Welcome to Insidus Plus, your source for highlights on DStv and Openview channels in South Africa
Canal+ And SuperSport To Broadcast AFCON In More Than 40 Countries Across Africa
Netflix Set To Bid For Champions League Rights
Why A Sports Only Package Seemed Speculative But Unlikely For DStv?
Bloemfontein Celtic Revival In The Works As SuperSport United Reportedly Sold For R50 Million
The PFL Partners With SuperSport To Broadcast Live MMA Action In English Speaking Countries Across Sub-Saharan Africa
Netflix To Become The Exclusive Home Of WWE Network Beginning In 2025
SuperSport To Launch Sports Betting Site In South Africa With SuperSportBET
In a big move for sports betting punters, Multichoice has shown their hand by unveiling their plans to enter the gambling industry, accompanied by the launch of an innovative payment platform. They announced these plans at their Capital Markets Day. The company's foray into the world of gambling is set to disrupt the industry and provide South Africans with an unparalleled gaming experience.
SuperSportBet Mobile South Africa
The decision to venture into the gambling sector comes as no surprise, considering the significant growth and revenue witnessed by the industry in recent years. Multichoice aims to tap into this market by providing a comprehensive gaming platform that combines cutting-edge technology, a user-friendly interface, and a wide range of betting options.
SuperSportBET to Accompany SuperSport
The newly unveiled Multichoice gaming platform, named SuperSportBET, promises to revolutionise online gambling in South Africa. With an extensive selection of sports betting opportunities and experiences, the platform will cater to a diverse audience, like its broadcasting counterpart.
SuperSportBet is the Sports Betting Platform by MultiChoice South Africa
Possibly complementing its venture into the gambling industry, Multichoice has also introduced an innovative payment platform, Moment. This payment platform is designed to streamline transactions in South Africa. This state-of-the-art payment system prioritises user convenience, offering seamless and secure transactions for both deposits and withdrawals. Online gambling payment methods are something every South African considers before creating an account to place sports bets.
Multichoice Acquired KingMakers
KingMakers has been hugely successful in Nigeria's iGaming and sports betting industry. Multichoice acquired a 49% stake in KingMakers in 2022. With KingMakers’ past experience in the sports betting industry, it’s almost guaranteed that SuperSportBET is going to be a great experience for fans of sports betting.
Add to this the fact that SuperSportBET will be able to get exposure to the SuperSport audience, and the potential is massive. If SuperSportBET offers betting on the same sheer amount of sports that is broadcast on SuperSport, there is going to be betting options for everyone.
What Sports Will SuperSportBET Offer Bets On?
SuperSportBET has not said what sports you will be able to bet on through their platform. But based on what we’ve seen in the sports betting industry over the past five years, we predict these sports will be on offer:
Rugby
Cricket
Soccer
Tennis
Golf
Basketball
Ice Hockey
Football
Table Tennis
Volleyball
MMA
Formula 1
Boxing
eSport
Snooker
Darts
Horse Racing
And probably a whole lot more.
Not everyone is confident that Multichoice will be able to handle a sports betting platform:
“Multichoice will find a way to mess it up... Gambling is very competitive and cut throat, neither market condition is something multichoice knows how to operate in.” said one user on the MyBroadband Forums.
It’s exciting times if you are a South African sports betting enthusiast. Upon launch, SuperSportBET is sure to have great welcome bonuses, no deposit bonuses and more.
The Grand National Will Be Shown On 30 Broadcasters Across The World Including Africa On SuperSport And Racing240
The Grand National will be shown by 30 broadcasters around the globe, including on ITV in the UK.
Other broadcasters secured by HBA Media and Racecourse Media Group for the race include OTT sports streaming platform Fancode showing all three days of the Grand National Festival in India, Viaplay (pan Europe), Setanta (Balkans and Eurasia), Polsat (Poland) and WeDoTV (Germany, Switzerland, Austria). SuperSport and ESPN Star+ will guarantee pan-regional live coverage across Africa, and South America and the Caribbean.
In addition to ITV, RMG, which manages the media rights on behalf of Aintree Racecourse’s owner, the Jockey Club, will air the race through its own TV channel, Racing TV, to 10,000 pubs in the UK and Ireland. Virgin Media will screen the race in homes in Ireland.
Sport 24 will broadcast the race on 27 airlines and cruise lines, and CNN will cover the race for its flagship World Sport programme while Trans World Sport will provide exposure and news outlets will receive content via via Reuters and SNTV.
Grand National broadcasters
North and South America: TVG, NYRA (US); Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, HPI (Canada); ESPN Star+ (50 countries in Latin America, Caribbean) and SportsMax (32 countries in Caribbean).
