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ESPN publicly rejects a report claiming it won’t renew its WWE Premium Live Event deal, calling the claim completely false. The five-year, about $1.6 billion contract began in 2025 and is approaching its first anniversary, with WWE events streaming on ESPN’s app and occasional cross-promotions around major shows.
WWE is weighing a high-profile debut for Blake Monroe by potentially booking her vs Giulia at Sunday Night’s Main Event on Sept. 6 in Atlanta; the match isn’t finalized, as WWE weighs giving Monroe a bigger stage while continuing their feud, following Monroe’s on-air attack and her backstory as Mariah May (AEW Women’s World Champion) and a former NXT North American Champion.
WWE is reportedly considering adding Blake Monroe vs. Giulia to the Sept. 6 Sunday Night’s Main Event in Atlanta, potentially giving Monroe her televised main-roster in-ring debut. The bout was initially teased for SmackDown but turned into an angle when Monroe attacked Giulia. Monroe—formerly AEW’s Mariah May and a former NXT Women’s North American Champion—has been teased since WrestleMania 42 but has yet to wrestle on TV since being called up. If added, the card at State Farm Arena, streaming on Peacock, would also include Cody Rhodes vs. Randy Orton, Oba Femi vs. Bron Breakker, and Baron Corbin vs. Lil Yachty, with Trick Williams earning a US title shot if Yachty lasts five minutes.
ESPN reportedly will not renew its five-year, $1B WWE deal when it ends in 2030, signaling a potential split for WWE's premium events. The outlook is driven by shifts in the media market, the carriage/cost challenges of ESPN Unlimited, and a culture/synergy gap between WWE and ESPN. ESPN has started promoting WWE content more and making some PLEs available on ESPN/ESPN2, but ongoing subscriber and carriage issues persist. Renewal would hinge on a surge in Unlimited subscribers or favorable carriage deals; otherwise WWE would need to find a new home for its PLEs. There is guarded hope for future collaboration if market conditions improve, but the situation remains precarious.
A SEScoops report claims ESPN won’t renew its $1.6 billion exclusive rights deal for WWE premium live events after only a year into a five-year pact, citing a weak media market, culture and synergy issues between ESPN and WWE, and ESPN’s Unlimited streaming bundle struggles with cable providers. The piece notes leadership-level misalignment during deal formation and launch, ESPN’s heavy WWE promotion on SportsCenter facing pushback from traditional sports fans, and the possibility that a renewal could still occur if a big subscriptions or distribution deal materializes, but no decision has been made yet.
WWE Raw 8/24/26 delivers a mixed bag: Big Cass's comeback struggles to land, a standout Rey Fenix vs Dragon Lee sets up a finale with Fenix challenging Roman Reigns, Lola Vice is teased for a Raw debut, Bron Breakker's promo undercuts his threat, the SNME build feels underwhelming, and Solo Sikoa teams with LA Knight for a fun, fresh dynamic that injects life into the show.
The August 24, 2026 WWE RAW is set to close with a World Heavyweight Championship No. 1 Contender Tournament semifinal, initially pegged as Penta vs. La Parka, but a 6PM update indicates the main event could be Solo Sikoa vs. LA Knight vs. The Usos instead. The show also features Rey Fenix vs. Dragon Lee in the other semifinal, Stephanie Vaquer vs. Roxanne Perez, and an Oba Femi-Bron Breakker contract signing for Sunday Night’s Main Event, with all plans subject to change as the night unfolds.
Out the Mud (Lucien Price and Bronco Nima) arrive on Monday Night Raw with a freshly turned Royce Keys, signaling a new main-roster alliance and Bloodline-era intrigue amid a muted crowd reaction in Ottawa.
WWE RAW’s August 24, 2026 spoiler lineup previews a stacked night with two World Heavyweight Championship #1 contender tournament semifinals (Dragon Lee vs. Rey Fenix and Penta vs. La Parka), multiple contract signings and backstage segments, promotions by LA Knight, and various feuds highlighted alongside Hiromu Takahashi’s WWE in‑ring debut; note that lineups are subject to change with live updates expected.
ESPN Unlimited, the home for WWE Premium Live Events, will raise its prices: monthly from $29.99 to $31.99 and annual from $299.99 to $319.99, effective September 17, 2026. ESPN Select plans also increase, and Peacock likewise announced price hikes.
ESPN announced a price increase for its ESPN Unlimited service, raising monthly price from $29.99 to $31.99 and annual price from $299.99 to $319.99, with the change taking effect September 17. Sports Media Watch notes that subscribers on the ESPN/Hulu/Disney+ bundle aren’t affected, and it’s unclear if other bundles will be impacted. ESPN Unlimited launched about a year ago and has hosted WWE premium live events since Wrestlepalooza last year.
On SmackDown, Sami Zayn interrupts Kevin Owens’ bid for the Undisputed Championship, hints at a love-hate dynamic with CM Punk, and ultimately attacks both Punk and KO after Punk’s win, setting up a potential three-way feud among Punk, KO, and Sami. The show also featured Damien Priest vs. R-Truth in tag drama, Giulia’s clash with Blake Monroe and related antics, Lil Yachty’s teased matchup with Baron Corbin, Lash Legend vs. Tiffany Stratton with Chelsea Green saving the day, plus a high-energy Cody Rhodes–Randy Orton opening and a Nick Aldis stipulation that raises tension ahead of Sunday’s Main Event.
SmackDown on Aug. 21, 2026 in Toronto ended with CM Punk defeating Kevin Owens for the WWE Championship after Sami Zayn interfered and blasted both competitors, costing KO the title; The MFTs retained the WWE Tag Team Championship against Damian Priest & R-Truth with Haku in their corner, and the show also featured Nakamura and Kyoki signaling a takeover, Blake Monroe attacking Giulia, Lash Legend vs Tiffany Stratton, and multiple promos and highlights from the night.
Hiromu Takahashi appears on WWE SmackDown under the new ring name Kyoki, partnering with Shinsuke Nakamura as they set their sights on the WWE Tag Team titles against the MFTs (Tama Tonga & Talla Tonga); Takahashi’s WWE debut follows a high-profile NJPW run and marks his first WWE appearance since early 2026.
WWE is reportedly booking CM Punk vs. Kevin Owens as a single-match title bout, with Owens listed as the betting favorite but not guaranteed to win; a disqualification or countout could still crown him, and the plan is for a one‑and‑done feud set for Toronto's Scotiabank Arena as part of SmackDown.