WWE is reportedly not worried that stiff competition from UFC and boxing will take viewers away from the upcoming Backlash pay-per-view event.
This week, WWE announced that Backlash 2023 will take place on May 6 from the Coliseo de Puerto Rico José Miguel Agrelot in San Juan, Puerto Rico, with Bad Bunny hosting the event.
May 6 is the same day that the UFC will host its UFC 228 pay-per-view event, while Canelo Alvarez is expected to box John Ryder on DAZN in Guadalajara, Mexico that same day.
Speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer said that those in WWE aren’t too worried, as they believe that there is not enough crossover between boxing, UFC, and WWE that it would impact Backlash. Meltzer explained:
“WWE will be gigantic there (Puerto Rico). Every time they go there they draw well. Pay-per-view is going to sell out instantly and a hot crowd and its Cinco de Mayo and it’s in Puerto Rico. This also sounds like a Nick Khan thing because Cinco de Mayo, a big event, and the feeling even though boxing is most likely going to run with Canelo that night, UFC is going to run, and their mentality is the crossover is not as big as it used to be so we can run. Plus, we’re not pay-per-view. It’s free on Peacock so even if people want to watch the UFC that night they can watch us later. Everything’s changed because of the fact that it’s Peacock. They would’ve never done these European shows earlier in the day because of the idea if it’s a pay-per-view it’s got to be in that timeslot or it’s not going to sell because people are used to that time slot and buys go way down if we move out of that time slot.”
WWE Backlash 2023 will be WWE’s first pay-per-view event in Puerto Rico since New Year’s Revolution in January 2005.