Africa, MENA and Sub-Continent : SuperSport (48 countries in Africa), Racing 240 (16 countries in Southern Africa), Dubai Racing Channel (17 countries in MENA), Fancode, Sony Pictures Network (India and subcontinent)
Asia Pacific : Sky Thoroughbred Central (Australia), Trackside (New Zealand), Green Channel (Japan, highlights), Wasu (China, highlights)
Europe : ITV (UK); Racing TV (UK, Republic of Ireland); Virgin Media 1 (Republic of Ireland); Equidia (France); SilkNet (Georgia); Viaplay (Pan Europe), Polsat (Poland), Setanta (Baltics and Eurasia), Wedo TV (Germany, Switzerland and Austria).
Dickon White, The Jockey Club’s regional director for the North West, said: “The wide range of interest from international broadcasters further endorses the Randox Grand National’s status as the world’s most famous Jumps race, if not the most famous horse race anywhere on the planet.
“Working with RMG and HBA Media, we are delighted to attract what will be a truly global audience including via some of the biggest names in sports broadcasting.”
Recap To Last Year: WWE Network Fails To Launch On Showmax, DStv Channel 128 Remains Active In The African Market
Last year, SuperSport and the WWE extended their partnership with the world's biggest wrestling promotion which would see the WWE Network fold under Showmax as seen in Indonesia, Phillipines, Australia and India which have all terminated the brand.
SuperSport would continue to offer Raw, SmackDown, NXT and premium live PPVs across their platforms. As for the WWE Channel, that's expected to continue running on channel 128 but would it be shocking if it didn't considering it was never mentioned earlier.
Vince McMahon, the founder of WWE has been exploring a potential sale of the brand for several months and had recieved a number of potential buyers at the time including Comcast (NBCUniversal), Disney, Amazon and the Saudis apparently.
If you view this from a logical perspective, I can see why this deal was put on hold. If you take to account, the mentioned potential buyers at the time such as Disney. They probably wouldn't want to bundle WWE on Showmax especially if Disney+ already exists.
Although a buyer has yet to be announced, I can see imagine how WWE would operate under the Disney tile. They'd probably scrap SuperSport's WWE and merge it with ESPN meaning in order to view further content particularly archived you'd need ESPN+.
As mentioned, Showmax's deal with WWE does come off as suspicious if you take the following to account:
WWE® (NYSE: WWE) and MultiChoice today announced a major broadcast partnership that will see Showmax – the leading streaming service available in the region – become the new home of WWE Network in Africa.
The partnership incorporates all WWE Premium Live Events, including WrestleMania®, as well as WWE Network’s vast library of original and archived programming available to stream on-demand.
Additionally, SuperSport, the sport broadcasting subsidiary of video entertainment platform MultiChoice, will continue to broadcast live weekly episodes of Raw®, SmackDown® and NXT® as well as all of WWE’s Premium Live Events in a multi-year extension.
Although, MultiChoice mentions that the WWE Channel would remain onboard I find it hard to believe. Yes this channel brings the consumers and revenue but why not mention such a brand in early press statements when expanding this deal to Showmax.
Even more reasons to suspect the possible demise of channel 128 would be Showmax. Notice how they mention "WWE Network’s vast...archived programming" but SuperSport only references "live weekly episodes of Raw®, SmackDown®...WWE’s Premium Live Events.
Most people grew fond of this channel so maybe WWE Channel would be supplemented by another brand that could fill up the void and probably be WWE savvy but there's always chances that this could be nothing at this point.
Vince McMahon Reportedly Looking Into Returning To WWE In Order To Sell It
He left control of the WWE to his daughter Stephanie and son in law Triple H, real name Paul Levesque, a wrestling legend himself.
But now, according to Wall Street Journal, McMahon is looking to make a WWE comeback in order to help sell the sports entertainment giant.
He still has majority voting power through his ownership of WWE’s Class-B stock and is believed to have informed staff of his plans to return.
McMahon is said to have told the company he is electing himself and two former co-presidents and directors, Michelle Wilson and George Barrios, to the board.
Superhero:
- G4 has been shut down
- Showmax to become exclusive home of WWE
- 10 real freak accidents on WWE
But the move to reinstate him, something the board previously rebuffed, and the others will require three current directors to vacate their positions.
Rumours of a sell have swirled for years despite the WWE receiving a $1BILLION cash injection after selling US rights to the WWE Network to Peacock.
McMahon decided to leave the WWE last summer following a series of scandals.
There were claims he paid an ex-employee $3million to stay quiet about an affair.
The probe began in April 2022, finding non-disclosure agreements involving claims made by female ex-WWE employees of misconduct by McMahon and John Laurinaitis, the head of talent relations.
WWE:
- Could the WWE channel be exiting the DStv platform?
