WWE and X joins forces for exclusive live wrestling online series

Elon Musk’s X, formerly known as Twitter, is broadening its presence in the live sports market after signing an exclusive distribution deal with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). 

Source: WWE

The new live short content wrestling series, WWE Speed, launches in April, featuring exclusively on the global social media platform.

The weekly video edition will consists of 5-minute length matches described as “fast-paced, action-packed faceoffs” which will star WWE household names, said the leading sports franchise. US trade, Hollywood Reporter, reported WWE Speed will release new episodes 52 weeks per year.

The distribution partnership, comes off the heels of Netflix US$5 billion deal with WWE which the streamer gains exclusive rights to WWE’s Raw show in North America, the UK and Latin America, among other territories.

WWE parent TKO’s executive chairman Vince McMahon also recently resigned from the company following a lawsuit filed made by a former employee which alleged she was sexually assaulted and trafficked by McMahon and former talent relations SVP John Laurinaitis.

TKO Group consists of the recently combined pro-fighting franchises UFC and WWE. The LA-based talent group, Endeavor, parent company to UFC, bought WWE as part of a deal to create a $21bn “live sports and entertainment powerhouse”. The merge was completed in September 2023, which was to be led by Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel and McMahon.