List of WWE pay-per-view events

WrestleMania is WWE's biggest yearly live event.

This is a chronological list of pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming events made by American professional wrestling company WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment). Each month, WWE holds one or two yearly pay-per-view/livestreaming events. Since 2022, WWE calls these kind of events Premium Live Events. One event is usually three hours long and features six to twelve matches. The events are a big part of how the WWE earns money.[1][2]

Starting in 1985, WWE made Premium Live Events that can be watched live via pay-per-view outlets. Since February 2014, with the start of the WWE Network, events are also legally streamed live on the internet.[3]

History

Many people believe wrongly that the first WWE, then known as the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), pay-per-view was November 1985's The Wrestling Classic. This was a tournament held at the Rosemont Horizon near Chicago. The first WrestleMania event, in March of the same year, was on pay-per-view in some areas.[4] The first two WrestleManias earned much money. After WrestleMania III became one of the best events in wrestling history, the WWF then decided to have more pay-per-views.

The first Survivor Series event took place on November 29 1987. It was shown at the same time as NWA's Starrcade which was thought to be the biggest yearly event for NWA. The WWF informed cable companies that if they were showing Starrcade, they would not be allowed to show future WWF events. Most companies showed Survivor Series. Because of this, Starrcade did not make much money that year. This is thought to be the start of many problems for Jim Crockett Promotions.[5]

The first Royal Rumble in January 1988 was shown on the USA Network. It had the highest rating in the network's history up until that time. The event became a pay-per-view the next year.[6]

The first SummerSlam was held in Madison Square Garden in August 1988.[7] These four events - the Royal Rumble in January, WrestleMania in March or April, SummerSlam in August, and Survivor Series in November - were the only annual pay-per-view offerings (other than the King of the Ring) from the WWF until 1995. After World Championship Wrestling (WCW) started showing more pay-per-views, the WWF increased the number of pay-per-views it showed. At first, the WWF used the name In Your House for its new shows. Beginning in 1996, it began using other names along with the In Your House name (such as Bad Blood and No Way Out). This was done to avoid confusion. By the end of February of 1999, the In Your House name was no longer used.

Both companies increased the number of pay-per-views until they each had one pay-per-view event each month. From the late '90s until 2003, WWE had a once-a-month pay-per-view schedule. The pay-per-view events in the United States can be bought through iN DEMAND, Dish Network or DirecTV.

Up until 2003, WWE ran two pay-per-views a year which were only shown in the United Kingdom. After the brand extension started, they stopped doing these two events. Instead of the UK events, they did international tours which were taped for television.

In Australia, WWE's pay-per-views were shown on Main Event. In the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, some pay-per-views were shown on Sky Sports 1 and others on Sky Box Office. Starting with the 2008 Royal Rumble, all WWE pay-per-views were broadcast in high definition.

In February 2014, WWE introduced the WWE Network. a subscription service, where PPV events were streamed live and more WWE content, including every previous PPV event, were available for a lower monthly price.[3] In 2021, events began airing on NBCUniversal's streaming service, Peacock, in the United States, ending the WWE Network there.[8] Over the following years, the service was also ended in other countries when different streaming platforms took over its content: Disney+ Hotstar in Indonesia, Disney+ in the Philippines, Binge in Australia, and Abema in Japan.[9][10][11][12] In January 2025, the WWE Network will end completely, as WWE content will stream via Netflix in the rest of the world.[13]

Brand extension

In June 2003, WWE decided to only use people from one brand for many of its pay-per-views. Only the Royal Rumble, WrestleMania, SummerSlam and Survivor Series events used people from different brands. WrestleMania and The Royal Rumble were the only events with wrestlers from different brands competing against each other. This allowed WWE to show more pay-per-view events, such as Cyber Sunday and The Great American Bash. From late 2005, they decided to change this and matches with people from different brands were shown more often. In March 2007, WWE said they would stop only using one brand on each pay-per-view. All of its pay-per-views would have matches from all three brands.[14] When the brand extension was reintroduced in 2016, WWE started making their pay-per-view and livestreaming events single-branded again, except for the "big four" events.[15] This stopped again following WrestleMania 34 in 2018.[16]

