Are the days of big entrance sets for WWE premium live events over?

The seating layouts for the next few WWE premium live events suggest that entrance stages might be going away in general.

When Bad Bunny made his unforgettable entrance at WWE Backlash earlier this month, one of the facets that made it electric was that he walked out through the crowd in San Juan — not down a ramp, as it often the case at WWE premium live events, but on the floor level among the fans.

That’s not uncommon for things like UFC cards and big time boxing matches, or even WWE house shows. However, WWE premium live events (and pay-per-views, when that term still fit) have historically had stages at one end of an arena or stadium, with a ramp, or at least a central walkway, down to the ring.

Back in the Attitude Era and even slightly beyond, these entrance sets were often elaborate and creative, built around the theme of the event. Even shows without an easily identifiable theme had some unique stages; the Wrestling Junkie staff always brings up the Backlash 2002 stage in discussions, with its swinging scythes or whatever they were supposed to be.

In recent years, however, the stages have often just been the giant video screens seen on Raw or SmackDown with a little extra additional branding. And the current stretch of WWW premium live events suggests that perhaps even those will go by the wayside in favor of the floor level corner entrance.

Thanks to WrestleTix, it’s possible to get a look at the seating configurations for the next few PLEs following Night of Champions. Here’s the layout for Money in the Bank in London:

As well as the current setup for SummerSlam at Ford Field in Detroit this August:

While things can and do change, it doesn’t appear either of these shows will have a stage. It’s worth noting that SummerSlam hasn’t had a traditional stage setup for the last two years either, which coincides with WWE’s decision to turn it into a stadium show — it was held in Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas in 2021 and Nissan Stadium in Nashville last year.

What’s interesting now, though, is that some of the shows taking place in indoor arenas are going the same route. WWE hasn’t officially announced its PLE schedule for the rest of the year after SummerSlam, but the shows for the rest of the year should be indoors if history is any indication.

The benefits of a stage-less setup are pretty obvious: Tickets can be sold nearly the entire way around a venue and still offer unobstructed views. And moments like Bad Bunny’s entrance are possible, as more fans are up close when wrestlers make their walk to the ring.

Of course, this year’s WrestleMania stage in Los Angeles was one of the biggest and most awe-inspiring of all time, which is fitting for the Showcase of the Immortals. But it’s possible that it might be the last holdout for WWE entrance stages as we know them outside weekly TV.