WWE has confirmed a new broadcast agreement that will expand its partnership with The CW Network. The company announced that all WWE NXT Premium Live Events will now air exclusively on the network as part of a multi-year deal.

Starting later this summer with The Great American Bash, The CW will air 20 NXT Premium Live Events live over the next several years. This includes major shows such as Stand & Deliver, Deadline, and Vengeance Day. These events will be broadcast in full across both coasts, giving fans wider access on network television.

This move brings all NXT programming under one home. WWE NXT already airs weekly live episodes every Tuesday night on The CW. With the addition of Premium Live Events, viewers will now be able to follow all storylines, matches, and title changes on a single platform.

Brad Schwartz, President of The CW Network, commented on the agreement and highlighted the success of the weekly show. He said, “WWE NXT has energized our Tuesday nights by consistently delivering a loyal and passionate fanbase to The CW every week. Adding WWE NXT Premium Live Events to our schedule is a natural fit, providing one broadcast destination for audiences to watch all their favorite Superstars, storylines and championship matches.”

The CW originally signed a five-year deal with WWE in October 2024. That agreement brought NXT to broadcast television for the first time. The debut episode on the network delivered strong viewership and ranked as The CW’s top telecast of the year in key demographics. Currently, the network airs 52 live weekly NXT shows each year from 8:00 to 10:00 PM EST.

Shawn Michaels, WWE Senior Vice President of Talent Development Creative, also addressed the expansion. He said, “The CW has played an integral role in raising the profile of our up-and-coming Superstars, and we are excited to bring NXT Premium Live Events to broadcast television for the first time ever.”

Launched in 2012 under Paul Levesque, WWE NXT continues to serve as a key platform for developing new talent. Several top names in WWE today came through the system, including Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, Charlotte Flair, and Becky Lynch.

The current NXT roster features rising stars such as Tony D’Angelo, Lola Vice, Oba Femi, Trick Williams, Tiffany Stratton, Roxanne Perez, Je’Von Evans, and Sol Ruca.

This new deal strengthens WWE’s presence on broadcast television and gives NXT a larger platform as it continues to grow.

NXT PLEs Moving to The CW

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Dakota Kai, now going by Charlie, has opened up about her extended time away from wrestling following her WWE release in May 2025. Speaking with Chris Van Vliet on Insight, she explained that the break was not planned, but came from a need to recover both mentally and physically before returning.

Charlie said she did not want to rush back into wrestling and instead waited for the right moment and opportunity.

“I took almost a year off. I don’t know, I think after leaving WWE, I didn’t want to necessarily rush back into anything. I wanted to get back into wrestling on my terms and just find that passion and that love for it and just do it for fun. Basically, I wanted to do it for fun, and it was just a matter of the perfect time. Then, when Will Ospreay hit me up, he’s basically like, ‘We’d love to have you on the show, here’s what it is.’ When I found out I’m wrestling Kris Statlander, I’m like, ‘Oh my god, perfect. She’s been on my bucket list for years, literal years.’ So it just worked out,” Charlie said.

The opportunity to face Kris Statlander became the turning point. She confirmed that match helped bring back her excitement for wrestling after time away.

She also spoke about the anxiety she experienced during her absence, revealing that it became harder to deal with as more time passed.

“It was weird, because during that time off, the longer I was away from wrestling, which was needed for me personally, just mentally and emotionally, it was like the thought of wrestling again was looming over me. I have very severe performance anxiety, so the longer I was away, the more anxious I got about it. But then she made it so easy, she’s the best. There was no real time limit of, ‘I want to be away for this amount.’ It was just more of a feeling, I guess. As soon as the opportunity came up that it was going to be there at that show on the big Wrestle Queendom show against Kris, I was like, ‘Ah, this was meant to be.’ Yeah, it was cool. I just really needed to take a step back for me in terms of just finding the passion and the love for it again. I didn’t mean for it to be a year. I know everyone was like, ‘Why did you take a year off?’ I’m like, ‘I didn’t mean to, and for that to be that amount of time, I just kind of took the time I needed.’ Then when the opportunity came up to be against Kris, it was perfect,” she added.

Charlie returned to the ring on March 8, 2026, at Wrestle Queendom. Her last WWE match took place on March 24, 2025. Since returning, she has also competed against Shotzi Blackheart during WrestleMania week.

Her comments offer a clear look at the challenges she faced during her time away and how she found her way back to the ring on her own terms.

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Sol Ruca is officially set to sign her WWE RAW contract next week, following a video promo that aired on the April 27 episode, confirming her full-time move to the brand.

The signing is scheduled for the May 4 episode, marking the final step in her transition from NXT to the main roster. Ruca first appeared on the main roster on the April 20 episode after WrestleMania 42, where she confronted Liv Morgan and competed in an impromptu non-title match. She hit her Sol Snatcher finisher and drew strong crowd support before losing following interference from Zaria.

Ruca wrapped up her NXT run the following night at NXT Revenge on April 21. She faced Zaria in a Last Woman Standing match, closing out her time on the developmental brand. During her NXT run, Ruca held the NXT Women’s North American Championship and the WWE Women’s Speed Championship. She also made a strong showing in the 2026 Women’s Royal Rumble, finishing in the final three.

The April 27 episode of WWE RAW also featured several key segments and matches.

Joe Hendry made his official debut on WWE RAW with a concert-style segment, confirming his signing in song form. During the performance, he called for Logan Paul to be fired. The segment was interrupted by The Vision, leading to Street Profits stepping in.

In singles action, Intercontinental Champion Penta defeated Rusev in a non-title match via roll-up. After the match, Rusev and Ethan Page attacked Penta until Je’Von Evans made the save.

Women’s Intercontinental Champion Becky Lynch issued an open challenge, which was answered by IYO SKY. During the match, Asuka interfered while the referee was distracted, allowing Lynch to hit a second Manhandle Slam and retain her title. Asuka continued the attack after the match, applying the Asuka Lock as the crowd chanted for Kairi Sane.

The show continued to build new storylines and advance existing rivalries following WrestleMania 42, with Ruca’s upcoming contract signing set to be a key moment on the May 4 episode of WWE RAW.

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