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Wednesday, December 25, 2024 Issue #7441
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Visit our website at http://www.wrestling-online.com
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//->> OPENING WORDS FROM THE EDITOR

Not the super news day that I thought it would be. So here it goes Ho! Ho! Ho!

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//->> NEWS FROM THE WRESTLING-ONLINE NEWSWIRE
Web version at http://www.wrestling-online.com/

CM PUNK AT NETFLIX NFL GAME

- WWE Superstar CM Punk showed up at the Steelers vs Chiefs NFL pre-game show on Netflix on Christmas Day to promote the upcoming WWE move to the streaming giant. Punk, in a dark three-piece suit and blue tie, said just like the football world is excited to be on Netflix, he and WWE are also excited to be part of the Netflix family come January 6. "I think we have a tremendous global reach that’s only going to be compounded by being on Netflix, and that’s going to reach a lot of people," Punk said. "I’m very excited!" The Miz was also one of the celebrities who wished Netflix viewers happy holidays during the pre-show, followed by a new Raw commercial. Netflix is airing their first two NFL games today as part of their expansion into live broadcasting, with the Christmas Gameday graphic taking over the Netflix front page worldwide.

BECKY LYNCH FEATURED IN NEW RAW ON NETFLIX COMMERCIAL

- Before CM Punk appeared on the panel to promote WWE's move to Netflix earlier today, a new Raw commercial aired which showed Becky Lynch. The new commercial, which was filmed several weeks ago during a busy day with several WWE Superstars on hand, offered a quick glimpse of Lynch, wearing all black, with a graphic of a goat and GOAT on the back as she looked at the camera in a menacing look. Lynch has not been part of the WWE roster since her final match at the end of May against Liv Morgan on Raw. Her contract ran out on June 1 and opted not to re-sign with the company at the time. During her time away, Lynch joined the cast of the new Star Trek: Starfleet Academy series which will air on Paramount+ next year. She is credited under her real name of Rebecca Quin in the series. The commercial also featured Cody Rhodes, Roman Reigns, Jey Uso, Gunther, Liv Morgan, Bayley, Bianca Belair, and others. You can see the new commercial at https://www.wrestling-online.com/wwe/becky-lynch-featured-in-brand-new-raw-on-netflix-commercial/.

EDDY THROPE ADDED TO NXT TITLE MATCH AT NEW YEAR'S EVIL

- Following the controversial ending of last week's NXT championship match which ended in a double pin, Eddy Thorpe will get another crack at the title at the New Year's Evil show. The original match between Williams and Iron Survivor Challenge Oba Femi is now a triple threat match which also includes Thorpe now. The match was announced last night on NXT, with Williams agreeing to turn this into a triple threat and NXT General Manager Ava making an appearance to sign off on it. The segment ended with all three in the ring brawling and eventually Femi standing tall over both Williams and Thorpe, holding up the NXT title above his shoulder. NXT New Year's Evil show will take place on January 7 on CW and will stream live on Netflix for international subscribers.

TRIBUTE TO THE TROOPS QUIETLY GOES AWAY

- Christmas is here and one WWE broadcast which was synonymous with spreading the Christmas cheer did not make it on the air this time around, and that's the annual Tribute to the Troops. Since 2003, WWE has held a Tribute to the Troops show every single year although the 2019 edition did not air on television. Since its inception, there were 20 television broadcasts with WWE Superstars sharing the screen with various armed forces of the United States. It's a concept that was floated by former WWE champion John "Bradshaw" Layfield to then-WWE Chairman Vince McMahon, and McMahon ran with it, holding the first seven Tribute to the Troops events in war zones in Iraq and Afghanistan, before moving the event Stateside in 2010. Since 2010, WWE held it at major arenas and military bases depending on the location, with hundreds of U.S. service members surrounding the ring in uniform. But the 2024 holidays came and unlike previous years, there were no mention at all of Tribute to the Troops and it looks like the event, although popular with the military, will not continue moving forward. The event got WWE several awards along the years, with the USO Legacy of Hope awarded in 2004, the Three-Commander Coin Award from the Army and Air Force Exchange Service, the Secretary of Defense Exceptional Public Service Award which was awarded to Vince McMahon who then gave it to JBL for the idea of the show, and the Corporate Patriot Award at the GI Film Festival. Both President George W. Bush and Barrack Obama also recorded custom messages which aired in the 2008, 2011, and 2012 episodes of the show.

CHRISTMAS DYNAMITE ON 34TH STREET TONIGHT ON TBS

- AEW will be spreading the Christmas cheer tonight with Dynamite on 34th Street, a special edition of the show from the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City airing at 8PM ET on TBS. The show is built around the final five matches from the Continental Classic tournament where the top two finalists from each league will become clear after tonight. In the gold league, there will be three matches including Will Ospreay vs Brody King, Claudio Castagnoli vs Komander, and Darby Allin vs Ricochet. The blue league has two matches left with Kazuchika Okada vs Shelton Benjamin and Kyle Fletcher vs Daniel Garcia. Also set for tonight is Toni Storm vs Taya Valkyrie.

TNT OFFERS AEW-INSPIRED FIREPLACE-REPLACEMENT VIDEO

- If you have a big TV but no fireplace at home, you can make it look - and sound - like one thanks to TNT's YouTube channel which made an excellent background for wrestling fans for this special day. The live broadcast has Hangman Adam Page drinking whiskey on a loop, sitting in front of Swerve Strickland's old house as it burns in flames, with cozy crackling fire sounds that replicate the fireplace you're missing at home. Page has so far taken thousands of sips from the never-ending whiskey glass and still looks in great shape despite the alcohol intake. It's expected that Page will continue to drink in front of the burning home for hours to come, quite possibly until the end of the Christmas Day. So what are you waiting for, head over to https://www.youtube.com/live/3LJsEC_m4T8 and put this on the background on your television for your Christmas family lunch!

AEW ENTRIES POP UP ON MAX

- A week before it makes its streaming debut on Max, AEW entries have popped up on the Warner Bros. Discovery streaming service. The Dynamite graphic features MJF, Swerve Strickland, Jon Moxley, Mercedes Mone, and Will Ospreay while the Collision graphic has Mariah May, Orange Cassidy, Christian Cage, Darby Allin, and Willow Nightingale. The Fight For The Fallen Dynamite will be the first AEW live simulcast on Max on Wednesday, January 1, 2025. Both Dynamite and Collision will be streaming live on Max from now onwards as part of the new AEW TV media rights deal with WBD.


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