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Major League Wrestling has signed a deal with BeIn Sports to bring a Spanish language version of the MLW: FUSION series on beIN SPORTS en Español. This is being seen internally as a big clearance for MLW, potentially doubling the size of the series' weekly audience as as beIN en Español has a very strong audience thanks to their boxing and soccer rights. The first episode will debut this Tuesday and will be airing in the United States (including Puerto Rico) and Canada. Konnan, Pentagon Jr., Fenix and LA Park have all filmed interviews and promos to support the launch. The announcing team has not been announced yet, but I'd be shocked if Konnan wasn't involved.
MLW Champion Low Ki and his manager Salina de la Renta (who was just signed to a long term deal by MLW, a smart move as she's obviously going to be a star) will be at the beIN SPORTS studios in Florida next week to promote the launch of the Spanish language version of the series. They will be appearing on a number of Be IN Sports series in English and Spanish.
Kaci Lennox, who has been working as a backstage interviewer on MLW TV, has signed a deal with the company.
There have been talks with New Japan Pro Wrestling about sharing Brian Pillman Jr. with the idea that sending Pillman, who is still very early on in his career, overseas will help his growth as a talent. His father made appearances for NJPW in the '90s through their relationship at the time with World Championship Wrestling. Pillman Jr. is signed to a multi-year MLW deal. The MLW deals require the talents to make MLW their priority on dates MLW has events scheduled but as they currently exist, the deals do not prevent the talents from appearing for other promotions, with the exception of WWE.
Tickets for the company's Wrestlemania week event on Thursday 4/4 (going head to head with the Wrestlecon Supershow) in New York City atwill officially go on sale on 10/10 at 10 AM at www.MLWTickets.com.
For those who have asked about MLW not having returned to Orlando at the Gilt Nightclub, it is not for lack of trying. The venue has had conflicting events on the dates MLW has reached out to book. MLW are now looking to run Saturdays, which are a big event night for clubs. Previously, they had been using the venue on Thursdays, which aren't as busy. MLW is still hoping to return there soon. There's a feeling that without the Orlando audience, they wouldn't have been in the position to get the TV deal and they really don't want to abandon the fans in the market.
As noted previously, MLW is shifting their schedule to run Saturday events instead of Thursday next year. The original plan with the revival of the company was to run Thursdays and just run on a smaller scale With the TV deal and several sponsorships in place, they are now seeking to run more in different markets more often . The promotion had been working over the last few months to get talents a 2019 calendar of MLW dates in order to make sure there would not be issues with double-bookings. The hope is that a positive side-effect of the new schedule will be that talents will be sell more merchandise on Saturdays under the idea that live crowds will rise from the level they have been at on Thursdays, therefore there will be more fans spending money at the talents' gimmick tables.
PCO, Pierre Carl Oulette, will be in regularly going forward.
The company is working on making Brody King, who made a great impression at the Wargames event, in as a regular as well.
MLW is talking with Sammy Guevara and working on bringing him in.
The plan is to make the Wargames and the Battle Riot matches annual occurences.
MLW has applied for a Pennsylvania promoter's license in advance of a planned Philadelphia event. No timeline for that show.
Tickets for the 11/8 Chicago debut go on sale Friday.
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