10 Fascinating WWE Royal Rumble 2001 Facts

10. It Was WWE's First PPV In New Orleans

Coming up in 2018, WWE brings WrestleMania back to "The Big Easy", four years after WrestleMania XXX was cause of major economic windfall for the region. New Orleans city officials asked WWE to return, wanting them to be a part of the city's 300th birthday celebration, and WWE was more than happy to oblige the invitation.

WrestleMania 34 will be the sixth WWE pay-per-view in New Orleans, coming 17 years after the 2001 Royal Rumble (held in the New Orleans Arena) was the first. Given what a cultural and social hub NOLA is, it's interesting that WWE had never held a pay-per-view there in their first 15 years of running such events.

Also interesting to note that both WCW and ECW beat WWE to running pay-per-views in the city. WCW's 1993 Halloween Havoc and ECW's 1998 November to Remember both emanated from the Lakefront Arena at the University of New Orleans.