WWE announces new broadcasting deal in Japan

[Chris]

WWE has found a new broadcast partner in Japan.

It was announced today that WWE and ABEMA have agreed to a media rights partnership. Starting this October, WWE programming will stream exclusively on ABEMA platforms in Japan. ABEMA platforms will carry Raw, SmackDown, and NXT, along with WWE premium live events.

Raw and SmackDown will both broadcast free-to-air in Japan every week with Japanese commentary immediately following first broadcast in the U.S., for the first time ever. Starting with Raw on Tuesday, October 3 (and every Tuesday night at 8pm local time) and SmackDown on Saturday, October 7 (and every Saturday night at 8pm local time), both weekly shows will also be available to watch on-demand. The new agreement will also see NXT available to watch on-demand in Japan via ABEMA Video.
Additionally, all WWE Premium Live Events will air exclusively live on ABEMA, with all past editions of WrestleMania available to view on-demand via ABEMA Video beginning October 1.

A special program about the deal will be shown on ABEMA this Friday. Keiji Muto (The Great Muta), who is an ABEMA ambassador, noted that he'll be involved in that broadcast.

Following his retirement from in-ring competition, Muto was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame earlier this year. He was shown sitting in the crowd when Seth Rollins defended the World Heavyweight Championship againstShinsuke Nakamura at Payback this month.

With the ABEMA deal, WWE broadcasts are returning to Japan for the first time since 2021. WWE's partnership with J Sports ended at the conclusion of that year.

https://www.f4wonline.com/news/wwe/wwe-announces-new-media-rights-deal-for-japan

 

[Dale]

AND NEW, WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION.... SHINSUKE NAKAMURA

 

[King Kota]

AND NEW, WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION.... SHINSUKE NAKAMURA

 

[Jay-Ashley]

ABEMA is owned by CyberAgent, which is who owns CyberFight, which is DDT, NOAH, TJPW, and GanbarePro, so this can be interesting

 

[Canadian Dragon]

I hope Nak wins but not for this, that would feel so much like the Jinder reasoning. which tbh would be ironic AF

 

[Deezy]

One channel with all the WWE programs.

 

[Deezy]

Tozawa on the graphic

 

[Jay-Ashley]

All WWE plus the previous companies I mentioned...funny that at one time Abema was struggling to get by and now look at them

 

[Dale]

​

 

[Canadian Dragon]

on one hand co promotion things are very cool
on the other hand please don't sell NOAH to WWE lol

 

[Deezy]

NXT Japan back on the board.