The 26-year-old Puerto Rican Latin trap and reggaeton singer/rapper has released the official music video for his latest single, “Booker T,” starring the song’s subject, the WWE wrestler of the same name.
“Booker T,” from the chart-topping El Último Tour Del Mundoalbum, has Bad Bunny saying he’s at the top of his game, akin to the wrestling legend Booker T.
In his new video, it’s not just a reference. He raps around Booker T himself, who steadily keeps his composure until finally giving in to a bit of dancing — and, of course, yelling out his signature phrase, “Can you dig it, sucka?”
“ESTOY EN MI PEAK,” Booker T wrote as he quoted the song on Twitter, where he proudly shared the new clip multiple times.
“EMPEZÓ EL 2021,” Bad Bunny tweeted with his video announcement.
The 51-year-old Cuban American businesswoman and producer, her former husband Dwayne Johnson and RedBird Capital Partners have bought the XFL, a twice-unsuccessful professional football alternative to the NFL fronted by WWE chief Vince McMahon, for $15 million.
Garcia and her business partners were selected as the winning bidder for the assets controlled by Alpha Entertainment, the parent company of the XFL.
The transaction is subject to bankruptcy court approval at a hearing this Friday. Assuming that closing conditions are satisfied, the acquisition is expected to close on or shortly after August 21.
In announcing the deal, Garcia and her fellow projected new owners said they have secured “the ability to option live entertainment intellectual property for further expansion across sports, live events and original entertainment programming.”
The XFL, which had two single-season attempts to go up against the NFL, one in 2000 and the second this year, was fronted by McMahon and the WWE, which owned a 23.5% stake in the league. After starting its season in February, the XFL was forced to shut down due to COVID-19 in March. It filed for bankruptcy in April.
“For Dwayne, Gerry and myself, this property represents an incredible opportunity. It is the confluence of great passion, tradition and possibility” Garcia said. “Sports and entertainment are the foundations of the businesses I have built. Melding our expertise combined with our commitment to deliver exciting and inspiring unique content, has us all focused on developing the XFL brand into a multi-media experience that our athletes, partners and fans will proudly embrace and love.”
Johnson has a connection to the sport, having played college football at Miami.
“The acquisition of the XFL with my talented partners, Dany Garcia and Gerry Cardinale, is an investment for me that’s rooted deeply in two things – my passion for the game and my desire to always take care of the fans,” Johnson said. “With pride and gratitude for all that I’ve built with my own two hands, I plan to apply these callouses to the XFL, and look forward to creating something special for the players, fans, and everyone involved for the love of football.”
Jeffrey Pollack, president and COO of the XFL, called it a “Hollywood ending” to the process of seeking a sale.
Garcia and Johnson are co-founders of Seven Bucks Companies, a multi-platform enterprise pioneering original content for television, film, emerging technologies and digital networks.
RedBird was founded by former Goldman Sachs partner Cardinale. He has orchestrated a range of major sports deals over the past 20 years involving his clients and teams like the New York Yankees, Dallas Cowboys as well as leagues like the NFL.
The XFL was the latest in a long line of failed attempts to dislodge the NFL from its perch as the No. 1 sports league in America. Football fans haven’t tuned in en masse for leagues like the Alliance of American Football, the United States Football League or the World Football League.
The first XFL season, in 2000, provided a brief summertime splash in the ratings for NBC, which was a part-owner of the league at the time, before quickly fading.
The latest iteration of the XFL differed from the first attempt in that it didn’t try to amp up the violence or present more scantily clad cheerleaders. Kickoffs, a routine feature of games that experts have linked to high rates of concussions, underwent a dramatic change in the XFL, with teams lining up close to each other so as to eliminate running-start collisions. Other innovations included microphones on the sidelines, enabling fans to follow the game in more detail.
The 29-year-old part-Puerto Rican actress/singer and her fellow Pose castmates and producers will take part in this year’s virtual GLAAD Media Awards ceremony.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the awards show will stream on GLAAD’s Facebook and YouTube accounts on Thursday, July 30 at 8:00 pm ET and will air on Logo on Monday, August 3 at 8:00 pm ET.
In addition to Rodriguez and her Pose castmates and producers, the awards show will include appearances by Dolly Parton, Dwayne Wade & Gabrielle Union, Lil Nas X, Cara Delevingne, Kaitlyn Dever, Beanie Feldstein, Lena Waithe, Jonica T. Gibbs, Dan Levy, Rachel Maddow, Ryan O’Connell, trans model and advocate Geena Rocero, Angelica Ross, Brain Michael Smith, Peppermint, Olivia Wilde, Raquel Willis,WWE superstar Sonya Deville and comedian Benito Skinner.
The ceremony will feature a special performance from the Grammy-nominated duo Chloe x Halle.
Comedians Fortune Feimster and Gina Yashere will serve as co-hosts of the show.
Honoring film, TV and media for its fair, accurate, and inclusive representations of LGBTQ people and issues, the GLAAD Media Awards ceremonies were originally supposed to take place in New York on March 19 and in Los Angeles on April 16.
