Friday, September 29, 2023

Media Man Wrestling Blog: WWE SmackDown

Media Man Wrestling Blog


SmackDown preview, Sept. 29, 2023: Rey Mysterio defends his U.S. Title against fellow LWO member Santos Escobar





This Friday, Santos Escobar will finally get his chance at the United States Title as he takes on mentor and LWO leader Rey Mysterio.


The WWE Hall of Famer won the stars-and-stripes title after subbing for an injured Escobar, who had originally been slated to challenge Austin Theory just over a month ago.


With outside forces such as Grayson Waller attempting to stir the pot, Escobar requested the match with Mysterio on the Sept. 15 episode of SmackDown.


Which LWO member will leave with the gold? Find out this Friday at 8/7 C on FOX!


John Cena returns to SmackDown after a beatdown from The Bloodline


John Cena returns to the blue brand just one week after suffering a devastating attack at the hands of Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa of The Bloodline. 


The Greatest of All Time originally had AJ Styles in his corner for the fight, but Uso and Sikoa assaulted The Phenomenal One backstage and caused him to be stretchered out. 


They followed that up with an assault on Cena, leaving him down in a heap with their Fastlane tag team match contract laying by the fallen legend’s side.  


With Fastlane fast approaching, what will Cena do to combat his ruthless enemies? Find out on Friday Night SmackDown TONIGHT at 8/7 C on FOX!



The Queen of WWE faces Bayley in a reignition of their rivalry


This Friday, Charlotte Flair and Bayley will reignite their storied rivalry as the two tangle in singles competition for the first time since 2020.


This past week, Charlotte inadvertently cost Asuka the chance to win the WWE Women’s Title from IYO SKY, as Flair brawled with Damage CTRL’s Bayley.


Bayley has a slight edge over Flair in singles competition, as she is 9-8 against The Queen of WWE. The last time these two squared off, Bayley gained the win in a matchup on Raw in May of 2020.


Who will come out on top this time? Don’t miss SmackDown, this Friday at 8/7 C on FOX!



An irate Bobby Lashley joins “The Grayson Waller Effect”



Image credit: WWE



The union between Bobby Lashley and The Street Profits might be on shaky ground. Just as the new trio was rolling, The Street Profits lost to U.S. Champion Rey Mysterio and Santos Escobar of The LWO.


This enraged The All Mighty, who stormed out in disgust and demanded they hand back their suits that he bought.


This Friday, Lashley joins “The Grayson Waller Effect.” How will Lashley respond to what happened between him and The Street Profits? Find out this Friday at 8/7 C on FOX!

(Credit: WWE)

Wednesday, September 20, 2023

Monday, September 18, 2023

Media Man Wrestling Blog

Media Man Wrestling Blog

Under The Water Cooler. Sydney HQ












Media Man: Under The Water Cooler

Sydney HQ


Up to approx 30 degrees 

Combat sports are red hot right now

WWE  and UFC nder TKO banner as per NYSE 

 


Wrestling Match Of The Decade wheels in motion for WrestleMania: Roman Reigns  vs Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson 


John Cena and Johnson escape fallout from Hollywood writers strike!


MMA: The UFC Sean Strickland era is here. Izzy has been advised by many to rest up, rethink his political allegiance and messaging with China. Will he ever live down the "Dog Day Afternoon" in Sydney, Australia! Pro MMA can be a dog eat dog business and SS's mind games got to "The Last Stylebender". Was the fight already lost for Izzy before the "Let's Fn Go"?


UFC Nucho in Mexico. Grasso vs Shevchenko. Draw says judges! Oops.  Re-match next time on U.S soil?! 


Hot Temp's In Sydney, Australia see pause on bush burn-offs likely for a few days as mini heatwave hits.


Water safety reminder: Beach, rockpools, anywhere around water. 


Work/Biz/Life Balance: If working with screens/computers try 15 mins break from screen for every hour on. Protect eyes, head, well-being. A walk around the block and an extra glass of water can work wonders. Water and coffee in the office (but not too close to keyboards)!


Washington, USA: Political basketcases?! USA set for an authentic leader in office. Many of the most suitable candidates work in private enterprise? Too good for the Oval Office?!  A bit like some in the land down under of Australia, but not quite as obvious.


New South Wales government of Australia scores big praise by Sydney, Australia sports loving fans. About 3 or so more UFC events to hit Sydney within the next 4 years. 


PPV (Pay-Per-View) business models, offerings to get some revamp thanks to TKO (WWE and UFC) deal; What percentage of WWE fans also watch at least some UFC? A higher percentage than the amount of UFC fans who also watch some WWE! Not all exactly or speculative numbers are in the public domain and can we suggest some are hidden - at least in part. Back in the Optus Vision days we used to get our hands on much raw data, thanks to my old bosses and the marketing and PPV department. Many industries have trade secrets, much like the Google Algorithm or KFC's "eleven secret herbs and spices"!


Alt news and niche news finding audiences in Australia, US, Canada, Europe, while many in society has tuned out or largely turned off "TV News" and other "mainstream aka lamestream"; Sky News Australia is an exception to the rule. Sky boasts an interaction with 11.1 million Aussie's each month. Multiplatform strategy works a charm, with quality and authentic journalism - funny about that hey!!! "Happy to help further spread the good and authentic news"..Anon journo type overheard around the watercooler.


24-hour News Cycle vs Always On via The Internet..

Too much news going on all the time? Part of the reason the Media Man Group often updates X (formally Twitter) and blogs such as Media Man Int Blogger and Media Man Blogger quicker than news going live to it's flagship websites.  Evergreen content strategy works a treat as well as unique perspectives and some gonzo journalism type reporting seldom found in mainstream news. The Google Algorithm is friendly to this business model so it's a Win-Win-Win!


Yes, we are still taking on some select PR and advertising campaigns. Email is if you have something you want the world to know about. There's an old expression that goes something like, "If you have the money we have the time"!


Seriously, we love the once great craft of journalism. The decline of the industry is well documented.. Hat's off to the authentic journos who continue to scribe and sniff out a good story. Journos vs AI! That's a big rabbit hole ain't it. 


Remember in this sometimes crazy world, Heath is wealth and time and energy are most valuable resources. 


LinkedIn: For more professional (whatever that is anyway) scribes and media presentation check us out via LinkedIn. Greg Tingle, Founder and Director, Media Man Int and Media Man Australia. LI is a MM multi-time 'Social Media Platform Of The Month' winner and finalist (and so it Twitter, now X, right Elon Musk and Linda Yaccarino.


Thanks for stopping by Media Man. Beach to Bush Telegraph via The Internet Superhighway. Wrestling and surfin' the web and beyond. Seagulls and Kangaroos ahead! 



Media Man

Hot Temp's In Sydney, Australia see pause on bush burn-offs likely for a few days as mini heatwave hits.


Water safety reminder: Beach, rockpools, anywhere around water. 


Work/Biz/Life Balance: If working with screens/computers try 15 mins break from screen for every hour on. Protect eyes, head, well-being. A walk around the block and an extra glass of water can work wonders. Water and coffee in the office (but not too close to keyboards)!


Washington, USA: Political basketcases?! USA set for an authentic leader in office. Many of the most suitable candidates work in private enterprise? Too good for the Oval Office?!  A bit like some in the land down under of Australia, but not quite as obvious.


New South Wales government of Australia scores big praise by Sydney, Australia sports loving fans. About 3 or so more UFC events to hit Sydney within the next 4 years. 


