Update On Future Of WWE NXT PLEs In The US

WWE is making big changes, but will they impact NXT?

On August 20, it was announced that WWE will kick off its spectacular new agreement with ESPN several months earlier than expected. Instead of beginning in 2026, the new deal that will see all WWE Premium Live Events broadcast in the United States by ESPN will begin on September 20 with Wrestlepalooza.

The deal with ESPN is worth a reported $1.6 billion across five years

The Wrestlepalooza name was previously used by ECW in 1995, 1997, 1998, and 2000.

It’s believed that with WrestleMania and SummerSlam being split over two nights, and the addition of Evolution to the schedule, Peacock fulfilled its allocated number of WWE PLEs early. This enabled a deal to be done for WWE to jump to ESPN earlier than expected.

According to the press release, John Cena will headline Wrestlepalooza against an unnamed opponent. That rival is expected to be announced as Brock Lesnar in the coming weeks. Lesnar is already being advertised for two episodes of SmackDown in September.

What Does WWE’s Deal Mean For NXT?

The surprise announcement has raised as many questions as it’s answered, with many left wondering what the deal means for NXT.

However, despite the changes, the Hollywood Reporter has confirmed that NXT PLEs will remain on Peacock.

At present, two NXT PLEs have been announced in the remainder of 2025, with Heatwave confirmed for August 24 and Worlds Collide on September 12. As was the case earlier in the year, the latter is a crossover event with AAA.

In addition, it’s been reported by POST Wrestling that NXT will host No Mercy on September 27. Crucially, this will be the first NXT PLE since April not to go head-to-head with AEW.

With regard to the main roster, Clash In Paris on August 31, Wrestlepalooza on September 20, Crown Jewel on October 11, and Survivor Series on November 29 have been announced for 2025.