There has been a lot of speculation recently about whether World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) will be bringing a major event to Ottawa, Canada’s capital city. As a lifelong fan of professional wrestling living in Ottawa, this is very exciting news that would give local fans the chance to see WWE’s biggest superstars in person without having to travel far.
In this article, we’ll take a look at the key facts and rumors surrounding a potential WWE event coming to Ottawa, analyzing why the city could make sense as a host and what a show here might look like. With over 1 million residents in the metro area and a brand new arena, Ottawa seems primed to land on WWE’s radar.
Background on WWE Events in Canada
World Wrestling Entertainment is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Stamford, Connecticut. WWE holds over 500 live events around the world every year including weekly television shows, monthly pay-per-views, and major stadium shows.
Canada has always been an important market for WWE, with major cities like Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary, and Edmonton regularly hosting events over the years. Some of WWE’s biggest shows have been held in Canada including WrestleMania X8 in 2002 and WrestleMania 18 in 2016, both held at Toronto’s SkyDome.
More recently, WWE has branched out beyond just those major Canadian cities. In 2019, they held a live event in Moncton, New Brunswick for the first time. This demonstrates their interest in reaching new markets across the country.
WWE’s Past Events in Ottawa
While not a regular stop on WWE’s touring schedule over the years, Ottawa has sporadically hosted WWE events in the past. The first documented WWE show in Ottawa took place on October 21, 1985 at the Civic Centre featuring stars like Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage.
After that, there were no WWE events held in Ottawa for over a decade. WWE next came to town on August 24, 1997 for a live event at the Ottawa Civic Center with The Undertaker in the main event against Vader.
The following year on May 30, 1998, WWE held an event at the Ottawa Civic Center showcasing talent from their Attitude Era like Stone Cold Steve Austin, DX, and Kane. This would surprisingly be the last time WWE ran a live show in Ottawa for over 20 years.
Finally in 2019, WWE returned to Ottawa for the first time in 21 years. On March 23, 2019, WWE held a live event at the Canadian Tire Centre featuring top stars like AJ Styles, Daniel Bryan, and Becky Lynch. The show drew over 9,000 fans.
Here is a table summarizing WWE’s past events held in Ottawa:
Date | Venue |
---|---|
October 21, 1985 | Ottawa Civic Centre |
August 24, 1997 | Ottawa Civic Center |
May 30, 1998 | Ottawa Civic Center |
March 23, 2019 | Canadian Tire Centre |
As we can see, WWE has an inconsistent history when it comes to hosting events in Canada’s capital city. However, the success of their show at the Canadian Tire Centre in 2019 after such a long absence proved that there is clearly an engaged WWE fanbase in the Ottawa area hungry for more live events.
Factors Supporting WWE Coming to Ottawa
There are a few key factors that point towards Ottawa being a viable and attractive market for WWE to hold a major event in the near future:
Large Population and WWE Fanbase
As mentioned earlier, the Ottawa metropolitan area has over 1 million residents which offers a huge base of potential fans to draw from. WWE has an international appeal, but tends to do best in large metropolitan areas where they can draw tens of thousands of fans to fill an arena.
Beyond just the population size, Ottawa has a proven track record of enthusiastic WWE fans based on the over 9,000 fans who attended the event at the Canadian Tire Centre in 2019 after a 21 year absence. WWE has a loyal fanbase that will turn out no matter how long they wait between events.
State-of-the-Art Arena
A major requirement for WWE to choose a city for a live event or pay-per-view is that the local arena meets their standards and needs for staging a massive WWE production.
The Canadian Tire Centre opened in 1996 and is the largest entertainment venue in Ottawa. With over 18,000 seats, it is more than capable of handling the crowd WWE would look to draw for a premier event.
The arena has state-of-the-art in-house production capabilities including pyrotechnics, lighting, and rigging required to produce WWE’s elaborate sets and entrance stages. This venue provides WWE with everything they require for a big-time event.
Growing Market in Canada
It’s no secret that WWE is focused on expanding their reach and growing their fanbase across the world. This includes identifying new markets that have potential for growth within existing strongholds like Canada.
Vince McMahon, the CEO and Chairman of WWE, has specifically referenced wanting to tap more into the Canadian market outside of just Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver. A city like Ottawa with over 1 million residents presents a great opportunity to reach WWE fans who don’t get many chances to see WWE live.
The Canadian Tire Centre has proven it can draw 10,000+ fans which is on par with typical WWE attendances for their “B-Level” markets in the United States. The appetite for more WWE content is clearly there locally.
Rumors of WWE Touring Schedule Expansion
When WWE held their last event in Ottawa at the Canadian Tire Centre in March 2019, there were already rumors circulating about their intention to run more live events and tap more into the Canadian market outside their biggest cities.
In 2022, WWE held several live events across Canada which has fueled speculation that they are priming for a more extensive touring schedule in 2023 and beyond. Cities like Moncton getting events shows WWE is looking past just Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver now.
