• by David Goetzl  @dgoetzl, January 5, 2009

Even as the Ultimate Fighting Championship continues its boom, the WWE apparently isn't losing too much strength. The wrestling programmer has a deal with WGN America that will give it a weekly series on four separate networks--with its action airing on all but one weeknight.

The coming hour-long "WWE Superstars" will launch Thursday nights on WGN in April. General entertainment cable network WGN America recently underwent a re-brand that the company hopes will cement an image that proves "it's not just for 'Matlock' reruns anymore."

World Wrestling Entertainment programming already airs Mondays on USA, Tuesdays on Sci Fi and Fridays on MyNetworkTV. The shows continually deliver some of the highest ratings on the respective networks. Once the CW dropped "WWE Smackdown" last spring, MNTV was quick to pick it up.

Analysts of the publicly traded WWE have wondered whether it would lose appeal as young male demos gravitate to mixed martial arts, headlined by UFC programming on Spike. But WGN's and MNTV's recent interest would seem to belie that, at least in part.

In fact, MNTV tried its own version of MMA, the International Fight League, before jettisoning it prior to picking up the WWE.

"WWE Superstars" will air on WGN America, known for carrying Chicago Cubs baseball, under a multiyear deal. The show, which will debut at 8 p.m. on Thursdays and then re-air at 11 p.m. and again on the weekend, will offer action from multiple WWE franchises.

Ed Wilson, chief revenue officer at Tribune Co., which owns WGN America, said the new series "signals our intention to add more tent-pole programs to our network brand strategy."