Fans gather outside of SLC Delta Center in hopes to see WWE pro wrestlers
Feb 16, 2024, 3:49 PM | Updated: 3:57 pm
WWE pro wrestler Ron Killings, known as R-Truth, taking photos with WWE fans outside of the Delta Center on Feb. 16, 2024. (Kennedy Camarena/KSL NewsRadio)
(Kennedy Camarena/KSL NewsRadio)
SALT LAKE CITY — The WWE SmackDown event happened Friday night at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City Utah, and fans are excited.
World Wrestling Entertainment fans were hanging out across the street from the Delta Center in front of a southern entrance, where the pro wrestlers parked their vehicles.
Some of the fans, like 43-year-old Tristan Hathaway and his 10-year-old daughter Abby, were in high hopes to see Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson appear.
“The Rock’s one of the biggest stars in the world so for him to come back to wrestling where he made his bones in the first place, it’s pretty huge,” Hathaway said.
Each time a car would pull up to the southern entrance, fans yelled to the wrestler stepping out of their car asking for a photo, hoping they would cross the street to take photos with them.
Two pro wrestlers took that opportunity at the time.
Pro wrestler Drew McIntyre, followed by Ron Killings, who is known by WWE fans as R-Truth, crossed the street to meet the fans.
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Sixteen-year-old Wyoming resident Raya Albert came to see SmackDown for her birthday. She said it surprised her when the two wrestlers crossed the street to take photos with her and the moment made her heart stop.
“I’m excited, this is my first actual WWE event,” Albert said. “So, I’m like really excited.”
A family tradition
Manuel Rivera and his siblings, Lydia and Martin, were three of the WWE fans hoping to see a pro wrestler outside of the Delta Center.
Manuel said he watched WWE with his siblings when they lived in Mexico. The tradition only continued after they moved to the United States.
“I hope more people can come and enjoy too, as a family, like we do,” Manuel said. “Because we’re brothers and we share this passion. And it’s a really good way to bond with your family.”
Martin said he has been a fan of WWE since he started watching in 2009.
Manuel added by saying their younger brother loves WWE and gets into it a lot. Their sister, Lydia, said WWE brings out the kid in her.
“I’m starting to slowly fall into the rhythm,” Lydia said. “I’m a really big fan of the judgment day.”
The WWE SmackDown starts at 5:45 p.m. on Friday at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City.
