8 Best Non-WWE Events To Attend Over WrestleMania 33 Weekend
Looking beyond 'Mania during the biggest week of the wrestling year.
This is WWE's biggest week of the year, and the highlight of many fans' calendars. With the Hall of Fame ceremony on Friday, NXT TakeOver: Orlando on Saturday, and WrestleMania 33 on Sunday, it's going to be a busy extended weekend of action, culminating in the biggest wrestling show of the year. This is what WWE spend 12 months building up to, and if they deliver, the coming days should be crammed with memorable moments.
WWE aren't the only company putting-on top notch shows, however. WrestleMania weekend has become a monster, and hordes of smaller promotions have taken to hosting shows in and around the location of WWE's flagship PPV every year. The 2017 incarnation is bigger than ever, and with close to 100 individual events taking place over the next few days, fans are spoiled for choice.
Orlando is currently awash with wrestling promotions from around the world, and they're not holding back. This weekend should play host to some of the year's most exciting shows, and if you want to explore some wrestling outside the usual WWE sphere this week, you aren't short of options.
8. EVOLVE 80 (Thursday 30th March)
It wouldn’t be a major wrestling weekend without America’s hottest independent promotion delivering a couple of awesome shows. EVOLVE’s pre-WrestleMania shenanigans start with an outstanding card on Thursday night, and if all goes to plan, Gabe Sapolsky’s promotion could steal the weekend before it even begins.
Zack Sabre Jr. recently toppled Timothy Thatcher to become EVOLVE Champion, and he’ll make his first defence against the charismatic ACH at EVOLVE 80. The Tag Team Championships will also be on the line as Michael Elgin and Donovan Dijak challenge Tracy Williams and Fred Yehi, and other highlights include Drew Galloway vs. Matt Riddle in their bitter rivalry’s latest chapter, and an exciting flyer vs. power clash as Ricochet faces Keith Lee.
As with WWN Live’s other shows this weekend, EVOLVE 80 can be watched free of charge by signing-up for a trial at FloSlam.tv. Price plans are billed at $20 monthly or $150 annually thereafter, but the trial is easily cancelled, and there’s no risk whatsoever. As the weekend’s first major show, this one promises to be an absolute barnburner, particularly if the top matches live up to their billing.
Watch: FloSlam (Thursday, 8pm EDT/1am GMT)