Wrestling

1/24/2023 |  Wichita to Continue Hosting NAIA Men’s Wrestling Championships (SportsTravel) The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics has selected Wichita, Kansas, to host its 2023–2025 Men’s Wrestling National Championships at Hartman Arena. Visit Wichita hosted the championships from 2020 through 2022, bringing hundreds of athletes to the region resulting in nearly $800,000 in estimated economic impact each year the event is hosted in the city.

1/20/2023 |  Reelz Becomes Official U.S. Home for Major League Wrestling (Sportico)   Grappling is about to go primetime on Reelz: the channel has become the official U.S. home of Major League Wrestling. It’s the biggest platform yet for the professional wrestling organization.
The weekly block of MLW programing will kick off Feb. 7 at 10 p.m. ET with a new flagship series called MLW Underground Wrestling. With a goal to usher in a new generation of fans, the series will feature fighters such as MLW world champion Alex Hammerstone, “The Certified G” Real1, women’s featherweight champion Taya Valkyrie, John Hennigan, Jacob Fatu, “The World’s Greatest Wonder” Microman and more.

1/18/2023 |  WWE’s McMahon May Flip From Hero to Heel If He Doesn’t Want to Exit (Sportico)   For 40 years, Vince McMahon has been in complete control of World Wrestling Entertainment.
Since buying the company from his father in 1982, he’s dictated details large—crowning himself world champion twice in wrestling’s scripted universe of Superstars—and small: Upon his return to the board last week the company amended its bylaws to add faxes, and eliminate email, as one of two ways to call a special board meeting, along with telephone calls. Vince likes business old school, apparently.

1/12/2023 |  WWE’s smaller rival AEW interested in merger, sources say (CNBC Sports)

• All Elite Wrestling has interest in merging with WWE, which has formally started a sale process, sources say.
• AEW is owned by the Khan family, which also owns the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars.
• The idea that Vince McMahon would merge WWE with the much smaller AEW is a long shot.

1/12/2023 |  WWE Hires Outside Advisors for Potential Sale, Rights Talks (Front Office Sports) The WWE is taking the next steps toward a multi-billion dollar sale. 
The pro wrestling giant announced Thursday night it had retained The Raine Group LLC as financial advisor, Kirkland & Ellis LLP as legal advisor, and August LLC as strategic communications advisor.
The outside firms will help support WWE management and its reshuffled board of directors as they review “strategic alternatives” to maximize shareholder value, according to founder and executive chairman Vince McMahon.