Fight Back was a professional wrestling streaming event produced by WhatCulture Pro Wrestling (WCPW). The event took place on June 2, 2017 at the Bowlers Exhibition Centre in Manchester, England and aired the following day on tape delay on YouTube as a protest against the platform's demonetization of professional wrestling content.
Production Background On May 22, 2017, WCPW announced that they would cancel several tapings for their weekly show Loaded in Manchester, England scheduled for June 16, 2017, June 23, 2017, June 30, 2017, July 14, 2017, July 28, 2017, August 4, 2017, August 11, 2017, and August 18, 2017 and stated in the press release that their content on YouTube was deemed "non-advertiser friendly" after changes to the platform's guidelines were implemented due to a large number of advertisers pulling their ads from the platform after it was reported that ads for major companies were being played next to videos displaying extremist content. In response, WCPW announced Fight Back which addressed and protested against wrestling content on the platform being demonetized.
Storylines Fight Back featured professional wrestling matches that involves different wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds and storylines. Wrestlers portrayed villains, heroes, or less distinguishable characters in scripted events that built tension and culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches. Storylines were produced on WhatCulture Pro Wrestling's various events and on their weekly internet show WCPW Loaded.
Aftermath After the show had aired, WCPW was issued a community guidelines strike which forced the event's broadcast to be taken down briefly by YouTube before being put back up after an appeal by the promotion.
On September 19, 2017 WhatCulture announced on their Twitter account that Adam Pacitti, Adam Blampied, Sam Driver, Jack G. King, and Ross Tweddell, who were all key staff members for the company and the WCPW promotion, had all departed from the company. On September 30, 2017, WCPW announced that they would be rebranding to Defiant Wrestling after the 2017 Refuse to Lose pay-per-view on October 2, 2017 and tapings for Loaded on October 3, 2017 and that Wade Barrett was going to be the new on-screen general manager.
Results + Other on-screen personnelRole:Name:CommentatorsDave BradshawJames R. KennedyRing announcerRyan DevlinRefereesSteve Lynskey
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