This move builds upon the relationship TKO, the Utah Sports Commission, and Smith Entertainment Group have forged in recent years collectively hosting three incredibly successful, sold out UFC numbered events at Delta Center – UFC 278: USMAN vs EDWARDS 2 in 2022, UFC 291: POIRIER vs GAETHJE 2 in 2023, and UFC 307: PEREIRA vs ROUNTREE JR in 2024 – which all delivered substantial economic benefit, generating a total economic impact of $74.1 million for the Salt Lake City region, according to research firm Applied Analysis.
“We can’t say enough about how great partners and hosts the Utah Sports Commission and Smith Entertainment Group have been for our events,” said Peter Dropick, Executive Vice President, Event Development and Operations for TKO. “In recent years, Salt Lake City and Delta Center have become a top destination to bring exciting, action-packed UFC and WWE events to our fans in Utah, and we’re thrilled to continue that relationship into 2026.”
“Our expanded partnership with TKO and Smith Entertainment Group offers yet another opportunity to position Utah as a premier destination for key global sports and entertainment events,” said Jeff Robbins, president and CEO of the Utah Sports Commission. “Our ability to welcome a major WWE event in 2025 and the UFC again in 2026 is a tribute to our growing sports and entertainment ecosystem in Utah, the State of Sport.”
“We are thrilled that live WWE entertainment and UFC action will return to Utah,” said Chris Barney, president of revenue and commercial strategy at Smith Entertainment Group. “Every TKO event Delta Center has hosted has captivated fans and brought people from across the country into Salt Lake City, creating opportunities to showcase Utah’s world class sports and entertainment landscape. We value our continued collaboration with TKO and the Utah Sports Commission and look forward to setting new records together when these incredible experiences take over Delta Center.”
WWE will take over Delta Center across back-to-back nights this fall, starting with Friday Night SmackDown on October 31. Saturday Night’s Main Event will follow on November 1, with the event streaming live and exclusively on Peacock at 7:00 p.m. ET / 4:00 p.m. PT. WWE’s rich history of events in Salt Lake City includes hosting Raw and SmackDown annually, with several of the biggest WWE Superstars having competed there including Cody Rhodes, Seth “Freakin” Rollins, Rhea Ripley, Becky Lynch, and others. Combo tickets will go on sale starting Friday, September 5, at 10am MST via SeatGeek.com. Presale for combo tickets will begin Wednesday, September 3 at 10am MST. Fans can register now to receive an exclusive presale offer by visiting: www.wwe.com/wweslc2025.
Following the 2025 WWE events, UFC will return to Delta Center in 2026 with a signature numbered event. UFC currently holds the top three spots for the highest-grossing events in Delta Center history. In 2022, UFC® 278: USMAN vs. EDWARDS 2 broke the live event gate record for Delta Center and attracted a crowd of 18,321. In 2023, UFC® 291: POIRIER vs. GAETHJE 2 once again set a new gate record and attracted 18,467 fans. Most recently, UFC® 307: PEREIRA vs. ROUNTREE JR in October 2024 drew more than 17,400 fans and recorded the second-highest grossing event ever at Delta Center behind UFC 291.
Details for all three upcoming WWE and UFC events at Delta Center, including ticket on-sale dates, bout cards, and participating WWE Superstars, will be announced at a later date.
VIP Experience packages will also be available via On Location, TKO’s Official VIP Experience Provider. These exclusive packages offer premium seating, VIP access to events, all-inclusive hospitality, meet-and-greets with athletes, and more. Additional information will be made available at https://onlocationexp.com/SLC.