Current events

Regular events

Name Month(s) Years Active Brand-exclusive to Note
Royal Rumble January/February 1988–present Features the Royal Rumble match
NXT Vengeance Day February 2001–2007

2011 2021–present

SmackDown! (2003)

Raw (2004–2006)
NXT (2021–present)

Previously known as WWE Vengeance
Elimination Chamber February/March 2009–2015

2017–present

SmackDown (2017)

Raw (2018)

Features the Elimination Chamber match

Also known as No Escape in Germany

NXT Stand & Deliver March/April 2021–present NXT
WrestleMania 1985–present WWE's biggest event of the year
Backlash May 1999–2009

2016–2018 2020–present

Raw (2004–2006)

SmackDown (2017–2018)

Also known as WrestleMania Backlash
NXT Battleground June 2013–2017

2023–present

SmackDown (2017)

NXT (2023–present)

Previously known as WWE Battleground
Money in the Bank June/July 2010–present SmackDown (2017) Features the Money in the Bank ladder match
NXT Heatwave 2022–present NXT Previously held by ECW
The Great American Bash July/August 2004–2009

2020–present

SmackDown! (2004-2007)

NXT (2020–present)

Previously held by NWA/JCP (1985–1988) and by WCW (1989–2000)

Also known as The Bash

SummerSlam 1988–present
NXT No Mercy September 1999–2008

2016–2017

2023–present

SmackDown (2002–2006, 2016)

Raw (2017)

NXT (2023–present)

Previously known as WWE No Mercy
NXT Halloween Havoc October 2020–present NXT Previously held by WCW
Crown Jewel October/November 2018–2019, 2021–present Takes place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia as part of a deal between WWE and the country's Ministry of Sport
Survivor Series November 1988–present Also known as Survivor Series: WarGames
NXT Deadline December 2022–present NXT Features the Iron Survivor Challenge

Recurring events

Name Month(s) Years Active Brand-exclusive to Note
King and Queen of the Ring April–June 1993–2002

2015 2024–present

Previously known as King of the Ring

Features the King of the Ring tounament

Clash at the Castle September (2022)

June (2024)

2022

2024

Bad Blood October (1997, 2024)

June (2003–2024)

1997

2003–2004 2024–present

Raw (2003–2004) Previously known as Badd Blood
Bash in Berlin August 2024–present

Former events

Name Month Years Active Brand-exclusive to Note
The Wrestling Classic November 1985
This Tuesday in Texas December 1991
In Your House Various 1995–1999

2020–2022

NXT (2020–2022)
Over the Edge May 1998–1999
Fully Loaded July 1998–2000
Invasion 2001
One Night Stand June 2005–2008 Also known as ECW One Night Stand and One Night Stand: Extreme Rules
December To Dismember December 2006 ECW Previously held by ECW
Armageddon 1999–2000

2002–2008

Raw (2003)

SmackDown! (2004–2006)

New Year's Revolution January 2005–2007 Raw
No Way Out February

June (2012)

1998

2000–2009 2012

SmackDown! (2004–2007)
Unforgiven April (1998)

September

1998–2008 Raw (2003–2006)
Cyber Sunday October/November 2004–2008 Raw (2004–2006) Also known as Taboo Tuesday
Judgment Day October (1998)

May

1998

2000–2009

SmackDown! (2004–2006)
Night of Champions Various 2007–2015

2023

Extreme Rules 2009–2022 Raw (2017)
Breaking Point September 2009
Hell in a Cell September/October

June (2021–2022)

2009–2022 Raw (2016)

SmackDown (2017)

Featured the Hell in a Cell match
TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs December

October (2017)

2009–2020 SmackDown (2016)

Raw (2017)

Bragging Rights October 2009–2010
Fatal 4-Way June 2010
Over The Limit May 2010–2012
Capitol Punishment June 2011
Payback Various 2013–2017

2020 2023

Raw (2017)
NXT TakeOver 2014–2021 NXT
Fastlane February/March

October (2023)

2015–2019

2021 2023

Raw (2017)