- NXT Europe to rollout later in the year
- The controversial history of The Fabulous Moolah
The WWE put out a statement on confirming McMahon "voluntarily stepped back from his responsibilities" within the company.
The American bought Capitol Wrestling Corporation, the holding company that owned the then-World Wrestling Federation from his father, Vincent J McMahon, in 1982.
He expanded the company during the pro-wrestling boom in the 1980s and over the years, WWE has cited McMahon as the key to the company's success.
It has seen them rocket to the top of pro wrestling, a position they have maintained throughout their existence.
10 Real Freak Accidents In WWE
Freaking accidents can be regarded as an accidental event that resulted in physical and mental harm. A freak accident can happen and this extends to superstars in WWE. Throughout WWE there had been several incidents where a superstar is involved in an accident either inside or outside of the circle. These accidents sometimes altered their career even ended their life.
Thankfully all the individuals on the list lived to tell the tale now a look at the 10 WWE wrestlers involved in a freak accident.
10. Randy Orton injured himself
The WWE wrestler had his fair share of freak accidents throughout his career but perhaps the most unusual freak accident involved him dislocating his shoulder at the 2010 Over The Limit PPV in his match with Edge.
He was setting up for an RKO by pounding his fist to the mat and that's how he wind up dislocating his shoulder. This had to be one of the weirdest ways anyone would injure themselves while wrestling. Due to the injury, Orton and Edge would have change the match if he was gonna walk out alive.
9. Shane McMahon is in a helicopter crash
Shane McMahon has been involved in dramatic stunts throughout his career and he managed to survive them all without serious injury.
However in 2017, Shane's life flashed before his eyes as he was involved in a helicopter crash that took place at the coast island of New York. The helicopter suffered engine failure forcing the helicopter to plummet onto the water.
The pilot had no choice but to call an emergency landing and legal authorities were able to handle the matter and no one was hurt and Shane addressed the whole matter in an interview:
Well, it's very unsettling when you have all of a sudden something happen. You hear a bang and then you say "we're gonna do an emergency landing in the water" yes it was unnerving.
8. Dolph Ziggler, Zack Ryder and Justin Robert's Limo Crash
In 2012, news broke out on WWE's website about the incident following the stars gig at Comic Con. The car unexpectedly went at the back of the limo. Robert suffered serious injury while Ziggler and Ryder were fine. Justin Roberts now an AEW announcer discussed this in an interview:
It was a big limo, so we couldn't tell exactly what was going on outside, but we merged on to a highway and then we braked. Zack basically slid down the bench, Dolph and I were sitting in the back facing forward and Zack was on the bench sitting sideways. Then, out of nowhere we got hit pretty hard.
7. The Undertaker's iconic entrance goes horrifically wrong
At the 22nd Hall Of Fame, The Undertaker obtained a reputation of being one of the toughest man to step foot into the WWE ring. He had the ability to push through injuries and personal turmoil to deliver his best performances as he never wanted to let his peers or fans down.
It was clear at the 2010 Elimination Chamber PPV, during his entrance his pyro malfunctioned and he recieved third degree burns, his hat and coat were burnt and it was even a miracle that he could even compete.
He had to apply water to the injury and the winner Chris Jericho revealed that he was able to smell the flesh burn off his skin and was amazed The Undertaker was pulling through.
6. Vince McMahon's Quad Tear
Although 2005 Royal Rumble should be known for Bautista winning the annual matchup. In reality, it's known for WWE Chairman Vince McMahon tearing both of his quads following a botched match where the referees declared John Cena and Bautista champions.
This resulted in Vince McMahon angrily entertaining the ring but tear both his quads while entering. It left him to set awkwardly in the ring and tell WWE officials what to do. He managed to walk out the ring without assistance considering a quad tear is one of the most painful experiences an athlete can face.
5. Seth Rollins Knee Injury
In 2015, Seth Rollins was in the middle of a 220 day reign as WWE Champion when a random freak accident with Kane changed everything. Rollins would go for a Sunset Power Flip Buckle and would tear his ACL and MCL and it couldn't be avoided and it was no fault of either man at the match of course the injury would put him out of action for 6 months forcing him to relinquish his championship.
This would be a huge blow for WWE as Seth Rollins became the top heel of the company and his injury altered their plans.
4. Vic Joseph in a car crash
After The Bell podcast showcases real life stories WWE talents have kept private. It was the place where Vic Joseph had to brief everyone in on the incident before his time on WWE.
I've never talked about this publicly, I went from the back seat to the front seat, and had to go to speech therapy to learn how to talk. There is a scar under my face that no one sees. My knee from top to bottom was completely out. I was on the side of the road with a white sheet over me. That's how bad it was, I'm being dead serious. I moved and they screamed 'he's alive'. They put me on a gurney, cut my shirt off and I made a joke. I woke up with a neck brace on. I have a scar on my face and there's still a piece of glass in there.
