‘WWE Main Event’ Moves From YouTube to Rumble, a Conservative Streaming Platform Backed by JD Vance

Starting Oct. 14, WWE Main Event is tagging out of the YouTube ecosystem and strutting down the entrance ramp to Rumble — a video-sharing platform and cloud provider that is a favorite of conservative commentators like Dan Bongino, Steven Crowder and Andrew Tate, the journalist Glenn Greenwald, and gamer Dr. Disrespect. Rumble is also where Dana White’s Power Slap competitions stream — the WWE deal highlights a further push into sports (or “sports,” depending how you feel about real slapping and fake fighting).

Rumble markets itself as being anti-cancel culture. It was founded in 2013 and went public as “Rumble Inc., The Neutral Video Platform” in 2021.

Main Event, which features matches that take place weekly ahead of Monday Night Raw and Friday Night SmackDown, will stream Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. These used to be “dark” (non-televised) matches until WWE Main Event debuted in 2012.

“WWE Main Event will be a key pillar in Rumble’s expanding sports programming lineup,” Claudio Ramolo, Rumble’s chief content officer, said in a statement. “WWE content has consistently ranked among the most-watched programming on television, top streaming platforms and social media for decades — a rare combination that resonates with both fans and advertisers alike. This partnership reflects Rumble’s ongoing commitment to bringing our users the very best in sports, entertainment and beyond.”

“Serving a digital-first audience is a core focus for WWE, and Rumble has built an accessible platform that is committed to delivering premium sports and entertainment programming,” added Alex Varga, an executive vice president with WWE.

In 2024, crypto stablecoin venture Tether invested $775 million in Rumble. The platform’s shareholders also include Bongino and a venture capital firm co-founded by Vice President JD Vance. At the time of the Tether investment, Vance’s financial disclosures showed that he had a personal stake in Rumble valued between $100,000-$250,000.