WWE’s revenue increased 14 percent in third quarter
WWE released its 2017 third quarter financial highlights and revenue increased 14 percent to $186.4 million.
The WWE Network蘑菇视频 averaged paid subscribers increased to 1.52 million and the increases helped the WWE stock rise several dollars per share.
The company projected solid gains into 2018, so it is optimistic that business will continue to trend in the right direction.
ESPN documentary on Ric Flair nearing
ESPN蘑菇视频 most recent 30 for 30 piece, titled 鈥淣ature Boy鈥� about Ric Flair, debuts on Nov. 7 at 10 p.m. on ESPN.
Earlier this week, there was a special preview screening in Atlanta and several stars appeared.
Among those who will appear in the documentary include The Undertaker, Ricky Steamboat, Arn Anderson, Hulk Hogan, Triple H, Shawn Michaels, Stephanie McMahon, and Jim Ross, among others.
This piece was started almost two years ago, and the most intriguing piece that fans may take note of is that The Undertaker will appear out of character when talking about his match with Flair at Mania X-8.
Ref for Lesnar vs. Mahal?
Several names are popping up about who will referee the Brock Lesnar and Jinder Mahal match at Survivor Series.
John Cena appears to be the front runner, and it would make sense as Cena has long been considered the man to dethrone Mahal.
Other names tossed around have included Goldberg, The Rock, 鈥淪tone Cold鈥� Steve Austin and The Undertaker.
Could WWE actually have Mahal look good during the match, or even win?
WrestleMania makes Forbes鈥� Fab 40 list again
For the fourth straight year, WrestleMania has made Forbes鈥� Fab 40 list of most powerful sports brands.
The event came in sixth behind the Super Bowl, the Summer Olympics, the Winter Olympics, the FIFA World Cup, and the NCAA Final Four.
The show will continue to place high on the list as it makes the host city hundreds of millions of dollars every WrestleMania week.
Huge women蘑菇视频 match at Mania includes Rousey?
Several weeks ago, it was reported in this column that WWE was planning on running an eight-women tag match at Survivor Series between the Four Horsewomen of WWE and the Four Horsewomen of MMA.
However, it now appears a strong possibility that the match will take place at WrestleMania, and it would not surprise me to see it main event the show.
The bout would pit Charlotte Flair, Sasha Banks, Becky Lynch and Bayley against Ronda Rousey, Shayna Baszler, Jessamyn Duke, and Marina Shafir.
According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the bout was pushed back so that it would allow Rousey, Duke and Shafir to get ready for action.
Baszler is under contract already to WWE and took part in the Mae Young Classic.
Jax update
As a follow up to the possible news last week that Nia Jax asked for her WWE release, she apparently asked for time off and was granted it.
She is scheduled to take part in a women蘑菇视频 elimination match at Survivor Series.
25th anniversary Raw show set
Tickets will go on sale on Nov. 3 for the 25th anniversary edition of Monday Night Raw, which will take place in January at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
There will be a commemorative book and a DVD set on the show as well.
WWE will look to bring back several former stars for the event.
On this date鈥�
In 2006, WWE announced that ECW house shows would be discontinued and combined with Smackdown.
When reading results from this day in 1996, I chuckled as one of the biggest, if not the biggest ripoff name in wrestling history, won the USWA heavyweight title as the 鈥淢acho Warrior鈥� Ric Hogan defeated Brian Christopher.
The name was obviously a play off of 鈥淢acho Man鈥� Randy Savage, the 鈥淯ltimate Warrior,鈥� Ric Flair and Hulk Hogan.
As a kid back then, I was dumbfounded by someone ripping off four of the top stars of the 1980s and it seems even sillier to me today.
Email questions/comments to Bill at powerhousehughes@gmail.com or tweet them to me @BillHughes_III