He even discussed how he had to learn and do speech therapy again and meet several WWE stars.
I had to go to speech therapy and learn how to talk, I went to an independent show and I met Rhyno. He and I closer than most people care to know. He is family to me. He said "start jumping in the car with me on my off weekend". Every weekend, I was in the car with him. He let me pick his brain in for hours in the car. He introduced me to Person A and B. I ended up meeting Tommy Dreamer. He had a promotion he was running. The day his promotion was going. He asked me if I wanted to call the show. This is what stated me on the road to WWE.
3. Triple H Quad Year
WWE Legend Triple H hasn't been lucky when it comes to injuries. He's torn his quad twice during his career and both occasions were freak accidents.
In 2001, as he enters Raw to to stop the welds of Chris Jericho and this resulted him struggling to put weight on one side of the leg another incident happened in 2007 when Triple H would perform a spin buster on Randy Orton.
2. Randy Orton's motorcycle accident
Randy Orton hit headlines in 2008 after it was announced that he was involved in a motorcycle accident that could have ended in tragedy. Orton who had been riding for a month revealed he was riding on a short sharp curve when a vehicle came in his way forcing him to make a huge turn hurt a curb and fly out of his bike to the ground.
In an interview he revealed he was lucky to have survived:
When I came to, I know I had rebroken my collarbone, When the police and foremost fireman got there, they asked me "where's the guy in the wreck" and I said "it was me". Without a helmet, I would be dead. Now that I have a newborn daughter, so much was going through my head.
1. Ric Flair's Plane Crash
On October 4th, 1975 Ric Flair's career almost ended when he was involved in a plane crash which took the life of the pilot and paralysed Johnny Valentine. Flair broke his back in 3 different places and was told he wouldn't be able to wrestle again but Flair had no plans to retire at the age of 26 as he entered intense therapies and returned to the ring in under 3 months which resulted in him changing his in ring style to one fans are accustomed to and this resulted in Flair wrestling until his mid 60s.
The Search Is On For Africa's Next WWE Superstar, Entries Close By Mid December
WWE in conjunction with its Sub-Saharan Africa broadcast partner SuperSport, has announced a continent-wide talent search to find Africa’s next WWE Superstar. The campaign was announced today in Lagos, Nigeria, the host city for a multi-day tryout in February 2023.
“The Search for Africa’s Next WWE Superstar” will begin today and is open to citizens of any African country. Submissions will be accepted until December 18. Learn more about the application process at www.supersport.com/WWEAfricaSuperstar.
Interested candidates will be asked to submit a video highlighting their potential to become a WWE Superstar. Successful applicants will be invited to participate in the Lagos tryout in February 2023. A select number of tryout participants will then be awarded an all-expenses-paid experience to continue their tryout journey alongside current and prospective WWE Superstars ahead of WrestleMania 39 in Los Angeles in April 2023. A fulltime WWE developmental contract may be offered to the top-performing participants who will then begin their new career at the world-class WWE Performance Centre in Orlando, Florida.
“Africa is a focal point of our renewed global talent recruitment strategy and this initiative in Lagos will launch what we envision becoming a year-round, multi-country effort to cultivate relationships and identify talent that will resonate with our passionate and loyal African fanbase,” said James Kimball, WWE Head of Talent Operations and Strategy. “The region has incredible potential to serve as a meaningful talent development hub for WWE and we look forward to working with our tremendous partners at SuperSport to uncover the next generation of Superstars through this program.”
“The continent abounds with athletes and Africa has had several WWE Superstars, so this is the perfect opportunity to showcase fresh new talent,” said Marc Jury, Chief Executive of SuperSport. “As there is a massive appetite among African audiences for WWE action and entertainment, we expect this initiative to be very popular with aspirants. SuperSport looks forward to telling this exciting story in the weeks and months to come.”
Last week, WWE and MultiChoice announced a major broadcast partnership that will see Showmax – the leading streaming service available in the region – become the new home of WWE Network in Africa. The partnership incorporates all WWE Premium Live Events, including WrestleMania, as well as WWE Network’s vast library of original and archived programming available to stream on-demand by more people in Africa from early 2023 on Showmax, Africa’s most loved streaming service.
SuperSport, the sport broadcasting subsidiary of video entertainment platform MultiChoice, will continue to broadcast live weekly episodes of Raw®, SmackDown® and NXT® as well as all of WWE’s Premium Live Events in a multi-year extension.
Showmax To Become The Exclusive Home Of The WWE Network
WWE® (NYSE: WWE) and MultiChoice today announced a major broadcast partnership that will see Showmax – the leading streaming service available in the region – become the new home of WWE Network in Africa.
