Netflix serves as the primary platform for nearly all WWE pay-per-view events (PLE) outside the United States, including Wrestlepalooza (PLE). Recently released viewership data for WWE PLEs in 2025, although incomplete since it excludes US viewers, reveals some insightful trends. Despite high anticipation after a seven-year gap between Evolution and Evolution 2, the numbers are somewhat disappointing for fans who eagerly awaited the women’s-only PLE’s return. According to Wrestlenomics, in the second half of 2025, all WWE PLEs except Evolution surpassed 1 million viewers on Netflix. The return of Evolution in 2025, its first since 2018, attracted only about 900,000 viewers, combining live and on-demand audiences.
On the other hand, other PLEs like Night of Champions and Clash in Paris each drew about 1.3 million viewers, while WrestleMania 41 performed strongly, with both nights exceeding 2.5 million viewers. However, the highest Netflix PLE viewership record outside the US is held by the 2024 Royal Rumble, which attracted 3.2 million viewers, likely due to its historic significance as the first PLE aired on Netflix. The latest data also highlights the successful debut of Wrestlepalooza on ESPN’s new US platform, gathering 1.9 million Netflix viewers in the latter half of 2025, marking it as the most-watched PLE for that period.
Although early reports suggested that WWE’s partnership with ESPN struggled to boost subscriber numbers, more recent insights indicate ESPN executives are pleased with the outcome, with many WWE fans migrating to ESPN’s platform following the PLE’s move.
Fan Take: This data highlights a shifting landscape for WWE viewership, signaling potential challenges for women-focused events like Evolution but also exciting growth opportunities for new brands like Wrestlepalooza. For WWE fans, it emphasizes the importance of evolving content delivery and promotional strategies to keep the global audience engaged and expanding.
