WOW Superhero Spotlight: Gloria Glitter - The Cardio Queen

With a passion for the 1980s aerobics craze, Gloria Glitter uses her superior cardiovascular stamina to push her opponents to their limits every time she steps into the purple ring of WOW - Women Of Wrestling.

The 1980s aerobics craze was a massive fitness movement driven by figures like Richard Simmons and Jane Fonda, who became iconic as they featured high-energy dance workouts, bright spandex, and leg warmers. Embracing that era, Gloria Glitter brought the lifestyle into WOW, combined with her hybrid '80s and '90s retro gear and high-energy fitness presence.



And there is more to Gloria Glitter than Richard Simmons-level energy and exercise-inspired moves; she is a technician of the ring. Glitter was trained for four years by Japanese wrestling superstar FUNAKI, who gave her a strong foundation in technical wrestling and diverse international styles. During FUNAKI's pro-wrestling career, he was a Cruiserweight and Hardcore champion in the US, and he also held the UWA World Light Heavyweight Championship, a title that has a very historical past that began in the Mexico-based Universal Wrestling Association and is currently active in Japan. In addition, FUNAKI was a member of Kaientai Deluxe, which was a notable faction in Michinoku Pro, a Japanese promotion that has a lucha libre atmosphere. Being trained by a wrestler with such extensive experience prepared the Cardio Queen for WOW Superheroes of all athletic backgrounds.



Wanting to reach the top of WOW, Gloria Glitter accepted an offer from top trainer Coach Campanelli to join her and Kandi Krush in forming the "Top Tier" team. Campanelli could see Glitter's potential every time she was in the WOW ring, and she was also a great prospect because she had captured tag team championship gold on the independent wrestling scene in the past and had a long reign. With Campanelli as the leader, Top Tier won a WOW Trios Tag Team Championship Tournament to become the first-ever WOW Trios Champions.

WOW Superhero Spotlight: Jessie Jones & Big Rig Betty - Southern Attitude

With Southern pride in their hearts and grit in the ring, Jessie Jones & Big Rig Betty are two veterans of the pro-wrestling industry who represent hard-hitting, no-nonsense wrestling in the tag team scene of WOW - Women Of Wrestling.

Their story began on the Southern wrestling scene, where Jessie Jones and Big Rig Betty had many singles matches with each other, with encounters that included trading women's championship gold back and forth. But what started as them being opponents eventually became a bond of mutual respect.

The wrestler who put Jessie Jones and Big Rig Betty on the path to being tag team partners was legend Tracy Smothers. A former World Tag Team Champion with decades of experience, he mentored them on the technical aspects of the ring as well as taught them how to conduct themselves in the wrestling business, southern style. Smothers welcomed Jones and Betty into his wrestling family- Smothers' Twisted Daughters. This gave Jones and Betty a sense of sisterhood that changed their careers, as well as their lives, forever.

The alliance of Jessie Jones and Big Rig Betty continued in WOW, where they defeated Miami's Sweet Heat for the WOW World Tag Team Championship.



Jessie Jones and Big Rig Betty defended the WOW World Tag Team Championship four times, with their most personal defense being against Penelope Pink & Holly Swag. In this match that was a clash of styles with family drama as a centerpiece, Holly Swag -the daughter of Big Rig Betty- was now aligned with Pink and the rest of Lana Star's upper-class "Fab Four" faction, separating herself from the backwoods lifestyle that she was raised in.



The blend of working-class grit and family tough love that they display is what makes Jessie Jones and Big Rig Betty stand out in women's wrestling. It's a style built on classic Southern wrestling traditions- the very foundation ingrained in them by their mentor, or "Pops", as Tracy Smothers' wrestling daughters affectionately called him.

Although Tracy Smothers sadly passed away in October 2020, his influence remains clear. Every time Jessie Jones and Big Rig Betty step into the ring, they continue making Smothers' memory proud as they stay true to their Southern roots and authentically keep the spirit of the South alive.

How Tormenta’s Free Agency Benefits Both Her and WOW

At the Mexico-based RIOT Lucha Libre's La Riña 4 event on July 18, Tormenta, who was a significant presence in AAA, announced that she is now a free agent. Along with giving her more control over her career trajectory, this path has an impact on her relationship with WOW - Women Of Wrestling, as the company becomes the centerpiece of her market value.

With AAA being one of the biggest lucha libre companies in Mexico, Tormenta's reign as co-holder of the AAA World Mixed Tag Team Championship was highly respected. But becoming WOW World Champion cemented her legacy, as she became an established top-tier singles star and the face of an integrated media company with a major distribution deal, seen in 100% of US markets and being a source of inspiration for women in Mexico, as a Superhero from their country wrestles at such a high level.

Now that Tormenta is a free agent, she gains distinct structural benefits as a result of how WOW operates. The company films its weekly television show in seasons, and tapings are often concentrated over a few days or weeks at a specific location, with its newest residency being the iconic Fremont Street Experience in Las Vegas. This approach allows Tormenta to have a predictable work schedule with significant periods off between seasons, during which time she can wrestle in multiple promotions in the US and Mexico throughout the year. And considering the national TV exposure that Tormenta gets and her reputation in Mexico, many promotions will book her, drawing WOW and lucha libre fans alike.



WOW benefits from Tormenta's free agency as well. Juggling commitments between a major company in Mexico and a US television taping schedule can be a balancing act, but free agency changes the dynamic entirely- WOW, the company that provided the platform for her to prove that she could carry the weight of responsibility that comes with being a world champion, can now have more priority in Tormenta's pro-wrestling career.

For WOW, having Tormenta as a part of its world is a premium asset. She brings her lucha libre background and almost two decades of in-ring experience, quickly approaching her 20-year milestone in September 2026. For Tormenta, having more freedom while also enjoying a national platform marks a stage of her career where her status as an international star, former WOW World Champion, and former AAA World Mixed Tag Team Champion, is reaping its rewards.

