

     

     

  • Last 8 Competitors Announced for WWE UK Tournament

    Last 8 Competitors Announced for WWE UK Tournament

    WWE has announced the last 8 competitors that will be taking part in the upcoming United Kingdom Tournament to determine a new Number 1 contender to Pete Dunne and his UK Championship.

    The final 8 men confirmed for the tournament are as follows:

    • Travis Banks
    • Flash Morgan Webster
    • Jordan Devlin
    • Tucker
    • Drew Gulak
    • Ashton Smith
    • James Drake
    • Tyson T-Bone

    They join the already announced:

    • Zack Gibson
    • Joe Coffey
    • Jack Gallagher
    • Dave Mastiff
    • Kenny Williams
    • El Ligero
    • Joseph Conners
    • Amir Jordan

    Quite possibly the most intriguing inclusion on this list is PROGRESS World Champion Travis Banks, the New Zealand star has been one of the standout performers on the UK scene for the past few years and his run as PROGRESS World Champion since September 2017 has produced some stellar bouts against the likes of Chris Brookes, TK Cooper, Matt Riddle, Keith Lee and IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Will Ospreay. WWE fans who have not yet had the opportunity to see the ‘Kiwi Buzzsaw’ are in for an absolute treat if he is given the chance to truly showcase his talents.

    Another notable inclusion is Ashton Smith who previously took part in the World of Sport New Year’s Eve Special and was a featured star alongside tag team partner Rampage Brown. It is clear that WWE has been securing stars from the WOS roster in an attempt to undercut the new ITV project, however if you take a look at the stacked lineup WOS has amassed it could be argued that WWE is possibly flagging behind in this department.

  • World of Sport (WOS) Tapings Delayed

    World of Sport (WOS) Tapings Delayed

    It has been revealed that the planned tapings for World of Sport’s (WOS) new show have been delayed. PWInsider stated that sources within the company confirmed that the booked dates of May 25th & 26th were no longer pencilled in and that the tapings would now be in July.

    IMPACT had already announced that Bobby Lashley and Kongo Kong would be working the tapings however with the change of date they may no longer be available.

    It is not yet known why the tapings have been delayed, ticket sales were reportedly strong heading in to the planned May 25th & 26th dates.

    WOS have not yet made any announcements on the date change, as recently as April 10th they were still promoting the original taping date:

    http://twitter.com/WOSWrestlingITV/status/851366282201112577

  • Grado Appears on Controversial YouTube Channel ArsenalFanTV

    Grado Appears on Controversial YouTube Channel ArsenalFanTV

    World of Sport Heavyweight Champion Grado appeared in a very unlikely place last night……

    Infamous YouTube channel ArsenalFanTV is a soccer (football) channel known for lengthy rants and controversial opinions. It has become a hit in the UK during this year’s soccer (football) season.

    The channel uploaded a video last night after Arsenal’s game against Leicester and it featured a face very familiar to wrestling fans…..you can check out the video below. Please be forewarned that there is strong language in this one.

  • Bobby Lashley Announced for WOS Tapings

    Bobby Lashley Announced for WOS Tapings

    IMPACT have announced that Bobby Lashley will be appearing for WOS (World of Sport) during their first run of TV Tapings on May 25th/26th.

    The partnership between IMPACT/WOS was announced at the recent ITV press conference by Jeremy Borash and Jeff Jarrett.

    Other confirmed acts for the tapings include:

    • WOS Champion Grado
    • Magnus/Nick Aldis
    • Davey Boy Smith Jr
    • El Ligero
    • Dave Mastiff
    • Zack Gibson

  • UK’s World of Sport (WOS) Launches Official Website

    UK’s World of Sport (WOS) Launches Official Website

    World of Sport will be returning to UK television later in the year for a 10 part series on ITV. ITV is one of the biggest channels in the United Kingdom and is available in every home that has access to a television set. Comparatively WWE’s RAW & Smackdown shows are available on Sky Sports, an expensive pay per view subscription service with a greatly reduced viewer base.

    IMPACT Wrestling will also be involved in the series relaunch. Jeff Jarrett and Jeremy Borash appeared at a recent press conference for the new series and appear to be playing a major role in the rebirth of the iconic British brand.

    WOS has unveiled their official website as part of the relaunch (woswrestling.com) and the evidence of IMPACT’s involvement in the new series is extremely prevalent.

  • World of Sport & IMPACT Press Conference Highlights

    World of Sport & IMPACT Press Conference Highlights

    World of Sport (WOS) and IMPACT recently held a press conference to announce the return of wrestling on Saturday night UK Television. WOS will be running for 10 episodes on one of the UK’s biggest stations – ITV.

    One of the most intriguing moves by WOS is the collaboration with IMPACT wrestling. This is easily the biggest platform that IMPACT has had outside of the United States and provides further opportunities for IMPACT to rebuild its brand after losing their slot on Challenge TV in the UK.

    IMPACT recently released a highlights package of the press conference and you can see this below:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBrh5ZYlH-I&feature=youtu.be