PPV (Pay-Per-View) business models, offerings to get some revamp thanks to TKO (WWE and UFC) deal; What percentage of WWE fans also watch at least some UFC? A higher percentage than the amount of UFC fans who also watch some WWE! Not all exactly or speculative numbers are in the public domain and can we suggest some are hidden - at least in part. Back in the Optus Vision days we used to get our hands on much raw data, thanks to my old bosses and the marketing and PPV department. Many industries have trade secrets, much like the Google Algorithm or KFC's "eleven secret herbs and spices"!


Alt news and niche news finding audiences in Australia, US, Canada, Europe, while many in society has tuned out or largely turned off "TV News" and other "mainstream aka lamestream"; Sky News Australia  is an exception to the rule. Sky boasts an interaction with 11.1 million Aussie's each month. Multiplatform strategy works a charm, with quality and authentic journalism - funny about that hey!!! "Happy to help further spread the good and authentic news"..Anon journo type overheard around the watercooler.


24-hour News Cycle vs Always On via The Internet..


Too much news going on all the time? Part of the reason the Media Man Group often updates X 

(formally Twitter) and blogs such as Media Man Int Blogger and Media Man Blogger quicker than news going live to it's flagship websites.  Evergreen content strategy works a treat as well as unique perspectives and some gonzo journalism type reporting seldom found in mainstream news. The Google Algorithm is friendly to this business model so it's a Win-Win-Win!


Yes, we are still taking on some select PR and advertising campaigns. Email is if you have something you want the world to know about. There's an old expression that goes something like, "If you have the money we have the time"!


Seriously, we love the once great craft of journalism. The decline of the industry is well documented.. Hat's off to the authentic journos who continue to scribe and sniff out a good story. Journos vs AI! That's a big rabbit hole ain't it. 


Remember in this sometimes crazy world, Heath is wealth and time and energy are most valuable resources. 


LinkedIn: For more professional (whatever that is anyway) scribes and media presentation check us out via LinkedIn. Greg Tingle, Founder and Director, Media Man Int and Media Man Australia. LI is a MM multi-time 'Social Media Platform Of The Month' winner and finalist (and so it Twitter, now X, right Elon Musk and Linda Yaccarino.


Thanks for stopping by Media Man. Beach to Bush Telegraph via The Internet Superhighway. Wrestling and surfin' the web and beyond. Seagulls and Kangaroos ahead! 


#news #newsbiz #PopCulture #combatsports #WWE #UFC #TKO #WrestleMania #gonzo #gonzojournalism #onlinenews #watercooler #watercoolernews #newsroom #sky #skynews #realnews #realviews #nichenews #niche #agent #agency #scribe #blog #blogs #platforms #biz #balance #search #ai #letsgo #forthewin #AndStill #PPV #payperview #streaming #info #intel #scoops #RabbitHole #worldnews #mediabiz #adbiz #buzz #media #mediaman



SEJ Google update Sept 2023


SEJ's Roger on Google. Re if a site loses website traffic, machine learned content, rankings and.more. Google remains king of the search engine in the vast majority of categories despite numerous AI competitors so if your business has anything to do with popularity/rankings on the web it's smart to read up and keep your finger on the pulse. Published via LinkedIn so LI and the Microsoft folks are certainly across updates of this nature also. It's Spy vs Spy as per the iconic section of MAD Magazine. Their Tech Special is quite the collectors item also. Back to the web publishing and online entrepreneurial business activities! 





MMA/Wrestling News : Caged Fury Fighting Championships @CFFCMMA 


Commentary by John Morgan and CM Punk (Phil Brooks) @CMPunk 


"Look who I ran into backstage" - Morgan


"Yeah, I got some time on my hands, for the next two months" - Brooks


"What do you wanna talk about?" - Brooks


#MMA #mmanews #mixedmartialarts #CMPunk #PhilBrooks #JohnMorgan #CagedFury #CFFC #sportsnews #sportsbiz #wrestling #wrestlingnews #mmapromotion #sportspromotion #promotions #entertainment #entertainmentnews #popculture #buzz #trends #broadcast #broadcasting #X #media #mediaman  


All Elite Wrestling

(Image credit: AEW)




Pro Wrestling Dream Match Tipped To Become Reality At All Elite Wrestling @AEW : 'WrestleDream'


FTR vs Aussie Open. 

October 1, 2023. Seattle, Washington


AEW Official YouTube Channel

https://www.youtube.com/AEW


Video


Aussie Open set their sights on the AEW World Tag Team Champions! | 9/16/23, AEW Collision

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxPrZn2GFq0&ab_channel=AllEliteWrestling


#AEW #AllEliteWrestling #AEWWrestleDream #WrestleDream #dreammatch #wrestling #prowrestling #AussieOpen #FTR #aewtag #combatsports #sportsbiz #sportsnews #PPV #payperview #payperviews #FITE #FITETV #streaming #popculture #showbiz #biz #X #media #mediaman 


Pro Wrestling Dream Match: Roman Reigns @WWERomanReigns vs Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson @TheRock finally may become reality in a WWE @WWE ring




WrestleMania Season has come early - sort of! The dream match wrestling fans across the globe have been waiting for may actually happen at the upcoming WrestleMania @WrestleMania 


This past Friday Night SmackDown 'The Rock' finally showed up to largely a very positive responce. He even got a "Welcome home" from long time rival John Cena @JohnCena 


Traditonally with pro wrestling mega matches that are worthy of WrestleMania status, the headliner match or matches get a storyline with usually some confrontations, angles, twists and turns in the lead up.


Reigns remains 'Head Of The Table' and the Tribal Chief of 'The Bloodline'. The trials and tribulations of Reigns and his stable of Samoans are well documented and the numerous crime scenes over the past 3 years have the fingerprints of puppet master and self appointed "Evil Genius" Paul Heyman @HeymanHustle written all over them.


WWE announcers such as Michael Cole @MichaelCole , Corey Graves @WWEGraves and Kevin Patrick @kev_egan sometimes speak of "recruitment drives" as WWE factions look for further strength in numbers. This can strengthen the position much like a Hollywood or MMA agent with numerous world class talents on the books.


Wrestling politics can play in the success of a pro wrestlers (and managers) career, not to mention the always potential threat of talent leaving for a rival faction or promoter!, with or without a Hollywood Writers Strike! 


Johnson's return to the WWE appears very timely, and this news fresh off the official launch of TKO @TKOGrp which is akin to a parent of both the WWE and UFC @UFC. Back in 2009 Johnson put the UFC's BMF title around the waist of MMA legend Jorge Masvidal @GamebredFighter 


WWE Universal Champion Reigns and cousin, Johnson, can both be described as BMF'er. Johnson is no stranger to colourful language, this week giving the hint to the WWE live audience to chant A hole at Austin Theory @_Theory1 The WWE lockeroom is getting "the rub" from Johnson, but upstart and gold contender Grayson Waller @GraysonWWE may say otherwise. The Aussie Dynamite has been blowing up things and people in the WWE and may have something to say about the potential possibility of others stealing his spotlight, and so may "American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes @CodyRhodes for that matter. Rhodes may look to cash in on a fatigued Johnson, Rhodes and/or Rolllins @WWERollins come WrestleMania, Day 1 or Day 2! 


Hollywood's loss (for now) appears to be the WWE Unviverses' gain. The match of the decade continues to near to reality by the day. 


WWE, TKO, Reigns, Rock, BFK'ers abound. A perfect storm is brewing. WWE bean-counters, fans and WWE co-workers win.  The Samoan American connection is alive and well. Chiefs, elders and fans, brace yourself for a wrestling war of electrifiying consequences. It's just about pick 'em time.