WOW Superhero Spotlight: Gabriella Cruz - A Brazilian Bombshell With Lucha Libre Influence

With backgrounds in judo / jiu-jitsu and professional wrestling experience internationally, Brazil-born Gabriella Cruz brings a unique fighting style to WOW - Women Of Wrestling.



As the first female from her region to win a bronze medal at the Judo World Championship and a former Jiu-Jitsu World Champion, Gabriella Cruz had a great foundation for pro-wrestling capability when she began her sports entertainment journey. After being promoted to a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Cruz further developed her wrestling skills in Mexico, where the high-flying lucha libre style is traditional. Promotions there where Cruz honed her craft included AAA, one of the biggest lucha libre companies in Mexico, and KAOZ Lucha Libre, where she saw title success as KAOZ Women's Champion and KAOZ Women's Tag Team Champion.

Upon returning to the United States, Gabriella Cruz joined WOW, carrying the lessons learned in Mexican rings. When she was wrestling in the US previously, she displayed a combination of natural athleticism and mastery of judo and jiu-jitsu. Now that Cruz has embraced the aerial moves that are trademarks of lucha libre, she has added a new dimension of excitement and visual display to matches. This addition of aerial artistry brought a faster pace and more energy to Cruz's matches, as she outmaneuvers her opponents.



Recently, Gabriella Cruz began getting involved with WOW's tag team scene, teaming with fellow WOW Superhero Lil J-Boogie. Their friendship has been a learning experience for both of them- while Lil J-Boogie is learning Brazilian jiu-jitsu from Cruz, she is learning dance moves from Lil J-Boogie, who is a professional dancer outside of WOW. Acquiring these skills will enable Cruz to enhance her in-ring timing, agility, and showmanship, blending rhythmic movement with her martial arts background and lucha libre/American wrestling talents.



Whether Gabriella Cruz is in singles or tag team action, her mission is always the same: To inspire young women to believe in their dreams and pursue them.

How Pro-Wrestling Cultivates Crossover Talent

Pro-wrestling promoters have long understood a fundamental marketing truth: outside star power creates immediate psychological equity and expands a promotion's demographic reach, which is why the integration of mainstream entertainment personalities into professional wrestling has been a foundational business strategy dating back to the mid-20th century. Historically, many outside stars appeared for minimal fees or for promotional exchange.

Today, however, the economic landscape has shifted. Modern mainstream celebrity involvement has evolved into a lucrative, highly negotiated business where top-tier talent often commands premium, multi-million-dollar contracts. This poses the question: how can casual pro-wrestling fans be created without spending large sums of money? A part of the solution is to utilize new or developing talent.

The Talent Honer: From the Comedy Store Kitchen to Touring Comedian

Long before Eleanor J. Kerrigan became a stand-up comedian known for her sharp wit and relatable storytelling at the Comedy Store and beyond, she didn't have a public footprint. The only times people were seeing Kerrigan's ability to entertain were while she was working as a waitress at The Comedy Store, where she learned the ropes of comedy and made the best comics in the country laugh while in the kitchen of the club. That changed when she joined WOW - Women Of Wrestling and became EZ Rider, being seen on syndicated television. She had already displayed her potential as an entertainer while working as a comedy shop waitress- being a WOW Original enabled her to show it on a national platform in front of live crowds, and helped her move towards acting and eventually become a comedian by honing her showmanship and performance skills. Instead of signing a celebrity, WOW built a foundation for Kerrigan to later become one, while entertaining its audience at the same time.

Today, Eleanor J. Kerrigan is a touring stand-up comedian. She has performed regularly at major West Coast venues in the stand-up comedy industry, like the Hollywood Improv and the Laugh Factory Las Vegas, and she has also performed on the East Coast. In addition, Kerrigan was co-host of "The Comedy Store Podcast", talking about the past, present, and future of The Comedy Store with guests that span the entire history of the store, and she was featured on an episode of "The Ringers", a stand-up comedy showcase series.



The Joshi Version: Targeted Underground Partnerships

While many Western promotions utilize crossover talent as active focal points of the promotion, multiple promotions in Japan present outside talent as an entertainment wrapper. An example is the collaboration between World Woman Pro-Wrestling Diana and Shumatsu no Stella (終末のステラ)- a 5-member independent underground pop rock idol group. In 2026, it was announced that they were appointed as Diana's Official Support Members and would be supporting Diana through the promotion's future tournaments, events, and various promotional activities. Shumatsu no Stella has an intensely dedicated, highly active fanbase who travel heavily and buy merchandise aggressively. Without having to pay premium prices for a top-charting pop-rock star, Diana creates an immediate physical bridge between the promotion and music fans by being associated with the group.

Meanwhile, the Diana-Shumatsu no Stella partnership provides the music group with higher visibility and gives them direct access to an entirely new demographic. The group can now have exposure at notable venues like Korakuen Hall and Shinkiba 1stRING, and since professional wrestling and idol culture have a deeply intertwined relationship with a massive overlap between the fanbases, Diana fans can easily become listeners of Shumatsu no Stella's music.



Cultivating the Next Wave

Promotions like WOW and Diana prove that it's possible for a promotion to be a growth engine for a performer's visibility and future success outside of the pro-wrestling industry, while simultaneously helping itself. Utilizing a performer in the industry whose greatest strengths lie in other skill sets isn't always about paying for the stars of today; sometimes it's about helping the stars of tomorrow.

WOW Superhero Spotlight: Ashley Blaze - Bringing the Heat

With a multi-sport background and seven years of pro-wrestling experience, Ashley Blaze lights a fire for the next generation of WOW - Women Of Wrestling Superheroes, as she smashes through the glass ceiling.



The early period of Ashley Blaze's career in WOW was focused on singles matches, as she lit the ring on fire with her resilience, agility, and technical skills.



