Impact Wrestling Bear Hugs Russia in Deal With Extreme

Josh Alexander Christian Cage Impact Wrestling Extreme
Josh Alexander and Christian Cage get ready to grapple on Impact Wrestling (Image credit: Impact Wrestling)

Impact Wrestling is moving into Russia through a partnership with global sports network Extreme.

Extreme will be the official Russian-language home for Anthem Sports & Entertainment’s weekly series Impact!. Impact! will be available on broadcast television in Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States regularly for the first time beginning Oct. 15.

In addition four major Impact pay-per-view events, including Bound for Glory on Oct. 23, will be distributed to viewers.

Also Read: Impact Wrestling Tag Teams With Pluto TV to Expand in Europe

“For many years now, Impact enjoyed a large and passionate fanbase in Russia,” said Jaime Pollack, chief revenue officer of Anthem’s Sports Media Group. 

“We are proud to partner with Extreme to make them the official Russian-language home of IMPACT Wrestling, and we look forward to sharing Impact!’s unparalleled programming with even more viewers around the world,” Pollack said.

Last year, Anthem put Impact! and its Fight Network on the Rutube.list digital platform. Extreme becomes the exclusive home for Impact!.

Extreme offers extreme sports coverage around the world 24 hours a day seven days a week. It is available on satellite and cable platforms across Russia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and in the U.S.

“This partnership is a strong continuation of Extreme’s ongoing programming development strategy in Russia and the CIS,” said William Lee, CEO of Extreme Channel Limited. 

The CIS includes Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Ukraine.

Impact’s signature brand of high-octane action is the perfect complement to our programming lineup, and we are confident that our audience will enjoy all the hard-hitting matches, gripping stories and larger-than-life personalities that only Impact! can provide,” Lee said.

Impact Wrestling is televised in 120 countries. It is on Anthem’s AXS TV in the United States. Impact content is also streamed on platforms including Pluto TV, Xumo, Samsung TV Plus and its own on-demand subscription service Impact Plus.

Jon Lafayette

Jon has been business editor of Broadcasting+Cable since 2010. He focuses on revenue-generating activities, including advertising and distribution, as well as executive intrigue and merger and acquisition activity. Just about any story is fair game, if a dollar sign can make its way into the article. Before B+C, Jon covered the industry for TVWeek, Cable World, Electronic Media, Advertising Age and The New York Post. A native New Yorker, Jon is hiding in plain sight in the suburbs of Chicago.