So for those unaware, NBC bought the exclusive rights to streaming WWE content in the United States. Because it's NBC Universal and they're a bunch of faggots they've decided to go through all 17,000 hours of footage currently on the WWE Network to censor it. That means no more Piper/Bad News Brown at WrestleMania 6, no more DX imitating the Nation of Domination, no more Chris Jericho calling Stephanie a bargain basement ho, all the fun shit, essentially. It's like, poof, everything that was ever good about wrestling has vanished in a puff of glitter and sparkles.
The worst thing about this is that it doesn't just apply to the US streaming service, since the worldwide WWE Network platform shares the same servers as Peacock TV. That means anything censored in the U.S. is censored worldwide. Looks like Physical Media is going over, brother.
Who the fuck has the time to watch and censor all that shit
Take away the trash talk, and what do you have left?
I won't say that the beat-upons are "fake"; I seem to recall Hulk Hogan challenging someone to take a "fake" blow from him). but the fighting "style" certainly isn't "wrestling", it's basically just ... like an old silent comedy. It's not a real contest, the outcomes are set as far as I know, but it's entertainment nonetheless, and trash-talking seems to be at least half of that.
They're going to lose a big chunk of their fans, and then they're going to try to "fix" that by making the action "kinder and gentler", which will cause MORE fans to bleed away, thus killing yet another American thing.
Right to Censor won the war, put the belts on Stevie Richards right this instant.
That 17000 hours probably includes all the other promotions' footage they have the rights to, too.
Hope no one ever wanted to rewatch ECW again.
Really curious if this was in the contract initially or if Vince just saw the money and doesn't care anymore. It's not like they ever censored Benoit's stuff, they just made it a little harder to find.
That's the amazing thing: a man who murdered his wife and child is okay to have on the Network, but a fucking promo where Roddy PIper is painted half black has to go.