ESPN 2 will broadcast the first hour of WWE Backlash 2026

ESPN viewers will once again have the opportunity to watch a WWE PLE on cable television, as the first hour of Backlash will be broadcast on ESPN 2 starting at 6 p.m. ET. The event will take place on May 9 in Tampa, Florida, and marks another linear exposure for a premium WWE show.

The company had already opened WrestleMania 42 on free cable for the first time last month, with the first night on ESPN 2 bringing together 1.6 million viewers and a 0.62 in the 18-49 demo. The second night, broadcast on ESPN, rose to 1.8 million and a 0.65, which represented a slight improvement over the previous day.

Backlash will start at 6:00 p.m. ET, a special schedule designed to avoid conflicting with the main event of UFC 328, also under the TKO umbrella. In the United States, the show can be followed via ESPN Unlimited, while the opening on ESPN 2 will serve as an additional television showcase.

With this decision, WWE once again aims to maximize reach and audience for one of its most important events after WrestleMania. If the WrestleMania experiment serves as a reference, Backlash could benefit from similar or even greater visibility.