SmackDown (2018)

Roadblock March

December

2016 Raw (December 2016) Also known as Roadblock: End of the Line

Held as an NXT TV special since 2022

Clash of Champions September

December (2017)

2016–2017

2019–2020

Raw (2016)

SmackDown (2017)

NXT WarGames November/December 2017–2021 NXT
Super ShowDown Various 2018–2020
NXT UK TakeOver 2019–2020 NXT UK

International pay-per-view events

Pay-per-view Year(s) Active Note
One Night Only 1997 only
Mayhem in Manchester 1998 only
Capital Carnage 1998 only
No Mercy (UK) 1999 only Although this event took place in the UK, another PPV called "No Mercy" was held the same year in the US
Rebellion 1999-2002
Global Warning 2002 only
Insurrextion 2000-2003

Non-pay-per-view supercards

Supercard Year(s) Active Note
Saturday Night's Main Event 1985-1991, 2006-present The show began being shown again in 2006.[17]
The Main Event 1988-1991 Was a spin-off of Saturday Night's Main Event.

References

  1. "WWE Corporate 2003 Quarter 1 Issues". WWE Corporate. 2003-08-13. Archived from the original on 2007-11-23. Retrieved 2007-12-01.
  2. "WWE Corporate 2003 Quarter 2". WWE Corporate. 2003-11-17. Archived from the original on 2007-11-23. Retrieved 2007-12-01.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Flint, Joe (January 8, 2014). "WWE launching over-the-top network". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 8, 2014.
  4. "Survivor Series 1989 Venue history". WWE. Retrieved 2007-12-01.
  5. Cohen, Eric. "The History of Survivor Series". About.com. Archived from the original on 2007-11-02. Retrieved 2007-12-01.
  6. "Royal Rumble History". Bella. Archived from the original on 2012-03-04. Retrieved 2007-12-01.
  7. "Summerslam Venue 1988 Venue History". WWE. Retrieved 2007-12-01.
  8. West, Jenna (January 25, 2021). "WWE Network to Join NBC's Peacock With Multiyear Agreement". Sports Illustrated. https://www.si.com/wrestling/2021/01/25/wwe-network-moving-nbc-peacock-premium-streaming-rights. Retrieved January 25, 2021. 
  9. Hayes, Dade (January 27, 2022). "Disney Takes Exclusive WWE Network Streaming Rights In Indonesia, A Potential Prelude To Deals In Other Territories". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 8, 2023.
  10. Tessier, Colin (October 21, 2022). "WWE Network Moving To Disney Plus In The Philippines, Service Will Launch On 11/17". Fightful. Retrieved May 8, 2023.
  11. Hayes, Dade (September 27, 2022). "WWE And Foxtel Set Expanded Rights Deal In Australia, With Binge Becoming WWE Network's New Streaming Home". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 8, 2023.
  12. TIMES編集部, ABEMA (September 28, 2023). "「ABEMA」、WWE『RAW』&『SMACKDOWN』を国内独占放送! 中邑真輔「ABEMAでWWE漬けに」 | 告知 | ABEMA TIMES | アベマタイムズ". ABEMA TIMES (in 日本語). Retrieved September 29, 2023.
  13. Lowson, Thomas (January 25, 2024). "End of the WWE Network: Streaming Service to Be Absorbed By Netflix Next Year (Report)". SE Scoops. Retrieved February 6, 2024.
  14. "WWE Pay-Per-Views to follow WrestleMania formula". WWE Corporate. Archived from the original on 2014-10-06. Retrieved 2007-12-01.
  15. "WWE PPV 2016: List, Results & Schedule of Special Events and Pay Per Views". The SmackDown Hotel. Retrieved November 11, 2024.
  16. "WWE pay-per-views just got bigger for 2018!" (in en). WWE. http://www.wwe.com/article/wwe-2018-pay-per-view-schedule. Retrieved 2018-02-18. 
  17. "WWE returns to NBC with Saturday Night's Main Event". WWE Corporate. 2006-02-22. Archived from the original on 2006-03-20. Retrieved 2007-12-01.

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