Latest news with #OVW
The Sun
17 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Netflix quietly axe ‘amazingly intimate' show with 100% Rotten Tomatoes score after just one series
NETFLIX have quietly axed an 'amazingly intimate' show which has an 100% Rotten Tomatoes score. The series aired one season on the streamer, but will not be returning for more. 4 4 4 Documentary series Wrestlers followed the Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) company. In particular, its promoter Al Snow - an accomplished wrestler with a decades-long career - as he worked to maintain OVW's future. But despite the series achieving a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes, Al has confirmed it will not be returning to Netflix. He told "There were certainly talks. "They had an option for a second season up until last September, and they just never took the option. "[It] just ticked past. There was no fanfare or anything of that nature. It just quietly moved on." Al wrestled for Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) on and off from 1995 to 1998. He also had a long stint working for WWE, spanning 1998 until his departure in 2008. The legend continued by saying Wrestlers could possibly be brought back in a different form. Al said: "From what I understand, we have the option to do a second season, if we wish. Resident Alien Season 4 Official Trailer "We would just do it with a different streaming service than Netflix." Filmmaker Greg Whiteley both directed and executive produced Wrestlers. Writing online, one viewer said: "Greg Whiteley makes amazingly intimate portrayals that you can tell are authentic and not over-produced." Another penned: "This wrestling documentary is amazing! "It made me cry because I felt the hard work of all the wrestlers and everyone at OVW." While a third added: "There are heavy emotional moments in here as well as heavy bumps and hats off to [them], there are some real cinematic moments here too. "Greg Whiteley has created an absolute gem of a series that wrestling and non-wrestling fans alike will love." Wrestlers is streaming on Netflix. 4
Metro
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
Netflix quietly cancels 'gem of a series' with 100% on Rotten Tomatoes
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video A Netflix show fans hailed as 'amazingly intimate' and a show for the 'whole family' has quietly been scrapped after just one series. In late 2023, documentary maker Greg Whitely treated fans to Wrestlers, which gave an peek behind the scenes at how a professional wrestling company was really run. It still has a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes, but Al Snow – whose promotion OVW (Ohio Valley Wrestling) was the focus of the series – has exclusively told Metro that a second season is officially off the table for Netflix. 'There were certainly talks. They had an option for a second season up until last September, and they just never took the option,' he explained. '[It] just ticked past. There was no fanfare or anything of that nature. It just quietly moved on.' Wake up to find news on your TV shows in your inbox every morning with Metro's TV Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your show in the link we'll send you so we can get TV news tailored to you. The 62-year-old star heard on the grapevine that there had been some behind the scenes moves 'to do basically the same format with more established brands'. Indeed, filmmaker Whitely went onto work on series featuring the likes of the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders, while Netflix launched WWE Unreal this week, which gives fans an intimate look behind the curtain of the worldwide juggernaut. Al, who wrestled for WWE from 1995 to 2008, insisted the new WWE series is 'good for everybody', while the door isn't shut on OVW reviving Wrestlers in another way. 'From what I understand, we have the option to have a second season, if we wish. We just would do it with a different streaming service than Netflix,' he added. Confirmation Wrestlers isn't returning to the streamer will be a blow to viewers, who had hoped for a second season after getting hooked on the original run. 'This wrestling documentary is amazing! It made me cry because I felt the hard work of all the wrestlers and everyone at OVW,' wrote Charish Herida on Google Reviews. 'Great show the whole family can watch together. Fantastic binge worthy series,' added Kelly iztheBest, while William Luckett said: 'Greg Whitely makes amazingly intimate portrayals that you can tell are authentic and not overproduced.' And Simon Manley said: 'There are heavy emotional moments in here as well as heavy bumps and hats off to [them], there are some real cinematic moments here too. Greg Whiteley has created an absolute gem of a series that wrestling fans and non-wrestling fans alike will love.' Thankfully for OVW fans, the company is still going strong after being bought out by UK-based sports agency Morley Sports Management (MSM), who are launching a new initiative to give athletes in football, rugby and other sports a launchpad into wrestling. More Trending MSM founder and CEO Rob Edwards said: 'We absolutely know the talent is there in the UK – particularly in football – and the opportunities we OVW provide could give so many sports people another chance.' But Al warned that he's seen lots of athletes come into wrestling without realising the 'physical exertion and amount of commitment' required. View More » He added: 'A lot of them are like, 'You know what? That's it. I'm done.'' Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: 7 films celebrating women in sport after the Lionesses win Euro 2025 MORE: Hulk Hogan's son shares heartbreaking tribute after dad's 'extremely difficult' death MORE: Major WWE SummerSlam match at risk with top star 'blocked from entering US'
Metro
4 days ago
- Business
- Metro
How football could produce wrestling's next big superstar
