AXS TV Acquires 'New Japan Pro Wrestling' Series Premiering Jan. 16, 2015
Nov 28, 2014 Comments
(PRESS RELEASE) -- LOS ANGELES – Building on the success of the AXS
TV FIGHTS Friday night franchise, AXS TV has acquired a 13 episode
series from Japan’s largest professional wrestling promotion, NEW
JAPAN PRO WRESTLING (NJPW). Premiering Jan. 16, 2015, NJPW will air
on Friday nights at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT leading into the network’s
weekly live MMA, Muay Thai, and kickboxing broadcasts.
Airing for the first time ever in the U.S., the hour-long weekly
series features the most exciting matches from NJPW’s Japanese
broadcasts and pay-per-view events. Former UFC Heavyweight champion
and NJPW veteran Josh Barnett
and famed combat sports commentator Mauro Ranallo are providing
English language commentary for the series.
Founded in 1972, NJPW has established itself as the premier wrestling organization in Japan and the second largest and fastest growing wrestling promotion in the world. In recent years, NJPW has gained international recognition, winning the Wrestling Observer Newsletter “Promotion of the Year” award two years running and boasting three-year reigning “Wrestler of the Year” Hiroshi Tanahashi.
The series premiere features Tanahashi defending the promotion’s prestigious IWGP Heavyweight Title against his long-time rival Kazuchika Okada in front of 29,000 fans at the Tokyo Dome.
“With this acquisition, AXS TV FIGHTS now offers one of the most diverse combat sports and sports entertainment programming line-ups on television,” said AXS TV FIGHTS CEO Andrew Simon. “There is a strong relationship and influence between professional wrestling and MMA, and with the addition of Josh Barnett and Mauro Ranallo as our commentators, we’re confident this new venture will be a crossover hit with wrestling and MMA fans alike.”
AXS TV’s NJPW episodes were produced by and purchased from TV ASAHI CORPORATION.
ABOUT AXS TV FIGHTS AXS TV Fights presents more LIVE mixed martial arts, Muay Thai and kickboxing events than any other television network with 40+ LIVE world-class fight cards each year. "The Voice" Michael Schiavello and five-time MMA world champion Pat Miletich call all the action as champions, challengers, and top prospects take center stage every Friday night at 10pE/7pP. AXS TV Fights can be found online, on Facebook and on Twitter. AXS TV is widely distributed in the U.S. via AT&T U-verse, Charter, Comcast/Xfinity, DIRECTV, DISH, Suddenlink, Verizon FiOS, and other cable, satellite and telco providers. The network is also carried in Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.
Advertisement
Founded in 1972, NJPW has established itself as the premier wrestling organization in Japan and the second largest and fastest growing wrestling promotion in the world. In recent years, NJPW has gained international recognition, winning the Wrestling Observer Newsletter “Promotion of the Year” award two years running and boasting three-year reigning “Wrestler of the Year” Hiroshi Tanahashi.
The series premiere features Tanahashi defending the promotion’s prestigious IWGP Heavyweight Title against his long-time rival Kazuchika Okada in front of 29,000 fans at the Tokyo Dome.
“With this acquisition, AXS TV FIGHTS now offers one of the most diverse combat sports and sports entertainment programming line-ups on television,” said AXS TV FIGHTS CEO Andrew Simon. “There is a strong relationship and influence between professional wrestling and MMA, and with the addition of Josh Barnett and Mauro Ranallo as our commentators, we’re confident this new venture will be a crossover hit with wrestling and MMA fans alike.”
AXS TV’s NJPW episodes were produced by and purchased from TV ASAHI CORPORATION.
ABOUT AXS TV FIGHTS AXS TV Fights presents more LIVE mixed martial arts, Muay Thai and kickboxing events than any other television network with 40+ LIVE world-class fight cards each year. "The Voice" Michael Schiavello and five-time MMA world champion Pat Miletich call all the action as champions, challengers, and top prospects take center stage every Friday night at 10pE/7pP. AXS TV Fights can be found online, on Facebook and on Twitter. AXS TV is widely distributed in the U.S. via AT&T U-verse, Charter, Comcast/Xfinity, DIRECTV, DISH, Suddenlink, Verizon FiOS, and other cable, satellite and telco providers. The network is also carried in Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.
