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ESPN Reportedly Pushed for Additional Matches at WWE Night of Champions

ESPN has reportedly been an active partner behind the scenes with WWE, influencing the number of matches featured on recent premium live events. The network allegedly requested more matches for Night of Champions to enhance the value of their streaming service.

Hamza AwanBy Hamza AwanFounder & Editor
1 min read
WWEESPNNight of ChampionsSami ZaynUndisputed WWE ChampionshipOba FemiJey UsoIyo SkyLiv MorganESPN Unlimited

According to a report from WrestleVotes, ESPN approached WWE about "adding another match or two to the PLE lineup." The stated goal behind this change was to strengthen the portion of the show that aired on ESPN Unlimited for its paying subscribers.

At Night of Champions, the finals for the King of the Ring tournament featuring Jey Uso vs. Oba Femi and the Queen of the Ring tournament finals between Iyo Sky and Liv Morgan were simulcast on ESPN. The remaining four matches, including the main event where Sami Zayn defeated Gunther and Cody Rhodes to capture the Undisputed WWE Championship were exclusive to ESPN Unlimited subscribers. Zayn pinned Rhodes to win the title.

This strategy of simulcasting the initial hour of WWE premium live events on ESPN is anticipated to continue through at least the fall of 2026. The intention is to incentivize viewers who do not subscribe to ESPN Unlimited to sign up for the service to watch the remainder of the broadcast after viewing the free portion.

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Hamza Awan

About the author

Hamza Awan

Founder & Editor

I'm Hamza Awan, founder of The Final Bell. I cover WWE with verified reporting, fan polls, and analysis written for people who actually watch the shows — not for algorithms. More about Hamza

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