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video A wrestling company famed for launching the careers of John Cena, Randy Orton and more is turning to UK sports to find the next great grappler. WWE legend Al Snow's Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW), which was the subject of acclaimed Netflix docu-series Wrestlers, is launching a new initiative on our shores to discover sports entertainment's next superstar. The company is hoping to encourage footballers, rugby players and other athletes in the UK to chase a career in the ring, after stars from basketball, gymnastics, the NFL and more have made the transition in the US. Speaking exclusively to Metro, the 61-year-old star has a stark warning for anyone thinking it'll be an easy ride. 'It is far easier to be a player in the World Cup of the soccer team than it is to be on the main roster in WWE,' he insisted. 'Think of the number of players on the team. Think of the number of teams now, what are your odds? 'Think of the number of wrestlers that are on the main roster of WWE. Think of the number of people that wish to be in that place, and now think of the odds.' OVW was recently bought by UK-based sports agency Morley Sports Management (MSM), who also own Cymru Premier football club Haverfordwest County AFC, and they are looking to their take first UK intake of trainees from football and rugby in 2026. Rob Edwards, MSM founder and CEO, said: 'We absolutely know the talent is there in the UK – particularly in football – and the opportunities we OVW provide could give so many sports people another chance.' Anyone interested in training at the OVW Academy can apply here. They won't be the first, with former Werder Bremen goalkeeper Tim Wiese and rugby league player-turned-WWE superstar Ridge Holland among those to make the transition. Tim failed to make an impact, while Ridge has had a rollercoaster career – but he came in as a fan with 'respect for the business'. 'That goes a long way,' he told Metro in 2022. 'Athletes tend to have some form of ego… You've been a top athlete in your chosen sport, and then you've gotta start at the bottom. 'You've got to just humble yourself, put your nose to the grindstone and listen, work hard and take each day as it comes.' So, what can the athletes expect? 'At the very beginning, really focusing on the fundamentals, just like any actual sport,' the former WWE European Champion explained. 'I can't emphasise enough how much that plays a role in their development and their overall performance and their consistency, and their ability to mitigate the possibility to the injury.' Al knows all about the physical impact of a career in wrestling, having had both knees replaced a few years ago to deal with a brutal amount of pain. 'I wake up every day in pain,' he explained. '[Before the replacements] it was so severe that sometimes I would be exhausted by the middle of the day, and I'd have to lay down to just get some rest.' Not everyone will be able to hack it, as Al recalled working with a 'kickboxer, a multi-black belt in Taekwondo' who also did some 'cross country biking' and other disciplines. 'He lasted a week,' he said. 'I've dealt with this for ages. I've been training people on different levels and watched athletes come from other sports.' People coming from outside the business often have preconceptions, only to quickly realise the 'physical exertion and amount of commitment' it takes. 'A lot of them are like, 'You know what? That's it. I'm done,'' he shrugged. He also dismissed the idea anyone except the wrestler themselves can be blamed for a lack of success. 'Wrestlers make themselves a star. I know wrestlers would love to make you believe that it's someone else's fault for their own shortcomings,' he laughed. 'They're more than willing to take credit when it's their success.' What will Al really be looking for when they start recruiting from football and rugby? 'You don't have to look like a bodybuilder. You just need to look like you make your living in a competitive combat situation. That's it,' he said. 'I don't think that's asking for much.' There's also the mental side, with personality being almost more important that having the right look, charisma or skills. 'If you're a cancer and you're going to be a detriment, trust me, you're not worth it,' he said bluntly. Al knows his stuff, having worked with former WWE Champions Cody Rhodes and The Miz early in their wrestling journeys, with the latter coming to wrestling through reality TV. More Trending 'They did not make it easy on him in the locker room,' he recalled. 'Everything he's gotten he's earned.' That doesn't mean training with OVW, or even making it to the bright lights of WWE, will make everyone happy. There'll be more work to be done. 'There are number of my kids that are still in WWE that if I were to pick up the phone right now, all you'd hear is them complain for two hours on the phone,' he said. 'They think once they get there, the work stops, and then they're happy. No! 'Now, the pressure, the stress – the real work begins.' For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. MORE: Hulk Hogan's wife Sky Daily says she 'wasn't ready' for his death in heartbreaking tribute MORE: WWE star demonstrates how broken finger 'still won't bend from knuckle to tip' MORE: Hulk Hogan 'lost a lot of weight in final weeks before death'
Yahoo
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
CM Punk Reveals When He Knew He ‘Made It' In WWE
One of the top stars in WWE is the former WWE World Heavyweight Champion, CM Punk. He has been a part of the professional wrestling business for almost three decades. Recently, the Second City Saint revealed the moment when he knew that he had made it in WWE. CM Punk was a guest on the Unsportsmanlike podcast. During the interview, the Best in the World revealed the moment he knew that he had made it in WWE. He named one of the makeup women in WWE, Jane, who yelled at him back in 2005 when he came into WWE for a dark match. But six years later, when Punk was one of the hottest products in WWE, Jane came up to him and asked why he never came up and spoke to her. That was the moment when he knew that he made it in WWE. 'There used to be one makeup lady (in WWE). Her name was Jane. Not the nicest lady in the world. This is how I knew I made it. My first time, I was under contract in Ohio Valley Wrestling, and I was brought up to do a dark match. I found the spray bottle that was in the makeup case and I was wetting my hair, I hear, down the hallway, all these expletives, like a sailor was yelling at me. I turn around and it was Jane. ''What do you think you're doing? That is for talent. Put it down.' I was like, 'Okay.' Quietly tiptoe away. That was 2005. In 2011, CM Punk became the hottest superstar in the business and Jane walks up to me one day and goes, 'How come you never come see me? You know I can cut your hair, right?' I was like, 'I made it. I'm a top guy now,'' CM Punk said. [H/T post CM Punk Reveals When He Knew He 'Made It' In WWE appeared first on Wrestlezone.