#WWESmackDown #WWE #WrestleMania #WrestleMania40 #RomanReigns #TribalChief #DwayneJohnson #TheRock #CodyRhodes #WWEUniverse #TKO #BMF #wrestling #prowrestling #sportsentertainment #sportsbiz #sportsnews #PLE #PPV #payperview #entertainment #entertainmentnews #popculture @showbiz #trend #trends #buzz #X #media 


‘Wrestlers’ Is Here to Rip Your Freakin’ Head Off





The new doc series from the creator of Last Chance U and Cheer is an underdog story pulsing with adrenaline.


From the right corner of the ring, an oiled-up baby face enters with a stone-cold glare and a juicy flex. From the left, a sneering heel climbs through the ropes under floodlights, only to be met with jeers and hisses from the darkness of the stands. What happens next isn’t just a fight; it’s a story. It’s Shakespearean drama. It’s bloody theater that also happens to be more true to life than you’d think. 


Wrestlers, the new doc series from director Greg Whiteley (Last Chance U, Cheer) and BBC Studios Los Angeles takes you right to the center of the fight. It doesn’t only depict the brawls between ambitious athletes managing their stressful lives off the ring (though watching a rage-fueled fighter and a hardened vet go head-to-head in a violent, hair-pulling tussle is thrilling –– especially when you consider they’re mother and daughter). The fight at the center of the story is even more intense: Legendary wrestler Al Snow is attempting to keep professional wrestling league Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) afloat, navigating the brutal waters of mounting debt and the power struggles of new ownership. 


The seven-episode series is intimate, emotional, and offers a behind-the-scenes look at the world of professional wrestling, revealing the hardship and sacrifice that goes into creating this highly complex feat of performance art and athleticism. 



What is Ohio Valley Wrestling?

OVW is located in Louisville, Kentucky, and once served as a premiere training ground for aspiring pro wrestlers like Brock Lesnar, John Cena, Dave Bautista, The Miz, and Randy Orton. In recent years, OVW has struggled to keep its doors open, prompting Snow to sell a majority stake to a group of local businesses — one of whom is Matt Jones, one of the most popular radio personalities in the state of Kentucky. 


Who Are the Wrestlers at Ohio Valley Wrestling? 

The cast of Wrestlers is comprised of OVW legends like Ca$h Flo, Mr. PEC-tacular, Mahabali Shera, Hollyhood Haley J, and more. To learn more about the babyfaces, heels and bosses at OVW — including their signature moves — check out our Wrestlers cast guide. 


Wait, what’s a babyface? 

In wrestling, a babyface (also known as a “face”) is a heroic “good guy” or fan favorite. Typically, they’ll play it fair in the ring and avoid cheating or dirty manuevers. The babyfaces in Wrestlers include Ca$h Flo and the Amazing Maria James. The babyfaces perform relative to the heels in any given match, and sometimes wrestlers shift between the two identities, depending on their narrative arc. 


So what’s a heel?

Simply put, a heel is a villain — a bad boy, a nasty girl, or anyone who fights dirty in the ring. The heels in Wrestlers include Hollyhood Haley J and Freya the Slaya. 


“In wrestling, you’re going to do the same things you do when you tell any story and have a protagonist and an antagonist,” Al Snow told Tudum. “We've got to explain to the audience what the context of the story is, [and help them] understand the challenge that's facing our protagonist, and what the antagonists are trying to prevent.”


In other words: If nothing else, wrestling is a story of good versus evil — and who prevails depends on the day. 


Watch Wrestlers on Netflix now. 


Video


Wrestlers | Official Trailer | Netflix

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hY9CISx70Oo&ab_channel=Netflix



Websites


Netflix: Wrestlers

https://www.netflix.com/au/title/81592264


Ohio Valley Wrestling

https://ovwrestling.com


(Credit: Netflix/OVW)



Combat Sports News





UFC @UFC Noche Results:

Alexa Grasso (48-47) and Valentina Shevchenko (48-47) fight to a split draw (47-47)


Jack Della Maddalena (29-28, 29-28) defeats Kevin Holland (29-28) by split decision


Raul Rosas Jr defeats Terrance Mitchell by TKO, Round 1, :54


Daniel Zellhuber defeats Christos Giagos by submission, anaconda choke, Round 2, 3:26


Kyle Nelson (29-28, 29-28, 30-27) defeats Fernando Padilla by unanimous decision


Loopy Godinez defeats Elise Reed by submission, rear naked choke, Round 2, 3:38


Roman Kopylov defeats Josh Fremd by TKO (body shot) at 4:44 of Round 2


Edgar Chairez versus Daniel Lacerda declared a no decision at 3:47 of Round 1


Tracy Cortez (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) defeats Jasmine Jasudavicius by unanimous decision


Charlie Campbell defeats Alex Reyes by TKO (right hand) at 3:38 of Round 1


Josefine Knutsson (30-24, 30-25, 30-27) defeats Marnic Mann by unanimous decision


Videos

UFC YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/ufc


Noche UFC: Post-Fight Press Conference

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJrM6yp2r-M&ab_channel=UFC


Alexa Grasso: 'I Hope Every September 16th We Can Have a Card Like This' | Noche UFC

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqYOHs7tvfQ&ab_channel=UFC


Alexa Grasso Octagon Interview | Noche UFC

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCN6z-gM3W0&ab_channel=UFC


Noche UFC: Pre-Fight Panel

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuSXblxM1IQ&t=85s&ab_channel=UFC


#UFCNoche #NocheUFC #UFCResults #ufcwomen #MMA #mixedmartialarts #AlexaGrasso 

#ValentinaShevchenko #sportsnews #sportsmedia #popculture #PPV #payperview #trend #trending #buzz #X #media 



Black Superman - 'Muhammad Ali', By Johnny Wakelin


Lyrics

This here's the story of Cassius Clay

Who changed his name to Muhammad Ali

He knows how to talk and he knows how to fight

And all the contenders were beat out of sight


Sing, Muhammad, Muhammad Ali

He floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee

Mohammed, the black superman

Who calls to the other guy I'm Ali catch me if you can


Now all you fight fans, you've got to agree

There ain't no flies on Muhammad Ali

He fills the arena wherever he goes

And everyone gets what they paid for


Muhammad, was known to have said

You watch me shuffle and I'll jab off your head

He moves like the black superman

And calls to the other guy I'm Ali catch me if you can


He says I'm the greatest the worlds ever seen

The heavyweight champion who came back again

My face is so pretty you don't see a scar

Which proves I'm the king of the ring by far


Sing, Muhammad, Muhammad Ali

He floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee

Mohammed, the black superman

Who calls to the other guy I'm Ali catch me if you can


Sing, Muhammad, Muhammad Ali

He floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee

Muhammad, the black superman

Who calls to the other guy I'm Ali catch me if you can

I'm Ali catch me if you can


Audio

https://music.apple.com/us/album/black-superman-muhammad-ali/286163209


#BlackSuperman #MuhammadAli #Ali 

#JohnnyWakelin #boxer #boxing #legend #popculture #media 





"I'm more into MMA than any other sport. I watch a lot of the UFC @UFC fights. I have since it first came onto the scene" - Jason Statham #JasonStatham #quote #MMA #UFC #combatsports #sportsnews #sportsmedia #popculture #media 




"Video is growing very quickly on Facebook. A lot of people compare that to YouTube. I think that kind of makes sense. YouTube isn't the only video service, but I think it's the biggest, and it probably makes more sense to compare Facebook video to YouTube rather than Netflix because that's a completely different kind of content" - Mark Zuckerberg #MarkZuckerberg #quote #Facebook #Meta #YouTube #video #videoservice #Netflix #content #socialmedia #socialmedianews #socialmediatrends #socialmediawars #socialmediaplatforms #platforms #innovation #bigtech #tech #innovation #popculture #internet #media 



Combat Sports News


UFC @UFC Noche


Women’s flyweight champion Alexa Grasso defended her championship vs Valentina Shevchenko.