The ceremonies were cancelled due to the pandemic, but GLAAD shifted plans and strived ahead in order to give shine to the LGBTQ-centric film, TV and media.
Earlier this year, GLAAD announced over 175 nominees in 30 categories who are being recognized for their work in queer media.
“Among this year’s nominees are a wide range of stories and narratives about LGBTQ people of different races, ethnicities, genders, religions, and other identities that demonstrate the power of inclusion and diversity in fostering positive cultural change,” said GLAAD President & CEO Sarah Kate Ellis. “As this year’s Media Awards go virtual, we hope to send a powerful message to LGBTQ people that in the midst of this culturally and politically divisive time, our visibility and voices have never been more important.”
E! has given the green light for a sixth season of its docuseriesTotal Bellas, which follows the lives of the 36-year-old half-Mexican American twin sisters and WWE stars, Nikki Bella and Brie Bella.
The NBCUniversal cable network will launch the next run of the show later this fall.
Season 5 of the show, which ended on Thursday, June 11, featured Nikki and Artem’s French engagement and the twins finding out they’re both expecting and due within weeks of each other.
The upcoming season will highlight the birth of their babies as Nikki navigates the joys of parenthood for the first time and Brie becomes a mom of two.
The fifth season is averaging around 1 million viewers, with 598,000 in the total 18-49 demo with around three quarters of these viewers women. This average is up 9% from last season and the show consistently ranks among the top ten shows in primetime across ad-supported cable nets.
Howie Dorough is ready to ring in the New Year with a bangin’ performance…
The 46-year-old half-Puerto Rican singer and his Backstreet Boys mates will take the stage for Fox’s third annual Fox’s New Year’s Eve with Steve Harvey: Live from Times Square special.
Dorough and the Backstreet Boys join a lineup that includes LL Cool J, DJ Z-Trip, the Chainsmokers, the Lumineers, Florida Georgia Line, Tygaand The Killers, along with celebrity appearances by Gordon Ramsay, Will Arnettand Jenna Dewan.
Maria Menounos and NFL ex-player Rob Gronkowskiwill co-host the evening, which will feature a performance by Angel Moralesand his fellow Village Peoplemembers as the group tries to set a world record for the largest YMCAdance.
The evening also will feature a WWE match with Roman Reigns.
The Fox party starts at 8:00 pm live from Manhattan, with a tape-delayed edition for the Mountain and Pacific time zones.
Tito Ortiz is heading back to the octagon before year’s end…
The 44-year-old half-Mexican American former mixed martial artist will be coming out of retirement to fight a former World Wrestling Entertainment champion later this year.
The Ortiz vs. Alberto El Patron, a 210-pound catchweight fight, will take place on December 7 in Hidalgo, Texas, and it will air live on pay-per-view, according to Combate Americas. The time and location of the fight were first announced on Monday’s episode of Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show.
El Patron, 42, formerly known as Alberto Del Rio in WWE and born Jose Alberto Rodriguez, hasn’t competed in MMA since 2010. He stopped fighting with a 9-5 pro record but did win six of his past seven fights. Following his MMA run, he turned his attention to a career with WWE and eventually became a multiple-time heavyweight champion. He has not worked for WWE since 2016.
The fight is expected to cost $39.99 on pay-per-view.
Ortiz (20-12-1), a former UFC light heavyweight champion and Hall of Famer, announced his retirement following his November 2018 victory over his long-time rival Chuck Liddell. However, in April, Ortiz signed a multi-fight deal with Combate. The El Patron fight will mark his first for the promotion.
El Patron is most known in MMA circles for his 2003 knockout loss to Mirko Cro CopatPride Bushido 1, where he competed under the moniker Dos Caras Jr.while wearing a luchador mask. He’s currently training for this fight with former Bellator fighter Javier Torres, current Bellator heavyweight and light heavyweight champion Ryan Baderand UFC veteran CB Dollaway, among others.
The event, which will take place at the Payne Arena in Hidalgo, will also feature Combate’s first women’s strawweight title fight.
The 37-year-old Mexican American mixed martial artist and wrestler isofficially stepping out of the Octagon and into the pro-wrestling ring for the foreseeable future.
Velasquez, a two-time UFC heavyweight champion, is in advanced talks to sign with WWE.
He made a surprise appearance on Friday on WWE SmackDown‘s Fox premiere at Staples Center, confronting Brock Lesnarin the closing moments of the show. Velasquez said he was not officially retired from the UFC, but pro wrestling is likely to be his focus right now.
Velasquez said no deal has been signed, and he also has been in discussions with other wrestling promotions, including upstart All Elite Wrestling (AEW) and New Japan Pro-Wrestling.
WWE could look to set up a blockbuster match between Velasquez and Lesnar, also a former UFC heavyweight champion.
Velasquez knocked out Lesnar to win the UFC belt in 2010. Coincidentally, Velasquez headlined the UFC’s first show on Fox in 2011, and Friday he was a major part of WWE’s Fox premiere, walking to the ring with Rey Mysterio and hitting Lesnar with a double-leg takedown.
