WWE Superstars

*WWE Superstars*
WWE Superstars
Genre	Sports entertainment; Professional wrestling;
Created by	Vince McMahon
Opening theme	"New Day Coming" by CFO$ feat. Pilot Speed
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
No. of seasons	8
No. of episodes	398
Production
Camera setup	Multicamera setup
Running time	60 minutes (inc. commercials)
Original release
Network	WGN America (2009–2011); WWE.com (2011–2012); Hulu Plus (2012–2016); WWE Network (2014–2016);
Release	April 16, 2009 –; November 25, 2016
Related
	WWE Raw (1993–); WWE SmackDown (1999–); WWE ECW (2006–2010); WWE Heat (1998–2008); WWE Velocity (2002–2006); WWE Main Event (2012–); WWE 205 Live (2016–2022);

WWE Superstars, or simply Superstars, is an American professional wrestling television program that was produced by WWE that originally aired on WGN America in the United States and later broadcast on the WWE Network. It debuted on April 16, 2009 (2009-04-16) and ended its domestic broadcasting on April 7, 2011 (2011-04-07). After the final domestic television broadcast, the show moved to an Internet broadcast format while maintaining a traditional television broadcast in international markets. The show featured mid-to-low card WWE Superstars in a format similar to the former shows Heat and Velocity which served the same purpose. "Enhancement talent" bouts also happened often. Big names such as John Cena, Randy Orton, The Undertaker, and Triple H appeared on the show at its beginning.

On December 19, 2008 (2008-12-19), WWE and WGN America announced an agreement to create a new weekly, one-hour prime time series entitled WWE Superstars that was to debut in April 2009 (2009-04) (the show was based on 1 to 4 matches occurring where superstars from both WWE SmackDown, WWE Raw and formerly WWE ECW (2006–2010) compete in matches to determine who is the best for the WWE audience's entertainment).^[3] Until early 2010, the replay also aired on WGN-TV. However, it was removed, hence eliminating distribution of the show from the Canadian fanbase.^[4] Superstars had its debut show on April 16, 2009 (2009-04-16).^[5]

On March 17, 2011 (2011-03-17), WGN America announced that they would not renew their domestic broadcasts rights to WWE Superstars, and the last episode they would air would be shown on April 7, 2011 (2011-04-07). Online reports stated that the network did not renew the series because it didn't live up to its expectations. WWE.com aired the show from April 14 to September 22, 2011 (2011-09-22) and again from October 6, 2011 (2011-10-06) to September 13, 2012 (2012-09-13). The show continued to be produced for international broadcasting until November 25, 2016 (2016-11-25).

On November 28, 2016, it was announced that Superstars had been canceled by WWE and would be replaced on the WWE Network by 205 Live. WWE Main Event would serve as the complementary show featuring Raw and SmackDown talents (and would later replace WWE Superstars for international markets).^[2]

Select episodes are viewable on the WWE Network, and episodes from September 17, 2009, until September 20, 2012, are available to watch on WWE's official YouTube channel.

Production

*WWE Superstar*s' version of the universal WWE HD set used from April 16, 2009 (2009-04-16) – July 19, 2012 (2012-07-19)

The last theme song for WWE Superstars was "New Day Coming" by CFO$ featuring Todd Clark, which replaced "Invincible" by Adelitas Way on May 17, 2013.^[1] The final commentators were Tom Phillips and Corey Graves, and JoJo was the last ring announcer.

Matches featured on Superstars were taped earlier in the week, during the Raw events on Monday nights.^[6] The program aired on Thursdays until January 2015 when SmackDown moved to same night. Superstars was then moved to Fridays on WWE Network, with its first Friday night airing on January 16.

