WWE Fast Lane 2023 Sets Records This Weekend

It's been an excellent past year for WWE's business, even prior to its merger with Endeavor to form TKO Group Holdings. The promotion has set numerous records in attendance and viewership for TV tapings and premium live events. Furthermore, the positive trend continued this past weekend when WWE held its Fastlane PLE at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indiana, Indianapolis.

In a press release unveiled on Monday, WWE announced that this year's edition of Fastlane was both the highest-grossing and most viewed Fastlane in the PLE's eight-year history. WWE stated that Fastlane's viewership was 71 percent higher than the previous record, set by the 2021 edition of the PLE, while the gate record was 31 percent higher than the previous record, established by the second-ever Fastlane in 2016. The 2021 Fastlane PLE also saw its record for sponsorship revenue broken by this show, with the 2023 Fastlane drawing a 60 percent increase.

While no exact grossing number was released, WWE also stated that Fastlane 2023 was the highest-grossing event WWE had ever run in Indianapolis. If true, this would put Fastlane 2023 above WrestleMania VIII, which took place in Indianapolis' Hoosier Dome back in April 1992. Contemporary reporting had WrestleMania VIII's live gate grossing around $1.25 million, at the time one of the highest-grossing gates in wrestling history; the show also remains the highest-attended WWE event in Indianapolis, with a total attendance of over 62,000, though the paid-attendance is believed to be lower.

Fastlane was headlined by Seth Rollins retaining the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, defeating Shinsuke Nakamura in a Last Man Standing Match. The event also saw Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso capture the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships while LA Knight and John Cena defeated Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa of The Bloodline.