Later, Ashley Blaze began turning her attention to WOW's tag team scene. Blaze's basketball and volleyball experience translates to tag team wrestling, as all three are team-oriented and rely on timing, spatial awareness, and non-verbal communication.



Ashley Blaze started teaming with Tara Strike when Strike's partnership with Kara Kai began turning sour after Kai no-showed a WOW World Tag Team Title match. Blaze's speed & agility, combined with Strike's karate skills, brought a new dynamic to the tag team scene, as they defeated then-WOW World Tag Team Champions Miami's Sweet Heat in a non-title match.



Kara Kai and Tara Strike's partnership officially ended when it was eventually realized that Kai was secretly sabotaging Strike, with Sandy Shore as an accomplice. Kai and Shore were now a tag team (Best 4 Business), and Ashley Blaze became Strike's permanent tag team partner. Together, Blaze and Strike made history when they defeated Best 4 Business and defending champions Miami's Sweet Heat in a "Triple Threat" match to become the new champions. This was the beginning of Ashley Blaze's first WOW title reign, a monumental career milestone that also was her first World Tag Team Championship victory.

By combining ring experience with athletic resilience and a refusal to ever back down from a challenge as she brings the heat to the purple ring, Ashley Blaze is a WOW Superhero who inspires the next generation by proving that anything is possible.

Why a People-Focused Strategy is the Next Growth Frontier in Sports Entertainment

The role of tech in connecting wrestling with other media cannot be overstated, as it will continue to attract new fans and create a more interactive experience. However, a different market reality is emerging simultaneously. Tech adoption can not only inflate overhead, but if it is executed by people who are familiar with the technology industry but not the wrestling industry, it can sometimes lead to current fanbases being alienated, and brand identities being destabilized.

In my recent analysis of the digital strategy of WOW - Women Of Wrestling, I looked at how they prioritize the human element. Looking at the broader sports entertainment landscape in 2026, it's clear that this is not only a unique creative choice but also a highly sophisticated blueprint, as a people-focused strategy is the next growth frontier in sports entertainment. Under the leadership of Jeanie Buss and David McLane, the company is once again being ahead of the curve. Rather than relying solely on pure data analytics or technological advancements, the company demonstrates that positioning a brand around its fans, its athletes, and communities ensures higher emotional engagement, financial health, and long-term fan retention.

The Benefit of Stability: Buffered from Algorithmic Volatility

For many promotions focusing on tech integrations, creative and production directions are heavily connected to real-time digital metrics, which are real-time data points that promotions use to instantly measure fan engagement. Immediate online feedback, YouTube video traction, social media impressions & sentiment spikes, and instant online merchandise surges often lead to a promotion making changes to its shows that are not beneficial for the long-term.

As an alternative, WOW is buffered from the volatility by focusing its IP on a family-friendly, comic book-style format that focuses on the Superheroes' individual personalities, motivations, and backstories, allowing the company to stay true to its values while also being successful. It's common for a company to change in order to compete with companies that have adapted to a changing industry, but WOW shows that this isn't necessary, as it builds deep, predictable brand equity while families and multi-generational audiences return to its product because it offers consistent entertainment value.

The Premium on Tangibility: Real People over Virtual Interactions

VR has the potential to revolutionize wrestling's social media experience, as current VR tech allows meet-and-greets where fans can interact with 3D avatars of wrestlers. Concerts hosted via VR platform have proved that interacting with high-profile digital representations is technically possible, and it's a new phase of engaging and immersive social media experiences, but it doesn't replace the primary emotional driver of sports entertainment: the authentic human connection between the fan and the athlete.

WOW maximizes the value of its intellectual property by keeping the real-life Superhero entirely irreplaceable. The company's character-driven style is reinforced through tangible, physical presence. WOW's meet and greets at events ensure that the brand’s message is delivered through an offline interaction. In an increasingly simulated media market, a fan looking at their favorite Superhero in person and eye to eye remains an unmatched branding asset.

Seamless Scale: The Power of National Accessibility

True scale in media distribution is often equated with having a presence on a big online platform, and with many independent promotions in a situation where they would have to buy airtime in order to be seen nationally, being on a streaming service is definitely a game changer. However, in WOW's case, a focus on weekend syndication is benefiting them because by reaching 100% of US markets through local networks, they are connecting with a diverse audience that includes young and casual fans, as well as a 41% female audience, the largest percentage of female viewership among prominent wrestling organizations.

In addition, free over-the-air television syndication captures massive reach in urban markets and diverse communities where the cumulative cost of streaming platforms can become too expensive to afford. By offering free pro-wrestling entertainment, WOW builds easy, direct access. This matches the promotion's audience footprint; reports indicate that WOW has a highly diverse audience, which includes a 31% Black viewership, the largest percentage of Black viewership among prominent wrestling organizations.

Also, WOW has carved out a distinct and successful path by focusing on traditional licensing that doesn't have the technical barriers of the virtual world. A cornerstone of this strategy is the entry into the tabletop gaming market. WOW partnered with Cation Arts to launch WOW - Women Of Wrestling Card Game, a physical collectible experience- an obvious contrast to digital trading cards. By going the physical card game route, the tangible thrill of collecting and the social connection of in-person play are prioritized. By keeping the barrier to entry non-existent, WOW ensures its market footprint expands organically across every demographic, independent of hardware trends.

Long-Term Value: Media as a Tool for Real-World Action

From a consumer psychology perspective, the highest value of a family-friendly entertainment property isn't found in users staying in a digital environment. It is found in creating an experience that inspires brand loyalty and real-world interaction. This creates an ingrained, institutional trust with parents and partners on a level that is difficult to replicate via technology.

The business blueprint executed by the world of WOW highlights a lesson for the broader sports entertainment sector: innovation is defined by how effectively technology protects and projects a company's brand identity. Positioning a media property around organic, people-focused engagement offers a powerful, sustainable path to growth. As the market continues to diversify, WOW's focus on universal accessibility, physical media, and character-driven stability proves that in a world that is growing digitally, the people element remains incomparable.