The massive success of WWE events in Canada also was likely a factor that convinced WWE to add the Elimination Chamber premium live event in Montreal in February 2023. This demonstrates WWE’s commitment to expanding their footprint in Canada in the near future.
Potential Timeframe for a WWE Event in Ottawa
If WWE does plan to bring a major event to Ottawa in the next couple of years, when could it potentially take place? While pure speculation at this point, there are a few windows on the calendar that seem to make sense:
March-April 2024
WWE previously held their March 2019 event in Ottawa in the spring, likely to attract fans during hockey season and take advantage of more favorable weather before summer. A similar March or April timeframe in 2024 seems plausible.
This window could make sense for one of WWE’s premium live events like the Money in the Bank pay-per-view. The weather in Ottawa would be reasonable by April, setting up well for a stadium show.
August 2024
Late summer is another potential window where WWE may look to slot in an Ottawa event. School is out, the weather is nice, and wrestling often does well in the summer months.
August 2024 in particular would make sense for WWE as they typically ramp up major events as they build towards SummerSlam which usually takes place in August. An Ottawa show could build excitement heading into one of WWE’s classic “Big Four” pay-per-views.
October-November 2024
Fall is also a candidate for WWE to host a live event in Ottawa. They have proven success running Canadian shows in these months including recent October events in cities like Saskatoon.
The weather is still reasonable in Ottawa during October and November before winter arrives. Additionally, these months lack major pay-per-views on WWE’s calendar, making them good for a standalone live show.
Potential Matchups and Storylines for an Ottawa WWE Event
Let’s speculate even further and fantasize about what the actual card could look like if WWE does bring one of their marquee events to Ottawa in 2024. Here are some dream matches and storyline possibilities that would excite fans:
Seth Rollins vs Roman Reigns – Universal Championship Match
This would undoubtedly be the main event championship match if WWE brings one of their “Big Four” pay-per-views to Ottawa. Rollins and Reigns have a long history together that could be revisited. As Canadian wrestling fans love to cheer their countrymen, Rollins would likely be the fan favorite against Reigns.
Alexa Bliss vs Rhea Ripley – Raw Women’s Championship Match
A rivalry between Bliss and Ripley over the Raw Women’s Championship would be another huge match fitting of the marquee in Ottawa. Bliss is extremely popular and Ripley is quickly rising through the ranks. This clash of fan-favorites would get a great reaction from the Canadian fans.
The Elite vs The Usos – Tag Team Championship Match
If Kenny Omega is active by 2024, reuniting The Elite (Omega and The Young Bucks) to challenge Roman Reigns’ cousins The Usos for the Unified WWE Tag Team Titles would be spectacular. The Usos and Young Bucks had fantastic encounters in NJPW and this would bring that rivalry to Ottawa.
Edge vs Finn Balor – Hell in a Cell Match
Seeing Canada’s own Edge battle Finn Balor inside Hell in a Cell would be an instant classic hardcore match that would steal the show in Ottawa. These veterans know how to put on an intense, bloody war that would push them to their limits.
There are so many other fresh matches and rivalries WWE could book to make an Ottawa show special for the fans. Stars like Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, Bobby Lashley, Becky Lynch, and Bayley are just a few names who would receive huge ovations performing in front of their fellow Canadians.
Should Fans Start Getting Excited for WWE’s Return to Ottawa?
While WWE has yet to officially announce any plans to bring one of their major events to Ottawa, all signs seem to be pointing in that direction. The city checks all the boxes in terms of having a suitable venue, large engaged fanbase, and strategic expansion opportunities within Canada.
Ottawa has patiently waited over 20 years since last hosting a WWE pay-per-view in 1998. For a city with so much history and heritage around hockey, there is clearly a craving among local fans to have more WrestleMania-caliber moments created in their backyard.
If the rumors and reports suggesting WWE intends to run more Canadian shows outside their usual cities in 2023/2024 are true, Ottawa deserves to be near the top of that list based on past successes.
The timing seems right for WWE to reward the Capital City with the return of elite pro wrestling showcasing the company’s biggest superstars. Truly dedicated WWE fans in Ottawa should start getting excited at the prospect of singing Olé, Olé, Olé in unison when Sami Zayn’s music hits in their hometown arena once again.
Conclusion
In summary, while not yet confirmed, there are compelling reasons to believe that Ottawa, Canada could be a prime candidate to host a major WWE pay-per-view or premium live event in the near future.
The city’s large population, state-of-the-art arena, enthusiastic fanbase, and WWE’s desire to expand their touring schedule in Canada all point to Ottawa being on their radar. A potential show in 2024 makes sense based on past timing of WWE events locally.
If it happens, WWE has the star power and creative opportunities to put on spectacular matches that would thrill the fans in Ottawa. The city has waited patiently for over 20 years to see WWE’s biggest superstars in action again. All signs indicate that wait may soon be ending, so wrestling fans in Canada’s capital city should start getting ready for what could be the most exciting live event coming to town in years.