WWE Set For Surprise Early ESPN Debut?

WWE could be set to make its debut on ESPN with a PLE long before its new deal begins in 2026.

It was announced on August 6th that WWE’s premium live events will have a new home in the United States in early 2026. ESPN will pay WWE $1.6 billion over five years, which is $325 million annually, to air WrestleMania, SummerSlam, Royal Rumble, and the other annual PLEs that WWE produces every year.

Some fans were outraged by the news, as ESPN’s streaming service is considerably more expensive than Peacock, meaning WWE fans will have to dig deeper into their pockets to keep up with the biggest shows of the year.

But now, it seems WWE could be heading to ESPN early with a show that is yet to be announced.

WWE is poised to announce a special PLE that will go head-to-head with AEW All Out on September 20th. It seems the sports entertainment giant is set to resurrect a former ECW PPV name for that event. Now Mike Johnson of PWInsider has reported that the September PLA could be a “unique event” that will air on ESPN as a preview of the content that is coming to its streaming service.

US PLEs are still licensed to Peacock, but with nothing on the calendar, the door might be open for WWE to do a one-off deal with ESPN before their deal begins in earnest next year. Neither ESPN nor WWE have confirmed that this will be the case.

What Is WWE Planning For September PLE?

With no show being announced, no matches have been confirmed for the September 20th show either. At Clash In Paris, John Cena will face Logan Paul, and it’s expected that Cena will meet Brock Lesnar in September after Lesnar made his surprise return to WWE at SummerSlam.

Should WWE air the show on ESPN head-to-head with AEW All Out, fans should expect the sports entertainment giant to stack the show with its biggest names.