The follow-up to WrestleMania will be held in a locale that hasn’t been home to a WWE premium live event in nearly 20 years, with the biggest music star in the world — who also happens to be one of its favorite sons — as host.
WWE announced today that Bad Bunny will host WWE Backlash, the first premium live event after WrestleMania 39, from the Coliseo de Puerto Rico José Miguel Agrelot in San Juan, Puerto Rico on Saturday, May 6.
The last time WWE held a card of this size in Puerto Rico was in January 2005, when it put on New Year’s Revolution at the same venue.
“In 2005 when I was a kid, I wasn’t able to attend New Year’s Revolution at el Coliseo,” Bad Bunny said in press release. “Finally, 18 years later WWE returns to the island with a massive event and this time I won’t miss it.”
When his busy recording and concert schedule allows, Bad Bunny has been a recurring presence in WWE events over the last two years. He impressed many fans and observers in his tag team match with Damian Priest against John Morrison and The Miz at WrestleMania 37, and also briefly held the now defunct 24/7 Championship in 2021.
He made an in-ring return during the 2022 Royal Rumble. Bad Bunny is also a big part of the marketing for the soon to release WWE 2K23 video game, where fans can unlock him as a playable character by pre-ordering.
With Backlash headed to Puerto Rico and WWE recently announcing that King and Queen of the Ring will be held in Saudi Arabia later in May, it means that the majority of this year’s premium live event schedule between WrestleMania and SummerSlam will take place outside the continental U.S.
That’s very much by design, according to WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque.
“We’re excited to bring Backlash to San Juan as the demand for WWE premium live events outside of the continental United States continues to grow,” he said in a press release. “Bad Bunny is one of the world’s most-popular entertainers and nowhere is that more evident than in his native Puerto Rico.”
WWE didn’t announce a ticket on-sale date for Backlash, but anyone interested in pre-sale information can register online now.