LA Knight and John Cena Aid in Breaking Records as Fastlane 2023 Makes an Unthinkable Comeback After 2 Years Gap

LA Knight and John Cena teamed up unexpectedly on SmackDown to excite WWE fans. LA Knight then went on to sign a contract to face Solo Sikoa and Jimmy Uso to set up an exciting encounter at Fastlane. On the other hand, RAW saw Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso team up to face the biggest heel in the company-The Judgement Day.

The presence of several big matches at a second-tier PLE like Fastlane helped elevate the show. Riding on the hype surrounding LA Knight and John Cena, Fastlane 2023 broke records at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

LA Knight and John Cena take center stage to shatter Fastlane records

This year’s Fastlane was studded with many superstars from past and present, which might have been the deciding factor towards the brilliant ratings. Seth Rollins‘ high-profile match against Shinsuke Nakamura and Undisputed Tag-Team match featuring Cody Rhodes helped elevate the show.

But probably the biggest contributing factor was LA Knight’s team-up with John Cena amidst his rising hype among fans. Fans were patiently waiting for a push for The Megastar and WWE delivered by teaming him up with one of the GOAT John Cena. Their match stood out as one of the best of the night. Both the superstars looked promising, with smooth movements and sharp executions of spots. 

The PLE made a return to WWE after a gap of 2 years. WWE did not conduct the event in the year 2022, as WWE held ‘Day 1’ PLE to fill up its schedule. However, upon return, Fastlane 2023 raked up good numbers by becoming the highest-watched and highest-grossing event in Fastlane’s history.

Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select posted a picture on October 9th on X. The picture was a cut-out from WWE’s report of the Fastlane PLE as reported on their website. WWE reported “Fastlane, which emanated from Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, became the most-watched and highest-grossing Fastlane in company history. The premium live event set new Fastlane records for viewership, gate and sponsorship.”

As per WWE, this year’s Fastlane PLE was the best edition in the history of Fastlane. It has managed to set new records in viewership and gross sales.

Fastlane’s revenue rakes in high-numbers to compensate for its absence

The unlikely team-up helped push Fastlane’s viewership and gate numbers. As per the WWE site, Fastlane’s revenue was up by 60% in comparison to its previous edition.

Read more: WWE Fastlane 2023 Results: Title Change, Surprise Returns, and More Highlights

WWE further reported, “Viewership for Fastlane was up 71 per cent versus the previous record set in 2021. The sold-out show marked the largest gate ever for any Fastlane, up more than 31 per cent versus the previous record set in Cleveland in 2016, and became the highest-grossing WWE event ever held in Indianapolis.” It is indeed a boom period for WWE as a business.

Did you enjoy this year’s Fastlane PLE?

Watch this story: Deep Dive Into Hollywood Star and WWE Legend John Cena’s Lifestyle