WWE wrestling blockbuster set for MCG after Grand Final

SOME of the world’s biggest wrestlers will be in action at the home of football the week after the Grand Final, boosting Victoria’s credentials as the home of live sport.

Wrestling champ John Cena in action in the ring

THE MCG is set to host the biggest wrestling event Australia has seen.

The Sunday Herald Sun can reveal some of the world’s biggest wrestlers will be in action at the home of football the week after the Grand Final.

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A crowd of more than 100,000 is tipped to attend the WWE extravaganza.

Visit Victoria is expected to sign the contract shortly with an announcement due at WrestleMania 34 in New Orleans on April 8.

The announcement at wrestling’s equivalent of the Superbowl will be a major boost for tourism in Victoria and the state’s credentials as the home of live sport.

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Wrestling champ John Cena in action in the ring.

WWE, which was made famous by Hulk Hogan, remains hugely popular.

The WWE event would be bigger than Ronda Rousey’s UFC fight at Etihad Stadium in 2015.

Rousey’s fight attracted a UFC record crowd of 56,214.

The MCG would smash that attendance, particularly if there are seats put on the ground, similar to the way they were at Etihad for the Rousey fight.

Rousey has crossed over from UFC to WWE for next month’s WrestleMania and would be hotly chased to return to Melbourne.

The Undertaker, Rey Mysterio and John Cena would be other signatures organisers would chase for the Victorian event.

The WWE event would be a pay-per-view TV show, with a potential audience of tens of millions. There have only ever been two pay-per-view events outside the United States.

Kosta Pandos, a spokesman for Minister for Tourism and Major Events John Eren, declined to comment on the event.

UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey. Picture: Getty Images

“If you want to put on a show, Victoria is the place to do it — but we don’t tell our competitors how we attract the best major events calendar anywhere in the nation,” Mr Pandos said.

“Events of this magnitude would pay massive dividends for our economy, bring new visitors to our state and support jobs.”

A Visit Victoria spokesman also refused to be drawn on the event.

“Visit Victoria maintains our status as the events capital of Australia by not disclosing our strategy for acquiring major events,” the spokesman said.

“If you live in the state of Victoria chances are you’ve been to a Visit Victoria event recently.”

Melbourne had been in fierce competition with Sydney for a return Rousey bout, and it was expected they put in a bid for the WWE event.

The Rousey fight, which she sensationally lost to underdog opponent Holly Holm, was a major boost to Victoria’s economy.

The event injected more than $100 million in the state's economy and supported almost 900 jobs.

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