How WOW’s "Human First" Digital Strategy Works in 2026

As we navigate the high-tech horizon of 2026, the professional wrestling industry is splitting into two directions. On one side, we see the promotions that are focusing on tech integrations in professional wrestling. On the other, WOW - Women Of Wrestling is concentrating on a different type of connection: a WOW world that prioritizes accessibility and authentic human connection. Both paths are smart, but while technology in wrestling requires mutual adaptation, WOW’s strategy shows how to build a fan base with no learning curve required.

For the promotions focused on technology, the digital goal is presence. At this point, the industry has had virtual meet & greets, where fans could meet their favorite performers from the comfort of their own home, with no travel costs or geographical limitations, and only requiring the purchase of a ticket. It has utilized highly immersive Mixed Reality (MR) environments, where fans at experiential venues can feel like they're ringside at major events even if the event is taking place thousands of miles away.

While these technological advancements offer unique and engaging experiences, it's important to recognize that live wrestling events have their own irreplaceable appeal. The enthusiasm of the crowd, the social experience of attending a live event with friends and family, being in a venue with people who love the entertainment value of professional wrestling as much as you do, and the opportunity to see your favorite wrestlers perform in person are factors that cannot be fully duplicated in a virtual environment.

This is what WOW fully focuses on. Under the leadership of Jeanie Buss and David McLane, the company has prioritized maintaining an ecosystem with the strategy that isn't about pulling you into a virtual world, it's about bringing their Superheroes into yours.

It's very common for sports entertainment programming to be on networks that are not available in the majority of the nation's total households, or accessible to those who pay for a streaming subscription. Meanwhile, WOW maximizes accessibility by reaching 100% of US markets through syndication on local networks. You don't need cable to watch WOW- local broadcast channels can be picked up in high definition for free using an HD over-the-air (OTA) antenna, or you can watch them through a live TV streaming service, entirely free.

WOW's residency at the iconic Fremont Street Experience in Las Vegas further illustrates this commitment to physical, "human first" presence. "Fights At Fremont Street Experience" are live events that bring the WOW ring to the heart of the city, offering high-energy spectacles to thousands of tourists and locals alike.

While each evening starts with an exclusive meet and greet, WOW offers access through free raffles, as opposed to requiring high-cost VIP tickets, which is typical of modern meet and greets.

The WOW digital strategy is very detailed. The Superheroes of WOW have their own individual profiles on social media, where their larger-than-life characters can be spotlighted. In addition, WOW's official website is at the center of the world of WOW, featuring biographies and backstories for the individual Superheroes. Some of them also utilize TikTok and Instagram, which means that along with watching a character, a fan also follows the character's journey.

Being that pro-wrestling is now deeply integrated into the technology age, there is a heavy reliance on digital metrics, which are real-time data points that promotions use to instantly measure fan engagement. Companies track YouTube video traction, social media impressions, and instant online merchandise spikes. This constant influx of data can lead to a promotion making changes to its shows that are not beneficial for the long-term. In contrast, WOW's family-friendly, comic book-style format focuses on the Superheroes' individual personalities, motivations, and backstories, making it less reactive to fluctuating daily internet algorithms.

Also, while much of the wrestling world is racing toward a blockchain-driven future, WOW has carved out a distinct and successful path by focusing on traditional licensing that doesn't have the technical barriers of the virtual world. A cornerstone of this strategy is the entry into the tabletop gaming market. WOW partnered with Cation Arts to launch WOW - Women Of Wrestling Card Game, a physical collectible experience- an obvious contrast to digital trading cards. By going the physical card game route, the tangible thrill of collecting and the social connection of in-person play are prioritized.

Technology offers pro-wrestling fans the ability to engage with personalized, immersive entertainment through innovations like virtual reality (VR) and artificial intelligence, and there are ways that all promotions can focus on technology without alienating their current fanbase and destabilizing their brand identity. However, WOW’s strategy reminds us that technology should serve the promotion, not the other way around. By focusing on free distribution and direct social interaction, WOW makes the high-energy world of professional wrestling accessible to everyone, regardless of how tech-savvy they are.

As we look toward the rest of 2026, wrestling fans will be able to enjoy the best of both worlds across a diversifying media landscape. For some, the preference lies where live audience opinion is captured via real-time data and digital trends, directly influencing who is spotlighted. For others, the preferred choice is where the focus is on character-driven wrestling and telling the stories of larger-than-life Superheroes in a unique way, all available on free television.

WOW’s World: A Unique Form of Engagement

While the pro-wrestling industry is looking at the metaverse and VR/AR's potential to revolutionize wrestling's social media experience, a different path is being carved out by WOW - Women Of Wrestling. Led by co-owners Jeanie Buss and David McLane, instead of WOW exploring the idea of having a 3D virtual world community, the company has created a Superhero world- an integrated ecosystem that combines family-friendly comic book-style characters, social media, and the power of a standalone all-female product.

Rather than WOW being represented by only corporate social media accounts, the Superheroes of WOW have their own individual profiles, where their larger-than-life characters can be spotlighted. WOW fans don't have to wait until the weekend to see their favorite Superheroes; they can interact with them and their personalities throughout the week on X, and in the chat area of Official WOW Podcast With Nigel Zane. In addition, WOW's official website is at the center of the world of WOW, featuring biographies and backstories for the individual Superheroes.

The world of WOW that exists online extends to the physical world and Comic-Con culture, dating back eight years. In 2018, LA Comic Con featured Fire vs. Jessicka Havok, and Faith The Lioness vs. The Beast. This was the first time in history that there were ever pro-wrestling matches at LA Comic Con.

The Beast and The Lioness wrestled each other again at LA Comic Con 2019, and in 2022, WOW returned to LA Comic Con, making history as it hosted The WOW Championship Spectacular, with a card that included a WOW Tag Team Championship match and a gauntlet to crown a new WOW World Champion.


