WWE Blocks ESPN's Andreas Hale From Covering WrestleMania 42
WWE blocks a journalist from their own US PPV partner from covering WrestleMania 42
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Apr 19, 2026
Ahead of night one of WrestleMania 42, ESPN's Andreas Hale revealed on X/Twitter that WWE had denied his credentials for the event, preventing him from covering the show for WWE's pay-per-view partner in the United States.
Hale tweeted: "I will not be covering #WrestleMania for ESPN. WWE denied my credentials and blocked my access. Neither I nor ESPN has been told why. You can speculate on the reasons, but if you want answers, ask WWE. Let me know what they tell you."
ESPN has so far declined to comment on the situation and has referred to WWE to be contacted about the matter. The move by WWE has been criticised, including by Joe Villa, who worked in WWE PR for several years.
Villa wrote: "Andreas has always been a legit and honest journalist when it comes to WWE and combat sports overall. He's no shill and will give honest takes and opinions while also asking questions a journalist should ask. Being denied a credential is politics and WWE in a nutshell."
Why exactly WWE prevented Andreas Hale from covering WrestleMania for ESPN is unknown. A WrestleMania 42 results article has been published by ESPN, but it is simply a brief results story written by ESPN staff.
ESPN's coverage of WWE pay-per-views since the two sides agreed to a five-year deal worth $1.6 billion for WWE's pay-per-view rights in the US has proved contentious so far. The deal took effect in September 2025, with the first WWE pay-per-view on ESPN Unlimited being Wrestlepalooza. Andreas Hale, for ESPN, gave that show a C grade, while Crown Jewel one month later received a B grade from Hale. ESPN had not used letter grades for WWE pay-per-views since then, however, with reports noting that WWE expressed their objections to grades being used.
In the weeks before WrestleMania 42, Andreas Hale for ESPN covered former WWE employee Janel Grant's affidavit as part of her lawsuit against Vince McMahon and WWE, within which she shared further details about the alleged abuse she suffered at the hands of Vince McMahon, Brock Lesnar, and WWE.
