Artists Revealed For #NXTLOUD At NXT UK TakeOver: Blackpool

WWE.com posted the following online revealing the musical artists for their #NXTLOUD event in Blackpool this January for NXT UK TakeOver:

NXT TakeOver: Blackpool comes to Blackpool’s Empress Ballroom on Saturday, Jan. 12. The event will feature the top NXT UK Superstars in action, as well as new singles by up-and-coming artists that are part of #NXTLOUD.

WWE COO Triple H announced the featured artist today on Twitter. “Doomsday” by The Architects and “Fight fire with Fire” by The Prodigy are the official themes of NXT UK TakeOver.

Two years ago, we started building the @NXTUK Empire…

At #NXTTakeOverUK: Blackpool, we continue building our legacy.

Back to the start and LOUDER than ever…welcome @ArchitectsUK and @The_Prodigy. #NXTLOUD #WeAreNXT pic.twitter.com/MxD8XlLm7K

— Triple H (@TripleH) December 26, 2018

CBS Covers MLW’s Court Bauer In New Article

Chuck Carroll of CBS did an extensive article on the pro wrestling career and background of MLW CEO Court Bauer. IN the piece, Carroll goes into detail about his WWE writing experience, how he began MLW way back in 2002 and the company’s growth in 2018. Below are some quotes from the article:

Court Bauer’s WWE writing past:

A barely 20-something Court Bauer finds himself embedded with top executives from lone survivor, including WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon. Rubbing elbows with the biggest name in professional wrestling wasn’t just encouraged, it was an essential part of his role there. He was a whiz kid in the wrestling industry and the creative force behind some of the biggest storylines of the time.

You could say his success parallels NFL wonder boy Sean McVay, who became the youngest head coach in modern history, when he was hired by Los Angeles Rams two weeks shy of his 31st birthday. But still, in his early 20s, Bauer easily had him beat. He was younger than most of the talent he was writing for, often by a decade or more.

As a lifelong wrestling fan, Bauer thought he was on top of the world. How could he think any different? The show that he was part of was appointment television for millions every week. Many strive their entire lives for an opportunity such as that. And here he was at the pinnacle of wrestling and barely a quarter-century old.

MLW’s growth:

According to Bauer, the original business plan was to be on TV within three years. MLW: Fusion premiered on national television within four months. He and his partners weren’t expecting to run live broadcasts until year four, but just had their first last week. And more are expected in the new year.

Bauer says plans are accelerating because the MLW Fusion is often the most-watched show on beIN Sports’ Friday night lineup.

“I like to call MLW the fastest growing American promotion,” he said. “If you look at the last year, we live up to that statement. I can only imagine what 2019 will bring.”

Interestingly, some think the timing of the first live broadcast was a shot at fellow WWE competitor Ring of Honor. The show went head-to-head with ROH’s Final Battle pay-per-view, which featured the exodus of The Elite (The Young Bucks, Cody Rhodes, and Hangman Page) as well as a few others.

But according to Bauer, any belief that MLW is trying to start a wrestling war is misguided, as the show aired at its normal 8 p.m. ET time slot and had been on the schedule long before Final Battle was put on the calendar. Still, it’s hard to think that in some way this isn’t a strike in some fashion, even if just by chance. After all, this is wrestling and Bauer continues an aggressive growth strategy by expanding touring horizons. After initially running primarily in Florida, the promotion is now holding shows in Chicago, New York, Philadelphia and other markets that traditionally favor wrestling.