WWE is attempting a new concept to secure an audience that, like Maverick and Goose in the movie Top Gun, has the need for speed.
The company recently debuted a new show on the X social media platform, the former Twitter. The Elon Musk-owned company signed a two-year deal with WWE for the WWE Speed video series.
In December 2023, Wrestling Junkie reported that fans in attendance noticed matches with a timer on the big screen instead of a normal dark match. With announcers, referees playing it by the book, and wrestlers taking things seriously, something felt different.
When an announcer addresses the audience regarding a match, they often announce time limits. Some WWE matches have lasted 20+ minutes, while some are less than ten, with fans wanting more. This time, the latter is the point of WWE Speed.
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What is WWE Speed?
WWE Speed will feature matches meant to finish in three minutes or less. Per WWE.com, eight superstars will compete in a tournament. Each wrestler will look to beat an opponent in just three minutes. The winner advances to the next round, with the finals resulting in the crowning of the inaugural WWE Speed Champion.
The only way to watch WWE Speed is on X at noon ET on Wednesdays.
“WWE Speed, airing exclusively on X, brings a fresh and dynamic new twist to classic in-ring competition,” Corey Graves said. "Where some of the fastest, toughest WWE superstars do battle with time itself. Because in WWE Speed, our superstars only have three minutes to defeat their opponent. Three intense, adrenaline-fueled minutes where strategy, agility, and strength collide. This isn’t just another match, this is a sprint to the finish line.
EVERY SECOND COUNTS ⏰@WWEGraves is here to introduce #WWESpeed! Your favorite Superstars will go head-to-head in 3 minute matches, where the WWE Speed Championship is the ultimate prize.#WWESpeed premieres April 3rd, exclusively on @X! pic.twitter.com/JTx2o9CNBi
— WWE (@WWE) March 27, 2024
“So brace yourself for a tournament like no other. Where every match is a finale, and every second could define a superstar's legacy.”
Recently, WWE released episodes of WWE Speed on X before WrestleMania 40. Ricochet faced Dragon Lee, while Bronson Reed faced Cedric Alexander, with Ricochet and Reed coming out on top.