WWE has been circling Disney for longer than anyone realised.
TKO President Mark Shapiro raised the idea of a WWE and Disney partnership for 2027 this week. WrestleVotes reports on Fightful Select that the conversations are not new, and that WWE has been interested in a relationship with Disney since before the ESPN deal came into play.
Nothing is official. WrestleVotes was told that, to the best of its source’s knowledge, the discussions have covered more than WWE-branded events at Disney properties in Orlando.
One idea involves the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, which the outlet notes has a 9,500-seat venue that could host WWE shows along with festivals or larger fan experiences. WrestleVotes was also told WWE has looked at concepts along the lines of ESPN Fan House.
A source separately speculated that a WWE-themed Disney cruise line experience could make business sense at some point. That is speculation rather than a report of anything in progress.
The nearer-term piece is programming. WrestleVotes reports WWE talent are expected to start appearing on Disney+ shows over the next year.
The corporate plumbing is already in place. ESPN is a Disney subsidiary, and its direct-to-consumer service became the exclusive US home of every WWE premium live event this year under a deal announced in August 2025. Shapiro also began his career at Disney and spent years at ESPN before moving on, and has been floated more than once as a potential successor to Bob Iger.
Fightful Select broke this story. Read the full report and support their work here.
