WWE's Return to Puerto Rico Makes Island a Top Sports Entertainment Destination (Review)

The last time WWE was in Puerto Rico for a premium live event (also known as a pay-per-view event) was on January 9, 2005, when it hosted New Year's Revolution at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico. And while the show was a success, WWE wouldn't make it back to the Caribbean island until May 6, 2023, for Backlash. The event featured some of WWE's top stars such as Cody Rhodes, Brock Lesnar and Bianca Belair, but fans also wanted to see Puerto Rican's own Bad Bunny who took on Damian Priest in a street fight. The card and the fact WWE was outside the mainland United States made Puerto Rico a premiere place for sports and entertainment. 

It was reported that Backlash in San Juan, Puerto Rico became the highest-grossing and most-viewed Backlash in WWE history, with viewership up by 28 percent versus the record set in 2022. The fans at the arena were loud throughout the show and had a chant for each match. But when Bad Bunny came out for his match, nearly 18,000 fans began singing his hit song "Chambela" and kept the energy going throughout the match. The match also had a surprise appearance from former WWE Superstar and Puerto Rico native Carlito, which was one of the best moments of the night.

The fans also showed a lot of love to Zelina Vega who grew up in New York but whose family originates from Puerto Rico. When PopCulture.com spoke to Vega about performing in front of her family, she said: "I've been on the road since I was 18, so it's kind of getting to finally wrestle here. Because I've had close calls to be able to wrestle here, but I've never actually gotten a chance to — scheduling, whatever it was. But now getting this chance finally and with WB and now in the biggest match of my career is a complete honor."

Before Backlash, WWE hosted SmackDown at Coliseo de Puerto Rico José Miguel Agrelot for the first time ever. The fans ate up the show as there were 16,896 people in the arena from the show. This means a total of 34,800 fans attended two WWE shows in two nights in Puerto Rico. 

It's not a big surprise to see Puerto Rico show out for WWE because the professional wrestling promotion is a global brand. But it was surprising to learn that it's been nearly 20 years since WWE has had a premium live event on the island that is part of the United States. Many people come to Puerto Rico to enjoy the beaches and the history of the island. But after what WWE fans saw and experienced at Backlash, WWE will return to Puerto Rico much sooner than later. 

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