Subhojeet Mukherjee on March 28, 2025
The WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2025 is shaping up to be one of the year’s biggest moments—and now we know why the venue announcement took longer than expected. It wasn’t just a scheduling issue. It was business.
According to Dave Meltzer in the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, WWE held off on confirming the Hall of Fame location while negotiating a lucrative site fee deal with Fontainebleau Las Vegas. The result? WWE’s upcoming “WrestleMania After Dark” series will take over the venue from April 17 through April 20, turning Fontainebleau into the official host hotel for WrestleMania 41 weekend.
This deal isn’t just about a place to crash—it’s packed with premium fan experiences. On April 17, the festivities kick off with an 8 p.m. dinner followed by a launch party featuring Rey Mysterio, Charlotte Flair, and Bianca Belair from 10:30 p.m. to 4 a.m. The following night, April 18, will include the WWE Hall of Fame at 10 p.m., followed by an after-party with Bron Breakker and Liv Morgan into the early hours.
April 19 will feature a WrestleMania Night 1 After-Party hosted by The Usos—an interesting choice given it could hint at Jey Uso vs. Gunther happening that night. After all, it wouldn’t make much sense for Jey to party all night before his biggest singles match if it were scheduled for Night 2.
And if that’s not enough, Rob Gronkowski is stepping in to host an April 20 bash at LIV Beach, featuring Damian Priest and Tiffany Stratton. With Seagram’s backing the event, it’s clear WWE is pushing premium, Vegas-style experiences more than ever.
This all feeds into WWE’s growing partnership with On Location, a premium event company under the same corporate umbrella. These “After Dark” events are expected to become a staple of future WrestleMania weekends, making the show feel more like a weekend-long celebration than a one-night spectacle.
As for the Hall of Fame itself, the 2025 class is headlined by Triple H and features Michelle McCool, Lex Luger, The Natural Disasters, and more names still to come. WWE may have taken their time announcing the venue—but given the deal they locked in, it looks like they played their cards right.
What do you think—was WWE smart to wait on the Hall of Fame venue announcement for a bigger deal, or should they have clued fans in earlier? Drop your thoughts in the comments and let us know if you’re planning to hit up any WrestleMania After Dark events this April!
March 28, 2025 10:00 am
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