New Orleans has witnessed some of the biggest moments in WWE history. Even more of those epic moments in time will be created when SmackDown LIVE comes to The Big Easy on June 13, the last WWE event in New Orleans before WrestleMania 34. The WWE Universe in The Big Easy will witness a huge spectacle, featuring a triple main event with Randy Orton and Jinder Mahal battling for the WWE Championship, Kevin Owens and AJ Styles clashing for the United States Title and Shinsuke Nakamura taking on Dolph Ziggler in a WWE Backlash rematch.
Before you get your tickets for SmackDown LIVE, see what New Orleans has played host to in the past and get excited for what’s coming to The Big Easy on June 13.
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This was the moment that wasn’t supposed to happen. Daniel Bryan wasn’t supposed to be anywhere near the main event of WrestleMania. The Authority did its best to make sure of that. But, through sheer will and determination, along with the rabid support of the WWE Universe, the leader of the “Yes!” Movement got there.
After a grueling match with Triple H, after which The King of Kings brutally attacked him, a battle-worn Bryan earned the right to enter the WWE Championship Match with Randy Orton and Batista. In one of the most spirited performances in sports-entertainment history, Bryan survived everything The Viper and The Animal threw at him. The Beard dug down deep and mustered up the energy to trap Batista in the “Yes!” Lock to kick off one of the biggest celebrations The Big Easy has ever seen.
The Rock stunned the WWE Universe when he defeated CM Punk to win the WWE Championship (his first in almost a decade) at Royal Rumble 2013. The Straight Edge Superstar was not going to take the loss and move on, and ordered his rematch for Elimination Chamber.
In a grueling Big Easy battle that determined who would face John Cena at WrestleMania 29, The People’s Champion kicked out of the GTS and planted Punk into the canvas with a thunderous Rock Bottom. Having just witnessed a classic, the WWE Universe erupted as The Rock claimed victory.
Jeff Hardy earned the right to choose the stipulation for his World Heavyweight Championship Match by defeating the reigning title holder, Edge. It was no surprise that The Charismatic Enigma stuck with what’s worked for him in the past, a Ladder Match.
New Orleans played host to this unbelievably brutal contest, which saw both competitors mangle ladders and their bodies in pursuit of the World Heavyweight Title. In the end, Hardy outsmarted Edge, trapping The Rated-R Superstar between two of a ladder’s rungs while he climbed and retrieved the championship.
While the rest of these moments resulted in New Orleans exploding in raucous celebration, this was the rare time when The Big Easy was stunned into silence.
No one expected Brock Lesnar to end The Undertaker’s vaunted WrestleMania Streak in New Orleans, but that’s exactly what he did. The Beast bulldozed The Phenom and put the first blemish on Undertaker’s record at The Show of Shows, becoming The One in 21-1, just as his advocate, Paul Heyman, predicted.
The 2001 Royal Rumble Match dazzled The Big Easy with one of the most Superstar-studded lineups in history. With competitors like The Rock, Big Show, The Undertaker, Kane, legends like The Honky Tonk Man and even future WWE Hall of Famer Drew Carey in the fray, anyone could have walked out with a chance at the WWE Championship at WrestleMania.
However, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin proved to be the top dog on this night. Despite drawing No. 27, The Texas Rattlesnake was literally the last man in the ring thanks to a brutal assault at the hands of Triple H during his entrance. Nevertheless, Austin clawed his way to the ring and eliminated three Superstars, the last of which was The Big Red Monster, to win his third Royal Rumble Match.