MSM has signed a five-year deal to provide coverage of the PWL in more than 60 countries through its Sony Max, Sony Six and Sony Pal channels.

The franchise-based PWL, which is set to take place across six Indian cities between December 10 and 27, is the brainchild of ITV Network promoter Kartikeya Sharma and his Pro Sportify company in association with the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI). 

"MSM has an outstanding reputation as a sports broadcaster and has played an integral role in promoting and growing the sport events in the country," said Sharma.

"We look forward to this relationship and the widest possible reach ever for the Pro Wrestling League."

The PWL will feature six city-based franchise teams and be played across north, south, east and west zones of India.

Each team will have nine players, made up of five Indians and four foreigners, five of which will be men and four women.

In its inaugural year, the PWL will feature a total of 18 ties - 15 in the league phase, two semi-finals and the Grand Finale - with each tie being contested in a best-of-seven-bouts format.

The event will be played under its own pre-determined rules, which are said to conform to those of the United World Wrestling and WFI.

Among the athletes competing in the competition is London 2012 Olympic bronze medallist Yogeshwar Dutt of host nation India.

Having been forced to pull out of September's World Wrestling Championships in Las Vegas due to a knee injury, the three-time Olympian is eagerly anticipating the PWL after undergoing surgery.

"It was only after our performances in the last two Olympics that grapplers began to earn well," Dutt, a 65 kilogram freestyle gold medallist at both last year’s Asian Games and Commonwealth Games, told the Times of India.

"Wrestlers didn't use to get much attention unless it was Olympics or Asian Games but thanks to PWL, wrestlers will get a larger audience.

"This league started a bit late.

"If it had started three to four years back it would have been much better.

"It's going to benefit new kids."

MSM’s existing fight sports portfolio includes the Ultimate Fighting Championship and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling.


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