The bout went the distance with both competitors coping a bruising in the five-round affair.


Many MMA insiders and hardcore fans are asking questions about the judges scorecards.


A split draw! (48-47, 47-48, 47-47). You could see a look in the eyes of Shevchenko.


One judge giving Grasso the final round 10-8 despite Shevchenko dominating the majority of the round.


Shevchenko spoke with UFC/MMA living legend Daniel "DC" Cormier.


“I think it really was 3-2 on my side, but I think judges felt a little bit of pressure because it was Mexican Independence Day”.


“In a fair fight, in a fair competition, victory would be mine.”


They used to say in the fight game, "That's boxing", but now they may also say, "That's MMA in a foreign land", or something to that effect. We're all heard of the expression "hometown advantage", be it football, or other. A re-match appears on the cards, this time perhaps on U.S soil, or some other place. MMA will survive. Stay hungry!

#UFC #UFCNoche #ufcwomen #NocheUFC #AlexaGrasso #ValentinaShevchenko #sportsnews #sportsbiz #ufcnews #ufcmedia #fighting #sportsmedia #combatsports #popculture #entertainment #showbiz #PPV #payperview #payperviews #Mexico #trend #trending #X #media 



Combat Sports News


UFC @UFC Noche


Women’s flyweight champion Alexa Grasso defended her championship vs Valentina Shevchenko.


The bout went the distance with both competitors coping a bruising in the five-round affair.


Many MMA insiders and hardcore fans are asking questions about the judges scorecards.


A split draw! (48-47, 47-48, 47-47). You could see a look in the eyes of Shevchenko.


One judge giving Grasso the final round 10-8 despite Shevchenko dominating the majority of the round.


Shevchenko spoke with UFC/MMA living legend Daniel "DC" Cormier.


“I think it really was 3-2 on my side, but I think judges felt a little bit of pressure because it was Mexican Independence Day”.


“In a fair fight, in a fair competition, victory would be mine.”


They used to say in the fight game, "That's boxing", but now they may also say, "That's MMA in a foreign land", or something to that effect. We're all heard of the expression "hometown advantage", be it football, or other. A re-match appears on the cards, this time perhaps on U.S soil, or some other place. MMA will survive. Stay hungry!

#UFC #UFCNoche #ufcwomen #NocheUFC #AlexaGrasso #ValentinaShevchenko #sportsnews #sportsbiz #ufcnews #ufcmedia #fighting #sportsmedia #combatsports #popculture #entertainment #showbiz #PPV #payperview #payperviews #Mexico #trend #trending #X #media 




"Beliefs have the power to create and the power to destroy. Human beings have the awesome ability to take any experience of their lives and create a meaning that disempowers them or one that can literally save their lives" Tony Robbins #TonyRobbins #quote #beliefs #power #experience #lives #life #create #mindset #attitude #mbs #biz #world #media 




"Back when the UFC @UFC first started, I wanted to see what MMA was all about; at the time, I was training with Tank Abbott, and so I went to see him fight. While at the fight, I saw this guy fighting that I just crushed in high school wrestling, and I thought, 'Hey, I'm a street fighter, and I have a wrestling background,' so I gave it a shot" -Tito Ortiz #TitoOrtiz #quote #UFC #MMA #martialarts #wrestling #fighting #sports #sportsbiz #combatsports #media



"The problem is that with blogging, the model is publish first, maybe fact-check later. In newspapers, the model is you fact check first and then publish. But those models are merging" - Craig Newmark @craignewmark #CraigNewmark #Craigslist #quote #blogging #blogs #blogger #publish #factcheck #publish #models #businessmodels #businessmodel #newspapers #newsmedia #onlinepublishing #onlinenews #media



"Accept the things to which fate binds you, and love the people with whom fate brings you together, but do so with all your heart" - Marcus Aurelius #MarcusAurelius #quote #stoic #philosopher #stoicism #Roman #RomanEmpire #Rome #Italy #fate #life #heart #mindset #widsom #mbs #media 



"We have a very wide range of content, but the brand-newest movies, what's happening with those is a $30 pay-per-view option - not from Netflix but from DirecTV and others - of movies that are in the theater" - Reed Hastings #ReedHastings #quote #netflix #content #movies #payperview #PPV #directtv #entertainment #homeentertainment #popculture #streaming #showbiz #biz #media 



"You always think as an organization, obviously if you're in sports, you want to be with ESPN. ESPN is it. But you don't really realize how good ESPN is and how big their platform really is until you're in it: Dana White, UFC @UFC #DanaWhite #quote #UFC #ESPN #MMA #combatsports #platform #sports #network #sportsnews #sportsbiz #media 



Media Man: Under The Water Cooler

Sydney HQ.


Up to approx 30 degrees 


Combat sports are red hot right now

WWE 

@WWE

 and UFC 

@UFC

 under TKO 

@TKOGrp

 banner as per NYSE 

@NYSE

 


Wrestling Match Of The Decade wheels in motion for WrestleMania: Roman Reigns 

@WWERomanReigns

 vs Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson 

@TheRock

 


John Cena 

@JohnCena

 and Johnson escape fallout from Hollywood writers strike!


MMA: The UFC Sean Strickland @SStricklandMMA era is here. Izzy has been advised by many to rest up, rethink his political allegiance and messaging with China. Will he ever live down the "Dog Day Afternoon" in Sydney, Australia! Pro MMA can be a dog eat dog business and SS's mind games got to "The Last Stylebender". Was the fight already lost for Izzy before the "Let's Fn Go"?


UFC Nucho in Mexico. Grasso vs Shevchenko. Draw says judges! Oops.  Re-match next time on U.S soil?! 


Hot Temp's In Sydney, Australia see pause on bush burn-offs likely for a few days as mini heatwave hits.


Water safety reminder: Beach, rockpools, anywhere around water. 


Work/Biz/Life Balance: If working with screens/computers try 15 mins break from screen for every hour on. Protect eyes, head, well-being. A walk around the block and an extra glass of water can work wonders. Water and coffee in the office (but not too close to keyboards)!


Washington, USA: Political basketcases?! USA set for an authentic leader in office. Many of the most suitable candidates work in private enterprise? Too good for the Oval Office?!  A bit like some in the land down under of Australia, but not quite as obvious.


New South Wales government of Australia scores big praise by Sydney, Australia sports loving fans. About 3 or so more UFC events to hit Sydney within the next 4 years. 


PPV (Pay-Per-View) business models, offerings to get some revamp thanks to TKO (WWE and UFC) deal; What percentage of WWE fans also watch at least some UFC? A higher percentage than the amount of UFC fans who also watch some WWE! Not all exactly or speculative numbers are in the public domain and can we suggest some are hidden - at least in part. Back in the Optus Vision days we used to get our hands on much raw data, thanks to my old bosses and the marketing and PPV department. Many industries have trade secrets, much like the Google Algorithm or KFC's "eleven secret herbs and spices"!