Commentators

Commentators	Dates
Raw brand
Michael Cole and Jerry Lawler	April 16, 2009 (2009-04-16) – October 26, 2010 (2010-10-26)
Scott Stanford and Jerry Lawler	October 7, 2010 (2010-10-07) October 28, 2010 (2010-10-28) – November 11, 2010 (2010-11-11) November 25, 2010 (2010-11-25) December 23, 2010 (2010-12-23)
Michael Cole and Josh Mathews	November 11, 2010 (2010-11-11)
Scott Stanford and CM Punk	November 18, 2010 (2010-11-18) December 2, 2010 (2010-12-02) – December 16, 2010 (2010-12-16)
Scott Stanford and Josh Mathews	December 30, 2010 (2010-12-30) – October 25, 2012 (2012-10-25)
Josh Mathews and Matt Striker	November 10, 2011 (2011-11-10)
Scott Stanford and Matt Striker	March 29, 2012 (2012-03-29) April 26, 2012 (2012-04-26) – May 3, 2012 (2012-05-03)
Tom Phillips and Corey Graves	July 29, 2016 (2016-07-29) – November 25, 2016 (2016-11-25)
Tom Phillips and Byron Saxton	September 2, 2016 (2016-09-02)
SmackDown brand
Todd Grisham and Jim Ross	April 16, 2009 (2009-04-16) – October 29, 2009 (2009-10-29)
Todd Grisham and Matt Striker	November 5, 2009 (2009-11-05) – December 2, 2010 (2010-12-02)
Jack Korpela and Matt Striker	December 9, 2010 (2010-12-09) – May 26, 2011 (2011-05-26) June 9, 2011 (2011-06-09) – November 3, 2011 (2011-11-03)
Jack Korpela and Booker T	June 2, 2011 (2011-06-02)
Josh Mathews and Matt Striker	November 10, 2011 (2011-11-10) – October 25, 2012 (2012-10-25)
Michael Cole and Matt Striker	April 26, 2012 (2012-04-26)
ECW brand
Josh Mathews and Matt Striker	April 16, 2009 (2009-04-16) – October 22, 2009 (2009-10-22)
Josh Mathews and Byron Saxton	October 27, 2009 (2009-10-27) – February 11, 2010 (2010-02-11)
Full roster
Scott Stanford and Matt Striker	August 23, 2012 (2012-08-23) November 2, 2012 (2012-11-02) – January 11, 2013 (2013-01-11)
Tony Dawson and Matt Striker	January 18, 2013 (2013-01-18) – June 21, 2013 (2013-06-21)
Tony Dawson and Alex Riley	June 28, 2013 (2013-06-28) – September 20, 2013 (2013-09-20)
Josh Mathews and Tom Phillips	September 27, 2013 (2013-09-27)
Josh Mathews and Alex Riley	November 15, 2013 (2013-11-15)
Tom Phillips and Alex Riley	October 4, 2013 (2013-10-04) – January 24, 2014 (2014-01-24)
Tom Phillips and Byron Saxton	January 31, 2014 (2014-01-31) – June 26, 2014 (2014-06-26) January 16, 2015 (2015-01-16) – January 23, 2015 (2015-01-23) May 6, 2016 (2016-05-06) – June 10, 2016 (2016-06-10)
Tom Phillips and Renee Young	July 3, 2014 (2014-07-03) – January 9, 2015 (2015-01-09)
Tom Phillips	January 30, 2015 (2015-01-30)
Rich Brennan and Byron Saxton	February 6, 2015 (2015-02-06) – March 27, 2015 (2015-03-27) April 24, 2015 (2015-04-24) – May 29, 2015 (2015-05-29) October 23, 2015 (2015-10-23) – April 29, 2016 (2016-04-29)
Rich Brennan and Tom Phillips	April 3, 2015 (2015-04-03) – April 10, 2015 (2015-04-10)
Michael Cole and Byron Saxton	April 17, 2015 (2015-04-17)
Rich Brennan, Byron Saxton, and Jimmy Uso	June 5, 2015 (2015-06-05) – August 21, 2015 (2015-08-21)
Rich Brennan and Xavier Woods	August 28, 2015 (2015-08-28) – October 16, 2015 (2015-10-16)
Kyle Edwards	December 25, 2015 (2015-12-25)
Rich Brennan and The Miz	January 8, 2016 (2016-01-08)
Tom Phillips, Dolph Ziggler, and David Otunga	June 17, 2016 (2016-06-17) July 1, 2016 (2016-07-01) July 22, 2016 (2016-07-22)
Tom Phillips and David Otunga	June 24, 2016 (2016-06-24) – July 15, 2016 (2016-07-15)

