Netflix Pins Down WWE's Classic Library in Streaming Shake-up

Netflix and WWE are expanding their partnership, making the streamer the new U.S. home for the wrestling giant’s massive library of past events, including classics like WrestleMania and Royal Rumble. The move follows the expiration of WWE's deal with Peacock and deepens Netflix's investment in live sports entertainment.

• The one-two punch: The acquisition builds on last year's landmark deal that brought Monday Night Raw to Netflix, where the show has become a consistent top performer. By bundling its weekly live show with a deep catalog of binge-worthy history and originals like WWE: Unreal, Netflix is now clearly positioning itself as the primary destination for wrestling fans.

• Some assembly required: But for fans, the streaming picture is now more fragmented. While Netflix gets the historical library, live Premium Live Events after September 2025 are exclusive to ESPN’s streaming service. Meanwhile, Peacock retains rights to weekly SmackDown episodes, meaning viewers wanting everything will need at least three separate subscriptions.

The deal is a win for Netflix's content arsenal and WWE's revenue, but it sacrifices the all-in-one convenience that fans had with the previous Peacock arrangement.