Alt news and niche news finding audiences in Australia, US, Canada, Europe, while many in society has tuned out or largely turned off "TV News" and other "mainstream aka lamestream"; Sky News Australia 

@SkyNewsAust

 is an exception to the rule. Sky boasts an interaction with 11.1 million Aussie's each month. Multiplatform strategy works a charm, with quality and authentic journalism - funny about that hey!!! "Happy to help further spread the good and authentic news"..Anon journo type overheard around the watercooler.


24-hour News Cycle vs Always On via The Internet..


Too much news going on all the time? Part of the reason the Media Man Group often updates X 

@X

 (formally Twitter) and blogs such as Media Man Int Blogger and Media Man Blogger quicker than news going live to it's flagship websites.  Evergreen content strategy works a treat as well as unique perspectives and some gonzo journalism type reporting seldom found in mainstream news. The Google Algorithm is friendly to this business model so it's a Win-Win-Win!


Yes, we are still taking on some select PR and advertising campaigns. Email is if you have something you want the world to know about. There's an old expression that goes something like, "If you have the money we have the time"!


Seriously, we love the once great craft of journalism. The decline of the industry is well documented.. Hat's off to the authentic journos who continue to scribe and sniff out a good story. Journos vs AI! That's a big rabbit hole ain't it. 


Remember in this sometimes crazy world, Heath is wealth and time and energy are most valuable resources. 


LinkedIn: For more professional (whatever that is anyway) scribes and media presentation check us out via LinkedIn. Greg Tingle, Founder and Director, Media Man Int and Media Man Australia. LI is a MM multi-time 'Social Media Platform Of The Month' winner and finalist (and so it Twitter, now X, right Elon Musk and Linda Yaccarino.


Thanks for stopping by Media Man. Beach to Bush Telegraph via The Internet Superhighway. Wrestling and surfin' the web and beyond. Seagulls and Kangaroos ahead! 


#news #newsbiz #PopCulture #combatsports #WWE #UFC #TKO #WrestleMania #gonzo #gonzojournalism #onlinenews #watercooler #watercoolernews #newsroom #sky #skynews #realnews #realviews #nichenews #niche #agent #agency #scribe #blog #blogs #platforms #biz #balance #search #ai #letsgo #forthewin #AndStill #PPV #payperview #streaming #info #intel #scoops #RabbitHole #worldnews #mediabiz #adbiz #buzz #media #mediaman


SEO and online news developments on the horizon


Google to remove "How to (get) rich" results


Google working on another AI search engine


X (X Corp) working on "The Everything App"; Will have a fintech/online banking type functionality


Bloggers want X to have a full blown blogging solution


Will X also start selling website design and development packages ala Google Domains sale to Squarespace


More "alternative media" news websites and alt social media platforms rising up as much of society further moves away from "mainstream media" aka "legacy media"


Become the "go-to* on your line of business.


Build it and they will come (with the right SEO, SEM, meta-tags, webcode and patience)!


Have fun in biz or at work or it's just not worth it.


The winning mindset. Mindset is much of "The Secret"


Plug into trends and hot topics. Become part of the pop culture discussion!


Disrupt the market, unique selling points and solutions,.and seize the day!




Box Office News





Not exactly a record setting week for the movie/theatre biz but the show must go on!


'Nun II' maintains top spot in North American box office for another weekend.


The Nun II is the top movie in North America for a second weekend, earning an extra $14.7 million in receipts, Box Office Mojo has announced.


A Haunting in Venice - $14.5 million #AHauntingInVenice 

The Equalizer 3 - $7.2 million #TheEqualizer3 

My Big Fat Greek Wedding - $4.7 million #MyBigFatGreekWedding3 

Barbie - $4 million #BarbieTheMovie 

Jawan - $2.49 million #Jawan 

Blue Beetle - $2.48 million #BlueBeetle 

Gran Turismo - $2.4 million #GranTurismoMovie 

Oppenheimer - $2.1 million #Oppenheimer 

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem - $2 million #TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles 


#TheNun2 #popculture #movienews #boxoffice #movieboxoffice #entertainment #entertainmentnews #showbiz #biz #media



SEL YouTube September 2023


SEL's Nicola on YouTube AI. Alphabet/YouTube is on a roll..More great AI developments.. YouTube Shorts are working a charm for us. Brand logos/images rule.. Improved AI for content, movie and streaming show subtitles and more.. YouTube is now in contention for our 'Social Media Platform Of The Month' awards based on pure merit. YouTube getting on the front foot before X Corp goes ballistic with X and "The Everything App"..Will Amazon Prime Video, Dailymotion and/or Rumble have a counter hold and strike back at this? Stay tuned for the ongoing "social media wars" as we call them. The customer (and YouTube wins). 



SEJ Googles Search Relations September 2023


SEJ's Matt on domain names. Lots of considerations. All part of the branding experience and strategy. Many more elements to consider.. For example, we have a strong portfolio of names and websites and none of the names get old or out of date. The names from Media Man fit in with a wide array of matters, but it's obvious there's a strong news media perspective. Business and world conditions do change but news and media remains a staple of society and the web. Domain names and now websites remain very affordable so business entrepreneurs can take more risks without having to bet the ranch. Google Domains recently sold to Squarespace if you didn't hear already. That news broke approx 2 months ago. Keep spreading the risk, start spitfires and seize the day. Did we say be Google - Alphabet friendly? Yes, with the right amount of AI, X Corp, social media and so on. Trust the gut and use your head in the sometimes crazy world. Another winning number by Search Engine Journal. 



SEL Prepare For Season September 2023


SEL's Jonathan on peak season (for many, but not all) business, goods, services and other sectors. The vast majority of businesses have high and low sectors. We work in and around sports, combat sports, ads/pr, pop culture and related. An advantage of not having a shopfront, warehouse etc etc is the cost saving as well as risk minimization..In addition online news and information based outfits can plug into and generate what is widely know as "evergreen content"..For eg, this rich history of boxing, pro wrestling and martial arts never gets old or out of date. Sports business, sports memorabilia, sports content streaming and such remain popular all year round. This type of content can help drive online based sales of boxing and MMA gloves, mouthguards, home gyms, sports DVDs, ring attire and even broadcasting equipment such as podcast kits, Google Cast and you get the picture. Having previously owned a restaurant I'm all too aware of the challenges faced by many more traditional type businesses. SEO continues to be of benefit to most sectors. We're even helping out many agencies and their clients and associates with this as folks know the importance of it all year round. Spread the risk with paid, organic and other. Win-Win-Win!

Tuesday, September 12, 2023

Media Man Wrestling Blog: TKO Group

Media Man Wrestling Blog


ENDEAVOR ANNOUNCES CLOSE OF UFC® AND WWE® TRANSACTION TO CREATE TKO GROUP HOLDINGS, A PREMIUM SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY

September 12, 2023




New Company to Begin Trading Today, September 12, on the New York Stock Exchange Under “TKO” Ticker Symbol


BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. & STAMFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Endeavor Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: EDR) (“Endeavor”) and World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (previously NYSE: WWE) (“WWE”) today announced the close of their previously announced agreement and the launch of TKO Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: TKO) (“TKO”).


TKO brings together UFC, the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization, and WWE, an integrated media organization and the recognized global leader in sports entertainment, to create a new premium sports and entertainment company serving more than one billion young and diverse fans1, reaching viewers in 180 countries, and producing more than 350 annual live events. Through this combination, TKO will leverage Endeavor’s expertise in areas including domestic and international media rights, ticket sales and yield optimization, event operations, global partnerships, licensing, and premium hospitality to drive revenue growth.


