With the success of WWE Money in the Bank, is Wrestlemania 41 coming to the UK?

Those of us who watched WWE Money in the Bank 2023 this past weekend, and were happy to go to bed at a reasonable time regarding a Premium Live Event being screened, were somewhat caught off guard when WWE’s living legend John Cena bounded to the ring. Not for a match though, but as usual, Cena’s appearance marked a massive talking point, especially for Brits (like myself) in love with one of the United States’ biggest contributions to pop culture.

It was to reveal that he hears us British wrestling fans, but the decision-makers in the back don’t; he knows however that England has perhaps the second biggest fanbase of WWE fans outside of the United States, and yet Money in the Bank 2023 was the first event to take place in England since Summerslam 1992 that actually had storyline progression, rather than a one-off event.

With that, Cena uttered the words we’ve all waited to hear; why not have Wrestlemania in London? Rumours across dirt sheets (wrestling news site, some more reliable than others) is that the WWE were looking at expanding their premium live events outside of the United States and Canada, with London and Australia being earmarked as two locations the “show of shows” could take place.

Given the numbers that the WWE made from last weekend’s event, coupled with their television show, SmackDown, also taking place at London’s The O2, then perhaps there is enough evidence to prove that the jewel of the WWE’s crown should take place, at some stage, in the United Kingdom. Preferably, as wrestling is on a bit of an upward boom right now, akin to the rise in interest shortly before the “Attitude Era” that kicked off around 1997, but went into full swing by 1998.

The 2023 instalment of WWE’s Money in the Bank pay-per-view has officially become the highest-grossing arena event in WWE history (that isn’t a Wrestlemania - the only caveat), the company announced Wednesday. In addition, the episode of Friday Night SmackDown that preceded the July 1 pay-per-view is now the highest-grossing SmackDown of all time with both shows collectively grossing more than $5.4 million, per the WWE.

How big of a success was Money in the Bank 2023 in London?

To put that into attendance figures, there was an estimated 18,885 people in attendance during WWE Money in the Bank; the biggest UFC event to take place in the same venue attracted 17,133 fans, breaking the European attendance and gate receipts record which was set by the AO Arena at UFC 105.

Cena’s call has attracted the attention of a group of MP’s known as the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Wrestling, co-chaired by Labour MP Alex Davies-Jones. “"It was utterly incredible and got the whole place buzzing with excitement about the possibilities of what that could mean for wrestling fans, but also for the UK economy and also for future fans as well,” she told the BBC. 

It’s the economic factor that has become the most tantalising prospect not only for WWE but for London too; a look at previous figures at locations Wrestlemania has previously been held indicates a very strong economic return hosting the event. 

Figures published regarding Wrestlemania 30, held in New Orleans in 2014, showed a $142.2 million USD economic impact for the New Orleans region, according to a study conducted by the Enigma Research Corporation, an international consulting firm specialising in measuring the economic impact of special events.

To put that figure into perspective also - the London Olympics held in 2012 earned the city $176 million USD in financial stimulation. Consider Wrestlemania, a two night event, along with television recordings the Friday and Monday either side, an abbreviated Olympic Games in terms of the spectacle and worldwide interest, then perhaps the APPG trying lobby to secure London as a potential Wrestlemania location in the future is of a benefit to the city overall and not just wrestling fans.

When he was asked about London being a potential location at the post-Money in the Bank press conference, Paul Levesque (also known as Triple H), Chief Content officer for the WWE and a former wrestler himself, said: "Never say never." It’s a frequently used term wrestling fans like us contend with, but if the WWE are basing their decision on revenue and box offices, the Money in the Bank data is a hard one for even Vince McMahon to argue.