Posted in: Sports, TV | Tagged: czw, wrestling

CZW Issues Statement on "CZW Girlz" PPVs As Controversy Heats Up

Hardcore pro wrestling promotion Combat Zone Wrestling (CZW) found itself in hot water this week things came to a head over recent PPV offerings that appear to be branded as something different than wrestling. CZW Girlz: Top Heavy & Tough is billed as "Featuring four hard-hitting matches! Shanna vs. Hannia; Sassy Stephanie vs. Tessa Blancherd (sic); Cherry Bomb vs. Leva Bates; Athena vs. Nia Barela." Another recent PPV from the company was called CZW Girlz: Hot & Sweaty, billed as "Featuring three sizzling matches! Dollhouse vs Chicks Using Nasty Tactics; Veda Scott vs. Solo Darling; Hania vs. Leva Bates." The PPV events are compilations of older matches which were performed as regular wrestling (by CWZ standards), but the consensus is that the names make the shows sound more like softcore pornography than hardcore pro wrestling.

The PPV names sparked backlash which has been growing over the past week, with CZW Hall-of-Famer LuFisto speaking out in a YouTube video and former CZW Champion Rickey Shane Page tweeting, "I never publically bash CZW but this is just terrible. I'm embarrassed that my name is attached to these 'PPV's' I doubt I have any legal right to get my name off there. This is gross. The CZW office should be ashamed. I'm sorry to the ladies and that have to deal with this." LuFisto said that when she called CWZ to complain, they told her it was outside of their control because they licensed the content to a third party.

In a statement released Monday, CZW echoed that response:

Two years ago, CZW entered into a licensing agreement with a national media distributor to license CZW and WSU footage. That company has the right to utilize the footage without limitation. They have repackaged and renamed shows as it is their right to do so. Our athletes, regardless of gender, are just that, athletes, whom we are proud of and appreciate. We stand behind the ring action in all our footage.

But that has only inflamed the controversy, with Kimber Lee tweeting, "And I'm certain I NEVER signed an agreement giving you the right to sell my intellectual property…. nor did ANY of the women you're blatantly disrespecting. Or how you told us all you wouldn't book us if you wouldn't f**k us. It's about time the harassment gets exposed." Jordynne Grace tweeted, "Just so everyone is aware, there are many women already speaking to lawyers about this, as releases were not signed to authorize licensing footage for profit and distribution." She also tagged Lee's tweet, adding, "'I could f*ck any of y'all any time I want.' Sound familiar?."

They're not the only ones, as many more former CZW talent have been speaking out either from personal grievance or in solidarity with their colleagues. It looks like things are going to continue to heat up, so we'll keep an eye on the story, especially the claims that some wrestlers are pursuing legal action.

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