In 2023, WOW Superheroes attended Comic-Con International: San Diego 2023 for an exclusive meet and greet and returned to San Diego Comic-Con in 2024 for an autograph signing and to present a special panel, “WOW – Women Of Wrestling – Bringing WOW Superheroes To Life,” to discuss the importance of the rise of female representation in professional sports. Continuing to be a notable aspect of Comic-Cons, WOW once again presented a special panel at San Diego Comic-Con in 2025: "WOW - Women Of Wrestling on Female Representation in Sports and Discovering New Talent.” WOW’s presence at Comic-Cons is a cornerstone of its fan engagement. These panels are the physical headquarters of their digital world, enabling fans who have engaged with the Superheroes online to meet them in a place that celebrates the intersection of wrestling and comics.

For WOW, the "metaverse" is not a place you visit; it's a world that you participate in. By focusing on accessibility, family-friendly comic book-style characters, and the power of a standalone all-female product, the company has built a digital home that prioritizes human connection over technology. In the world of WOW, the fan isn't only a spectator- they are a witness to a comic book brought to life.

Why WOW's Syndication and Residencies are the Future of Wrestling

For decades, going on the road was important to pro-wrestling promoters. It would enable their promotion's brand to grow faster, because it would draw potential new fans who would check out this promotion that has come to their town, the promotion that they may have heard some of their friends talking about.

But in 2026, that traditional model is becoming a financial issue. Rising fuel costs and logistical inflation have caused touring to be viewed as less needed than it used to be. Beyond the balance sheet, the physically demanding travel and performance schedule of a full-time house show circuit can lead to physical and mental burnout. Consider the constant cycle: fly to a new city, perform, travel to the next city, sleep, and repeat. This continuous routine can take a massive physical and mental toll.

While the rest of the industry is looking at their jet fuel bills and wondering whether frequently going on the road is still the best way to travel, WOW - Women Of Wrestling is once again ahead of the curve, quietly changing the status quo of brand building.

Instead of following the costly path of customer acquisition through live house shows, WOW has pioneered a new wrestling branding blueprint. This model prioritizes televised distribution over ticket-based touring, anchoring the brand in production-friendly, high-traffic tourist destinations.

By focusing exclusively on events filmed for television, WOW reaches 100% of US markets through syndication while keeping its overhead anchored to strategic hubs. This isn't only a different way to run a show; it's a financial fortress that insulates the brand from the unpredictability of the travel industry. While David McLane has stated in the past that live touring remains a long-term aspiration for the company down the road, WOW’s immediate plan of action prioritizes a multi-hub residency strategy.

WOW’s current game plan leverages the unique commercial benefits of three different and distinct markets:

Las Vegas: "Fights At Fremont Street Experience" provides a high-spectacle, outdoor atmosphere that captures the energy of tourists, increasing the production value for televised broadcasts.

Los Angeles: As the permanent home of co-owners Jeanie Buss and David McLane, Los Angeles provides a stable base supported by a deep-rooted presence in the city and a valuable partnership with Paramount SkyDance.

Florida: Looking toward 2027, WOW’s planned expansion into Florida taps into what will be a stronghold state with, as David McLane describes it, a "built-in fan base that is possibly not matched in terms of a statewide appeal", along with a deep talent pool of theme park stunt performers and independent pro-wrestlers.

By centering in these three distinct entertainment capitals, WOW achieves a powerful trio: the spectacles of Las Vegas, the reliable, high-volume tape days of Florida, and the deal-making powerhouse of Los Angeles. This geographic coordination will help WOW continue to scale its brand and deliver high-quality television, regardless of seasonal weather shifts.

While WOW creates its indoor-outdoor model, the rest of the pro-wrestling industry is at a crossroads. One path leads back to the exhausting, high-cost hustle of the road. The other, pioneered by WOW, leads toward a more impactful, sustainable future where the brand itself -not only the tour- is the star. If this model succeeds, the rest of the wrestling world may soon follow the blueprint WOW is writing today.

Exclusive Q&A: Inside the Mind of the IQ Superior - A Conversation with Samantha Smart

The landscape of WOW - Women Of Wrestling is currently being reshaped- not by brute force, but by psychological architecture. Following my recent education on The Enlightened: WOW's psychological supergroup, the founder of The Enlightened, Samantha Smart, granted an exclusive, deep dive interview to expand upon the group's comprehensive philosophy.

In an environment dominated by standard media spots and quick video soundbites, Ms. Smart chose this platform to deliver a masterclass in wrestling interviews. Below is the unedited curriculum of The Enlightened.

1. On the Shift from Discipline to Enlightenment

Harold Williams: In my recent analysis, I highlighted your transition from using a traditional wooden ruler to the mysterious white book after Santana Garrett broke the original tool over The Classmaster's head. It appears to be a massive philosophical upgrade. Could you educate the public on the core curriculum contained within that white book, and how it moves beyond basic physical discipline into true cognitive alignment?

Samantha Smart: The ruler was symbolic of correction through consequence. But enlightenment itself cannot be measured through simple physical instruments. You cannot quantify awareness with a ruler. You cannot calculate transformation through force alone. Human evolution has always required something more sophisticated than punishment.

As you can clearly see through this transition, I do not cling to outdated methods simply because they are familiar. I am a leader who adapts and refines as needed. Leaders ascend beyond their previous limitations while lesser minds desperately romanticize the past because it comforts them. Anything less from me would be irresponsible.

The book operates differently. It exposes flawed thinking at the source. It creates cognitive alignment, awareness, precision, and unity of purpose. And that is infinitely more powerful than the fear from a measuring tool. Within it are the psychological architectures that govern human behavior: pattern recognition, perception conditioning, emotional detachment, strategic adaptation, collective influence. The simple minded believe intelligence is simply the accumulation of facts. Wrong. True intelligence is the ability to reorganize reality into a more optimal structure.

