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WWE HEAT, formerly known as WWE Sunday Night HeAT, is a professional wrestling show for World Wrestling Entertainment. It has been previously aired on USA Network, MTV, Channel 4 in the UK and Spike TV. It is currently being streamed on WWE.com on Friday afternoons, showcasing talent from the RAW roster.
History
The show was originally introduced as WWF Sunday Night HEAT (or simply Sunday Night HEAT) on the USA network in 1998. It served as the second most important show to the RAW program and storylines would be advanced during the show, but with the advent of SmackDown!, Heat has significantly decreased in importance. Near the peak of WWE's popularity and as part of WWE's television deal with Viacom, the show was moved to MTV. In the UK, HeAT was the last WWE (then WWF) programming to be run on terrestrial television, via Channel 4. WWE has also aired two special editions of Halftime HEAT which aired during halftime of Super Bowl XXXIII on USA Network. These specials ended following the movement of HEAT to MTV. Now WWE tends to use this program to showcase the talent that they do not use frequently on RAW. Fans often refer to this show as the minor leagues, a B-Show, for the wrestlers on the show are usually at the beginning or the end of their careers in WWE. Occasionally, main eventers and champions will appear on the show, and usually win. HEAT is also used to review the main events that happened on the previous edition of RAW.
When Smackdown! premiered in late 1999, HEAT briefly was a complete recap show, with exclusive interviews and feuds recapped as music videos. This only lasted a few weeks, and the show began airing exclusive matches again, this time taping before Smackdown. HEAT would also be used as a 30-minute PPV pre-show.
When the show started airing on MTV in late 2000, it was broadcast live from WWF New York. WWF Superstars would appear at the restaurant as special guests while Michael Cole & Tazz would call pre-taped matches live. This pratice ended in 2002 and the show reverted to its original format.
Steven Richards, was at one time the most regular competitor on Sunday Night HEAT, dubbed himself "General Manager of HEAT" (though he carried out no GM duties) and began calling the show Stevie Night HEAT.
HEAT was not picked up by USA Network when WWE moved its Spike TV programming over to that network in October 2005. In the meantime, WWE is going to stream the show for their website, as each edition will be placed on their website every Friday afternoon. After a few weeks, the show was renamed to WWE HEAT as it no longer airs on Sundays. However, HEAT will still be shown overseas to fulfil international programming commitments.
Commentators and hosts
There have been many commentators in the history of HEAT. Industry veterans and RAW broadcasters Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler have done commentary on the show. The show was also the launchpad for Shane McMahon's on-camera career in WWE, originally placed in the role of a commentator for the program. In October 2000, the show was hosted by All My Children star Rebecca Budig.
During PPVs often outside stadium hosts introduce segments of the show, recently the hosts of WWE Experience (Ivory and Todd Grisham) perform these duties. If a SmackDown! brand PPV takes place, SmackDown's main show announcers host the in-ring commentary for the show.
Often wrestlers would take the role of color commentators on the show with Al Snow, Tommy Dreamer, Raven and D-Lo Brown all holding this position mostly as a replacement for an announce who was unavailable. During the show's run on MTV, WWE Diva Lita also served as a commentator following her major neck injury.
Before the WWE-produced, Extreme Championship Wrestling reunion PPV, One Night Stand 2005 took place, a special Extreme HEAT episode was broadcast and hosted by Jonathan Coachman and Michael Cole.
During one episode when Jonathan Coachman was unavailable, former ECW announcer (and then-lead RAW announcer) Joey Styles was due to take part in the show. However, Styles then quit on that week's Monday Night RAW, meaning Grisham ran the show alone.
| Year(s) | Commentators: |
| 1998-2000 | Michael Cole, Kevin Kelly, Shane McMahon |
| 2000-2001 | Michael Cole, Tazz |
| 2001-2002 | Jonathan Coachman, Raven, Michael Cole, Al Snow, Michael Hayes |
| 2002 | Jonathan Coachman, D-Lo Brown, Lita |
| 2003 | Jonathan Coachman and D'Lo Brown |
| 2003 | Jonathan Coachman and Lita |
| 2003 | Jonathan Coachman and Al Snow |
| 2004 | Jonathan Coachman, Al Snow, Todd Grisham |
| 2005 | Jonathan Coachman and Todd Grisham |
| 2005 Extreme Heat | Jonathan Coachman and Michael Cole |
| 2006, International | Jonathan Coachman, Todd Grisham, Tommy Dreamer, Jim Ross |
TV sets
HEAT started out using the original RAW IS WAR TV set when HEAT was styled as HEAT. The debut of SmackDown! led to HEAT moving over from RAW, in 2000 the current logo and theme tune was adopted. Since the brand extension HEAT has been broadcast using the RAW set with only RAW superstars, except on pre-PPV shows (which use the set built for that PPV and airs live from the arena).
External links
World Wrestling Entertainment television programs | World Wrestling Entertainment webcasts | MTV television series | Spike TV network shows | Sunday | USA Network shows | Channel 4 television programmes | Sky One programmes
"WWE HEAT"