Ring announcers

Ring announcers	Dates
Raw brand
Lilian Garcia	April 16, 2009 (2009-04-16) – September 24, 2009 (2009-09-24)
Justin Roberts	October 1, 2009 (2009-10-01) – May 5, 2011 (2011-05-05) July 14, 2011 (2011-07-14) – July 21, 2011 (2011-07-21) November 10, 2011 (2011-11-10) December 29, 2011 (2011-12-29) – October 25, 2012 (2012-10-25)
JoJo	July 29, 2016 (2016-07-29) – November 25, 2016 (2016-11-25)
SmackDown brand
Justin Roberts	April 16, 2009 (2009-04-16) – September 24, 2009 (2009-09-24)
Tony Chimel	October 1, 2009 (2009-10-01) – May 5, 2011 (2011-05-05) July 21, 2011 (2011-07-21) December 29, 2011 (2011-12-29) – October 25, 2012 (2012-10-25)
Savannah	May 6, 2010 (2010-05-06) – June 17, 2010 (2010-06-17)
Jamie Keyes	August 12, 2010 (2010-08-12) – August 31, 2010 (2010-08-31)
Eden Stiles	July 14, 2011 (2011-07-14) November 10, 2011 (2011-11-10)
ECW brand
Tony Chimel	April 30, 2009 (2009-04-30)
Lauren Mayhew	October 8, 2009 (2009-10-08) – November 19, 2009 (2009-11-19)
Savannah	December 17, 2009 (2009-12-17) – February 11, 2010 (2010-02-11)
Full roster
Ashley Valence	November 25, 2010 (2010-11-25) – December 9, 2010 (2010-12-09)
Justin Roberts	March 10, 2011 (2011-03-10) 2014
Eden Stiles	May 12, 2011 (2011-05-12) – December 22, 2011 (2011-12-22) January 9, 2015 (2015-01-09) April 17, 2015 (2015-04-17) – May 29, 2015 (2015-05-29) October 16, 2015 (2015-10-16) November 6, 2015 (2015-11-06)
Tony Chimel	November 2, 2012 (2012-11-02) – 2014 January 1, 2016 (2016-01-01)
Lilian Garcia	October 23, 2014 (2014-10-23) – February 26, 2016 (2016-02-26)
Greg Hamilton	March 4, 2016 (2016-03-04) – July 22, 2016 (2016-07-22)

References

^ ^a ^b "WWE: New Day Coming (WWE Superstars Official Theme Song) [feat. Todd Clark] - Single". iTunes. May 17, 2013. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved May 17, 2013.
^ ^a ^b Johnson, Mike (November 28, 2016). "WWE Superstars is no more". Pro Wrestling Insider. Archived from the original on November 29, 2016. Retrieved November 28, 2016.
^ "WWE Superstars Thu. Feb. 11, 2010". WWE / YouTube.com. Archived from the original on November 23, 2023. Retrieved May 5, 2010.
^ "WGN America enters WWE ring with "WWE Superstars"". WWE. January 5, 2009. Archived from the original on March 30, 2019. Retrieved April 14, 2009.
^ Mackinder, Matt. "WWE Superstars: Debut show a dud". SLAM! Sports - Wrestling. Canadian Online Explorer. Archived from the original on July 28, 2012. Retrieved April 18, 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
^ Caldwell, James (April 16, 2009). "Caldwell's WWE Superstars Report 4/16: Ongoing "virtual time" coverage of debut edition on WGN". PW Torch. Archived from the original on April 13, 2016. Retrieved June 26, 2009.