The partnership incorporates all WWE Premium Live Events, including WrestleMania®, as well as WWE Network’s vast library of original and archived programming available to stream on-demand.
Additionally, SuperSport, the sport broadcasting subsidiary of video entertainment platform MultiChoice, will continue to broadcast live weekly episodes of Raw®, SmackDown® and NXT® as well as all of WWE’s Premium Live Events in a multi-year extension.
The weekly programming will continue to be broadcast 52 weeks a year, captivating fans with a unique combination of edge-of-your-seat action, unpredictable drama and world-class athleticism. SuperSport recently launched a brand-new localized WWE content series called JAMBO WWE, and the expanded WWE and MultiChoice partnership will see additional partnership initiatives leveraging WWE IP announced during the term.
“Showmax Pro is the market leader and a perfect home for WWE content,” said Matt Drew, WWE Senior Vice President, International. “By delivering our premium live events including WrestleMania, we believe this partnership will expand our audience and deliver even more to WWE fans throughout the region.”
Barry Dubovsky, Chief Operating Officer at MultiChoice Connected Video, added: “Adding WWE to the Showmax platform is an exciting development that we know our entertainment and sport-loving African subscribers are going to enjoy, making WWE even more accessible and affordable.”
Showmax is an African streaming service that combines the best of local content, first and exclusive international series, the best kids’ shows, and live sport from SuperSport. In addition to WWE, Showmax subscribers can stream the full entertainment catalogue, including original African fantasy series Blood Psalms; all episodes of Steinheist, the docuseries about South Africa’s biggest corporate scandal; Diiche, a Showmax Nigerian Original limited series; Journey of the Beats, a 10-part docuseries on the origin and evolution of Afrobeats; Kenyan political drama series, County49, and original thriller series, Igiza.
Subscribers can also watch brand-new episodes of the second season of the Emmy darling White Lotus plus other fan-favourite HBO and Emmy-winning shows such as Euphoria and the third season of the Showmax Original telenovela, The Wife.
Showmax is also the only place to stream all episodes of Reyka, the South African smash-hit show that was recently nominated for two International Emmy Awards – one for Best Drama Series, and one for lead star Kim Engelbrecht.
The service is available throughout sub-Saharan Africa and to selected diaspora markets worldwide. For a free trial, visit www.showmax.com.
Showmax can be streamed using apps for smart TVs, smartphones, tablets, computers, media players and gaming consoles with data consumption management available using the bandwidth capping feature.
Roundups #17: DreamWorks Animation Preps Up Four New Series, Obi-Wan Streaming May 22nd On Disney+, WWE Replaces 205 Live With NXT: Level Up And New Documentary Film KungFu Stuntmen Coming Soon To KIX Africa
DreamWorks Junior expands with two animated series on Netflix
Based on the book of the same name, Not Quite Narwhal dives into the daily adventures of a narwhal named Kelp, who discovers he’s part-unicorn and must learn to navigate life in the sea and on land.
Dew Drop Diaries pulls back the curtain
on a group of pint-sized fairies who have been assigned to help city-dwelling human families with tasks such as organizing toys and placing lost teeth under pillows for the Tooth Fairy.
Both slated to air in 2023.
Source: Kidscreen
Also read:
- Paramount+ and Nickelodeon expand kids slate
- Possible channel closures from Warner Bros. Discovery
- ViacomCBS rebrands into Paramount
- Warner Bros. Discovery could terminate these channels
- NCIS: Los Angeles might get cancelled
- Cartoonito launches on Boomerang across Europe possibly as a trial run before scrapping the channel
- Could ESPN close alongside National Geographic and Disney Channel?
- February on ViacomCBS Africa channels
- February on TNT, Cartoon Network and Boomerang
Peacock greenlits Megamind and Abominable TV series
Megamind’s Guide To Defending Your City, follow-up to the 2010 film will see Megamind going from “being a supervillain and the scourge of Metro City to a superhero who’s learning on the job. He’ll be bringing the audience along for the ride, as Megamind’s trusty brainbots will be recording everything, making him the world’s first superhero influencer.”
Abominable and the Invisible City, a comedy adventure series that will continue the story of DreamWorks Animation’s film. “Through Everest, the yeti, Yi, Jin, and Peng know that there’s a whole magical world out there. “When they discover that their surroundings are teeming with magical creatures in need of their help, the kids will set out on extraordinary and heartfelt adventures throughout their city and beyond.
Source: Deadline
Disney+ Limited Series Obi-Wan Kenobi to Debut on May 25th
The series begins with Obi-Wan Kenobi watching over Luke Skywalker on Tatooine, ten years after the events of Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005), and takes the character on a "rollicking adventure".
