ION to Give WWE Third Night of Programming With 'WWE Main Event'

Will feature rosters from 'Monday Night Raw' and 'Friday Night SmackDown'

By Tim Baysinger -- Broadcasting & Cable, 6/25/2012 1:15:13 PM

ION announced Monday that it will debut a new weekly one-hour original WWE series, WWE Main Event, that will run on Wednesdays.

WWE Main Event will debut Oct. 3 at 8 p.m., and run in that timeslot. The new show will feature WWE Superstars and Divas from both the rosters of Monday Night Raw and Friday Night SmackDown. This gives the wrestling outfit a third night of in-ring original programing.

"ION Television is delighted to begin a new partnership with such a successful and well-recognized franchise as WWE," said Brandon Burgess, CEO, ION Media Networks. "As a general entertainment network with a solid foundation, WWE Main Event is a great addition to our lineup that features something for everyone. We look forward to introducing our ION audience to all of the excitement and drama WWE has to offer as well as welcoming a passionate new fan base to the network."

"WWE looks forward to this new partnership with ION Television," said Vince McMahon, WWE chairman and CEO. "We are excited about producing this new television show, WWE Main Event, and bringing our fans to ION Television every Wednesday."