Women of Wrestling (WOW) is an American women's professional wrestling promotion founded in 2000 by David McLane (who also founded Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling (GLOW)). WOW is based in Los Angeles, California, and is owned by McLane and Los Angeles Lakers owner/president Jeanie Buss. Initially broadcasting in syndication in the 2000–01 television season, WOW is a sports entertainment–styled product where its talent portrays heavily dramatized characters.

History

Early years and relaunch

WOW has been recognized as one of the few nationally broadcast wrestling promotions featuring an all-female roster. Only 24 television episodes and a pay-per-view event were produced during its initial run. In 2002, McLane sought a partnership with Kiss frontman Gene Simmons to revive the promotion. In July 2011, WOW TV reruns began airing on the ABC affiliate KTNV in Las Vegas. On May 29, 2012, McLane and Buss announced their intention to revive WOW and produce new episodes. Later that year, WOW reruns began airing on The CW Las Vegas station KVCW starting on December 9. 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. A second season premiered on March 1, 2016, on YouTube. Its fourth season premiered February 28, 2017. 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. 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, with episodes airing in early 2019. WOW debuted that January 18 as part of AXS TV's "Friday Night Fights" lineup of shows. The AXS TV premiere marked WOW's first television broadcast of new content in almost eighteen years. WOW: Women of Wrestling ran for two seasons on AXS TV. In June 2020, it was reported that AXS had cancelled the series.

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. On October 7, WOW announced that April Mendez (formerly AJ Lee in WWE) joined the company as an executive producer and color commentator. 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. 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. 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. This was attributed to the show being available in every cable home in the United States, as well as airings in Canada and Australia.

Seasons

WOW Unleashed 2001

WOW Unleashed was a professional wrestling pay-per-view from Women of Wrestling. It took place on February 4, 2001, from the Great Western Forum in Inglewood, California. The PPV suffered from technical difficulties and a low buyrate. A second PPV, Spring Vengeance, was announced for April 8, 2001, during Unleashed, but never came to fruition. The announcers were Lee Marshall and former manager Bobby "The Brain" Heenan. Regular announcer David McLane, also the promotion's President, served as Master of Ceremonies.

Personnel

Alumnae

Former Superheroes

Former Tag Teams & Stables

Former Tag Teams & Alliances

Championships

As of January 26, 2025.