Wes Ikeda Makes Statement About EBWF's Future

[Ashlee]

KSDK - ST. LOUIS
12/3/2021
By Courtney Lewis
Updated: 1:03pm

At a press conference at EBWF Headquarters today, the company's owner and chief executive officer, Wes Ikeda, made a rare statement to the press regarding the future of the company.

Standing at a podium in front of local, national and international press outlets, Ikeda announced the following.

"Twenty years ago, at the inception of EBWF, our company entered a licensing agreement with World Wrestling Entertainment in which we licensed the use of several of their properties, including Royal Rumble, Wrestlemania, King of the Ring and Summerslam. The agreement was generous, and made at a time when WWE did not expect EBWF to become the most successful wrestling company in the world. Our contract with WWE expires on December 31st, and I have made the decision not to engage with WWE to renew it.

Once the agreement expires, EBWF will no longer be using WWE properties for future events. We have enjoyed 20 years of Wrestlemanias, and thank WWE for recognizing the ways in which EBWF has contributed to the culture and the Wrestlemania brand. However, for years, EBWF has long felt that Fanniversary is our flagship PPV and we look forward to branding it as such.

Our January pay-per-view event will still include an over the top rope battle royale for both the men's and women's divisions and will be dubbed Last Survivor. We are looking forward to Christmas Eve of Destruction, and I and my family wish our fans, partners, employees, talent and the City of St. Louis a joyous holiday season."

Ikeda did not take questions from the press. A press release is expected to follow.