That is the curriculum of The Enlightened. I released our Five Pillars on @wowsuperheroes instagram this week. I am not a gatekeeper. Enlightenment is for everyone.

What happened with Santana The Barbarian accelerated the transition. Destruction frequently precedes higher-order evolution. I often describe it as the accidental catalyst.

History demonstrates this repeatedly. Entire civilizations transformed after collapse exposed the weakness of old systems. The printing press disrupted centralized control of knowledge. Industrialization destroyed outdated labor structures. Even in nature, forest fires appear catastrophic to lesser observers, yet they often create the exact conditions necessary for stronger ecosystems to emerge.

The real psychological experiment unfolding in WOW is observing who chooses evolution once the path has been revealed… and who continues clinging to intellectual decay simply because it feels familiar. The smarts vs. the stupids. Good vs. evil. Progress vs. mediocrity.

2. On the Subversion of the "Abduction" Narrative:

Harold Williams: Many use the word 'abduction' to describe the incident where The Enlightened removed an unconscious Santana Garrett from the ring on a stretcher. From an objective standpoint, she wasn't restrained, and a stretcher is traditionally a tool of rescue. To officially clear up the persistent confusion among the masses, can you confirm my analysis that it was an intervention to save Garrett from her own behavior, and by extension, a blueprint for saving WOW as a whole?

Samantha Smart: A stretcher is not traditionally associated with punishment. It is associated with rescue, preservation, and transport between one state and another. Yet the moment The Enlightened used a stretcher to remove Santana The Barbarian from her destructive trajectory, people instinctively labeled it an ‘abduction.’ That reaction alone reveals how conditioned society has become to resist correction, even when that correction may save them.

As for what happened afterward… some knowledge is intentionally withheld until the mind is prepared to process it responsibly. Our methods are not random. There are layers to transformation that cannot be fully explained to an audience until the timing is right.

But understand this: What happened to Santana Garrett may ultimately become the single greatest thing that has ever happened to her. And one day, when the full pattern becomes visible, people will realize I was never harming WOW. I was saving it.

3. On the Architecture of the Five Pillars:

Harold Williams: You have formally defined the wrist-clasp hand sign as representing the Five Pillars of Enlightenment, with Dr. Pam Demonium representing Balance. Her history notes that she walks the razor’s edge between Comedy and Tragedy, and that while the world calls it "madness", she calls it "balance". From a strategic standpoint, the masses often view a fractured soul as a liability, yet you recognized a dangerous brilliance in her. How crucial is Dr. Pam Demonium's specific identity of calculated chaos to maintain the equilibrium of The Enlightened and to stabilize the decline of humanity?

Samantha Smart: The masses look at someone like Dr. Pam Demonium and immediately attempt to categorize her into simplistic emotional categories like ‘unstable’ or ‘mad’. People fear minds they cannot easily predict. That fear creates labels. > Labels create distance. > Distance creates ignorance. This is a very common loop the unenlightened get stuck in.

Dr. Pam Demonium understands something most people never will: balance is not the absence of contradiction. True balance is the ability to stand at the intersection of opposing forces without psychologically collapsing into one extreme or the other. Comedy and tragedy. Order and chaos. Emotion and detachment. And most importantly…creation and destruction. The masses unconsciously drift toward one pole because ambiguity is deeply unsettling to them. Pam does not fear ambiguity. Instead, she operates within it and that makes her extremely valuable.

And contrary to the fantasies created by fearful people online, I pay extremely close attention to ethics and human rights within this movement. That is precisely why Balance is essential within The Enlightened’s architecture. People assume intelligence alone is enough to reshape society responsibly. It is not. Human beings are emotional organisms. Any movement attempting transformation while ignoring emotional consequence inevitably becomes reckless. Dr. Pam’s understanding of emotional complexity acts as both a stabilizer and a safeguard within The Enlightened.

Her role is part of me being responsible as a leader and part of doing this correctly. She is my insurance policy that The Enlightened evolution occurs through understanding rather than uncontrolled destruction. Without Balance, innovation becomes obsession. Perception becomes paranoia. Education becomes arrogance. Superiority becomes tyranny. A structure without balance inevitably collapses under the weight of itself.

4. On Intellectual Dominance vs. In-Ring Success:

Harold Williams: In my analysis, I established that you have no interest in trying to out-wrestle the other Superheroes of WOW; your passion is for intellect, proving that your IQ Superior brain is the ultimate power in the modern landscape. For the masses who are stubbornly obsessed with pure athleticism and standard mat mechanics, could you explain the strategic superiority of a psychological initiative over basic physical output?

Samantha Smart: Physical strength has always been romanticized because it is simple, visible, and immediate. But history shows that civilizations, institutions, and even wars are shaped less by brute force and more by those who influence perception, behavior, and human thought itself. That is the real battleground. A powerful mind can influence entire populations. One single strategy can overpower years of physical preparation.

The masses continue obsessing over mat mechanics because they are still evaluating reality through an outdated framework where physical dominance is mistaken for ultimate power. But the modern landscape increasingly rewards information, influence, psychology, perception architecture, and collective behavioral control.

In many ways, wrestling itself has become a microcosm of society. The people who understand the mind will always inherit the future from those who only understand force.

5. On the Long-Term Diagnosis for WOW:

Harold Williams: You have stated that your mission is to rid WOW -and the world- of its greatest plague: stupidity. If your current intervention with Santana Garrett achieves its absolute, intended success, what does a fully cured and enlightened WOW actually look like under your unified, logical design?

Samantha Smart: When fearful minds hear the phrase ‘rid the world of stupidity,’ they imagine authoritarian control because they mistakenly interpret transformation as oppression. But stupidity is not an insult. It is a condition.

A fully enlightened WOW would not be a place without conflict. Conflict is natural. In fact evolution at its very core is conflict. WOW will become a system operating with awareness. A system where intelligence and critical thinking are no longer viewed as threatening.