The new Disney+ limited series from Lucasfilm, will debut exclusively on Disney+ May 25. The series stars Ewan McGregor, reprising his role as the iconic Jedi Master.
NXT is getting a spinoff, kills 205 Live
WWE has canceled 205 Live currently seen on SuperSport and the WWE Channel and will air a new series in its place called “NXT: Level Up.” According to reports, WWE will tape NXT: Level Up at the WWE Performance Center and the new show is expected to be 60 minutes long.
WWE 205 Live premiered on November 2016 on WWE Network and it primarily featured talent from the NXT and NXT UK brands and originally focused on the WWE Cruiserweight division. More recently, WWE began to phase out the weight limit originally in place for the show, and the Cruiserweight Championship was unified with the NXT North American Championship.
SuperSport's WWE Channel is available on DStv channel 128 and a ray of WWE content can be viewed on other SuperSport channels.
KIX continue their martial arts journey with a brand new documentary
The documentary features such martial arts legends as Sammo Hung, Jackie Chan, Donnie Yen, action choreographer Yuen Woo-ping, filmmakers Tsui Hark and Andrew Lau, along with a number of other stuntmen in the industry.
“Many legendary stuntmen live hard lives and many are unknown. That’s why I decided to make a documentary film in tribute to their continued efforts and never-yielding spirit,” said director Wei.
KIX is available on DStv channel 114
Also read:
- Baby TV could be on the chopping block
- Curiosity Channel to launch St Patrick's Day special
- Disney closing multiple channels in Latin America
- Why VH1 Classic was terminated on DStv?
- In March, E! will also be hosting the Oscars live from the red carpet and launch the cover bands
- Could G4 launch on DStv perhaps to replace a channel like Ginx Esports TV?
- Paramount+ greenlit Knuckle TV series and Seal Team movie
- Coroner and Tell Me Your Secrets coming soon to Universal TV
- AEW: Battle Of The Belts launches on TNT
You can also find me through the other platforms by pressing this link in brackets and if you're struggling to share the article through certain platforms use this link (Lnk.Bio).
The Controversial History Of WWE's Most Prestigious Wrestlers, The Fabulous Moolah
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New WWE Network Series Premiering Amidst SummerSlam Weekend
WWE took to YouTube earlier today to release the trailer for their new upcoming show on the WWE Network and Peacock TV. The show is called “This is Awesome” and will focus on moments in WWE’s past that made fans shocked, totally speechless, and even brought to tears.
This is Awesome will be hosted by Greg Miller and different WWE superstars as they go back and check out moments throughout WWE history that made the WWE fans chant, “This is awesome!” Some potentially awesome moments were referenced in the trailer as we saw glimpses of Ric Flair vs. Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 24, ‘Macho Man’ Randy Savage, and Ms. Elizabeth’s wedding, TLC 2, and The Rock vs. Hollywood Hulk Hogan.
This is Awesome will join shows already on the WWE Network and Peacock TV, such as WWE Evil, Ruthless Aggression, Table for 3, and Stone Cold’s Broken Skull Sessions. How many episodes we will see, how long each episode will be, etc., is unknown, as not much is known about the series beyond the premise.
For those who don’t know Greg Miller, he is an internet celebrity and voice actor, best known for his time in IGN, where he hosted some of their podcasts, most notably, Up At Noon. Miller also started his own YouTube channel, GamesOverGreggy, which he and a couple of his former IGN coworkers rebranded to Kinda Funny. Kinda Funny is also the name used for the company that Miller and his coworkers started in 2015. Miller also has voice-acted in many video games, namely the Lego games. He appeared in Lego Marvel Superheroes 2 as Howard the Duck, Lego DC Super-Villians as Polka-Dot Man, and Lego Marvel’s Avengers as the voice of Aldrich Killian. Miller has also provided voice work for Oddworld: Soulstorm and The Solitaire Conspiracy.
WWE’s “This is Awesome” debuts on Peacock TV in the US and the WWE Network everywhere else this Friday.
Olympic Channel To Close By The End Of September
The decision, which comes a year after the Comcast-owned broadcaster folded its domestic NBCSN sports network, is seen as reflection of the decline in interest for some linear channels in favour of the streamers.
It has yet to be decided where NBC will place the Olympic Channel content – the games themselves remained with the broadcast network – though a candidate could be NBC’s own streaming service Peacock. Earlier this year, Peacock streamed all live events from the Beijing games.
Olympic Channel offers original programming, live sports events, news and highlights including the various world championships for Olympic sports which was distributed internationally through the likes of SuperSport.
10 WWE Superstars That Hated Each Other In Real Life
When you are WWE Superstar you don't expect to get along with everyone in the locker room. Sometimes the locker room is filled with different personalities and these personalities will clash. Sometimes these feuds are kept private and sometimes made public.
