WWE is expanding its Netflix footprint again, with Raw, SmackDown and NXT set to begin airing on Netflix in Japan on October 1, 2026.

The announcement was made during Monday’s episode of WWE Raw, confirming a major distribution change for WWE viewers in Japan. The move arrives as WWE’s current arrangement with ABEMA, which has been in place since 2023, is scheduled to expire on September 30.

As announced, Netflix Japan will become the destination for WWE’s three weekly flagship brands beginning the following day. Further information regarding the transition, including any additional programming details, has yet to be announced.

A New Home for WWE’s Weekly Brands in Japan

The October 1 launch will place Raw, SmackDown and NXT together under the Netflix banner in Japan. For fans, the significance is straightforward: WWE’s weekly television output is moving to a new streaming platform immediately after the ABEMA deal ends.

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WWE’s relationship with ABEMA began in 2023, giving the service a key role in delivering the company’s programming to the Japanese market. That agreement will now conclude on September 30, clearing the way for Netflix to take over with the announced October 1 start date.

The confirmation specifically named WWE’s three weekly brands. Raw remains the company’s Monday night flagship program, while SmackDown is WWE’s Friday night show and NXT serves as the company’s developmental-focused brand with its own weekly television identity. Bringing each of those series to Netflix Japan gives the platform a regular flow of WWE programming throughout the week.

No additional details were provided in the announcement about the full scope of WWE content that may be included on Netflix in Japan. As a result, questions beyond the confirmed availability of Raw, SmackDown and NXT remain unanswered for now.

Netflix Continues to Grow as WWE’s Global Platform

The Japan announcement fits within WWE’s broader global distribution relationship with Netflix. Netflix is already the home of Raw in the United States, a major shift for the program after its longtime run on traditional linear television.

Outside the United States, Netflix has also become the home for a wider collection of WWE programming in many markets. In most parts of the world, the service carries Raw, SmackDown, NXT and WWE premium live events. Germany, Austria and Sub-Saharan Africa are exceptions to that broader international arrangement.

Japan’s addition reinforces the scale of WWE’s Netflix strategy, while also giving the promotion a new streaming home in a market with a long and important wrestling history. WWE has maintained a presence in Japan for decades through touring, media distribution and the popularity of wrestlers who have competed across both WWE and Japanese promotions. The October change provides a new route for audiences there to follow WWE’s weekly stories and roster developments.

The transition also places Japan in closer alignment with many other international territories where Netflix has become central to WWE viewing. While the terms and programming packages can vary by market, the direction is clear: WWE’s relationship with Netflix is extending across more regions.

What Is Confirmed—and What Is Still to Come

At this stage, the confirmed information is limited but clear. WWE programming begins on Netflix in Japan on October 1. The weekly shows named in the announcement are Raw, SmackDown and NXT. ABEMA’s existing WWE agreement expires on September 30 after beginning in 2023.

WWE has indicated that more details about the move will be announced later. Until those details arrive, it is not possible to definitively state the complete lineup of content, presentation plans or any other features of the Netflix Japan offering beyond the three confirmed weekly programs.

That distinction matters because WWE’s international media packages have not always been identical from territory to territory. Netflix’s broader international WWE presence includes premium live events in most markets outside the listed exceptions, but the announcement regarding Japan specifically focused on the arrival of Raw, SmackDown and NXT. Any broader conclusions about the Japanese offering will need to wait for official confirmation.

Raw, SmackDown and NXT are scheduled to begin airing on Netflix in Japan on October 1, following the September 30 expiration of WWE’s ABEMA deal.

The Timing of the Change

The end-of-September expiration and October 1 debut create a direct handoff between WWE’s outgoing and incoming Japanese distribution partners. Rather than leaving a lengthy gap between arrangements, WWE has announced a next-day transition for the weekly programming it identified.

For regular viewers, the change will be especially relevant to ongoing WWE storylines, which frequently develop across multiple brands. Although each show has its own roster structure and creative focus, WWE’s biggest developments can impact the company as a whole. Having Raw, SmackDown and NXT on the same service in Japan should give fans one primary platform for the weekly schedule once the move takes effect.

It also arrives during a period in which streaming distribution is increasingly central to how major wrestling companies reach audiences. WWE’s agreement with Netflix has been one of the most prominent examples of that shift, particularly because it has affected both domestic and international access to key programming. The Japan launch is another notable piece of that larger rollout.

Japan Remains a Meaningful Wrestling Market

Japan occupies a distinctive place in professional wrestling, with an established audience and a deep history of influential companies, performers and events. WWE’s expanded Netflix presence there does not change that history, but it does represent a significant media-development move for a global company seeking consistent access to viewers across major territories.

The availability of WWE’s primary weekly shows is particularly important because those programs are where championships, rivalries, character developments and premium live event matches are regularly established. Fans following WWE from Japan will have Netflix as the newly announced home for that core weekly content starting in October.

With Raw, SmackDown and NXT all included in the announcement, Netflix Japan will carry programming representing several layers of WWE’s current system. Raw and SmackDown feature many of WWE’s most prominent stars and major championship stories, while NXT provides viewers with a look at emerging talent and its separate weekly competition.

Looking Ahead to October 1

The key date for WWE fans in Japan is October 1, 2026. That is when the announced Netflix availability for Raw, SmackDown and NXT begins, one day after the ABEMA agreement reaches its scheduled end.

More information is expected to clarify the details surrounding the move. For now, WWE has confirmed the central change: its weekly flagship programming is shifting to Netflix Japan.

The development further establishes Netflix as a major global partner for WWE and gives Japanese fans a new home for three of the company’s most important weekly broadcasts. As the September 30 conclusion of the ABEMA deal approaches, attention will turn to the remaining details of the Netflix launch and how WWE’s Japanese audience will access the new offering when it goes live.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.