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NXT Battleground to Be 1st WWE Event Held at UFC Apex; Scheduled for June 9

Joseph Zucker@@JosephZuckerX.com LogoFeatured Columnist IVApril 22, 2024

STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT - JANUARY 28: The WWE logo is seen on the front of the WWE wrestling world headquarters on January 28, 2024 in Stamford, Connecticut. WWE founder Vince McMahon resigned from the WWE and its parent company TKO as executive chairman and its board of directors following allegations of sexual assault made public in a lawsuit in Connecticut. A former employee Janel Grant accused McMahon, 78, of sexual assault and sexually trafficking her. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)
John Moore/Getty Images

WWE announced Monday it will stage its NXT Battleground show at UFC Apex in Las Vegas on June 9.

This will be the first time WWE has held an event at the venue.

"We are always exploring new frontiers to showcase NXT and we are excited to bring Battleground to this world-class event and production facility in partnership with UFC," said WWE legend Shawn Michaels, who's also the promotion's senior vice president of talent development.

Battleground was originally slated for a May 26 date at Enmarket Arena in Savannah, Georgia. Raw will air out of the same arena the following night.

As early as March, though, WrestleVotes was reporting on a "significant schedule change," with Battleground penciled in for June at the UFC Apex.

It's unclear what precipitated the shift. Perhaps ticket sales were slow or there was a general lack of interest with AEW holding its Double or Nothing pay-per-view in Las Vegas on the same night.

This represents another tangible byproduct of WWE and the UFC's merger last September. Running a show out of the Apex was inevitable once the two formally joined forces because of the crossover marketing appeal. NXT is a natural fit because fans are accustomed to the cozier atmosphere for the promotion's events.

Now, it may only be a matter of time before UFC places a Fight Night card at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida.


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