TKO exec gives update on WWE archives & NXT PLE availability, Paramount/WBD possibilities
There is now an update on the future availability of archived WWE content in addition to WWE NXT premium live events.
During an appearance at the UBS Global Media & Communications Conference (full audio below), TKO head Mark Shapiro was asked about those two entities and said regarding the archives, they are working on a non-exclusive deal and expect to have something to announce in the first quarter of 2026. The deal with Peacock to carry most WWE archive content expires at year’s end.
Regarding NXT PLEs, they haven’t gone to market yet but Shapiro said there is “no rush” to do so as they want to be both “deliberate and thoughtful” about the process. The deal with Peacock to carry NXT PLEs expires in March 2026.
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Shapiro said he is “thrilled that the industrial logic” of bringing two IP properties like WWE and UFC together has been “validated,” adding they are a year ahead of schedule on their pro forma (a forward-looking financial document that forecasts future performance based on certain assumptions).
He put over WWE as still having a “monster runway” and reiterated how revenue streams that weren’t previously tapped into, especially on the partnership side, are paying off. He strongly complimented Nick Khan, Paul Levesque, their teams and their media partners and that the company “couldn’t be better primed” for more success ahead.
As part of that, he is confident ESPN head Jimmy Pitaro will get the process “moving fast” of greenlighting various cable providers to sync with ESPN, giving their subscribers free access to ESPN’s new streaming service as part of their cable subscription.
He also credited Disney with a successful Wrestlepalooza launch, saying the company sent them a ten-page document on their plan to promote WWE on ESPN and that both sides “couldn’t have been happier. No notes.”
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There was a lot of talk about UFC launching on Paramount and how they feel UFC is “clearly a beneficiary” of how much Paramount wants the relationship to work, saying they are “bold, dynamic, going to make moves and give us broad reach.”
He also hinted at a potential future, saying, “If Paramount can get WBD, I like a world where we could potentially live on HBO or TNT,” noting they are sports destinations fans are used to.
On the White House show front, they are still trying to figure out what they can and can’t do, but promised the show “will be a spectacle. If you thought The Sphere was a spectacle, this will be a spectacle on steroids.” He said Dana White and Hunter Campbell are putting together a “sensational fight card” and that there will be no ticket sales.
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He said sponsorships/partnerships continue to be strong and they are close on another major deal, similar to the ones they have with DoorDash and Polymarket and in a category he has always wanted to be in, expecting it to close by year’s end.
He said there are “no signs of weakness across the board” when it comes to live events and that they continue to be “taking advantage of the experience economy.” He complimented White on his ability to “curate” influencers on social media which has maximized their opportunities, awareness and engagement across YouTube and TikTok.
He said they have increased their “fan TAM” (total addressable market) due to people sampling UFC, and they are seeing the results in ticket sales, margins and their hospitality business due to fans wanting a one of a kind experience.
Shapiro said they are continuing to get increased calls from interested parties in bringing WWE or UFC to their city and are willing to work with them on subsidies or financial incenvtives for them to do so.
He also reiterated they are “not hunting for new properties” at the moment.
Since 2011, Josh has been a contributing editor to Wrestling Observer/F4WOnline.com and also hosts the Punch-Out podcast. He has also written for Fight Magazine, Bloody Elbow, Bleacher Report, and other websites. He's a 2000 graduate of the University of Maine, worked in pro sports, and once was an indie ring announcer.