WWE and UFC are set to collaborate on staging an event in June, with WWE’s NXT Battleground card taking place at the UFC APEX in Las Vegas.
Well, here’s a surprising twist. WWE and UFC aren’t exactly swapping fighters, but they’re teaming up. They’re planning a joint event this coming June.
WWE dropped the news on Monday. Their upcoming NXT Battleground event? It’s happening on June 9. And the venue? None other than the UFC APEX in Las Vegas.
NXT’s a bit like WWE’s training ground. It’s where the newbies cut their teeth before they hit the big time. You know, shows like Monday Night Raw and Smackdown.
Now, you might be thinking, “But isn’t UFC hosting an event that same weekend?” Yep, you’re right. But their gig’s on June 8 at the KFC Yum Center in Louisville, Ky. So, the UFC APEX will be free and clear for WWE’s event.
Shawn Michaels, WWE’s senior VP of talent development creative, seems pretty stoked about it. He said in a press release, “We are always exploring new frontiers to showcase NXT. We’re excited to bring Battleground to this world-class event and production facility in partnership with UFC.”
Paul Levesque, WWE’s chief content officer, echoed Michaels’ enthusiasm on social media. He was all thumbs up after the UFC APEX event announcement.
Now, the APEX isn’t exactly a massive venue. So, WWE’s giving priority seating for the event through OnLocation. That’s a live events service owned by Endeavor. And Endeavor? They’re the parent company and primary shareholder for UFC and WWE under TKO Group Holdings.
The UFC’s no stranger to hosting events at the APEX. They’ve done it outside of fights and the Contender Series. It’s even been the main home for Dana White’s Power SLAP league, which holds cards there regularly.
So, WWE’s gonna call the UFC APEX home, at least for one night. But who knows? This might just be the start of a more regular partnership.
The UFC started using the APEX for events during the global pandemic. They’ve kept it up, thanks to the in-house production available to them.