Atrás
Raw streams on Netflix every Monday, yet a search for SmackDown on a Friday night turns up nothing in the US. WWE kept separate American deals for its other shows, while Netflix streams the whole schedule in most other countries, including the premium live events.
That leaves American fans paying for three or four services to follow one promotion. There’s a way to get all of it inside a single Netflix account, with two conditions Netflix sets on VPN use.
Each part of WWE has its own home in the US:
So following all of WWE in the US means Netflix, a package that includes USA Network, and an ESPN subscription. By contrast, a fan in the UK, Canada, or Australia has the same shows through one Netflix subscription, at no extra cost.
Netflix has WWE’s rights in most countries outside the US, so its UK library lists Raw, SmackDown, NXT, and every premium live event, along with documentaries and past events. The same applies in Canada, Australia, Brazil, Mexico, and much of Europe and Asia.
Japan is one of the exceptions, since ABEMA has WWE there. Netflix shows the library of the country your IP address points to, and your US account works in any of them. So once Netflix sees a UK IP address, the full WWE catalog appears.
The UK isn’t the only option, either. Watching Australian Netflix works the same way if a UK server is blocked. Netflix does set two conditions. It doesn’t support VPNs on its ad-supported plan or for live events.
In practice, that means the ad-free Standard or Premium plan, and SmackDown and NXT as episodes once they finish airing. The Standard plan costs about $20 a month in the US, and a VPN adds about $3 to $3.50 a month on a two-year plan.
Start with a VPN that works with Netflix, because Netflix blocks the IP addresses of VPN servers it recognizes. We used NordVPN, which unblocked Netflix UK in our tests.
Install it on Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Fire TV, or Android TV, then sign in with your email and password. Next, search for the United Kingdom in the app and connect. The connection takes a few seconds, after which Netflix treats you as a UK viewer.
This is how you change your Netflix region without touching your account or payment details. Then open Netflix and search for WWE. Raw, SmackDown, and NXT appear as separate titles, and each episode page lists the full show.
Keep the VPN on whenever you watch, since disconnecting brings back the US library. If the titles don’t appear, connect to another UK server and reload Netflix.
No. In the US, WrestleMania, SummerSlam, the Royal Rumble, and the other premium live events stream on the ESPN app, which requires its own subscription. Outside the US, Netflix includes them at no additional cost, on the same plan as the weekly shows.
Netflix’s rule on live events applies here as well. With a VPN, plan on watching the full event once Netflix adds it to the UK library after the show ends. For fans who don’t need to watch WrestleMania live, that still beats an extra subscription for a handful of events a year.
9200 servers
128 covered countries
30 days money-back guarantee
10 simultaneous connections
9.4 /10
SEE MORE
1
20396 servers
148 covered countries
30 days money-back guarantee
10 simultaneous connections
9.2 /10
SEE MORE
2
3000 servers
105 covered countries
30 days money-back guarantee
10 simultaneous connections
9.1 /10
SEE MORE
3
Pros
Con
NordVPN unblocked Netflix UK in our tests, along with more than 20 other Netflix libraries. So Canada or Australia are there as a backup if the UK catalog ever changes. Its UK servers lost only 3.0% of our download speed, and it has servers in four UK cities.
SmartPlay, its built-in streaming DNS, works in the background with no setup. Beyond Netflix, NordVPN’s apps cover Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Fire TV, and Android TV, so you can watch SmackDown on the TV itself instead of casting from a laptop.
The Basic plan costs about $3.50 a month on a two-year plan, with a 30-day money-back guarantee across all plans, including monthly and annual plans.
Pros
Con
I tested Proton VPN on Netflix UK many times, and it unblocked the library every time. On its UK servers, it lost 6.0% of our download speed. VPN Accelerator, a Proton VPN feature that keeps connections stable on slower or more distant networks, also helps when you’re watching from far away.
Ten devices can connect at once on one plan. Privacy is where it stands out, with Swiss jurisdiction and open-source apps, which makes Proton VPN a good fit for more than streaming. For WWE, get the VPN Plus plan, which costs about $3 a month on a two-year plan. Proton VPN refunds the full amount within 30 days.
Pros
Cons
ExpressVPN unblocked Netflix UK and 24 other Netflix libraries in our tests, one of the strongest results among our best VPNs for streaming. Speed wasn’t a concern either, with a 2.4% speed loss on its UK servers. The apps are simple enough that connecting to the UK takes one search and one click.
For a TV, its Fire TV Stick app puts SmackDown on the big screen. MediaStreamer, ExpressVPN’s Smart DNS, covers smart TVs and consoles that can’t install a VPN app. Devices range from 10 to 14, depending on the plan. The Basic plan costs about $3 a month on a two-year plan, with refunds available for 30 days.
An American Netflix account can show the whole WWE schedule. Connect to a UK server, use an ad-free plan, and watch SmackDown, NXT, and the premium live events once they’ve aired. One tip saves a step on Monday nights.
Raw is already on Netflix US, so disconnect the VPN and watch it live in your own library, then reconnect for the rest of the week.
Yes, outside the US. Netflix streams SmackDown in the UK, Canada, Australia, and most other countries, while American viewers watch it on USA Network instead.
WWE signed a separate US deal for SmackDown with NBCUniversal, so it airs on USA Network. Netflix's US rights cover Raw, while its international rights include every WWE show.
No, not under the current deal. SmackDown's US rights belong to USA Network under a multi-year agreement, so a move to Netflix US could only follow once that contract ends.
Yes, outside the US. Netflix streams NXT and its premium live events in most international regions, while American viewers watch NXT on The CW and The CW app.
Most countries outside the US, including the UK, Canada, Australia, Brazil, and Mexico, list Raw, SmackDown, NXT, and premium live events on Netflix. Japan is an exception, where ABEMA has the rights to WWE.
Netflix doesn't support VPNs on its ad-supported plan or for live events. On an ad-free plan, WWE shows and premium live events become available over a VPN once they finish airing live.