Initially broadcasting in syndication in the 2000–01 television season,[2] WOW is a sports entertainment–styled product where its talent portrays heavily dramatized characters.[3]
WOW has been recognized as one of the few nationally broadcast wrestling promotions featuring an all-female roster.[4] Only 24 television episodes and a pay-per-view event were produced during its initial run.[5] In 2002, McLane sought a partnership with Kiss frontman Gene Simmons to revive the promotion.[6] In July 2011, WOW TV reruns began airing on the ABC affiliate KTNV in Las Vegas.[7]
On May 29, 2012, McLane and Buss announced their intention to revive WOW and produce new episodes.[8][9] Later that year, WOW reruns began airing on The CW Las Vegas station KVCW starting on December 9.[10]
In December 2014, WOW announced that it would be producing content for digital media in 2015. Marketed as "WOW Superheroes", its roster of characters are portrayed as empowered women from all different backgrounds and professions.[11] A second season premiered on March 1, 2016, on YouTube.[12] Its fourth season premiered February 28, 2017.[13]
On April 20, 2017, MGM Television announced that Mark Burnett, MGM's President, Television Group & Digital, and Jeanie Buss formed a partnership to develop new WOW content across a range of unscripted programming and digital formats.[14] In June 2018, it was announced that tapings for a new weekly program on AXS TV titled WOW: Women of Wrestling would begin on October 10, 2018, at the Belasco Theater in Los Angeles,[15] with episodes airing in early 2019.[16] WOW debuted that January 18 as part of AXS TV's "Friday Night Fights" lineup of shows.[15][17] The AXS TV premiere marked WOW's first television broadcast of new content in almost eighteen years.[18]WOW: Women of Wrestling ran for two seasons on AXS TV. In June 2020, it was reported that AXS had cancelled the series.[19]
Return to syndication
On October 6, 2021, it was announced that CBS Media Ventures, the syndication arm of Paramount Global, had entered into a multi-year distribution agreement for WOW that will see new episodes produced for weekend syndication starting in Fall 2022.[20][21] On October 7, WOW announced that April Mendez (formerly AJ Lee in WWE) joined the company as an executive producer and color commentator.[22]
On January 21, 2022, WOW announced in a press release that "never-before-seen" episodes from "season 7" would debut on Pluto TV and The CW app starting January 22.[23] On August 1, 2022, it was announced that new episodes of the series will begin airing on September 17, 2022, internationally from Paramount Global Content Distribution, the international arm of its United States syndicator CBS Media Ventures. It has also been licensed for broadcast in Canada, Australia (where it airs on Paramount-owned 10 Play) and Indonesia.[24] In December 2022, The New York Times reported that WOW was the highest rated wrestling television show produced outside of WWE and All Elite Wrestling, ahead of those produced by TNA Wrestling and New Japan Pro Wrestling.[25] This was attributed to the show being available in every cable home in the United States, as well as airings in Canada and Australia.[26]
The All American Girls (Amber O'Neal and Santana Garrett)
Former WOW World Tag Team Champions
The Asian Invasion (Jade and Lotus)
WOW Originals
The Beach Patrol (Sandy and Sunny) (Sandy and Summer)
WOW Originals
The Bully Busters (Keta Rush and Stephy Slays)
Caged Heat (Delta Lotta Pain, Loca and Vendetta)
Former WOW World Tag Team Champions (Delta Lotta Pain and Loca)WOW Originals
The Daughters of Darkness (Misery and Mystery)
WOW Originals
The Dixie Darlings (Jolene Dixie and Jolynn Dixie)
Exile (Exodus, Genesis and Malia Hosaka) (Exodus, Genesis, and Ice Cold)
Fire & Adrenaline (Adrenaline and Fire)
Former WOW World Tag Team Champions
Gritz and Glam (Amber O'Neal and Jessie Jones)
Harley's Angels (Charlie Davidson, EZ Rider and Thug)
WOW Originals
The Heavy Metal Sisters (Fury, Mezmeriah and Razor), (Fury and Rebel Haze)
Formerly known as The Psycho Sisters
IQ Superior (The Disciplinarian, GI Jane, Ice Cold, and Samantha Smart), (The Disciplinarian, The Classmaster, and Samantha Smart)
The Island Dynasty (Kaoz, Kona, and Tiki Chamorro)
Monsters of Madness (Hazard and Jessica Havok)
The Psycho Sisters (Razor, Riot, and Spike)
Team Blondage (Amber O'Neal and Krissy Vaine)
Law & Order (Kristy Order and Nicky Law)
WOW Originals
Southern Pride (Jessie Jones and Selina Majors)
Team Spirit (Patti Pep and Randi Rah Rah)
WOW Originals
Team Spirit (Coach Campanelli and Randi Rah Rah), (Ariel Sky, Coach Campanelli, and Randi Rah Rah), (Ariel Sky, Coach Campanelli, Pep Riley, and Sasha Sparks)
Former WOW World Tag Team Champions (Coach Campanelli and Randi Rah Rah)
The Tonga Twins (Kaoz and Kona)
Former WOW World Tag Team Champions
Tropical Storm (La Niña and Paradise)
The Vengeful Vixens (The Dagger and The Temptress)
The Beast, in a video from her home, announced that she is quitting WOW. This episode aired on tape delay on November 23, 2024, at WOW Season 10: Episode 11
Won the titles from Miami's Sweet Heat (Laurie Carlson and Lindsey Carlson) (with Lana Star and Holly Swag) for the WOW World championship tag team title match. This episode aired on tape delay on November, at WOW Season 10: Episode 12
WOW Trios Tag Team Championship
Top Tier (Coach Campanelli, Gloria Glitter and Kandi Krush)
Coach Campanelli have a big surprise her own Team Spirit (Ariel Sky, Pep Riley and Sasha Sparks)...to out of this ring and replaced, Coach Campanelli, Gloria Glitter and Kandi Krush known as Top Tier to defeats Team Exile (Exodus, Genesis and Ice Cold) to become the inaugural trios champions. This episode aired on tape delay on March 16, 2024, at WOW Season 9: Episode 27
^Meltzer, Dave (July 2003). "WOW did 24 episodes of television that aired from October 2000 through March 2001...". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Campbell, California. p. 8. WOW did 24 episodes of television that aired from October 2000 through March 2001 on major stations in about 100 markets, buying tin [sic?] most markets. The money was supposed to be recouped by holding a PPV show. They did one from the Great Western Forum in Los Angeles, that ended up doing 12,000 buys, and the venture lost several million dollars in the process. In fact, they lost more money in their last three months than ECW did in its last year, and ECW had many wrestlers under six-figure contracts. WOW has been largely dormant ever since
