WWE champion Cody Rhodes reveals when WrestleMania is hoped to be held in the UK – as discussions continue over staging the event outside North America for the first time
- WrestleMania has never been held outside of the United States or Canada
- WWE hosted their most successful event of all time in Philadelphia this year
- Executives of the company met with mayor of London in London in the summer
WWE undisputed champion Cody Rhodes hopes that WrestleMania will be hosted in the UK within the next five years.
The showpiece event is usually hosted in the United States and takes place over two nights between March and April. WWE hosted their most successful WrestleMania of all time in Philadelphia earlier this year, with the likes of The Rock, Rhodes and John Cena all present.
There have been discussions over the event being held in London and Rhodes believes the capital or Manchester could easily stage the spectacle.
‘If I’m aiming, it would be cool to get it [in the UK] in the next five years.’ Rhodes told BBC 5Live. ‘There’s some really big venues over here that could host a WrestleMania.
‘I think American fans would jump at the chance to come to a WrestleMania [overseas], whether that that be in Manchester or London, I think they’d go nuts for it.’
WWE undisputed champion Cody Rhodes hopes that WrestleMania will be hosted in the UK within the next five years
WWE executives Triple H (left) and Nick Khan (right) were in London earlier this year for talks over WrestleMania taking place in London
Rhodes comments come after WWE executives Triple H and Nick Khan met with mayor of London Sadiq Khan to discuss plans to stage WrestleMania in the UK.
In April, Khan took to social media to plant the seeds of the capital hosting wrestling’s biggest show in the future, to which Triple H, real name Paul Levesque, replied: ‘Let’s talk.’
Triple H exclusively told Mail Sport after: ‘We’re all focused on the same goal, which is WrestleMania coming here. But we’ll see where it goes.’
The mayor, meanwhile, added: ‘We’ve had a really good chat with the team at WWE and TKO. I’ve been blown away by the number of fans who would love to see WrestleMania in London and I know the difference sport makes in terms of bringing fans together.’
Rhodes won his first undisputed WWE Championship at WrestleMania 40 in April, after defeating Roman Reigns in a main event
Next year they will put on the show in Las Vegas, but there is potential that it could make its way to London.
WWE have enjoyed success in the UK recently, with Money In The Bank a big hit at the O2 Arena last year and Clash At The Castle in Wales and Scotland in recent months also receiving rave reviews.