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SPOILER: show

Originally Posted by Observer Regarding Undertaker and The Rock at WrestleMania, there is nothing new on either front. Given that John Cena is in the Elimination Chamber, if Cena vs. Undertaker is the plan, and it was the plan as of a few weeks ago, it would make no sense to shoot the angle until the Chamber is over and Cena hasn’t won. As of last week, the plans were Charlotte Flair vs. Asuka for the Smackdown title and Bliss vs. Jax for the Raw title for WrestleMania. However, on TV this week, Angle said that if Jax beats Asuka on the PPV show, that the Mania match would become Bliss vs. Jax vs. Asuka. Last week the idea was that Asuka hadn’t said which title she would challenge for, nor would she until after the Chamber match. This week Angle outright said she was in the Raw title match. Whether that’s a change of plans or they were looking to throw the fans off scent, isn’t clear. They could do a disputed finish with Asuka vs. Jax, because Asuka beating Jax and then Bliss vs. Jax stemming from it, while it can be done, doesn’t seem the best way to do it. Jax beating Asuka to end her streak before Asuka faces either Flair or Rousey makes even less sense. Jason Jordan’s surgery was a posterior cervical microdiscectomy, to decompress the nerve issue that caused the problems. There was no report on a return date but we’re told that Jordan vs. Rollins at WrestleMania is not a dead issue, but it’s far from a certainty.

Spoiler tag used since its related to possible Mania plans.

Originally Posted by Observer In an interview that was posted on WWE.com today, it was revealed that Serena Deeb has joined the Performance Center as a coach. Deeb told WWE.com that she'll be a coach for the women's wrestlers and the goal is that she'll eventually be teaching her own class. After retiring in 2015, Deeb wrestled twice in the Mae Young Classic last summer. PWInsider reported last month that she was at the Performance Center after previously being spotted in Pittsburgh, which they noted was possibly to undergo medical testing ahead of returning to WWE in some capacity. "The offer presented itself initially almost a year ago," Deeb said. "It was pre-Mae Young Classic. I knew of the tournament and was aware of it, and then I was contacted by the company to see if I had any interest in being one of the talent in the tournament, but it was also coupled with the idea of potentially coming in as a coach following the tournament." "The tournament was the first stop on the tracks, and following that, I came back in a week in the fall for an official coaching tryout, and following that, it was pretty quickly offered," Deeb said.

Link: http://www.wwe.com/shows/wwenxt/arti...oach-interview

Originally Posted by Observer The subject of Ronda Rousey's contract was probably the biggest news outside of the financial figures covered at the WWE investors call this morning, along with strong hints regarding multiple suitors for the television deal that expires in the United States in September 2019. Paul Levesque said that they are finalizing the Rousey contract right now and that it was a multi-year deal. WWE will be her priority and will be the first option on her schedule. He said that Rousey wants to be part of the DNA of the WWE ... As far as the numbers went, WWE produced more revenue in the fourth quarter, at $211.6 million, than ever before, but overall profits were down. WWE profits for the quarter were $4.8 million, although that was largely due to $18.9 million in income taxes in the quarter. In 2016, the quarter generated $194.9 million in revenue and $8.0 million in profits, but the tax was $4.8 million. For the year, WWE produced a record $801 million in revenue and generated $32.6 million in profits. In 2016 they generated $729.2 million in revenue and $33.8 million in profits ... The decline in profits was due to a one-time charge of $11.3 million from the enactment of a new tax law, $10.9 million of which was a non-cash charge due to the remeasurement of deferred tax assets and $400,000 regarding foreign earnings. However, Donald Trump's new tax law change will greatly benefit the company in 2018 and lead to a significant increase in profits. It is a virtual lock that profits will finally break past the pre-Network numbers in 2018. So while profits were slightly down this year, normalized they would have been up, although still below pre-Network years ... In the fourth quarter, there were declines in profits of arena events, largely due to running two fewer shows and mostly due to a significantly less successful European tour. Also down were profits in arena merchandise and a slight decline in WWE Shop profits even though revenue in that sector was up. On December 31st, the WWE Network had 1,065,000 U.S. subscribers, 406,000 subscribers outside the U.S., and 76,000 people getting it for free, for a total of 1,547,000. One year earlier, the Network had 1,033,000 U.S. subscribers, 370,000 subscribers outside the U.S., and 70,000 people getting it for free, for a total of 1,473,000. The outside growth was due to it being available in more places ... During the fourth quarter, there were 413,000 people who dropped the Network and 377,000 who added, for an overall decline of 36,000. Last year's fourth quarter saw a decline of 41,000.

The most interesting thing from the entire report is WWE's profits still have yet to reach pre-Network levels which shows how much of a money drain its been to the company and why all those free sub offers are not helping. Trump's new tax plan is likely going to be the only reason why the next fiscal report will be able to post a pre-Network level of profit.

Originally Posted by PWI Vince McMahon said she fits in with what they are doing now. Stephanie McMahon said that they’ve seen the women go to main event performers and revenue driver. She brought up the first-women’s bout ever in Abu Dhabi leading to a “This is hope” chant from men and women. The fan response for the women, Rousey included, exploded in terms of social media and engagement. The segments with the women are proving to be some of the highest rated segments. Vince McMahon said it all shows what the women’s evolution means to them. Stephanie said everyone, including their media partners, have great interest in the movement. The audience demanded it and their women are rising to the occasion with every opportunity. Triple H said that the increased popularity in the women’s division has led to Ronda wanting to be involved and be part of this globally around the world. It’s just starting to attract women like Ronda in wanting to be involved in WWE.

