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In February [[2005]], [[WWE HEAT]], [[WWE Velocity]] and [[WWE Experience]] were added to FOX8 and set up a large wrestling program on Saturdays and Sundays which now exists today. Despite Heat, Velocity and Experience all being cancelled in the [[United States]] the shows are still shown in Australia to fulfill contractual obligations. When WWE Smackdown was moved to Friday Nights in the US, in Australia it remained on Friday Afternoons.
In February [[2005]], [[WWE HEAT]], [[WWE Velocity]] and [[WWE Experience]] were added to FOX8 and set up a large wrestling program on Saturdays and Sundays which now exists today. Despite Heat, Velocity and Experience all being cancelled in the [[United States]] the shows are still shown in Australia to fulfill contractual obligations. When WWE Smackdown was moved to Friday Nights in the US, in Australia it remained on Friday Afternoons.


After just over 3 years, Australian wrestling fans will once again be treated to TNA. Beginning with [[TNA Sacrifice 2006]] on May 27th (tape delay) TNA monthly [[pay-per-view]] events will be broadcasted in Australia for the first time ever on Main Event. TNA is currently in talks with two unrevealed Cable Channels to broadcast [[TNA iMPACT!]] and other TNA programs.{{Citation needed}} No decision will be made until at least [[TNA Slammiversary 2006]] so that TNA officials can check the buy rates of the pay-per-views
After just over 3 years, Australian wrestling fans will once again be treated to TNA. Beginning with [[TNA Sacrifice 2006]] on May 27th (tape delay) TNA monthly [[pay-per-view]] events will be broadcasted in Australia for the first time ever on Main Event. TNA is currently in talks with two unrevealed Cable Channels to broadcast [[TNA iMPACT!]] and other TNA programs (DCW Variety Hour Interview: May 19 2006 Edition) No decision will be made until at least [[TNA Slammiversary 2006]] so that TNA officials can check the buy rates of the pay-per-views


==Live events==
==Live events==

Revision as of 11:48, 20 May 2006

Professional Wrestling History

Professional wrestling in Australia first became popular in the 1970s when WCW Australia was broadcasted nationally. The home-grown promotion kept audiences entertained before World Wrestling Entertainment became a global wrestling empire.

Throughout the 1990s, both WCW Monday Nitro and WWE RAW were broadcasted on free-to-air networks but were put in poor timeslots and were subsequently cancelled because of poor ratings. WWE's major pay-per-views (Royal Rumble, WrestleMania, King of the Ring, SummerSlam and Survivor Series) were all shown up until 2001, when every pay-per-view began being shown.

WWE programming returned in 2000 with WWE RAW being shown on Fox Sports on Tuesday nights. SmackDown! followed and was broadcasted on FOX8 Friday nights but was moved to Saturday nights in 2001.

In September 2002 negotiations between FOX8 and WWE fell through and SmackDown! was cancelled. A special NWA/TNA package replaced it in early 2003 but only lasted a year. NWA/TNA pay-per-views were shown once a month throughout 2003 during a time when they were being presented weekly in the United States. WWE pay-per-views were also lost to Main Event in the same deal that cost Australian fans Smackdown. Village Cinemas showed them for a few months until August 2003 when SmackDown! returned on Saturday Nights as well as the pay-per-views, starting with Summerslam. RAW was moved from Fox Sports to FOX8 and was shown on Friday nights. In order to prevent spoiler hunting on the internet, FOX8 moved WWE programming to timeslots closer to their United States airdate.

In February 2005, WWE HEAT, WWE Velocity and WWE Experience were added to FOX8 and set up a large wrestling program on Saturdays and Sundays which now exists today. Despite Heat, Velocity and Experience all being cancelled in the United States the shows are still shown in Australia to fulfill contractual obligations. When WWE Smackdown was moved to Friday Nights in the US, in Australia it remained on Friday Afternoons.

After just over 3 years, Australian wrestling fans will once again be treated to TNA. Beginning with TNA Sacrifice 2006 on May 27th (tape delay) TNA monthly pay-per-view events will be broadcasted in Australia for the first time ever on Main Event. TNA is currently in talks with two unrevealed Cable Channels to broadcast TNA iMPACT! and other TNA programs (DCW Variety Hour Interview: May 19 2006 Edition) No decision will be made until at least TNA Slammiversary 2006 so that TNA officials can check the buy rates of the pay-per-views

Live events

Shows from North American promotions have been held in Australia as early as 1985 when WWE toured through Melbourne, Perth, Newcastle and Adelaide and through Melbourne and Brisbane again in 1986. That was the last Australia saw of a live North American product until WCW did a Nitro taping in Melbourne and a Thunder taping in Brisbane in 1999.

The next time WWE came to Melbourne was for the 'WWE Global Warning Tour' in 2002. A crowd of 56,000 packed into Colonial Stadium as well a pay-per-view audience throughout Asia witnessed the first WWE show on Australian soil in 16 years.

WWE has visited Australia regularly since Global Warning by touring at least once a year since 2003. An independent circuit show was organised in October 2005 called International Assault to further increase the amount of North American product showcased live in Australia.

Upcoming tour

WWE RAW returns to Australia with 3 shows in August touring Sydney, Melbourne and Newcastle. Dates and venues are as follows:

Superstars announced to tour so far are John Cena, Carlito, Edge, The Big Show, Trish Stratus and Shelton Benjamin.

For a full list of live events in Australia see Australian Wrestling Events Results.

Other media

A fortnightly wrestling program is available online at Sport927 Radio at 12am midnight Thursday Night/Friday Morning. It covers Australia's interests in WWE, TNA, UFC and the local independent circuit.

Current programming

Weekly programming

FOX8 is currently the major network to air all televised shows in Australia. Times for programmes are as follows:

Note: all programs are aired 2 hours later on FOX8+2.

Pay-per-view

Main Event currently holds the rights to air all pay-per-views of any type in Australia. This includes boxing, professional wrestling, large-drawing concerts and sometimes even Jerry Springer specials.

The next wrestling pay-per-view to be aired will be WWE Judgment Day aired live on May 22 at 10:00am with a replay at 6:30pm. Judgment Day will be available to order for Digital Subscribers from 4pm May 19. The cost is AU$29.95.

For the first time since 2003, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling pay-per-views will be aired in Australia. TNA Sacrifice 2006 will be the first to be aired on a tape delay on May 27 at 7:30am with replays at 12:30pm and 5:30pm. The cost is AU$21.95. Main Event has told fans on the official website that depending on the number of viewers TNA pay-per-views may move to live broadcasts but it does depend.

Following Sacrifice, ECW One Night Stand 2006 with air on Monday, June 12 at 10am (EST) with a 6:30pm (EST) replay.

Local promotions

Defunct

See also

External links/Resources

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