List of WWE pay-per-view events
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
[change | change source]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 yearly 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 made. 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 Badd Blood and No Way Out of Texas). 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
[change | change source]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
[change | change source]Regular events
[change | change source]| 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) | 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
[change | change source]| 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: In Your House |
| Bash in Berlin | August | 2024–present |
Former events
[change | change source]| 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 | Also known as Over the Edge: In Your House | |
| Fully Loaded | July | 1998–2000 | Also known as Fully Loaded: In Your House | |
| Invasion | 2001 | |||
| Rebellion | October–December | 1999–2002 | SmackDown! (2002) | All events took place in the United Kingdom |
| Insurrextion | May/June | 2000–2003 | Raw (2002–2003) | |
| 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) | Also known as No Way Out of Texas: In Your House |
| Unforgiven | April (1998)
September |
1998–2008 | Raw (2003–2006) | Also known as Unforgiven: In Your House |
| 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) | Also known as Judgment Day: In Your House |
| 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
[change | change source]| 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 |
| Global Warning | 2002 only |
Non-pay-per-view supercards
[change | change source]| Supercard | Year(s) Active | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday Night's Main Event | 1985-1992
2006–2008 2024–present |
|
| The Main Event | 1988-1991 | Was a spin-off of Saturday Night's Main Event. |
References
[change | change source]- ↑ "WWE Corporate 2003 Quarter 1 Issues". WWE Corporate. 2003-08-13. Archived from the original on 2007-11-23. Retrieved 2007-12-01.
- ↑ "WWE Corporate 2003 Quarter 2". WWE Corporate. 2003-11-17. Archived from the original on 2007-11-23. Retrieved 2007-12-01.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Flint, Joe (January 8, 2014). "WWE launching over-the-top network". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 8, 2014.
- ↑ "Survivor Series 1989 Venue history". WWE. Retrieved 2007-12-01.
- ↑ Cohen, Eric. "The History of Survivor Series". About.com. Archived from the original on 2007-11-02. Retrieved 2007-12-01.
- ↑ "Royal Rumble History". Bella. Archived from the original on 2012-03-04. Retrieved 2007-12-01.
- ↑ "Summerslam Venue 1988 Venue History". WWE. Retrieved 2007-12-01.
- ↑ West, Jenna (January 25, 2021). "WWE Network to Join NBC's Peacock With Multiyear Agreement". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved January 25, 2021.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ 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 Japanese). Retrieved September 29, 2023.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ "WWE Pay-Per-Views to follow WrestleMania formula". WWE Corporate. Archived from the original on 2014-10-06. Retrieved 2007-12-01.
- ↑ "WWE PPV 2016: List, Results & Schedule of Special Events and Pay Per Views". The SmackDown Hotel. Retrieved November 11, 2024.
- ↑ "WWE pay-per-views just got bigger for 2018!". WWE. Retrieved 2018-02-18.
Other websites
[change | change source]- WWE.com
- WWE Corporate.com Archived 2019-12-15 at the Wayback Machine