Entrepreneur
13-06-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
Remote, Not Removed
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. You're reading Entrepreneur United Kingdom, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. Londoner Rob Edwards is the founder of Morley Sports Management (MSM), a multi-sport ownership and consultancy group with an unconventional playbook. A former finance professional turned entrepreneur, Edwards first made headlines during lockdown when he bought a struggling Welsh football club off the back of a speculative email. Five years later, Haverfordwest County AFC has qualified for Europe twice and built one of the strongest youth programmes in the country. Now, Edward's next project is even more newsworthy: revitalising Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) - the cult US wrestling promotion that launched the careers of John Cena, Batista, and Brock Lesnar. Under his leadership, OVW is undergoing a grassroots revival built on a fan-first strategy, community value, and global ambition. From Pembrokeshire to Kentucky, Rob is quietly rewriting the rules of modern sports ownership. But this is just the beginning. What was your biggest challenge and how did you overcome it? Taking over a football club during a global pandemic. I live six hours away. I couldn't get there, and I'd never had any experience of running a football club. It was going in blind, but I knew instinctively it had potential. I knew I was never going to relocate, so from day one I had to invest in people. If people don't buy into the values, they don't stick around very long. But if they do, you can build something with a clear vision. We've built the best off-field team I could have hoped for – people who are passionate and dedicated and who've completely bought into our dream. It's the same now with OVW in Kentucky. It's a long way away again, a lot of passionate people, but it lacked clear direction. The job is to empower people, put them in the right places, and give them credit for what they achieve. How did you secure your initial funding? There's been minimal outside investment. Most came off the back of my previous business and my career in finance. The barrier to entry for Welsh football isn't huge, it's very accessible – financially and structurally. It gave us the opportunity to step in and try to build something different from the ground up. Because of our experience with Haverfordwest County AFC in Wales, we saw a similar opportunity with OVW in Kentucky. It's an under-appreciated asset in the industry in modern times, but there's massive potential. Related: Why brands need to stop talking about community — and start building one | Entrepreneur How do you handle failure or setbacks? You need to stay calm and logical. Not everything goes your way – and when it doesn't, the worst thing you can do is get flustered. I tend not to get too up or too down. I've always kept that middle ground. If you walked past me after a major success or a big loss, you probably wouldn't notice a difference. That's always been my demeanour. It's about focusing on the bigger picture. If something's going wrong, stay objective and work out how far you've gone off path. Then you need to be measured and methodical about how you fix it. What advice would you give to someone starting their own business? Have self-confidence and be open-minded. When I took over the football club, I had no background in it, but I trusted my instincts. I used experience, common sense, and values that mattered to me. That's been the foundation. We're trying to build businesses founded on community and social impact. With those fundamentals in place, commercial success will come. You've got to believe in what you stand for. If you stay true to your values inside and outside of business, you can build something meaningful. How do you stay motivated during tough times? I need stimulation. I've never been able to sit still. I wake up when the sun comes up and my brain kicks in – I'm raring to go. I'm impulsive. If I get an idea in my head, I'm all in. What keeps me going is being disruptive, pushing things forward, coming up with new ideas and concepts. With both the football club and OVW, we're constantly evolving – and on top of that we've got consultancy work and partnerships with sporting brands. That forward momentum is what wakes me up in the morning. There's always a new problem to solve. What are your top tips for success? Be confident in your ability – if you're leading a business and people don't buy into you, it won't work. People buy in to people. Investment in people is 100% at the heart of our model. We're not always on the ground, so we need to trust the teams to run with the vision. But we also lead from the front – if you want people to dive into the trenches, you need to be the one starting the charge. I'm quite demanding, but only because I hold myself to that same standard.
