In what has become a tradition over the past several years, the WWE sent a world championship belt, complete with custom side plates, to the winners of Super Bowl LII, the Philadelphia Eagles.
To quote @ZERTZ_86, you’re "the World Champions” …. so you need a World Title! Congratulations @Eagles! #SuperBowl #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/jFmgg8aJNy
— Triple H (@TripleH) February 5, 2018
It was a whirlwind week for the city of Philadelphia, which saw witness to a lot of firsts from Saturday, January 27 to Sunday, February 4. In that span of eight days, Philadelphia had its first NXT: TakeOver, which saw the black-and-yellow brand’s first ever five-star match in the NXT Championship between Johnny Gargano and Andrade Cien Almas. The same show also saw NXT’s first-ever Extreme Rules match, as Aleister Black took on Adam Cole in an ECW-inspired showdown.
The city played host to WWE’s first-ever Women’s Royal Rumble and the main roster debut of both Almas and Cole in the Men’s Royal Rumble, and Ember Moon and Mae Young Classic winner, Kairi Sane, in the women’s. Philadelphia was also the first place that saw a native Japanese wrestler win the Royal Rumble in Shinsuke Nakamura and later in the night, a second in Asuka.
John Cena at Wresting Show in Philly starts #Eagles Fight Song!!!@JohnCena can sing!!!#FlyEaglesFly #SB52 pic.twitter.com/zJYLQAiBch
— Jeff Skversky (@JeffSkversky) January 30, 2018
It was the first time since WWE has begun airing TakeOver specials as part of ‘Big Four’ PPVs, that Philadelphia had four days straight of wrestling events. As part of Monday Night Raw, fans saw Bostonian and huge New England Patriots fan, John Cena, sing the Eagles fight song for likely the first and last time. On Tuesday night, the city almost saw Carmella‘s first-ever Smackdown Women’s Championship as she teased cashing in her Money in the Bank contract. Also, at the start of 205 Live, Philadelphia played witness to the WWE debut of Rockstar Spud, now known as Drake Maverick, who will be serving as the first-ever GM of the brand.
Then, less than a week later, in a game which saw safety Rodney McLeod embrace his inner Arn Anderson, Philadelphia got to be part of another first as the team won their first-ever Super Bowl championship in the franchise’s 84-year-history.
Rodney McLeod dropping a spinebuster on Brandin Cooks in the #Superbowl last night #ArnAndersonWouldBeProud pic.twitter.com/k14l2TtV4T
— Two Horsemen Podcast (@TwoHorsemenPod) February 5, 2018
While the boys in green will have to wait until next season to be in possession of the city’s first-ever Super Bowl rings, they don’t have to wait for their first-ever WWE Championship, which should arrive just in time for Thursday’s parade down Broad Street. A parade, that Wing Bowl ambassador, Ric Flair, himself predicted.
.@RicFlairNatrBoy proclaims Philly as the best sports town and picks the #Eagles. #WingBowl 🦅🍗 pic.twitter.com/KQJrpzmQfI
— SPORTSRADIO 94WIP (@SportsRadioWIP) February 2, 2018
