WWE

**World Wreslting Entertainment ('WWE')** is an American integrated media and entertainment company that is primarily known for professional wrestling. The WWE name also refers to the professional wrestling promotion itself, founded in the 1950s as the Capitol Wrestling Corporation. It is the largest wrestling promotion in the world, holding over 500 events a year, with the roster primarily divided up into three globally traveling brands, and is available to about 36 million viewers in more than 150 countries. The company's global headquarters is located in Stamford, Connecticut, about 30 miles from New York City, with offices in major cities around the world.

As in other professional wrestling promotions, WWE shows are not legitimate contests, but purely entertainment-based performance theater, featuring storyline-driven, scripted, and choreographed matches, though matches often include moves that can put performers at risk of injury, even death, if not performed correctly. This was first publicly acknowledged by WWE's owner Vince McMahon in 1989 to avoid taxes from athletic commissions. Since the 1980s, WWE publicly has branded its product as sports entertainment, acknowledging the product's roots in competitive sport and dramatic theater.

## Brands

The WWE currently features three different brands of television, each with their own championships, performers and storylines that lead into monthly pay-per-views. The largest brand is Raw, WWE's flagship program that airs on Monday nights. It is the longest running weekly episodic television program, having debuted back in 1993. The second brand is SmackDown, which currently airs on Friday nights. The third brand, NXT, is the youngest brand and airs on Wednesday nights. NXT was initially a developmental program before being elevated into a third equal brand, though it still features new and developing talent. Superstars stay on their respective brands unless they hold a title that is shared between brands, such as the Women's Tag Team Championship and the Undisputed Women's Championship. A superstars placement is determined by a yearly draft, typically held after WrestleMania. Each brand features a world title for men and women, a midcard title and tag team titles.

## PPVs

WWE features monthly pay-per-views, with most featuring a different type of gimmick. The company's headline pay-per-view is WrestleMania, which is the largest sports entertainment event where a years worth of storylines and feuds culminates. It is one of the company's "big four" pay-per-views along with SummerSlam, Survivor Series and the Royal Rumble. Some examples of WWE's current pay-per-views are:

* Elimination Chamber
* Extreme Rules
* Clash of Champions
* TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs
* Hell in a Cell

## Trivia

* WWE's history is often broken up into different eras: The Golden Era (1982 - 1990), New Generation Era (1990 - 1996), The Attitude Era (1996 - 2002), The ruthless Aggression Era (2002 - 2008), The PG Era (2008 - 2012), The New Era (2012 - 2020) and the The Innovation Era (2020 - Present).
* Some of the most famous male WWE talent are André the Giant, Hulk Hogan, Bret "The Hitman" Hart, Roddy "Rowdy" Piper, The Undertaker, Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, John Cena, Daniel Bryan, The Miz, Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns and AJ Styles. Some of the most famous female talent are Trish Stratus, Lita, Mickie James, AJ Lee, Paige, The Bella Twins, Asuka, Ronda Rousey, Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, Bayley and Sasha Banks.
	+ In particular, Hogan, Austin, The Rock, Cena, The Bella Twins, Paige and Lynch have all broken out into main stream media, while the Undertaker and Trish Stratus became the golden standards for their respective divisions. Rousey was already a household name before joining WWE.