WWE-UFC Merger Holding Up “Major Changes” For Raw

The upcoming WWE-UFC merger isn’t official yet, but when it happens, there could be some “major changes” for Monday Night Raw.

On the Monday after WrestleMania 39, it was announced that Endeavor had acquired WWE for a merger with the UFC that would value the two companies together for $21 billion. The WWE acquisition was for $9 billion.

When a major acquisition like that takes place, it can take several months or even years for it to be finalized. Since the merger has been announced, there has apparently been a “hiring freeze” within WWE because they want to wait until the sale is official.

In the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer wrote that Endeavor’s WWE-UFC merger not being final yet has prevented “major changes” from happening for Raw.

“We were told the merger not being finalized is holding up major changes happening but there is talk of at least exploring major changes for Raw with new ideas when the merger takes place.”

While it wasn’t mentioned by Meltzer, WWE’s CEO Nick Khan commented in May that WWE was in discussions about what to do with the third hour of Raw from 10pm to 11pm and to try to make it “more adult” content-wise.

It is also expected at some point in the near future that we will find out where Raw and Smackdown will air after October 2024 when their current TV deals expire. Raw is on USA Network and has been for most of the last 30 years while Smackdown has been on FOX for the last four years.

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