Why AEW Is Uploading Full Matches to YouTube

AEW is finally giving fans what they’ve been asking for—full matches, free on YouTube.

After years of limited access to their biggest showdowns and PPV classics, AEW has started uploading some of their most iconic matches directly to YouTube. Fans have taken notice, and the views are rolling in. But why the sudden shift?

Sources within AEW via Fightful Select said the move is part of a larger strategy to drive traffic toward their streaming content. Each full match upload comes with links in the description promoting the streaming service where even more content is housed. One source said plainly: “That was the motivation.”

Not every match is fully intact. Some uploads are missing commentary, but it’s being said that’s intentional. It’s also a response to the reaction online to certain silent clips.

“There was a lot of engagement around the no-commentary versions on social media, so they wanted to see how fans continued to respond to it,” one source explained.

There are a few gaps—WrestleDream, for example, isn’t currently up on the HBO Max service—but AEW’s plan to feed their YouTube audience while building toward more long-term streaming growth is clear.

The strategy seems to be working, and if this is just the beginning, fans could be getting even more historic content without digging through paywalls.

Which AEW match do you want to see uploaded next? Should they keep going without commentary or bring the full broadcast feel? Drop your thoughts in the comments.