“The creation of TKO marks an exciting new chapter for UFC and WWE as leaders in global sports and entertainment,” said Ariel Emanuel, CEO of Endeavor and TKO. “Given their continued connectivity to the Endeavor network, we are confident in our ability to accelerate their respective growth and unlock long-term sustainable value for shareholders. With UFC and WWE under one roof, we will provide unrivaled experiences for more than a billion passionate fans worldwide.”


“This is the culmination of a decades-long partnership between Endeavor and WWE across strategic initiatives including talent representation and media rights. Given our collaborative, trusted relationship and Endeavor’s incredible track record of success growing UFC, we believe WWE is optimally positioned for future growth and success as part of TKO,” said Vince McMahon, Executive Chairman of TKO. “Our focus remains on delivering for our fans across the globe as we take the business to the next level alongside UFC and Endeavor.”


TKO will begin trading today on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “TKO,” with Endeavor holding a 51% controlling interest in the new company and existing WWE shareholders holding a 49% interest in the new company, on a fully diluted basis.


Leadership Team


As previously announced, TKO is led by:


Ariel Emanuel, Chief Executive Officer, who continues as Chief Executive Officer of Endeavor;

Mark Shapiro, President and Chief Operating Officer, who continues as President and Chief Operating Officer of Endeavor;

Andrew Schleimer, Chief Financial Officer; and

Seth Krauss, Chief Legal Officer, who continues as Chief Legal Officer of Endeavor.

Dana White is now Chief Executive Officer of UFC and Lawrence Epstein remains Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of UFC. Nick Khan continues at WWE in the role of President.


The Board of Directors of TKO is led by Vince McMahon as Executive Chairman of the Board and consists of 11 members, including Mr. Emanuel, Mr. Shapiro, and Mr. Khan, in addition to the following directors:


Peter C.B. Bynoe, Senior Advisor at DLA Piper LLP;

Egon P. Durban, Co-Chief Executive Officer of Silver Lake;

Steven R. Koonin, Chief Executive Officer of the Atlanta Hawks, LLC;

Jonathan A. Kraft, President of the Kraft Group LLC;

Sonya E. Medina, President and Chief Executive Officer of Reach Resilience;

Nancy R. Tellem, Executive Chairperson and Chief Media Officer of Eko; and

Carrie Wheeler, Chief Executive Officer and a board member of Opendoor Technologies Inc.

Advisors


Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC served as financial advisors to Endeavor, Latham & Watkins LLP served as legal advisor to Endeavor, and Alvarez & Marsal served as integration advisor to Endeavor. The Raine Group served as lead financial advisor to WWE. J.P. Morgan and Moelis & Company LLC served as financial advisors to WWE. Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP served as legal advisor to WWE, and Kirkland & Ellis LLP served as legal advisor to WWE’s controlling stockholder, McMahon.


About Endeavor


Endeavor (NYSE: EDR) is a global sports and entertainment company, home to many of the world’s most dynamic and engaging storytellers, brands, live events and experiences. The company is comprised of industry leaders including entertainment agency WME; and sports, fashion, events and media company IMG. Endeavor is also the majority owner of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO), a premium sports and entertainment company comprising UFC and WWE. The Endeavor network specializes in talent representation, sports operations & advisory, event & experiences management, media production & distribution, experiential marketing and brand licensing.


About TKO


TKO Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: TKO) is a premium sports and entertainment company that comprises UFC, the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization, and WWE, an integrated media organization and the recognized global leader in sports entertainment. Together, our organizations reach more than 1 billion TV households in approximately 180 countries, and we organize more than 350 live events year-round, attracting over one million fans. TKO is majority owned by Endeavor Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: EDR), a global sports and entertainment company.


About UFC®


UFC® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 700 million fans and 228 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to over 900 million TV households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 80 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO), and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok: @UFC.


About WWE®


WWE, part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO), is an integrated media organization and the recognized global leader in sports entertainment. The company consists of a portfolio of businesses that create and deliver original content 52 weeks a year to a global audience. WWE is committed to family-friendly entertainment on its television programming, premium live events, digital media, and publishing platforms. WWE’s TV-PG programming can be seen in more than 1 billion homes worldwide in 25 languages through world-class distribution partners including NBCUniversal, FOX Sports, TNT Sport, Sony India and Rogers. The award-winning WWE Network includes all premium live events, scheduled programming and a massive video-on-demand library and is currently available in more than 180 countries. In the United States, NBCUniversal’s streaming service, Peacock, is the exclusive home to WWE Network. Additional information on WWE can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com.


Website Disclosure


Investors and others should note that TKO announces material financial and operational information to its investors using press releases, SEC filings and public conference calls and webcasts, as well as its Investor Relations site at investor.tkogrp.com. TKO may also use its website as a distribution channel of material information about the Company. In addition, you may automatically receive email alerts and other information about TKO, UFC and WWE when you enroll your email address by visiting the “Investor Email Alerts” option under the Resources tab on investor.tkogrp.com.


Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements


This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements generally include statements regarding transaction between Endeavor and WWE resulting in the formation and launch of TKO, including statements regarding expected synergies, impacts and benefits of the transaction, future opportunities, and other statements regarding TKO’s future expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows, or future events or performance. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this communication may be forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as “may,” “will,” “outlook,” “should,” “expects,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “could,” “intends,” “targets,” “projects,” “contemplates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “potential” or “continue” or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions. The forward-looking statements in this communication are only predictions. Endeavor and TKO management have based these forward-looking statements largely on their current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that management believes may affect its business, financial condition and results of operations. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from what is expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to: there may be difficulties with the integration and in realizing the expected benefits of the transaction; Endeavor and TKO may need to use resources that are needed in other parts of its business to do so; there may be liabilities that are not known, probable or estimable at this time; integration of the UFC and WWE businesses may result in the diversion of management’s time and attention; expected synergies and operating efficiencies attributable to the transaction may not be achieved within its expected time-frames or at all; there may be significant integration costs in connection with the transaction; and risks inherent to the business may result in additional strategic and operational risks, which may impact Endeavor’s and TKO’s risk profiles, which each company may not be able to mitigate effectively. In addition, a number of important factors could cause Endeavor’s or TKO’s actual future results and other future circumstances to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements, including but not limited to those important factors discussed in Part I, Item 1A “Risk Factors” in Endeavor’s or WWE’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, as any such factors may be updated from time to time in other filings with the SEC, including without limitation, Endeavor’s and WWE’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended June 30, 2023, WWE’s final prospectus on Form 424(b)(3) filed with the SEC on August 22, 2023 as any such factors may be further updated from time to time in TKO’s other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), accessible on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov and TKOs investor relations site at investor.tkogrp.com. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made and, except as may be required under applicable law, neither Endeavor nor TKO undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.


1 Derived from third-party survey data and are based on (i) adults age 18 or older who indicated a Top 2 Box score (i.e., chose one of the two most favorable response options) when surveyed regarding UFC and WWE, respectively, and (ii) internet users age 16-64 who indicated they “regularly follow” or “regularly watch” when surveyed regarding UFC and WWE, respectively.


Investor Contacts:

For Endeavor

James Marsh

investor@endeavorco.com


For WWE

Seth Zaslow

seth.zaslow@wwecorp.com


For TKO

Seth Zaslow

investor@tkogrp.com


Media Contacts:

For Endeavor

Brunswick Group

Endeavor@brunswickgroup.com


For WWE

Chris Legentil

chris.legentil@wwecorp.com


For TKO

press@tkogrp.com


Source: Endeavor Group Holdings

Saturday, September 9, 2023

Media Man Wrestling Blog: Pop Culture News

Media Man Wrestling Blog


MMA/Pro Wrestling News


UFC  And WWE  To Close Merger Next Week, Make New York Stock Exchange Debut As TKO Group










UFC  And WWE  To Close Merger Next Week, Make New York Stock Exchange Debut As TKO Group


UFC remains world's number one combat sports promotion in almost all metrics

WWE remains world's number one pro wrestling promotion in all metrics


Endeavor Group management enjoyed strong relationship and mutual respect for WWE's Vince McMahon many years ago; Led to official talks...