Here is a countdown to the 10 WWE feuds:
10. Matt Riddle and Seth Rollins
In 2019, Riddle's wife posted a negative video about Becky Lynch. This didn't sit well with Rollins so he vowed to never work with him.
During an interview, Riddle made the following statement:
I'll be honest, I've met Seth multiple times and he's met me and I don't think we'll ever be best friends, I don't think we'll like one another, we're just two different people. Although we love wrestling, I love my significant other said something about Becky that they didn't like and I did not like or agree with it. Seth didn't like me after that and I don't think Becky liked me or my wife either, which is understandable it is what it is.
The two ended up working together in 2020 so its unclear about the status between the two.
9. Becky Lynch and Nia Jax
Although it hasn't been confirmed, it's rumoured that these two never got along after Nia Jax broke Becky's nose in 2018 on Raw. Following that incident, the two have hardly been seen working together and what's strange is WWE never booked a march considering how publicized her injury was.
Following Nia's release from WWE, she took to social media to address things from politics to covid. She even compared mask wearing to the horrors of the Ukraine war - controversial. Becky unfollowed her building up to that feud.
8. Paul Heyman and AJ Styles
The two had a great relationship when Paul Heyman managed Raw between 2019 and 2020. Paul Heyman considered him one of the best wrestlers to be put in WWE. However this relationship turned sour when Luke and Carls Andersen were released from WWE.
Paul Heyman doesn't make the decisions but AJ Styles exaggerated a bit about the whole situation. The two ended up working in different brands never to be put on anything together.
7. Ronda Rousey and Alexa Bliss
When Ronda Rousey joined WWE in 2018, one of the wrestlers she worked with the most was Alexa Bliss. The two never worked well together as Alexa Bliss made it clear after several months that Ronda Rousey was over stooping her in the ring and was almost out of action for a year due to her recklessness.
Nia even give hints to the rumours and Bliss supported it then when Ronda returned and won The Royal Rumble. Alexa made a sarcastic meme written what a surprise.
6. Matt Riddle and Goldberg
Riddle never moves away from voicing his own opinion. Throughout his career, he's never shown any interest to Goldberg. Mocking his wrestling style declares Goldberg a danger to wrestling.
In an interview Goldberg had this to say about the wrestler:
Yeah, the cocky kid, Riddle spouting off his mouth in the beginning and I didn't appreciate it very much by any stretch of the imagination. But the guy has put in a lot of frickin hard work and a lot of frickin hard work and he's dedicated his life to the business.
Whether I like him as a human being or not, I have to understand and appreciate his passion for the business and work ethic.
Because he works hard and that's what I appreciate as an athlete and as a human
Is he a prick sometimes? Absolutely, But that's him, That's his character and so am I.
5. Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair
Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair used to be the best of friends but in 2021 fans found out that wasn't the case. The two used to be inseparable and as both their careers progressed things have changed.
They used to travel to many places together on a tour bus but that's not the case and they hardly speak to each other. No reason was given to the confrontation but it's believed to be Becky's rise in popularity with both women finding men in their lives mean less time spent together.
4. Charlotte Flair and Sonya Deville
This issue was highlighted following the infamous exchange in championship belts in 2021 when Charlotte Flair was suppose switch belts with Becky Lynch but went off script to make her look bad. Not only did it affect Becky but destroyed the authority figure in Sonya Deville.
Sonya was so angry that she wanted to fight Charlotte of course no details were given if she wanted to do anything physical.
3. Matt Riddle and Brock Lesnar
Riddle believes that he should be the one to end Brock Lesnar's career and although he didn't say anything derogatory to him. Lesnar loathe Riddle that he made it clear in the 2021 Royal Rumble that he would never work with him in any capacity.
The two wind up clashing when Riddle continues with his comments but never in single man matches.
2. Booker T. and Corey Graves
In 2018, Booker T. made it clear in a podcast that Graves was the reason he wasn't commentator for Raw and people believed he was going to attack him.
He made somewhat of a bizarre statement:
Corey Graves, right now, I wouldn't necessarily say he's on my bad side but he's the reason I'm not on Monday Night Raw right now.
Because you know what a lot of people in the company thought I was going to jump him, I was going to do something bad to him, I was gonna drag him, I was gonna take him out of the woodshed, I was gonna beat that men so bad, I was gonna beat him until this man say "Please, please, please just don't beat me anymore".
There have been reports that WWE had tried to resolve their issues but no details have been given in regard to their relationship.
1. Matt Riddle and Roman Reigns
In 2021, Matt claimed he could beat him in a fight and had this to say:
No disrespect to Roman, he seems like a swell fella but at the same time, it's like when people say they're a great parent.
