WWE taking over Tampa for four shows in four nights. Could this be in Miami's future, too?

Miami Herald

16-05-2025

To see what World Wrestling Entertainment has become since merging with top MMA promotion UFC (in their own version of the mega-powers) under the TKO Group banner is amazing.
Financially, WWE is establishing record numbers with strong attendance and even stronger gates consistently — nationally and internationally. They run shows weekly (four to five per week) with no offseason, including live TV shows, non-televised cards, special streaming events and more.
WWE's annual Super Bowl is WrestleMania, which once again did tremendous numbers over two consecutive nights in April in a massive NFL stadium (Allegiant Stadium) with around 60,000 fans each night. Las Vegas served as the host city for Wrestlemania 41, and this city that really doesn't sleep actually featured six WWE shows ('SmackDown', 'NXT Stand & Deliver', 'WrestleMania Night 1', 'WrestleMania Night 2', 'Raw', 'NXT') in five days, using three venues, during WrestleMania Week.
With the long-term success of WrestleMania Week annually, WWE is now looking to capitalize even more by using a version of that successful format for other ventures throughout the year.
Thus, a WWE Tampa Takeover
Memorial Day Weekend will see WWE conduct four shows in four nights at one venue with 'WWE Saturday Night's Main Event' (May 24), 'WWE NXT Battleground' (May 25) , 'WWE Monday Night Raw' (May 26) and 'WWE NXT' (May 27) all at the Yuengling Center at the University of South Florida in Tampa.
Tampa is accustomed to big WWE events, hosting the two-night WrestleMania 37 in 2021 at Raymond James Stadium and the Royal Rumble in January 2024 at Tropicana Field.
With the success from weekends like that, this could mean bigger and better for other major cities who clamor to attract WWE to its county. The economic impact from WrestleMania Week alone (with tens of thousands of fans from around the globe attending) has cities around the country bidding for that annual event
Could WWE take over Miami?
WWE has done it before as Miami hosted WrestleMania Week in 2012 with WrestleMania 28 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. WWE has conducted a Royal Rumble and plenty of live TV shows and non-televised cards in Broward and Miami-Dade counties. So it seems fitting, if Miami is not landing a WrestleMania in the near future, the prospects for a takeover-type weekend, like in Tampa, is very possible.
Miami is not only the gateway to the Americas, but factor WWE recently acquired Lucha Libre pro wrestling style super group AAA, which is based in Mexico. That makes Miami in even more attractive to WWE and vice-versa.
WWE Intercontinental Champion Dom Mysterio told me during a video interview posted below: 'I think it would be awesome to include Miami. I think we should do a whole Florida loop. Start off with the whole Florida takeover, you start in Tampa, work your way to Orlando, hit Miami. Do a couple of nights here and there. I think it would be great, whether it's NXT, Raw, SmackDown, even a PLE [Premium Live Event] back in Miami, because who doesn't love Miami?'
Miami is also invested in annually hosting sports and entertainment events over a multiday period.
The circus comes to town (via Cirque du Soleil) and spends a week in the same location (Kaseya Center). UFC, three days, two events, one show, one location (Kaseya Center). A 12-day pro tennis tournament (Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium). Pro golf spends four days at the same golf course, i.e. the Honda Classic/Cognizant Classic at PGA National Resort in Palm Beach Gardens. The Miami Grand Prix, three races in three days outside Hard Rock Stadium. A three-game series in baseball, i.e. New York Mets vs. Miami Marlins at Marlins Park.
As part of this new deal, WWE will host a joint show with AAA, 'Worlds Collide', on Saturday, June 7 at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles, which also has a strong Latin market. It's a WWE/AAA Southern California takeover. That event will be the same day as the 'WWE Money in the Bank' premium show, which is after 'Worlds Collide' at nearby Inglewood's Intuit Dome. The WWE Money in the Bank Weekend also includes 'WWE Smackdown' on Friday, June 6 from the Dignity Health Arena in Bakersfield, California.
In Central Florida, not far from Miami, WWE houses its Performance Center, where new recruits are trained in professional wrestling/sports entertainment — the WWE way — by its credible staff in Orlando.
A Miami Takeover with a Miami Makeover. Stay posted.
WWE Tampa Takeover
WWE, in partnership with the Tampa Bay Sports Commission and Vinik Sports Group, announced a Memorial Day weekend takeover of the Yuengling Center in Tampa, Florida, with four consecutive events beginning Sat‍urday, M‍ay 24.
WWE will bring 'Sa‍turday Night's Main Event' (Sat‍urday, Ma‍y 24), 'NXT Battleground' (Su‍nday, M‍ay 25), 'Mon‍day Night Raw' (Mo‍nday, M‍ay 26) and 'NXT' (Tue‍sday, M‍ay 27) to the iconic Yuengling Center at the University of South Florida.
My video interview with WWE NXT Champ Oba Femi.
What a pillar of strength — mind, body and soul.
My video interview with WWE Intercontinental Champ Dirty Dom Mysterio.
What a mustache — mind, full body and soul.
Further, the takeover will see WWE Champ John Cena appear on NBC's 'WWE Sat‍urday Night's Main Event' in prime time, marking his first appearance in Tampa since he entered the ring on 'SmackDown' at Amalie Arena in Dece‍mber 2022.
Before 'WWE Saturday Night's Main Event', WWE will offer fans an opportunity to meet WWE U.S. Champ Zelina Vega, Carlito of Judgment Day, Natalya and WWE Hall of Famer Mike Rotunda.
To purchase a ticket package which includes that special meet-and-greet, Click Here.