By Isiah Christie
The World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) promotion once had a rich history with the state of New Jersey, frequently hosting major events in its venues throughout the 20th century. This was perhaps a byproduct of wrestling’s then-reliance on regional marketability and success, with some of the best wrestling federations and star wrestlers existing in the northeast United States. However, as the industry has become monopolized and has skyrocketed in popularity throughout the 21st century, The Garden State has become lost in the mix.
In the last twenty-five years, WWE has only visited New Jersey a total of seven times for major events! It’s an unfortunate reality that undermines the excitement and dedication of the state’s local fanbase. However, New Jersians will be receiving a treat in a week’s time – the promotion is returning for a weekly Friday Night SmackDown event as well as the blockbuster pay-per-view event, SummerSlam.
This will be the fourth SummerSlam hosted in New Jersey in the event’s history, after its inaugural rendition in 1989, as well as two later instances in 1997 and 2007. Among the superstars featured in these events were Hulk Hogan, “Macho Man” Randy Savage, Bret and Owen Hart, The Undertaker, Stone Cold Steve Austin, John Cena, and Randy Orton, showcasing the degree of incredible talent New Jersey has hosted. And with Cena expected to headline this year’s event alongside Cody Rhodes, that trend seems sure to continue.
Before SummerSlam, a Friday Night SmackDown event will be held on Friday, August 1st as a prelude to the pay-per-view. It will be at Prudential Center – the first WWE event there since 2018 – and is expected to feature the television program’s greatest superstars in preparation for the major event’s matches. The main SummerSlam event will be at East Rutherford, New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium with an expected attendance of over 50,000 fans. This bar is only sixty-per cent of the stadium’s capacity of 82,500, opening room for what could be a historically active turnout for New Jersey athletics event hosting.
This SummerSlam will also be the first in the event’s history to take place over two nights, following the pattern of WWE’s number-one pay-per-view WrestleMania, which started its two-night format in 2020. It will also be the third WWE pay-per-view to be held in MetLife Stadium, after 2013’s WrestleMania 29 and 2019’s WrestleMania 35, the latter of which was the last major WWE event hosted in the state.
Another major draw factor is that it will be the final SummerSlam appearance for wrestling legend John Cena, who is on a retirement tour. Aside Cena, other major stars competing in matches include Cody Rhodes, Randy Orton, Drew McIntyre, CM Punk, Gunther, Dominik Mysterio, AJ Styles, Solo Sikoa, and Jacob Fatu for men’s wrestling; and Tiffany Stratton, Jade Cargill, Naomi, Rhea Ripley, Iyo Sky, Becky Lynch, Lyra Valkyria, Raquel Rodriguez, Roxanne Perez, Charlotte Flair, and Alexa Bliss for women’s wrestling. Celebrities Logan Paul and Jelly Roll will also be participating alongside McIntyre and Orton respectively in a tag team match.
With such a major slate of events ahead, it is safe to say that wrestling pundits and enthusiasts in The Garden State are in for some absolute festivities to kick off the month of August. It is a heartwarming sight for the New Jersey wrestling community, who are all hoping WWE will put together a pay-per-view for the ages.
