WWE NXT Battleground Will Take Over UFC Apex For June Premium Live Event
WWE's NXT brand is always building toward their next big show. We already know that NXT Heatwave is scheduled for July 7, 2024, at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and now they have some big news for Battleground.
NXT Battleground will take place at the UFC APEX in Las Vegas on Sunday, June 9. This event is notable as the first WWE event to be held at the 130,000-square-foot UFC APEX facility, which regularly hosts UFC Fight Night events.
"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 Senior Vice President of Talent Development Creative Shawn Michaels.
With this move, WWE changed up their previous Battleground plans from Savannah, Georgia hosting the event. It was previously reported in late March that the UFC Apex was being eyed for Battleground's landing pad.
The UFC Apex is located in Enterprise, Nevada, and owned by the Ultimate Fighting Championship, which is part of TKO Group Holdings, an Endeavor subsidiary. This facility, a hub for UFC live events and productions, will now also host NXT Deadline.
After opening their doors on June 18, 2019, the Apex became a pivotal location during the COVID-19 pandemic. After hosting three events in Jacksonville, all subsequent U.S.-based UFC events were held at the Apex without spectators.
The Apex continues to host select Fight Night events and has started allowing limited public attendance. The venue utilized a 25-foot wide Octagon for its events, smaller than the standard 30-foot version.
TKO Group Holdings merged WWE and UFC under the Endeavor umbrella, sparking speculation about hosting simultaneous events in the same city to create a major destination event. The UFC Apex serves as a great location to test out this merger.
