NXT Battleground to Take Place at UFC Apex in Las Vegas on June 9
WWE and UFC join forces for first-ever NXT Battleground event at UFC Apex
In a groundbreaking partnership, WWE and the UFC have announced that NXT Battleground will be taking place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Sunday, June 9. This will mark the first time a WWE event will be held at the prestigious production facility, which is known for hosting UFC Fight Night events, Dana White’s Contender Series, and more.
“We are always looking for new ways to showcase NXT and we are thrilled to bring Battleground to this world-class production facility in collaboration with UFC,” said WWE Senior Vice President of Talent Development Creative Shawn Michaels in a statement to ESPN.
This move comes after the merger between UFC’s parent company Endeavor and WWE last September, which created the TKO promotion. While there has been some crossover between the two brands in the past, this event at the UFC Apex will be a significant milestone in the partnership between UFC and WWE.
Originally scheduled for May 26 at the Enmarket Arena in Savannah, Georgia, NXT Battleground will now take place in Las Vegas. The decision to change venues was not explicitly stated, but it may have been influenced by the Memorial Day weekend date and competition from rival promotion AEW’s Double or Nothing pay-per-view event.
Fans can expect to see some of NXT’s biggest stars at Battleground, including NXT Champion Ilja Dragunov, NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez, NXT North American Champion Oba Femi, and more. However, with the upcoming WWE Draft starting on WWE SmackDown on April 26, the lineup for the event could see changes as NXT talent may be drafted to Raw or SmackDown.
The UFC Apex typically hosts smaller crowds of under 500 people for its events, but there are plans in place to accommodate larger audiences. In 2022, the UFC applied to the Clark County Zoning Commission to host up to 1,000 people for events, along with food and alcohol service, ticket sales, and a souvenir shop.
NXT fans and UFC enthusiasts alike are eagerly anticipating this historic collaboration between the two promotions at the NXT Battleground event in Las Vegas.
