‘Apex Could Have Looked Like This The Whole Time?’

The Apex is one of the worst places to watch a UFC fight, but somehow WWE transformed it into a much more vibrant arena for their NXT Battleground show on Sunday night.

WWE NXT Battleground made its UFC Apex debut on Sunday night, and MMA fans were shocked at what the wrestling promotion did with the familiar venue: they transformed it into a pretty cool place to watch fights.

The Apex became a staple of our lives during the Coronavirus pandemic, and has since gone on to stay a staple in the UFC’s schedule despite being a pretty dreary and dead spot to hold events. 17 UFC Fight Nights were held there in 2023, and we’re on course to have just as many in 2024 despite TKO executives suggesting the show needs to get back on the road.

But if WWE NXT is any indication, it’s not the UFC Apex that’s the problem but how UFC has it set up. For Sunday’s Battleground event, twice as many seats were set up and the vibe was actually pretty solid, leading to a lot of confusion and anger amongst the fanbase used to pin-drop silence during UFC matches from the assembled list of VIP invites and $2000 package buyers.

Fans were not happy with the realization that the Apex could have been a pretty all right venue over the past few years if it had been set up properly.

So why does the UFC not set the Apex up like WWE did for NXT Battleground? We can only assume it’s a choice from higher ups to use it as an exclusive gladiator pit stop for visiting elites willing to shell out several thousand dollars to sit in a silent warehouse and watch low-payed talent fight for their entertainment.

Seating is so limited with the way UFC sets the Apex up that fighter families are escorted out of the building after each match! When that’s the decision rather than ‘add a few extra seats,’ something is seriously wrong.

Maybe all the emotional families were ruining the vibe when the more important Apex attendees were trying to enjoy their filet mignon.