“Don’t Like It”: NXT Battleground at UFC Apex Deemed ‘Lifeless & Boring’ After Huge Triple H Move

Through a statement on its social networks and its official website, WWE has confirmed a new location for NXT Battleground. The next Premium Live Event in the company’s development territory.

For the first time since the creation of TKO Group Holdings, WWE and UFC will work side-by-side to bring a professional wrestling show. The mixed martial arts company will give up its UFC Apex for the NXT event in June, marking WWE’s first instance in the building that houses the UFC Fight Night cards. But it seems like a renowned journalist believes this might turn out to be a bad move for the WWE.

Sean Ross Sapp expresses reservations about the idea

Originally, NXT Battleground was going to emanate from the Enmarket Arena in Savannah, Georgia, closer to the last week of May. The full capacity of the show has not been announced. While officially the UFC Apex can hold up to 1000 spectators, other sources claim that the 12,000 square meters of space can extend the capacity up to 4,500 people. But in the latest edition of Fightful Wrestling Podcast, Sean Ross Sapp revealed that the arena can be quite boring, to say the least. He said, “Upon first instinct of UFC Apex shows I don’t see the point and I don’t like it.”

He further added, “You know how we b*tched about all the eight-hour WrestleMania shows? That’s every Saturday if you’re covering MMA. You’re strapped in for eight hours. I have not sat through one of these UFC Apex shows since the pandemic. They are some of the most lifeless, boring, like heartless shows because it’s effectively a small warehouse setting.” Well, it looks like he doesn’t have high hopes for Triple H‘s plans. And if this turns out to be true, then it will be the complete opposite of the high-intensity event that was NXT Battleground 2023.

2023 set the bar too high

The last edition of Battleground took place on May 28, 2023, in Lowell, Massachusetts, to an audience of nearly 3500 people. The returning PLE witnessed moments such as Ilja Dragunov’s acclaimed victory over Dijak in a Last Man Standing, Tiffany Stratton’s crowning with the Women’s Championship, and the titular defenses of Wes Lee and Gallus. In the main event, Carmelo Hayes defended the NXT Championship against Bron Breakker in a Stand & Deliver rematch.

So it looks like the 2024 edition will have to offer something similar to the bar set by the 2023 Battleground. WWE NXT Battleground will take place on 26 May, at the UFC Apex just outside of Las Vegas, Nevada. Fans can witness this event live from the venue, or through its exclusive broadcast on WWE Network and Peacock in the United States. So are you excited to watch the PPV? Let us know in the comments.