WWE pulls plug on Russian network and all programing in the country

WWE pulls plug on its Russian network and refuses show WrestleMania 38 in the country after invasion: Kyiv-born wrestler known as ‘Moscow Mauler’ calls for fans to ‘pray for Ukraine’

  • World Wrestling Entertainment Inc (WWE) is pulling its business out of Russia by announcing that it has terminated its partnership with the country’s Match TV
  • WWE is also pulling all programing from the country, including WrestleMania 38 
  • WWE signed Match TV as its local broadcasting partner in early 2020 
  • One show counts high-profile Russian wrestler Ilya Rukober among its stars 
  • Oleg Prudius, a Ukrainian-born wrestler who goes by the name ‘Moscow Mauler,’ tweeted his support for his native country and asked all fans to ‘pray for Ukraine!’
  • From Apple to Nike, scores of companies have severed connections with Russia following its invasion of Ukraine, as western nations impose sanctions 

World Wrestling Entertainment Inc (WWE) is pulling its business out of Russia by announcing that it has terminated its partnership with the country’s Match TV and shut down its local network.

WWE programming, including weekly shows ‘Raw’, ‘SmackDown’ and ‘NXT’, cannot be accessed on Match TV starting Thursday.

WWE signed Match TV as its local broadcasting partner in early 2020.

‘WWE has terminated its partnership with Russian broadcaster Match and shut down WWE Network in Russia effective immediately,’ read a statement from promoter Vince McMahon’s company. 

‘The move eliminates access in Russia to any WWE programming, including the company’s weekly Raw, SmackDown and NXT shows, its on-demand library, and all of its premium live events, including WrestleMania 38.’ 

World Wrestling Entertainment Inc (WWE) is pulling its business out of Russia by announcing that it has terminated its partnership with the country’s Match TV and shut down its local network. WWE programming, including weekly shows ‘Raw’, ‘SmackDown’ and ‘NXT’, cannot be accessed on Match TV starting Thursday. The wrestling network counts high-profile Russian-born wrestler Ilya Rukober (pictured) among its major names on ‘NXT UK’ weekly

Oleg Prudius (left), who went by his ring name Vladimir Kozlov, also performed for the WWE for half a decade before leaving in 2011. Prudius tweeted his support for Ukraine on Wednesday, saying ‘war is only cowardly escape from the problems of peace.’ Prudius, who alternated between a hero and villain, wore red attire during his time in the WWE and once sang the Russian national anthem on TV with the audience chanting ‘USA’ in the background

WWE wrestler is pictured greeting fans at an event in St. Petersburg, Russia (year unknown)

The wrestling network counts high-profile Russian-born wrestler Ilya Rukober among its major names on ‘NXT UK’ weekly. 

Oleg Prudius, who went by his ring name Vladimir Kozlov, also performed for the WWE for half a decade before leaving in 2011.

Prudius tweeted his support for Ukraine on Wednesday, saying ‘war is only cowardly escape from the problems of peace.’ Prudius, who alternated between a hero and villain, wore red attire during his time in the WWE and once sang the Russian national anthem on TV with the audience chanting ‘USA’ in the background.

Once known as the ‘Moscow Mauler,’ Prudius’s character in the ECW was said to have been trained by the Russian military. He’s also played a Russian thug in Spike Lee’s 25th Hour and owns his own vodka brand using his ‘Moscow Mauler’ moniker.

Despite his fictional Russian background, Prudius asked fans to ‘pray for Ukraine’ on Twitter, and also appeared to suggest he’d be joining the Ukrainian war effort by posting a photo of himself in fatigues. 

Once known as the ‘Moscow Mauler,’ Prudius’s character in the ECW was said to have been trained by the Russian military. He’s also played a Russian thug in Spike Lee’s 25th Hour and owns his own vodka brand using his ‘Moscow Mauler’ moniker. Despite his fictional Russian background, Prudius asked fans to ‘pray for Ukraine’ on Twitter, and also appeared to suggest he’d be joining the Ukrainian war effort by posting a photo of himself in fatigues. ‘Dear past,’ he wrote. ‘Thank you for the lessons! Dear future [I’m] ready’

‘Dear past,’ he wrote. ‘Thank you for the lessons! Dear future [I’m] ready [for] action.’

From Apple to Nike, scores of companies have severed connections with Russia following its invasion of Ukraine, as western nations impose sanctions, including shutting out some Russian banks from the SWIFT global financial network. 

Aside the WWE, many sports organizations are being recognized for their contributions to the war effort. 

Former world boxing heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko, the younger brother of Kyiv mayor and boxing legend Vitali, has lauded the sports community for coming together to ban Russian and Belarusian athletes following the invasion of his country Ukraine last week.

Since the beginning of what Russian President Vladimir Putin has called ‘a special military operation’, Russian and Belarusian teams and athletes have been frozen out of international events by many sporting bodies.

Belarus has been a key staging area for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

‘I’m proud of the world’s unity and seeing sporting communities standing together – the International Olympic Committee, boxing federations, UEFA, FIFA, Formula One,’ Wladimir Klitschko told Sky Sports.

‘Ban Russian teams from participating. I have nothing against the athletes but they are presenting the regime and in some way the connection with this war,’ Klitschko said.

‘It’s never enough until the war is going to be stopped but it’s important to show the world is not okay with this war, that the sporting world is not okay with it.’

Vladimir Kozlov takes on Shannon Moore during the WWE Smackdown in 2008 in Australia

Ukrainian heavyweight boxing world champion Wladimir Klitschko who joined the Ukrainian Territorial Defence Forces and his brother, Mayor of Kyiv and former heavyweight boxing champion Vitaly Klitschko, speak with journalists during the opening of the first Ukrainian Territorial Defence Forces recruitment centre in central Kyiv on February 2

Klitschko and his brother Vitali have both taken up arms against invading Russian forces.

‘It’s a very challenging time in the lives of Ukrainians. I was never thinking I’m going to face the war,’ Wladimir Klitschko said.

‘You see and hear the explosions, the rockets, the destroyed vehicles, buildings – it’s absolutely terrifying what the war can do. I’m proud of the Ukrainian nation. Everyone stands for each other. I have never been as proud to be Ukrainian as now.’

Ukraine’s WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO champion Oleksandr Usyk is also fighting the battle for the future of his nation, having joined the territorial defense battalion in Kyiv. Meanwhile lightweight boxer Vasiliy Lomachenko, a former three-weight world champion, has also joined the territorial forces. 

Former tennis player Sergiy Stakhovsky has also enlisted in Ukraine’s reserve army.

Former Ukrainian tennis player Sergiy Stakhovsky has joined the fight against Russia

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