UFC parent Endeavor Group and WWE advised they expect to close the planned merger of UFC and WWE on September 12th. That’s ahead of schedule as Endeavor stated in August it expected the deal to close in mid-to-late September. This can be viewed as a positive sign.


Endeavor and WWE announced a deal last spring for the Ari Emanuel-led firm to take control of WWE and merge it into a new, stand-alone entity with UFC. The pro wrestling and mixed martial arts powerhouse will be called TKO Group Holdings and trade on the New York Stock Exchange. Valued at $21 billion, TKO will be a subsidiary of Endeavor, with 51% control. WWE (Raw, SmackDown) will control 49%.


Emanuel will be CEO. Dana White will continue as president of UFC.


Vince McMahon, WWE’s longtime leader, executive chairman and major shareholder, who masterminded the deal with Endeavor, was set as executive chair of the new company’s board. In early August, WWE announced federal law enforcement agents had executed a search warrant and served a federal grand jury subpoena on McMahon although no charges had been brought. WWE CEO Nick Khan also advised then that McMahon was on a medical leave of absence until further notice following spinal surgery.


WWE launched an internal probe of McMahon in 2022 to investigate allegations of payments to women, which it found had totaled close to $20 million and that caused it to revise several quarterly financial statements. The probe concluded last November and McMahon paid the company $17.4 million for costs incurred.


“As previously disclosed on June 17, 2022, a Special Committee of the Board of Directors was formed on June 15, 2022 to investigate allegations of misconduct by Vince McMahon. As previously disclosed, the Special Committee investigation was completed during the fourth quarter of 2022. However, related government investigations remain ongoing,” the company said in SEC filing August 2.


The vast majority of pro wrestling fans and media are excited about the merger. Some staff in the WWE are understood to have some mixed feelings with the deal as in the history of company mergers it's not uncommon for some jobs to be lost for cost efficiencies. The higher one performers, in the ring, and/or in the office and corporate environment, the safer their job would likely be. 


Staff, management and wrestlers continue to step up to impress the powers that be. At this stage nobody wants to hear the famous words heard from time to time, "We wish you well with your future endeavours".


Buzz remains strong for the WWE coming off record breaking numbers for a string of its recent premium live events (formally known as Pay-Per-Views), and the UFC  is currently presenting a very solid card in Australia - UFC 293, coming off Fight Week down under. UFC media and media related events have been packed and have achieved worldwide and strong industry news coverage. You can bet the UFC (and WWE) powers that be are watching closely - we already know they follow the news, online news and social media buzz. 


Little wonder wrestlers and legends to be such as John Cena, Grayson Waller and Logan Paul fit so well into the WWE marketing and media machine. Pub, sports bar, watercooler and cafe talk includes potential dream matches with the UFC's 'Bam Bam' (into The Bloodline), Volk vs Stone Cold Steve Austin, and Sean Strickland has the "killer heel or mega babyface" persona, just as long as WWE PR can control the beast. Everything is a risk, especially in the world of MMA meets UFC, but TKO and the brains trust has managed things beautifully over the course of this history making deal says Media Man.


Pro Wrestling and USA Wrestling News Update


Gable Steveson @GableSteveson  Steps Back from 2023 World Championships


USA Wrestling has revealed that 2020 Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson will not be participating in the upcoming 2023 Senior World Championships set for September 16-24 in Belgrade, Serbia. Steveson, a Minneapolis native, had previously signaled his return to freestyle wrestling with a victory at the 2023 U.S. Open in Las Vegas and a subsequent win at Final X in Newark, N.J.


Steveson has appeared on the NXT @WWENXT pro wrestling broadcast a handful of time over the past year.  He's done some promos, one or two match interference and had officially one match. The sports legend has a love and passion for pro wrestling and the NXT contract has enabled more financial stability.


Steveson's absence from the tournament clears the way for Mason Parris to step in as his replacement in the 125 kg men's freestyle category. Based in Ann Arbor, Mich., Parris holds number 2 position on the 2023-24 U.S. Senior Men’s Freestyle National Team. This event marks his inaugural appearance at a Senior World Championships representing Team USA.


2020 Olympic champion Gable Steveson (Minneapolis, Minn./Gopher WC RTC) has notified USA Wrestling that he will not be competing in the 2023 Senior World Championships at 125 kg in Belgrade, Serbia in September.


Replacing Steveson in the 125 kg position in men’s freestyle at the World Championships is Final X runner-up Mason Parris (Ann Arbor, Mich./Titan Mercury WC/Cliff Keen WC). Parris, who is No. 2 on the 2023-24 U.S. Senior Men’s Freestyle National Team, will be competing in his first Senior World Championships for Team USA.


Steveson returned to freestyle wrestling for the first time since the Olympic Games in Tokyo when he won the 2023 U.S. Open in Las Vegas in April, then secured his position on the 2023 U.S. Senior World Team with his victory at Final X in Newark, N.J. in June.


Parris will compete at the Senior World Championships in Belgrade, Serbia, September 16 and 17.


Parris was a 2019 Junior World champion in men’s freestyle at 125 kg, competing in Tallin, Estonia. Other freestyle achievements include a 2022 U.S. Senior Open title, runner-up in 2023 Final X, second place at the 2023 U.S. Open, runner-up at the 2021 World Team Trials and a third-place finish at the 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials. Parris most recently won a gold medal at the United World Wrestling Ranking Tournament in Hungary.


He has a 2023 NCAA champion for Michigan at 285 pounds. Parris won the 2023 Dan Hodge Trophy as the nation’s top college wrestler, going undefeated for the Wolverines with a 33-0 record, with 21 bonus point wins.


Parris was a 2021 NCAA runner-up. He was also fifth in the 2022 NCAA Championships. In 2020, when the NCAA Championships were cancelled, Parris was named NWCA First-Team All-American.


A native of Lawrenceburg, Ind., Parris won three Indiana state high school titles for Lawrenceburg High School.


News


Streaming vs Cable Channel news; Writers Strike shines more light; Streaming entertainment disruption to business models afoot




Most U.S and global streaming services continue to be unprofitable, with Neflix being the exception, with most studios still shooting for 2025 to break even. The subscriber televison business continues to decline in quality most people believe, but not all will admit. Sports and news media channels continue to seek out other options and business models. 


On Friday morning, Charter Communications held a conference call with Wall Street analysts where it said it was prepared to abandon its video business if it couldn’t come to a “transformative” deal with The Walt Disney Co. to try and salvage the pay TV bundle. The company is one of the top pay TV providers domestically, with 14.7 million subscribers — just short of leader Comcast’s 14.9 million but above satellite rivals DirecTV (12.3 million) and Dish (6.9 million). Charter, like those other pay TV firms, has also lost video subs, about 200,000, in its latest quarter, per a Leichtman Research tally.


“We’re on the edge of a precipice. We’re either moving forward with a new collaborative video model, or we’re moving on,” Charter CEO Chris Winfrey said on the call. “This is not a typical carriage dispute. It’s significant for Charter, and we think it’s even more significant for programmers and the broader video ecosystem.”


