Date: 01/25	5:00 PM
Views: 679

Mon. #1 is HERE. To help out subscribe to Mistah MegaManFan or support us on Patreon. Don't miss WWE Raw highlight videos later tonight! With the cheap plugs out of the way here's Monday's latest wrestling news.

Our first news item this morning is potentially a cold splash of water in the face of 1.6 million people -- the estimated number of paid WWE Network subscribers last revealed in a WWE quarterly report/investors call. It would be inaccurate to say the service is going way, but it would be accurate to say it is going away as a standalone service. In a five year deal worth an estimated $1,000,000,000 (or about $200 million a year), WWE Network will become exclusive to NBC Universal's Peacock streaming service. The cutoff date is March 18th, at which point existing subscribers who want to keep the Network will either purchase an ad supported version of Peacock ($4.99 a month) or the "Premium" ad free service for $9.99 a month. If you want WrestleMania 37 this year, you're going to have to make the switch.

PLEASE NOTE that as of this writing it appears the Network will exist for international subscribers outside of the North American market, and that only subscribers in the United States will have to switch over.

New WWE related videos are available below.

In an interview with TMZ, Stephanie McMahon says Ronda Rousey is welcome to return to WWE at any time: "Ronda's been very public that she'd like to start her own family. Once she does that, our doors are absolutely open, our arms are open, we are very hopeful that Ronda will come back home to WWE."

More on Peacock -- WWE is already bragging about how this new deal helps them surge to record profits.

WWE completes strategic licensing agreement with NBCU's Peacock service

The Company expects to report record 2020 Operating Income of $209 million and record 2020 Adjusted OIBDA1 of $286 million

WWE issues 2021 Adjusted OIBDA Guidance Range of $270 – $305 million

Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2020 Earnings Call Date Set for February 4, 2021

STAMFORD, Conn. - WWE (NYSE: WWE) today announced expectations for its 2020 financial results and outlined guidance for 2021. The announcements were made in conjunction with the communication of a new agreement to license WWE's premium content to NBCU's Peacock service, which will become the sole streaming distributor in the U.S. of WWE's first-run premium content.

Throughout the 2020 year, WWE managed a challenging environment particularly for producers of live content. WWE never went off the air. Because of that, combined with the implementation of extensive short-term cost reductions, COVID-19 had an estimated net neutral impact on WWE's 2020 Adjusted OIBDA. Accordingly, the Company estimates its full year 2020 Adjusted OIBDA (unaudited) to be approximately $286 million, which would be a record, up nearly 60% from the prior year. A reconciliation of estimated 2020 Adjusted OIBDA to Operating Income can be found in the supplemental schedule on page 5 of this release.

In an interview with BT Sport, Paul Heyman says Roman Reigns is unlike anyone he's worked with: "I think we were both very satisfied with our body of work and we both could've walked away. And we both could have said 'Ok, we've made a lot of money, caused a lot of commotion, been on top for many years.' What a body of work, Hall of Fame careers, both of us. But neither one of us was satisfied. Neither one of us... our appetites were insatiated. We knew that as 2020 became a seismic shift in the entire, not just the entire WWE Universe, the actual universe itself, that there was an opportunity to craft a new narrative. A new trajectory. A new level of greatness that'd never been achieved. A different approach to the presentation. And we both wanted to take the shot at it. And we both wanted to see just how much we could transform this industry, set the trend, and blaze a path that no one had had the balls to blaze before. And we were on the same page. So that's why this is different than anybody else I've ever worked with. Our reputations are cemented, our Hall of Fame careers are in the books. And yet, we are both probably doing... I know Roman Reigns is doing the best work of his entire career and it's only just begun."

In this interview Triple H says they have 10 stars ready for the market in India: "We are really excited about the Superstar Spectacle. Our talent is excited; our Indian talent especially is excited. This is going to be what it exactly says in the name, a spectacle. When you have a market like India where the fanbase is so large, the second-largest thing there outside of cricket, you want to make sure that you put on something worthy of that passion. We are recruiting in India since 2015 and training them. We have been going there continuously, unfortunately, the COVID situation slowed that process down but we have talent. We have 10 Indian talents that we believe are ready for the main stage."

In a tweet to social media Mick Foley showed off his new haircut. Apparently he was trying to get the "Patrick Price" from State Farm!

5:00 PM ET. Drew McIntyre had a to-the-point response http://sportskeeda.com/wwe/news-not-right-now-drew-mcintyre-gives-honest-opinion-facing-bray-wyatt-exclusive when queried about a possible feud with "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt -- "Not right now."

Speaking of cutting to the chase http://hindustantimes.com/sports/wwe-news/exclusive-interview-triple-h-answers-questions-on-brock-lesnar-s-wrestlemania-37-status-roman-reigns-and-the-rock-101611557390897.html Triple H says Brock Lesnar will appear at WrestleMania "only if he wants to."

Effy says Vince McMahon has been "coasting off three good ideas" for 30 years. Ouch!

Former Pro Wrestling NOAH star Hideki Suzuki may be headed to WWE.

MLW has announced "a World Tag Team Championship eliminator featuring TJP & Bu Ku Dao vs. Violence is Forever for this Wednesday, January 27 at 7pm ET on MLW's flagship weekly series, FUSION, available on YouTube, Fubo Sports, DAZN, and the Roku Channel. Learn more about where to watch." They are also postponing their upcoming Chicago and Philly dates due to COVID-19 concerns. (PWI)

Both Cash Wheeler and Tully Blanchard will be handcuffed to Luchasaurus at ringside in order to prevent any outside interference in the match between Jungle Boy and Dax Harwood this Wednesday. (AEW)

Alberto El Patron's sexual assault trial has been pushed back to May. (PWI)

A new Being The Elite episode is below.

Here's another http://cbssports.com/wwe/news/2021-wwe-royal-rumble-matches-card-ppv-rumors-date-start-time-predictions-entrants-location/ Roman Reigns interview.

6:00 PM ET. And here's a new http://firstpost.com/sports/wwe-superstar-spectacle-jinder-mahal-promises-best-version-of-modern-day-maharaja-in-republic-day-special-event-9233331.html Jinder Mahal interview.

Following the WWE Network/NBC Universal's announcement this morning, ESPN is "reportedly done" airing WWE content. (WO)