How to Watch WWE Wrestling

New WWE content is divided between a few popular programs, including WWE SmackDown and WWE Raw. Here’s a look at the three major networks that air live WWE content, and which programs they have the rights to broadcast.

• Peacock: The streaming platform Peacock recently became the “exclusive streaming partner” of the WWE. It has exclusive rights to broadcast WWE shows like Money in the Bank, NXT Battleground, NXT Level Up, and Night of Champions.
• FOX: While Peacock has become a big player, FOX still has the rights to WWE SmackDown (sometimes called Friday Night Smackdown).
• USA Network: If you want to watch WWE Raw (sometimes called Monday Night Raw) or NXT as they air live, then you’ll need to find some way to access the USA Network.

There are several ways to access these channels. We’ll run through them all right now.

In our convoluted media environment, it’s hard to find a one-stop-shop for all of your favorite shows, sports, and news. But there are a few ways to get your WWE fix. We’ll start with the best (and the priciest): DIRECTV.

There are plenty of ways to stream WWE content, but a good ol’ fashioned cable subscription might still be your best bet. With DIRECTV, you’ll get access to hundreds of channels, pay-per-view events, and discounts on third-party services. You can even sign up for DIRECTV via an internet connection and avoid installing a satellite dish in order to catch the fight. 

As for WWE content, you’ll get access to both FOX and USA Network, which means you can watch SmackDown and WWE Raw live each week. You can also add a Peacock subscription at a discounted price (just $2.99 a month) to get access to Money in the Bank and other shows.

Let’s not beat around the bush. DIRECTV is pricey. But we’re going to venture out on a limb and say you’re likely to watch a lot more than just WWE content with your subscription.

Peacock is the exclusive streaming partner for the WWE. A subscription to the service gets you exclusive access to certain programming, like Money in the Bank. It also gets you decades of old WWE programming, like past episodes of SmackDown and WWE Raw.

The biggest downside is that you can’t watch SmackDown or Raw live each week. You’ll have to wait until after they air on USA and FOX.

Hulu used to be the main streaming service for WWE content. Now Peacock won that belt. But you can still watch both SmackDown and WWE Raw on Hulu + Live TV through the service’s FOX and USA Network live streams.

As you can see, these Hulu prices are pretty steep, especially compared to Peacock. If you’re willing to wait until after they air to catch SmackDown and Raw, then you might want to use Peacock. But if you need the live experience, Hulu is a good option.

Like Hulu, fuboTV gives you access to live streams of both USA Network and FOX television. That means you can watch Raw and SmackDown live on Monday and Friday nights. Here’s a look at the cost of fuboTV packages.

We think that fuboTV, of all the live streaming TV services, offers the best all around value.

With Sling TV’s Blue package, you’ll get access to both FOX and USA Network. That means you can watch WWE wrestling programming live.

You only have to purchase the lower-cost Sling Blue plan to get both FOX and USA. It’s a cheaper option than Hulu or FuboTV, though it does offer fewer other channels.

This is beginning to sound repetitive (maybe it’s our wrestling catchphrase), but you can stream both FOX and USA Network with YouTube TV. That means you’ll get to view Monday Night Raw and Friday Night SmackDown live.

There is, believe-it-or-not, a way to watch television for free with an antenna. No, it doesn’t look like the bunny ears that your parents used to have on their cathode-ray tube television set. Instead, you’ll need a modern HD antenna (they’re pretty cheap).

With an antenna, you can catch your local FOX affiliate, which should air Friday Night SmackDown every week.

There are many ways to watch WWE content. We like Peacock, DIRECTV, and fuboTV the most, but you can catch the most popular WWE shows on any service that streams FOX and USA Network.

Here’s a quick reminder of which channels carry specific WWE wrestling shows.

• WWE Friday Night SmackDown: FOX
• WWE Monday Night Raw: USA Network
• WWE Money in the Bank: Peacock
• NXT: USA Network
• NXT Level Up: Peacock
• NXT Battleground: Peacock
• Night of Champions: Peacock

If you just want to revel in all of the old feuds, KOs, and theme songs of your favorite wrestlers, then Peacock is the way to go. It has hundreds of hours of old SmackDown, WWE Raw, and other WWE programming to stream on-demand.