WWE Night of Champions actually had six matches, but apparently that was not just a random creative call.
According to WrestleVotes Radio on Fightful Select, the decision to keep the premium live event at six matches came after ESPN requested that WWE add another match or two to the card. The idea was to beef up the paid standalone portion of the broadcast on ESPN+ after the first hour aired free on ESPN television.
That setup is not going anywhere soon, either. Sources indicated that WWE premium live events are expected to keep the same format, with the first hour airing free on ESPN before the rest of the show moves to ESPN+, through at least the fall of 2026.
Night of Champions packed in plenty with that six-match lineup. The show saw IYO SKY and Oba Femi win Queen and King of the Ring, Seth Rollins beat Bron Breakker inside a steel cage, Trick Williams retain against Ricky Saints, Sami Zayn capture the Undisputed WWE Championship, and Tiffany Stratton retain her WWE Women’s United States Title against Jade Cargill.
So while fans may have wondered why WWE kept the card tight, it sounds like ESPN actually wanted a little more meat on the bone for the paid portion. WWE gave them a six-match show, and that free-to-paid broadcast model appears to be sticking around for a while.
Do you think WWE premium live events work better with shorter cards, or should ESPN push for more matches on future shows? Drop your thoughts in the comments and let us know.
