WWE & G4’s New Gaming Competition Show Will Be Hosted By Xavier Woods
The newly resurrected G4TV and World Wrestling Entertainment are tagging together on a new gaming competition show with Xavier Woods as the host. G4 announced its return to the airwaves after the network shut down in 2014. First starting in 2002, the network was widely considered the best place to watch video game and nerd culture content for well over a decade. While an official date is unknown for the official relaunch, the plan is for the network to go live once again this Summer.
Multi-time Tag Team Champion and WWE Superstar Xavier Woods is a prominent figure in the gaming community ever since launching his Youtube channel UpUpDownDown. Starting as a place for people to learn about the nerdy side of WWE wrestlers, the channel has steadily grown into one of the top gaming channels on the platform. Woods has hosted several events featuring talent from WWE, known celebrities, and popular games like League of Legends. The wrestler was officially named as the first on-air talent for the revamped G4TV in November of 2020 after campaigning much of the year to join the network as a host.
A press release submitted to Wrestling Inc. says that the new competition show will be a joint production by WWE and G4. Woods, real name Austin Watson, will serve as host for the show, pitting the best personalities and content creators in gaming against one another. The announcement is part of G4’s traditional Epic April celebration, which will announce new programming and host giveaways all month long. Its celebration also serves as an homage to the first run of G4, which did the same. G4 has another “major” announcement planned for the UUDD WrestleMania Gaming Event premiering on Saturday, April 10.
“This partnership combines WWE’s sports entertainment and G4’s competitive entertainment to bring a truly unique offering only these brands can offer,” said Brian Terwilliger, VP of Programming and Creative Strategy for G4. “The format of the show, along with WWE Superstar Xavier Woods AKA Austin Creed’s electric presence on-screen, will make it appealing for gamers, WWE fans, and those new to both as well.”
Woods’ experience as a host and content creator will serve him well on the new show. UUDD regularly holds tournaments between WWE talent for the custom UpUpDownDown and LeftRightLeftRight championship belts. Furthermore, Woods’ connections in both gaming and wrestling could set up crossovers that fans of both industries could only dream of.
It could be a matter of time before All Elite Wrestling World Champion Kenny Omega, whose finishing move is called the One-Winged Angel, appears on Woods’ show on G4TV. Omega and Woods have teased a confrontation between their respective wrestling factions, The Elite and The New Day, for years. The only obstacle to overcome for that to happen is for Vince McMahon to approve, something any wrestling fan should doubt. However, seeing as WWE is allowing Chris Jericho, who wrestled for WWE for over two decades before jumping ship to rival AEW, to return for a podcast with Stone Cold Steve Austin, who knows what could happen.
Source: Wrestling Inc.