source : the age
One of the world’s biggest wrestling personalities will hold his final Australian match in Perth when WWE returns to WA in October.
The franchise has confirmed 17-time WWE world champion John Cena will headline the event after the success of last year’s Elimination Chamber at Optus Stadium.
WWE legend John Cena will perform his final Australian show in Perth. Credit: WWE
Cena is one of many wrestlers to have made the transition to Hollywood and is in the process of a “farewell tour” as he hangs up his boots, making his appearance in Perth a coup for Australian fans.
A WWE announcement aired during Wrestlemania 41 on Sunday, US time – as Cena claimed his 17th world championship in a win over Cody Rhodes – revealed Perth would host Friday Night Smackdown and Monday Night Raw events, with a live event in between to be headlined by Cena as part of a “takeover” weekend.
More than 52,000 fans swarmed Optus Stadium when the WWE came to Perth last year, watching on as Rhea Ripley defended her Women’s World Championship in a cage match against Nia Jax, while Drew McIntyre survived the chaos to pin Randy Orton and earn a tilt at the World Heavyweight Championship.
October’s WWE takeover will be held at RAC Arena and will be broadcast across the world, and on Netflix in Australia.
WA Tourism Minister Reece Whitby said the weekend would be the only WWE broadcast event in Australia, New Zealand and South East Asia this year.
“Our ambition is to become the fastest-growing events destination in the South East Asia region, and the swift return of WWE after last year’s incredibly successful WWE Elimination Chamber: Perth is proof that we are achieving that goal and becoming known around the world for delivering top-tier major events,” he said.
“Western Australia is ready to rumble again”, Sport and Recreation Minister Rita Saffioti said, as she touted the government’s events strategy for putting the state on the world map.
More than 18,200 out-of-state visitors travelled to Perth for the Elimination Chamber in February 2024, generating $36.2 million for the WA economy, according to government figures.
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