Charter, in a Powerpoint presentation that accompanied the call, wrote that “programmers are caught in a self-imposed dilemma as they have moved content to their DTC products for short-term profit maximization and their management teams are not incentivized to drive business for the long-term,” arguing that studios like Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery chose to wreck their pay TV business (by moving most original shows to subscription video on-demand services, and pushing for higher and higher fees for sports channels) to pursue the streaming riches that Netflix promised.


“As an industry we failed to come together quickly to create that consumer friendly product,” Winfrey said. “Programmers then made high value content available for anyone to access on websites, and soon thereafter through emerging streaming applications such as Hulu, which was initially free. At the same time programmers believed that their content libraries could create so called incremental streaming service revenues by selling this content to Netflix.”


Media Man Wrap-Up


Something is going to give. It's a perfect storm approaching. This comes are most streaming TV viewers globally are turning off the paid services in favor of other freed channels such as Tubi @Tubi , YouTube @YouTube /YouTube Movies, and seeking out other TV streaming channels with more legacy content such as Australia's SBS On Demand @SBSOnDemand   Some people are even focussing more on making more of their own content, or just spending more time in nature, at the beach and in non- tech endeavors.

(Sources: Wires, AP, The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, Charter Communications, The Wall Street Journal and X @X (formally Twitter buzz)



Bitcoin/Cryptocurrent News


Elon Musk Revealed To Be ‘Quietly’ Funding Crypto Rival To Bitcoin Amid Price Crash


Elon Musk, the TeslaTSLA @Tesla billionaire who embarked on a mission to transform Twitter into the X "everything app" last year, has been eyeing a major "PayPal update" that could cause bitcoin and crypto price chaos.


The bitcoin price rally this year has stalled in recent weeks—though crypto traders are braced for a "crazy" September—dragging down crypto prices and Elon Musk's "fav" bitcoin rival dogecoin, a meme-based fork of bitcoin created as a "joke."


Now, Musk has been revealed to have been "quietly" funding dogecoin development—even as the dogecoin price has collapsed 90% from its all-time high, crashing along with bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.


Before snatching Twitter (now X @X ) last year for a staggering $44 billion, Musk considered creating "a new social-media platform based on the blockchain" that "could have a payment system using dogecoin, the semi-serious cryptocurrency whose development he had been quietly funding," Musk biographer Walter Isaacson wrote in an excerpt of his new book, titled simply Elon Musk, published in the Wall Street Journal.


The level of Musk's funding or investment in dogecoin isn't clear but he has previously said he wants to "upgrade" dogecoin to "beat bitcoin hands down" and "become the currency of Earth."


In July, Musk, who has said he personally owns the cryptocurrencies bitcoin, ethereum and dogecoin, quietly added the dogecoin Ð symbol to his X account amid a flurry of interactions with dogecoin fan accounts—with bitcoin and crypto market watchers predicting Musk's plans for X could be an "absolute game-changer."


Dogecoin which blasted into the crypto top ten in 2021 alongside a meme and influencer-fueled rally, crashed back along with the bitcoin price and other major cryptocurrencies through 2022 but has held onto some of its gains, making the combined dogecoin network worth around $9 billion.


In recent months, Musk has reportedly been plotting with Wall Street executives to turn X (Twitter) into an "updated version of PayPal" and has recently been on a state money transmitting license acquiring spree.


So customers, are you ready for "The Everything App" with crypto plus on the side and much more from X Corp! 



Quotes in the spirit of UFC Fight Week down under in Sydney, Australia


The Art Of War, by Sun Tzu


“Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win”


“If you know the enemy and you know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles"


"If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter" - George Washington


"War - An act of violence whose object is to constrain the enemy, to accomplish our will" - George Washington



Combat Sports News:


UFC @UFC 293. Sunday, 10th September, 2023 Sydney, Australia  


Israel Adesanya aka "The Cringe Lord" per SS quote, or aka "The Stylebender" vs Sean Strickland @SStricklandMMA aka "Tarzan" for The Middleweight Title  


The vast majority of Aussie fight fans have really taken a liking to Tarzan er Strickland, whose verbal punches sting almost as hard as his hits in the Octagon (or on the street or anywhere else).


USA/Australian Alliance vs China for the main event says some segments of fans and news media; Not much mention of New Zealand. Monster vs Nails and 'The Puppy King'.  Cheers to a hell of a tough fight for the (current) champ and challenger.


Tai "Bam Bam" Tuivasa @bambamtuivasa vs Alexander Volkov @AlexDragoVolkov


Combat Sports News


UFC  293. Sunday, 10th September, 2023

Sydney, Australia


Israel Adesanya @stylebender  vs Sean Strickland @SStricklandMMA for The Middleweight Title


Tai Tuivasa @bambamtuivasa vs Alexander Volkov @AlexDragoVolkov  


Manel Kape vs Felipe dos Santos


Justin Tafa vs Austen Lane


Tyson Pedro sv Anton Turkalj


Undercard:


Carlos Ulberg vs Jung Da-Un


Jack Jenkins vs Chepe Mariscal


Jamie Mullarkey vs John Makdessi


Nasrat Haqparast vs Landon Quinones


Mike Mathetha vs Charlie Radtke


Shane Young vs Gabriel Miranda


Kevin Jousset vs Kiefer Crosbie




Wrestling and Surfing Connection!


Hulk Hogan  tells Joe Rogan


"Wishes He Was Laird Hamilton". "I wanted to be him."

"That's the surfer guy right?" Hogan asks.

"Yeah, he's a freak, like a real physical freak. The guy's a maniac about training and recovery and nutrition," Rogan answers.

"This is really gonna sound weird to say because I've never admitted this in front of anybody, but I wanted to be him."

Rogan : "You wanted to be Laird Hamilton?"

"When I saw him ride those big waves bro. That big, tall, blond guy that was built like crazy. I said, man, I could have been him instead of me". Hogan.

"That's crazy, 'cause you're Hulk Hogan," Rogan says.

"Could you imagine riding one of those waves, bro? The rush?"

"I have several friends who are big wave surfers and I am in awe" Rogan.

"On a short board. I mean that's insane. Bro, you fall off, you might not come out of that thing". Hogan.

"Do you surf?" Rogan's co-host.

Hogan says his former lawyer, who was president of the Malibu Surf Club, taught him to surf on "little baby two to three-foot breakers."

He'd also rent boards and surf Diamond Head when he'd visit Hawaii.

Video/Audio via Spotify

Wrestling and Surfing Connection!


Hulk Hogan @HulkHogan tells Joe Rogan @joerogan : 


"Wishes He Was Laird Hamilton". "I wanted to be him."

"That's the surfer guy right?" Hogan asks.

"Yeah, he's a freak, like a real physical freak. The guy's a maniac about training and recovery and nutrition," Rogan answers.

"This is really gonna sound weird to say because I've never admitted this in front of anybody, but I wanted to be him."

Rogan : "You wanted to be Laird Hamilton?"

"When I saw him ride those big waves bro. That big, tall, blond guy that was built like crazy. I said, man, I could have been him instead of me". Hogan.

"That's crazy, 'cause you're Hulk Hogan," Rogan says.

"Could you imagine riding one of those waves, bro? The rush?"

"I have several friends who are big wave surfers and I am in awe" Rogan.

"On a short board. I mean that's insane. Bro, you fall off, you might not come out of that thing". Hogan.

"Do you surf?" Rogan's co-host.

Hogan says his former lawyer, who was president of the Malibu Surf Club, taught him to surf on "little baby two to three-foot breakers."

He'd also rent boards and surf Diamond Head when he'd visit Hawaii.

Video/Audio via Spotify