Over the last few years, WWE has increased the number of international shows, and it seems that some behind-the-scenes are trying to re-enter another international market.
“Fightful Select” has reported that some people with “influence” in WWE are keen to have an event in China, with Hong Kong reportedly being one option that is being touted. The report claims that there could be a PLE in the country in the future, adding that there has been a strong effort to bring an event there for several months.
WWE has hosted PLEs in Saudi Arabia, France, Germany, the UK, Puerto Rico, and Australia, aside from the various shows in North America. The pro wrestling promotion, though, has held very few shows in China and never hosted a PLE in the Asian country. WWE’s last show in Hong Kong was a house show way back in 1994, while they held a show a year between 2016 and 2019, three of which were held in Shanghai and the other in Shenzhen. WWE seemingly had plans to promote WWE in China in the late 2010s, even having a tryout in 2019. However, the pandemic put a pause on shows in that country.
The promotion had tried hard to break into the Chinese market for several years, with John Cena even learning Mandarin to help make WWE popular in the country. The goodwill that Cena may have earned with that gesture may have been blown away after he made an innocuous comment about Taiwan that irked many in the country, which forced Cena to apologize.
WWE will have more international shows in the months to come, with Crown Jewel set to be held in Australia on October 11, while next year’s Royal Rumble — which is one of the most important PLEs in WWE — will take place for the first time in Saudi Arabia.
