What is WWE's best premium live event of 2023 so far?
We are officially midway through 2023, and WWE has had a sensational year so far. The main event scene is thriving with the emergence of multiple dominant champions, new stars are being created, and arenas are being sold out at home and abroad. The company has raked in record gates and social media interactions, arguably soaring higher than ever before.
One of the most important parts of the company's product is premium live events. These special shows are where the promotion pays off its biggest storylines and creates its most iconic moments. When they do well, WWE thrives, so it's important to take stock of them from time to time.
As we enter the second half of 2023, let's rank the five best premium live events of the year so far.
Honorable mention: Money in the Bank 2023 was an incredible show with an energetic crowd
1! 2! 3!
#MITB https://t.co/HNdII4T7Zc
Money in the Bank 2023 just concluded, and it was a greatly enjoyable show, if not a spectacular one. Damian Priest and IYO SKY won the eponymous ladder matches, while Gunther, Seth Rollins, and Cody Rhodes avoided shocks in their respective matches. The swerve of the night was Shayna Baszler turning on Ronda Rousey, leading to Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez dethroning them.
Elsewhere, epic returns from John Cena and Drew McIntyre received massive ovations from the London crowd to cap off a great evening. While MITB was an action-packed night, WWE has delivered even better shows this year.
#5 WWE Night of Champions 2023 was a show full of blockbuster moments
We just got another MOVIE 🎬
#WWENOC (via @WWE)
https://t.co/8yX8BFXnit
WWE Night of Champions 2023 emanated from the Jeddah Superdome in Saudi Arabia, with all but two main roster titles on the line. The Saudi crowd was loud as always, and the card was headlined by a "triple main event" due to the incredible amount of star power on display.
The show opened hot with Seth Rollins and AJ Styles putting on a classic for the new World Heavyweight Championship, which the former won. Becky Lynch and Trish Stratus delivered a stellar bout before Gunther and Mustafa Ali had a hard-hitting David vs. Goliath encounter. The business then picked up as Asuka ended Bianca Belair's iconic RAW Women's Championship reign.
Rhea Ripley and Brock Lesnar defeated Natalya and Cody Rhodes, respectively, and the night ended with The Bloodline imploding as Jimmy Uso finally turned on Roman Reigns. Night of Champions showcased two world title wins, many excellent matches, and an unforgettable moment in the end. It was definitely one of the best events of the year.
#4 & #3 WWE Backlash and Elimination Chamber 2023 achieved massive success on the back of incredible hometown hero stories
WWE Backlash and Elimination Chamber 2023 were held in Puerto Rico and Montreal, respectively. Both shows set records for social media interactions and revenue in their respective series, becoming instant classics with the audience. The key to this success? Incredible hometown hero storylines.
Backlash was the only event that didn't feature Roman Reigns, but it made up for it with a considerably entertaining card highlighted by Bad Bunny on his home island. Due to the popular musician's otherworldly popularity on The Island of Enchantment, fans witnessed one of the most energetic WWE crowds of all time. Nothing embodied this more than his instantly iconic entrance.
Three months earlier, Sami Zayn was the centerpiece in Montreal, locking horns with The Tribal Chief after leaving The Bloodline. While Bad Bunny won his match, Zayn was unsuccessful, but the Bell Center crowd was arguably as electric as San Juan. Both events were incredibly special due to the crowd energy and hometown hero showings, and they will take some topping in the second half of the year.
#2 WWE Royal Rumble 2023 was excellent (almost) from top to bottom
WWE have detailed a bunch of company records they broke with the Royal Rumble last Saturday.
If I’m not mistaken, this is the third PLE (as WWE like to say) in a row where they’ve set records and Mania has already broken a bunch two months out. Pretty impressive. https://t.co/FyyzOqB2Ov
Royal Rumble is one of WWE's most popular annual events, and it's not hard to see why. Apart from the popular match concept after which it is named, the rest of the event often kicks off the Road to WrestleMania. It's usually one of the best premium live events of the year, and the 2023 edition was one of the best examples of this.
Who can forget the iconic performances in the 30-person battle royals from the likes of Gunther, Rhea Ripley, Cody Rhodes, and Liv Morgan? Or the incredible main event where Sami Zayn finally turned on Roman Reigns to a thunderous pop? The event was almost entirely incredible, with only the Mountain Dew Pitch Black Match proving unpopular among fans.
If it had been a two-night event, it might have pipped the next entry to the top spot.
#1 WrestleMania 39 lived up to its billing as WWE's biggest show of the year
#WrestleMania 39 smashed records across the board.
Thank you to the @WWEUniverse at @SoFiStadium and around the world for helping us create the most successful @WrestleMania of all time. https://t.co/5Rq6VWHi8p
WWE's core business is giving the fans good matches, good storylines, massive stars, and huge moments. WrestleMania 39, while less consistent than Royal Rumble 2023, fulfilled more of these criteria, becoming a better show just by sheer size and spectacle. The entrances were bigger, the stars more numerous (John Cena, Brock Lesnar, Edge, and Roman Reigns all competed), and the moments more epic than any other.
Who can forget Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens dethroning The Usos in the main event of Night One? The Match Of The Year contenders for the SmackDown Women's and Intercontinental Championships? The Mysterio family drama? The celebrity guests? WrestleMania 39 was a record-breaking spectacle, and all the pageantry surrounding it, like the Hall Of Fame ceremony, only made it bigger.
It's hard to argue against 'Mania as the premium live event of the year so far.