You know what? if you were a great parent
When he's saying 'acknowledge me' or 'move the needle', no you don't
You're related to Rock, Shut up
Like I'm not impressed I can beat you up in a real fight
So shut your mouth.
A few months later, it was revealed that he had to write an apology letter which he outright rejected.
Xtreme Football League Makes A Comeback On ESPN In 2023
The XFL announced a new, global multi-year agreement with The Walt Disney Company (“TWDC”) and ESPN, which includes exclusive broadcast rights for all gameday content, tentpole events and more, for its upcoming 2023 season through 2027. Each season, all 43 games (40 regular season games, two playoffs, one championship) will be featured on a combination of ABC, ESPN networks and FX. Additionally, the agreement includes exclusive content rights across TWDC and ESPN’s digital, social and direct-to-consumer outlets such as ESPN+. The XFL is excited to officially announce its 2023 season will kick off on Saturday, February 18, 2023.
The announcement was revealed at the Disney Upfront, where XFL owners Dany Garcia and Dwayne Johnson were in attendance and presented the news.
“Without question, we have long admired Disney’s distinct ability to engage an expansive consumer fanbase across verticals, while also maintaining a deeply authentic, nuanced and heartfelt approach to storytelling much like our own,” said Dany Garcia, Chairwoman of the XFL. “To find a partner that honors our foundation and to be able to root our vision of unwavering passion, accessibility and the future of football with Disney as our home, is a dream come true. We are extraordinarily excited to explore the endless possibilities of this partnership – today is surely just the beginning.”
“The XFL will tap into sports fans’ deep love of football by emphasizing competitive action while dedicating itself to innovation and entertainment,” said Jimmy Pitaro, Chairman, ESPN and Sports Content. “You can see a great path to success when you combine the reach and influence of ESPN and Disney with the collective vision of XFL leadership led by Dany, Dwayne and Gerry.”
Dwayne Johnson added, “This is a definitive moment for the XFL and the beginning of an incredible, long-term partnership for the league, building on my longstanding, very successful legacy relationship I’ve had with Disney throughout my career. We’re excited to be working with global visionaries that are aligned with the XFL’s values, are true team players and share our ambitious goals to grow the XFL as a global sports and entertainment business. Through the combined power of Disney, ESPN and the XFL, together we will create a new powerhouse on the sports calendar and bring a dynamic game of football to fans everywhere. Time to ball out.”
Gerry Cardinale said, “With today’s announcement, the XFL has launched a truly innovative partnership with The Walt Disney Company and its world-class platforms across media, culture, sports and entertainment. It is a privilege to join forces with the incredibly talented team at Disney and ESPN and bring Dany and Dwayne’s vision for world-class football and live event entertainment to our fans and players.”
FIFA Launches Free Video Streaming Service
World football governing association FIFA has launched an online video streaming service called FIFA+.
The service’s content includes live domestic league games from around the world, an archive of previously-broadcast international football matches, and original productions.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino said FIFA+ represented the “next step” in the association’s vision to make football “truly global and inclusive” and expand and develop the sport globally.
“This project represents a cultural shift in the way different types of football fans want to connect with and explore the global game and has been a fundamental part of my Vision 2020-2023.”
“It will accelerate the democratisation of football, and we are delighted to share it with fans.”
FIFA said it would be streaming 40,000 live men’s and women’s football games annually on FIFA+ by year-end. That will include matches from 100 member associations across all six confederations.
The archive section launched with more than 2,500 videos dating back to the 1950s, with more to be added throughout the year.
That will include every FIFA World Cup and FIFA Women’s World Cup match recorded on camera — more than 2,000 hours of footage.
In addition to videos, FIFA+ boasts a match centre with a news feed and data from 400 men’s and 65 women’s competitions.
FIFA said this section would also offer interactive games, including quizzes, fantasy leagues, and predictors.
FIFA+ Originals will include full-length documentaries, docuseries, talk shows, and shorts, localised in 11 languages.
The current list of original content includes:
- Ronaldinho: The Happiest Man in the World — 90-minute documentary about Ronaldinho’s journey to becoming one of the world’s greatest football players.
- Captains: Season 1 — Follows six captains leading their countries through World Cup qualification.
- Croatia: Defining a Nation —Full-length feature documentary tells story of how football helped unite Croatia.
- HD Cutz — 8-part docuseries with “barber to the stars” Sheldon Edwards.
- Golden Boot — 4-part docuseries with interviewers of the world’s greatest goalscorers.
- Icons — 5-part docuseries on the biggest game-changers in women’s football.
- Academies: Season 1 — Inside story of successful football talent production lines worldwide.
FIFA+ can be streamed via a web browser or mobile device through Android and iOS apps. The platform requires no subscription and is ad-supported.










