How WWE PPVs Were Able To Move To ESPN From Peacock Earlier Than Planned

It has been officially announced that WWE pay-per-views/premium live events will move to ESPN in the United States much earlier than the original planned show of April 2026's WrestleMania 42.

WWE pay-per-views have aired on Peacock in the US since March 2021 and were contracted to continue airing on the NBCUniversal-owned streaming platform until March 2026, at which point WWE shows would move to ESPN. It has since been revealed that WWE PPVs/PLEs will begin airing on ESPN platforms from WWE Wrestlepalooza on September 20, with the final PPV on Peacock being Clash in Paris on Sunday, August 31.

The Hollywood Reporter has noted that WWE and Peacock agreed to a deal to end their contract early, at which point WWE brought the pitch to ESPN. With WrestleMania and SummerSlam now being two-night events and the addition of Evolution to the PPV calendar, WWE fulfilled their contractual obligations to Peacock early.

A "WWE person high in the power structure" told Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer they expanded their pay-per-view calendar in order to finish up with Peacock early.

WWE and NBCUniversal have agreed to a new deal that will see Saturday Night's Main Event air exclusively on Peacock, with the show being dropped from NBC. The WWE library will also remain on Peacock until the end of 2025 and major NXT events will continue to air on Peacock in the United States until March 2026. SmackDown's library will also remain on Peacock on a 30-day delay due to the Friday night show airing on USA Network.

WWE will air on ESPN as part of a five-year deal worth $1.6 billion. Every pay-per-view will air on ESPN's direct-to-consumer service.

Cultaholic is now on WhatsApp! Follow us here. Sign up to the Cultaholic Wrestling Newsletter now.