WWE Network UK: Vince McMahon finally reveals streaming service launch date

Paraphrasing The Rock, Vince McMahon has announced that "Finally, the WWE Network is coming to the United Kingdom and Ireland on Monday, January 19, and this time we really mean it."

The WWE chairman acknowledged that fans had been waiting a long time for the service, which launched in the US in February of last year and was original promised on this side of the Atlantic in October.

The release date means wrestling fans will be able to watch this year's Royal Rumble PPV through WWE Network, which will be priced at £9.99 (€12.99 in Ireland) a month.

Don't expect to find the weekly flagship shows Raw and Smackdown on there though, as BskyB has secured exclusive rights until at least 2019.

Friction with Sky, for whom WWE is a huge ratings draw, was previously rumoured as the cause for the delay in the service's UK arrival.

WWE Network, available in over 170 territories worldwide, comes with a vast archive of content from the promotion's 34-year history.