The modern world is increasingly shaped by invisible systems operating beneath conscious awareness. Algorithms influence behavior. Information ecosystems shape identity. Psychological contagions spread socially before people even realize they have absorbed them. Civilization is already surrounded by atmospheric influence. The public simply has not emotionally processed this reality yet.

Even technologically, humanity is moving toward distributed intelligence systems so microscopic, ambient, and interconnected that most people will interact with them constantly without fully understanding where the system ends and their own thoughts begin. History repeatedly shows that transformative technologies appear impossible or frightening right before they become normalized. The Enlightened understand this transition earlier than others.

When Santana Garrett’s intervention achieves its full intended success, people will realize the situation was never truly about Santana at all. She was the visible symptom of a deeper societal condition. Once even the most resistant mind demonstrates the capacity for transformation, the psychological barrier protecting the old system begins to fracture. And once that fracture begins… the trajectory is towards larger scale evolution.

A fully enlightened WOW would become more than a wrestling company. It would become proof that human beings are capable of reorganizing themselves into something more advanced than the reactive survival mechanisms currently governing society.

Some people hear that and become inspired and others hear it and become terrified. That reaction itself reveals who is psychologically prepared for the future.

An Education on The Enlightened: WOW's Psychological Supergroup

The landscape of WOW - Women Of Wrestling is being turned upside down, masterminded by a force that is as chillingly calculating as it is strategically brilliant. At the center of this paradigm shift stands The Enlightened- a group led by Samantha Smart, with Miranda the Mindful, Dr. Pam Demonium, Nova Sky, and former WOW World Champion The Classmaster being her handpicked followers who have the mission of carrying out Smart's vision of ridding the world of what she calls its greatest plague- stupidity.

While the Superheroes and commentators of WOW simply view The Enlightened as being evil and bizarre, an objective analysis of their data and in-ring execution reveals a far deeper reality. The Enlightened operates with a strict, self-governing logic. They do not view their actions through the basic lens of good and evil; they view themselves as the ultimate overseers of order, logic, and structural perfection in a broken and chaotic world.



Right now, their primary objective is former WOW World Champion Santana Garrett. This is more than the typical feud- this is a battle of intellectual dominance.

To fully understand the feud between Samantha Smart and Santana Garrett, one must look at their clash of devotions in WOW. While Santana Garrett is passionate about pro-wrestling and being a real-life Superhero, Smart has a passion for intellect and world domination- she doesn't want to out-wrestle you; she wants to enlighten you, proving that her IQ Superior brain is the ultimate power.



Months ago, the baseline of this conflict of ideals went to another level when, during a match between The Classmaster and Santana Garrett, Samantha Smart attempted to hit Garrett with her trademark wooden ruler, who took it from Smart and then broke it over the head of The Classmaster.

Samantha Smart's tool of discipline was broken, but instead of simply replacing it, she operated on an elite intellectual plane and replaced it with a mysterious white book. This represented a massive philosophical upgrade: transitioning from basic physical discipline to an entirely new curriculum of cognitive alignment. Smart’s ultimate directive is to cure WOW of stupidity and reshape the roster under a unified, logical design. And she now has The Enlightened to help her do it.



This philosophy has led to events that have left WOW fans and the broadcast team stunned and confused, such as the incident where The Enlightened removed Santana Garrett from the ring on a stretcher while she was knocked out after a match. Many describe it as being an "abduction". However, Garrett wasn't tied down, and when someone is being carried on a stretcher, they're being rescued. According to The Enlightened's logic, carrying Garrett out on a stretcher was a form of intervention- saving her from herself. The Enlightened believes that Garrett needs to be "fixed," or as they would say, "enlightened". And as one of the definitive faces of WOW, if Santana Garrett is "fixed", so is WOW.



It's still unknown what happened after The Enlightened carried out Santana Garrett, who has no full memory of the events that took place. But based on comments that have been made by Samantha Smart, whatever The Enlightened did to Garrett, it was successful.



Psychological manipulation has also taken place in the ring; since the formation of The Enlightened, the faction has been responsible for three Santana Garrett losses, with Samantha Smart distracting Garrett.

Santana Garrett's encounters with The Enlightened have always left her dazed and seemingly confused, which poses the question: Exactly what effect is The Enlightened's presence having on Santana Garrett?

Another question regarding The Enlightened has been "What does their hand sign mean?", referring to when the members of The Enlightened raise the wrist-clasp hand sign. According to Samantha Smart, each finger represents the five pillars of enlightenment:

1. Innovation (the machine-like Nova Sky)

2. Perception (the perceptive Miranda the Mindful)

3. Balance (Dr. Pam Demonium, who walks the razor’s edge between Comedy and Tragedy)

4. Education (the PHD-wielding Classmaster)

5. Superiority (Samantha Smart, the IQ Superior)

The Enlightened is playing a long-term, sophisticated strategic game that operates far beyond the usual paths of a wrestling feud. This is an elite ideological crusade, and time will tell whether WOW is moving toward a monumental shift in the balance of power.

New WOW World Tag Team Champions Crowned

History was made on the May 23 episode of WOW - Women Of Wrestling, when new WOW World Tag Team Champions were crowned. In the main event, Ashley Blaze and Tara Strike defeated Best 4 Business (Kara Kai & Sandy Shore) and defending champions Miami's Sweet Heat in a "Triple Threat" match to win the championship. This is their first reign.

Before this match, the WOW World Tag Team Championship had never changed hands in a "Triple Threat" match since the title's inception in 2001. With there being twice as many opponents in the ring to break up pinfalls, "Triple Threat" tag team matches are one of the hardest tag team championship matches to win.



Ashley Blaze and Tara Strike are one of the newer permanent tag teams in WOW. Previously, Strike had a partnership with Kara Kai, but it turned sour after Kai no-showed a WOW World Tag Team Title match and secretly began sabotaging Strike. This led to Blaze becoming her new permanent partner. Blaze's speed & agility, combined with Strike's karate skills, bring a new dynamic to the championship scene.

