December 26, 2016 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: WWE announces UK tournament, Urijah Faber retires, more

In pro wrestling this past year, one of the biggest stories behind-the-scenes has been what people have called the golden age of independent wrestling.

With the advent of Internet streaming, there are talented wrestlers who have been able to make a decent, and in some cases very good living being world travelers, most of which are affiliated with New Japan, ROH or Lucha Underground, and led to the advent of Flo Slam, which has made some deals paying significant rights fees for live content.

WWE is also aggressively making moves, whether it be signing talent that just a few years ago they’d have dismissed based on size and/or look, expanding content for the network and aggressively pursuing women wrestlers, with the idea of creating more and more content.

The WWE’s press conference on 12/15 to announce a two-night tournament next month to create a United Kingdom champion appears to be the first step in a goal of doing small-time independent style promotions in both Europe and Asia.

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