Velasquez debuted in pro wrestling in August with Mexico’s Lucha Libre AAA. Velasquez is a celebrity in Mexico due to his UFC success and how he has marketed himself in the country. The 6-foot-2, 250-pound California native impressed at AAA’s Triplemaniashow in front of 18,000 at Mexico City Arena, pulling off athletic moves that were unexpected for a man his size.
Last month, Velasquez had a second match for AAA at Madison Square Garden‘s Hulu Theatre and his ability once again turned heads. The MMA star has been training full time in pro wrestling only since June, at Pro Wrestling Revolution in San Jose, California.
Velasquez has been doing it all with multiple torn ligaments in his left knee, an injury he suffered in a knockout loss to Francis Ngannouat UFC Phoenix in February.
Velasquez (14-3) is one of the most accomplished fighters in UFC history. He won the UFC heavyweight belt in 2010, and then again in 2012. Velasquez owns victories over the likes of Junior Dos Santos(twice), Antonio Rodrigo Nogueiraand Lesnar. Injuries to his knees, back and shoulders marred his run atop the division. Velasquez has fought just three times since 2013. He dropped the heavyweight title to Fabricio Werdumin 2015 and rebounded to beat Travis Browneat UFC 200 in 2016.
In 2018, Velasquez trained at WWE’s Performance Centerto see if he could physically work a match in the ring. He drew rave reviews from coaches there, but things didn’t work out at that time with WWE as far as a contract, and he ended up signing a short-term deal with AAA.
After his two appearances for AAA in August and September, Velasquez saw the interest in him increase. WWE came back to the table.
“We’ve talked a little bit back and forth and nothing happened,” Velasquez said. “They wanted to see my development. I think they’re pleased with what I’m doing now.”
Velasquez’s interest in pro wrestling comes at a particularly busy moment in pro wrestling history. The emergence of AEW, owned by the Khan family, which also owns the Jacksonville Jaguars and Fulham FC, is the first major effort to enter a space dominated by WWE for 20 years. Additionally, WWE signed TV contracts valued at over $1 billion to bring SmackDown to Fox and extend Monday Night Raw on the USA Network.
Velasquez would join the likes of Lesnar and Ronda Rouseyas former UFC champions in WWE. WWE also has UFC veterans Matt Riddleand Shayna Baszlerunder contract.
“This is definitely my focus,” Velasquez said of pro wrestling. “My family is into it, they love it. They’re super excited. I haven’t seen them excited over something like this in a while. It’s cool.”
Nikki Bella and Brie Bella are Total-ly ready for their close-up…
E! has scheduled the Season 2 return of the 33-year-old half-Mexican American twin sisters’ reality television series Total Bellasfor Wednesday, September 6 at 9:00 pm ET.
Nikki is a two-time WWE Divas Champion, Brie is semi-retired. The two won the award for Choice Female Athlete at the Teen Choice Awards in 2016.
The new eight hour-long episodes will continue to look at the lives of WWE superstars, including their evolving professional careers, romances and family lives.
Total Bellas is produced by WWE and Bunim/Murray Productions.
The 41-year-old Mexican-American professional wrestler and Lucha Underground star, whose real name is Oscar Gutierrez, has signed a one-year first look deal with Robert Rodriguez’s El Rey Network, the network behind the series.
Under the pact, Mysterio will develop, produce and consult on creative projects and series, both scripted and unscripted.
Mysterio joined Lucha Underground during the second season and will appear in the upcoming third season premiering September 7 on El Rey Network.
“Rey Mysterio’s incredible talent extends far beyond the ring,” said El Rey Network president and general manager Daniel Tibbets. “He is creative and collaborative and has a keen eye for great entertainment. Rey embodies the El Rey Network brand and we are thrilled to expand our relationship with him.”
Mysterio is a 25-year ring veteran and decorated champion in multiple North American wrestling organizations, His lightning-fast offense is credited with bringing lucha libre to mainstream American audiences.
Mysterio was trained by the Mexican professional wrestler, Rey Misterio Sr. who is also his uncle and one of the top stars and promoters of the sport through the 1970’s and 80’s.
A three-time world champion, having held the World Heavyweight Championship twice and the WWE Championship once, Mysterio made his professional debut at the age of 14.
He is also an AAA Hall of Famer and captured the Lucha Libre World Cup in May 2015, leading his trio’s tag team to victory.
Mysterio was also Lucha Underground Trios Champion in 2016.
Nikki and Brie Bella’s spinoff is set to launch this October.
E!has announced plans to premiere itsTotal Divas spinoff Total Bellas on Wednesday, October 5.
The six hourlong episodes will give viewers an exclusive, intimate look into the VIP lives of the WWE superstars, both former WWE Divas Champions, and the men in their lives, John Cena and Daniel Bryan, as the four coexist under one roof for the first time.
The series kicks off with Nikki and John being sidelined by injuries and Daniel’s recent retirement from the ring.
Total Bellas is produced by WWE and Bunim/Murray Productions.
