Hot Take - Primetime Live Debut
The landscape of professional wrestling never stops morphing and evolving and as always FITE will be at the forefront, bringing viewers across the globe ringside for the genesis of a new weekly, episodic PPV series Primetime Live.
Commencing Tuesday September 15th, the weekly ninety-minute PPV series will emanate from California's Thunder Studios, produced by The United Wrestling Network, in partnership with the National Wrestling Alliance. The United Wrestling Network is the brainchild of long-time promoter and TV producer Dave Marquez, overseeing a collection of Championship Wrestling from... promotions who share talents, production and championships.
The United Wrestling Network will partner with Billy Corgan's National Wrestling Alliance for Primetime Live, bringing the Champions and competitors from the popular NWA Powerrr series live and in action, meshing the tradition of professional wrestling with a push towards the future. Primetime Live is designed to be a launchpad to provide evolving talents their first national PPV exposure while presenting a Nexus for veterans to return to prominence within the squared circle. For diehard fans seeking to discover the diamonds in the rough who will push professional wrestling to the next level, Primetime Live will be their destination for an alternative, hard-hitting combat sports experience.
NWA WORLDS CHAMPION NICK ALDIS VS. MIKE BENNETT
There is perhaps no more fitting main event for the debut of UWN's Primetime Live than Nick Aldis carrying his beloved Ten Pounds of Gold into the ring against a challenger who is seeking not just championship glory but outright redemption. While Aldis has been the flagbearer for the National Wrestling Alliance since the promotion's rebirth under the auspices of Billy Corgan, Bennett's career trajectory has been far more sullen. Trapped in the vortex of missed opportunities and being completely misused by WWE officials, Bennett's escape from the promotion has led to a tremendous chip on his shoulder. Exhausted and furious at being overlooked nationally, Bennett is storming into Primetime Live seeking to shock the world by capturing the NWA Worlds Championship.
For Aldis, this match is not just a title defense but a step into the unknown. After all, how does one properly strategize for a contender who has effectively been hiding in plain sight under the radar? Bennett intends to take back his career on the 15th, a night that may prove to be the most important evening in his entire career.
The only problem with Bennett's plans to transform the narrative of his career in one evening is that he'll be attempting to do so by facing perhaps the most tremendously gifted professional wrestler of the modern era...
WEST COAST PRO CHAMPION ALEXANDER HAMMERSTONE VS. EJ SPARKS
The UWN Primetime Live series will provide a much needed spotlight for professional wrestling promotions that are beloved by their local communities but have yet to find true national exposure. On the debut edition of Primetime Live, West Coast Pro will be featured as their reigning and defending champion, the massive powerhouse Alexander Hammerstone will defend against up and coming West Coast sensation EJ Sparks, who has taken to the air to shock opponents up and down the Pacific Coast. Hammerstone, who has decimated opponents across MLW and Pro Wrestling NOAH over the last year, will be playing Championship Goliath to the David of EJ Sparks. Can power and wrestling finesse overpower heart and all out aerial assaults? It will all unfold on Primetime Live!
KAMILLE VS. HEATHER MONROE
Kamille has become both respected and revived as the muscle behind NWA Worlds Champion Nick Aldis, but remains a powerhouse competitor in her own right. During the debut episode of Primetime Live, Kamille will make history, becoming one of the first female competitors to enter the ring on UWN's debut PPV broadcast. Heather Monroe, a respected veteran of the California scene who has risen to become one of the most beloved combatants in Championship Wrestling from Hollywood, will be a tough test for Kamille. Monroe, recently seen in AEW, has continued to evolve as a competitor. Will Kamille's strength and aggression be the factor that takes out the "Bae" or will Monroe once again shock the world with another stunning victory? FITE viewers will witness the answer live.
UWN TELEVISION CHAMPIONSHIP BATTLE
Dan "The Man" Joseph has been enjoying quite the championship reign since ascending to the United Wrestling Network Television Championship throne. While the championship has brought him into regular combat (as well as television opportunities that have included co-hosting Championship Wrestling from Hollywood's Best of episodes with Jon Roberts), there may be no more important Championship defense beyond the debut episode of Primetime Live, where Joseph has the opportunity to introduce himself as the definitive champion for viewers across the globe. Joseph will be facing the pride of Atlantic City, NJ, The Unorthodox Levi Shapiro, who is no stranger to Joseph. Led to the ring by nefarious talent prospector Howdy Price, Shapiro is laser-focused at redeeming himself after recently losing to Joseph, obsessed with making history as the new UWN Television Champion.
CHRIS DICKINSON DEBUTS
One of the most hard-hitting and in demand independent professional wrestlers fighting today, Chris Dickinson will make his UWN debut on Primetime Live. Having terrorized opponents in AAA Lucha Libre, EVOLVE and Beyond Wrestling, among other outfits, Dickinson is looking to make a worldwide smash with a victory. Dickinson will be facing four-year veteran Dick Mayor, a star trained by Brian Kendrick and Jesse Hernandez who has wowed fans across The Golden State with his flying headbutt. Will Dicksinson maul his way to his first victory in the United Wrestling Network or will Mayor reign?
WILL ALLDAY REPRESENTS TEXAS AGAINST CALIFORNIA'S CLEARWATER
Will Allday, a former collegiate wrestling standout who has risen to the top of WWE Hall of Famer Booker T's Reality of Wrestling promotion will represent the Lone Star State when he clashes with Jordan Clearwater. Clearwater, dubbed The Golden Boy, has had a long, successful 2020 on the West Coast, going all the way to the semi-finals of the most recent Precious Percy Pringle Memorial Cup (The PP3) tournament and debuting for New Japan Pro Wrestling's Strong TV series on FITE, but the crowning moment of the year would be establishing his dominance on Primetime Live. For Clearwater to do so, he's going to have to upend Allday, who has torn through Texas like a force of nature. What State will emerge victorious?
TAG TEAM WAR
Two of California's most dominant tag teams will face off in a colossal clash during the debut episode of Prime Time Live. One of the most popular duos on the West Coast, The Tribe - Hawaiian Lion and The Navajo Warrior will take to the ring to battle The Wolf Zaddies, Bad Dude Tito and Che Cabrera. The Wolf Zaddies have beaten opponents everywhere into submission and seek to continue carving their path of destruction through Primetime Live. To do so, however, they are going to have to overcome The Tribe, perhaps the most vibrant and resilient tandem to step into the United Wrestling Network. Having endured numerous wars thanks to the tremendous fan support behind them, The Navajo Warrior and Hawaiian Lion seek to entertain and electrify fans across the FITE world with a big tag team victory.
United Wrestling Network's Primetime Live will debut on Tuesday September 15th and will then air every Tuesday with NWA Women's Champion Thunder Rosa, the six man trio known as Static and NYC veteran Papadon among the stars heading to future broadcasts. Primetime Live will be the nexus where tradition and tomorrow collide and there's only one way to be right there at the epicenter of the explosion to come - and that's to be part of the premiere edition right here on FITE.TV!
Mike Johnson is the lead reporter for PWInsider.com and has been writing about professional wrestling since 1996. He can be found on Twitter @MikePWInsider and MikeJohnsonWrites.com.