Elimination Chamber was a raging success for both WWE and Perth… with both The Ashes and the British and Irish Lions tour heading there in 2025, how is Western Australia becoming a sporting hotspot?

Just as WWE proves that they are a truly global entity that takes their product to all corners of the world, their hosts also want to become sporting hotbeds.

That’s certainly true for the hosts of WWE’s Elimination Chamber this year. Perth, the sunniest city in all of Australia, located on the west coast, welcomed WWE to their Opus Stadium and saw 52,590 people gather to watch the action.

Starting with WWE Money in the Bank last year, the Triple H-led company has graduated from hosting international live shows to taking some of their established pay-per-views and placing them in booming, hungry markets.

This idea saw the demise of Elimination Chamber in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia two years ago, while last year both Backlash in Puerto Rico and Money in the Bank in London, England saw WWE stray from North America for major shows.

Mail Sport was lucky enough to make the trip to Perth to catch WWE’s final stop on the way to WrestleMania – the shortest journey from Britain to Australia with direct flights taking just under 17 hours these days – to enjoy the WWE takeover down under.

MailSport covered Elimination Chamber from ringside before heading backstage

And WWE isn’t the only promotion looking to maximize Western Australia. The British and Irish Lions tour heads to Perth in 2025 (for sale March 18) and it won’t be long before England are again competing for the Ashes with a stop in Perth planned for late 2025-early 2026.

WWE revealed that Perth’s Elimination Chamber was the most watched version of the event since its inception. Australian national Rhea Ripley won the main event of the show and was celebrated when fireworks were launched from the nearby Swan River.

I spoke to Rhea Ripley moments after a historic win in her home country

Downtown Perth was not a sight for sore, jet-lagged eyes on the first day of our coverage

WWE advertising was visible all over the city as the wrestling promotion took over

What to do in Perth?

Speaking of the Swan River, you can zipline across that same river from the Matagarup Bridge that leads straight to the stadium.

Even in sweltering 39 degree heat – yes, that’s how hot it gets there in February – this pasty-skinned journalist made his way to the top of the bridge (well, almost the top) to zip-line behind a handful WWE stars go down.

I was treated to some beautiful views of the city as I shot over the water – water that was very clearly and eerily filled to the brim with jellyfish – and I landed safe and sound.

Rottnest Island is another hotspot for anyone heading to Perth. A short boat trip from Freemantle (home to the old prison where The Undertaker performed his one-man show, just a 20-minute drive from central Perth) takes you straight to the beautiful island.

If you want to explore the scenic area in one day, renting a bicycle is the best idea. I managed to take a selfie with a Quokka and jump into an ocean so clear you can see the bottom. Was I working at this time? Yeah, sort of.

The Quokkas are everywhere on the island and will not rush away if you gently approach them for a short break.

It was 39 degrees on our first day in Perth, but even if it was cloudy here it was in the mid twenties

Quokkas are the celebrated residents of Rottnest Island and they are quite photogenic!

Perth is doing its best to make itself a more attractive destination for sport and if Elimination Chamber is anything to go by, The Ashes and the upcoming rugby tours will be successful showcases.

Luckily for them, much of the area’s natural beauty and vibrant city make it easy to get to the west side of Down Under.

Mail Sport traveled to Perth, Australia will be covering the WWE Elimination Chamber thanks to the Western Australia Tourism Board. For information about what you can see and do in Perth, click here