Beyond the immediate silver and glory, the victory enters Ashley Blaze and Tara Strike into an elite chapter of WOW's history books. By scaling to the top of the tag team division, they firmly embed their names into the lineage of champions who have anchored the company's tag team division over the years, which includes Big Rig Betty & Jessie Jones, Amber O'Neal & Santana Garrett, and Caged Heat.

Ashley Blaze and Tara Strike now represent the determination that defines WOW Superhero tag teams, but they won't have much time to take a breather and revel in their success because they now have targets on their backs, with many Superheroes hungry for an opportunity at the title, including Animal Instinct (Goldie Collins and Katarina Jinx), and members of the Alliance and Enlightened factions. However, Blaze and Strike have proven that they're prepared to carry the weight of responsibility that comes with being WOW World Tag Team Champions.

Why Florida Makes a Perfect WOW Superhero Stronghold

Traditionally, pro-wrestling companies have seen value in going on the road- it enables their brand to grow faster, drawing potential new fans who would check out this promotion that has come to their town, the promotion that they may have heard some of their friends talking about. But as we enter 2026, touring properties face more hurdles- rising fuel costs and logistical inflation. Along with that, the physically demanding travel and performance schedule of a full-time circuit can lead to physical and mental burnout. Alternatively, WOW - Women Of Wrestling is quietly rewriting the wrestling branding blueprint.

WOW had its first national tryouts outside of Los Angeles in August 2025 while company executives were in Tampa, Florida, and in December 2025, WOW once again sought future Superheroes in the Sunshine State, a cornerstone in the history of professional wrestling, rich with legacy and homegrown talent. It was also a prominent example of how wrestling territories operated- acting in the role of a governing body, the NWA's model was that territories controlled specific geographic areas, with each state having key markets. Tampa, Orlando, and Miami were the key markets of NWA affiliate Championship Wrestling From Florida (CWF). One of its championships was the NWA Florida Women's Championship, which was held by legends including Mae Young, June Byers, Betty Jo Hawkins, and Ella Waldek. By recruiting in the former home of the CWF, WOW aligns its Superheroes with the prestige of the legends who held that championship, bridging the gap between pioneering legends and modern sports entertainment.

WOW recruits athletes from a variety of athletic backgrounds, homegrown talent that it could train from the ground up, including cheer, dance, gymnastics, martial arts, CrossFit- and stunt performers. WOW's expansion to Florida puts the talent search in proximity to the world’s largest and best pool of theme park stunt performers in the US. In addition, the Florida independent pro-wrestling scene has a high concentration of talent with the ability to perform for a national television audience on a platform that has a large production scale and pays a very competitive local rate that beats what most independent wrestlers make on the road after expenses.

The Florida market is already well-represented within WOW. Several current Superheroes call the state home, including former WOW World Champion Santana Garrett, judo / jiu-jitsu black belt Gabriella Cruz, former WOW World Champion Penelope Pink, new Superhero Catalina Speed, multi-time WOW World Tag Team Champions Miami’s Sweet Heat Lindsey and Laurie Carlson, and heavy metal sister Fury. This connection establishes a bond between WOW and the local community.

While the Florida market holds deep roots in the industry, WOW is approaching its expansion there with a long-term vision. David McLane, who lived in Miami’s Coral Gables and Coconut Grove for 14 years, notes that the state has a "built-in fan base that is possibly not matched in terms of a statewide appeal." Because of the extensive organization required to establish a permanent presence, the Florida expansion is slated for 2027. In the meantime, WOW's 2026 focus will remain on its West Coast foundations in Las Vegas and a potential new venue in Los Angeles, currently under negotiation. Also, Los Angeles remains a permanent home for co-owners Jeanie Buss and David McLane, where their long-standing business roots and partnership with Paramount SkyDance provide a stable base for the brand.

For 25 years, WOW has been a West Coast-based brand. But as we look to the future landscape, the expansion to Florida represents a transition to a company with a broader physical footprint and East Coast presence, leveraging the established wrestling market in Florida for new talent and audience reach, moving beyond its traditional base to become a more distributed national entity. However, knowing WOW isn't abandoning the bright lights of the West- the company's "Fights At Fremont Street Experience" residency in Las Vegas, combined with its expansion to Florida, is a multi-hub strategy.

Instead of spending money on touring, WOW seemingly is positioning itself in three of the most production-friendly, high-traffic tourist destinations in America, giving shows mainstream visibility and exposing WOW to millions of potential new fans who might not typically seek out wrestling content. This organic exposure in major entertainment hubs is valuable for brand building and engagement. In addition, this model is both high-impact in terms of visibility and low-travel for talent, while also simultaneously reaching 100% of US markets through syndication and keeping overhead anchored to three locations, insulating itself against the unpredictability of the travel and of the touring industry.

This multi-hub strategy will also provide WOW with a valuable edge against environmental and logistical elements. While the Las Vegas “Fights At Fremont Street Experience” offers a high-spectacle, outdoor atmosphere that captures the energy of Las Vegas tourists, a Florida residency provides a studio-style environment. By balancing the bright, open-air environment of Nevada with the specialized production infrastructure of the Tampa-Orlando or Miami area, WOW creates a year-round content cycle. This indoor-outdoor model will ensure that the company can produce high-quality television regardless of seasonal weather shifts, further insulating WOW from the volatility that typically plagues promotions on a standard city-by-city tour.

With WOW’s Los Angeles and Florida markets having a deep talent pool, Las Vegas providing amazing backgrounds during matches, and the marketing support of the casinos, WOW, just as it changed the status quo for women's professional wrestling, is changing the status quo of brand building. If this model succeeds, we could see the company again be ahead of the curve, with the rest of the industry looking at their jet fuel bills and wondering whether frequently going on the road is still the best way to travel.