More from today's investors meeting dealing with the growth of the Women'd division and it becoming a new revenue driver for the company. More details from the rest of the meeting: https://www.pwinsider.com/article/11...erage.html?p=1

Originally Posted by Observer Evolve on 2/17 in Queens, NY has Sabre Jr. vs. Theory for the Evolve title, Lee vs. AR Fox for the WWN title, Dickinson & Jaka vs. The End for the tag titles, Matt Riddle vs. James Drake, Tracy Williams vs. Anthony Henry, Fred Yehi vs. Dom Garrini and Darby Allin vs Jason Kincaid vs Jarek 1:20. For Stardom on Saturday night, the main event is Io Shrai & AZM vs. Momo Watanabe & HZK, who are members of Queen's Quest facing each other. Big Time Wrestling on 3/30 in Altoona, PA at the Jaffa Shrine has James Ellsworth vs. Emma (billed under that name) with Mick Foley as the special enforcer plus appearances by Mark Henry, Tony Atlas and Hurricane Helms. William Corgan's Lightning One has introduced the NWA Network audio platform. Episode One “Fortune Favors The Brave,” focuses on the famous Ten Pounds of Gold and the man who currently holds it, Nick Aldis.

NWA: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/...k/id1346415923

Originally Posted by PWI This morning, New Japan Pro Wrestling announced CHAOS (Kazuchika Okada & Jay White & Will Ospreay) vs. Bullet Club (Young Bucks & Cody Rhodes) as the main event for 2/18 in Sydney, Australia.

Link: https://twitter.com/njpwaus/status/9...rc=twsrc%5Etfw

Originally Posted by Observer All Japan Pro Wrestling announced its own streaming service, “All Japan Pro Wrestling TV,” debuting in March. The price will be 900 yen per month ($8.17). No other details were given but when it comes to All Japan, one can argue that when it comes to actual great matches, it has the potential to have the best library of any company in the world, since almost all of its great matches from 1972 on were taped, and at many times in the 70s, 80s and 90s, they had the best wrestling in the world. The service will go into effect just before the annual Champion Carnival tournament, which take place between 4/7 and 4/30. This looks to be one of the most loaded tournament since the glory days of the promotion with a number of key outsiders including Naomichi Marufuji, Shingo Takagi and Yuji Hino.

Originally Posted by Observer The never-ending Impact pay issues are that now the checks come six weeks after the appearance and some guys now, since Impact is booking guys for indie dates, are mad at losing their own indie dates where they’ll get paid that night and working indie dates for Impact where they’ll be paid six weeks later instead

Originally Posted by Observer There have been people now openly talking about next year’s WrestleMania at MetLife Stadium (before it was something talked about, but not in public to fans), so one would think the official announcement should come soon

Originally Posted by Observer Currently there are 8,000 tickets sold for Elimination Chamber on 2/25 in Las Vegas at the T Mobile Arena, so it won’t be close to a legit sellout. The Raw on 2/12 in San Jose only has a 7,000 ticket advance, which for this market is very soft. For 2/19 and 2/20, they are doing both Raw and Smackdown in Phoenix. There are combined tickets and such to help Smackdown in particular and the expectations right now are about 8,500 for Raw and 6,500 for Smackdown. The house shows coming up this weekend in California don’t have strong advances. The one thing that is different this year from the past is that January through end of March is the season, where everything is up. But this year the house shows have been well below expectations and the Raws seem that way as well

Originally Posted by Observer The key to Rousey is more about Stephanie McMahon, which is why they want that super high-profile match (and if they can get Johnson, it makes it even more high-profile). Stephanie McMahon is a big star in wrestling, but she is not a mainstream star at all. It was explained to me that the key in all this goes back to what made Vince McMahon a big star, which was the program with Steve Austin, and what made Steve Austin a breakthrough star past being a pro wrestling top guy, which was hardly an interview at King of the Ring or the WrestleMania match with Bret Hart, as legend has it, but the angle in Fresno with Mike Tyson. Rousey is a major sports star. The idea that she was the single most searched female athlete in the U.S. on the Internet in 2017, a year she never competed and for the most part laid low in, speaks volumes. The idea for the program is to make Stephanie a star outside of just the pro wrestling world.

Originally Posted by WrestleInc The next WWE 24 special will once again feature the Women's Evolution. It is titled, WWE 24: Women's Evolution 2. A premiere date has not yet been revealed. The first WWE 24: Women's Evolution aired in August of 2016 and focused on the Women's Division having a primary spot on the WrestleMania 32 card.

Some other sheet news includes:

• ROH announced they will be airing a free live stream of tomorrow Honor Reigns Supreme show starting at 7PM EST. https://www.pwinsider.com/article/11...tails.html?p=1
• Edge announced The Drifter will be this week's guest for the Edge & Christian podcast show.
• As part of recent tradition, WWE recently sent replica WWE Championship belts to the Philadelphia Eagles as celebrations of their Super Bowl win. One of the belts was displayed during the team's championship parade.
• PROGRESS announced the card for their upcoming Chapter 63 show features a tag team match of British Strong Style (Trent Seven & Pete Dunne) vs. David Starr & Matt Riddle. https://twitter.com/ThisIs_Progress/...78574049783809
• Daily Star had a recent interview with Braun Strowman talking about the stiff punch he took from Lesnar at the Royal Rumble, being a Big Man wrestler in today's wrestling, and teaming with Alexa Bliss. http://www.wrestlinginc.com/wi/news/...h-alexa-bliss/
• CBS Local Sports had a recent interview with Edge talking about Paige's neck injury, if Cena or Rock is the better actor, remaining life goals. http://www.wrestlinginc.com/wi/news/...n-ring-career/

Some stuff from TPWW Frontpage:

• WWE Licenses Broken Hardys Content From Impact
• WWE Fastlane Main Event to Be a Fatal 4-Way, Adding Corbin or Ziggler
• Triple H May Gain More Control in WWE Because of the XFL