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A line of wrestling fans clamouring for their chance to get theirs hands on WWE merchandise has taken over Forrest Place in Perth’s CBD this morning.
The crowds reflect the fever that has taken hold of the city ahead of the wrestling spectacular at RAC this weekend – billed as Crown Jewel: Perth – which will feature none other than WWE superstar-turned-Hollywood A-lister John Cena.
Wrestling fans take over a pop-up WWE ‘superstore’ in Perth’s Forrest Place on Thursday.Credit: 9News Perth
A makeshift store set up in the basement of 166 Murray Street was packed on Thursday as Tourism Minister Reece Whitby and Sport and Recreation Minister Rita Saffioti extolled the economic boost of the wrestling roadshow.
“There are people here that just flown in, from the airport, with their suitcases and their first stop is here at the superstore,” Saffioti said.
“As a government, we’re very proud of our partnership with WWE and the entire company, and partnering with them to ensure that we can have these exclusive events.”
Shouting over the boom of music at the pop-up “superstore”, Saffioti said thousands travelled to WA for last year’s Elimination Chamber, and poured money into the state’s economy while here.
“And what you can see today already is just how incredible the level of support that WWE has in this state,” she said.
Bringing arguably the world’s best wrestlers to the west is part of the government’s tourism strategy, which focuses on big events that draw crowds to Perth.
Whitby remained confident the proof was in the pudding.
“Look around you, I arrived here and I saw there’s people waiting, snaking around the road, down the corner, around onto Wellington Street. It was incredible,” he said.
“I spoke to the people waiting in line. They’re from Sydney, from Melbourne, they’re from Adelaide, they’re from overseas.
“I’ve been speaking to a couple from Sydney who’ve rented a car and gone to the pinnacles.
John Cena will make his last-ever WWE appearance in Australia during the Crown Jewel: Perth event on Saturday.Credit: WWE via Getty Images
“They’re spending their money. They’re visiting the state.
“This is undeniable evidence that this big event strategy is working.
“It’s delivering people to Perth to have fun, to spend their money, to support our economy.”
WWE will hold its weekly Friday Night SmackDown at RAC Arena on Friday, before Cena takes to the ring in his final WWE appearance in Australia on Saturday.
The weekend of wrestling will finally tap out with the Monday Night RAW event on October 13.
We’re bringing our live blog to a close for the day, thank you for joining us.
Here’s a recap of some of the day’s headlines:
Thank you again for tuning in today. We’ll see you back here tomorrow for more news you need to know.
The University of WA has slipped further in the prestigious Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026.
Last year, WAtoday reported the state’s only sandstone university had dropped to its worst global ranking in nearly a decade, slumping six places to joint 149th.
The University of Western Australia has slipped further in a prestigious global ranking.Credit: Elliahn Blenkinsop
The most recent table saw some institutions in the eastern states lift their rankings, while others in WA plateaued.
However, UWA dropped further from 149th to 153.
Phil Baty, Times Higher Education’s chief global affairs officer, said there was a global shift from long-established institutions of the West to rising stars of the East as the US and western European institutions lost ground to Chinese universities.
“But Australia is in a unique position, emerging strongly from stymied internationalisation during COVID to buck the Western trend and see solid improvements in the rankings this year,” he said.
Baty said there was a “real opportunity” for Australia and New Zealand to capitalise on the shifting dynamics of higher education as the Trump administration froze billions in research funding and revoked Harvard University’s ability to enrol international students.
Read more here.
with Christopher Harris
Readers keeping a close eye on the AFL trade period would be interested in a deal that has been confirmed this afternoon that sends West Coast’s All-Australian forward Liam Ryan to St Kilda.
Flyin’ Liam Ryan is heading to the Saints.Credit: Getty Images
The Saints sent a 2026 second-round selection to the Eagles, who traded Ryan and a 2027 third-round pick. This is the first time a pick two years in the future has been involved in a trade.
The deal comes after St Kilda withdrew their interest in GWS defender Leek Aleer.
The Giants had asked for that 2026 second-rounder in early discussions.
Ryan is the fourth recruit for the Saints this off-season, behind ex-Blues Tom De Koning and Jack Silvagni, and former Sun Sam Flanders.
A line of wrestling fans clamouring for their chance to get theirs hands on WWE merchandise has taken over Forrest Place in Perth’s CBD this morning.
The crowds reflect the fever that has taken hold of the city ahead of the wrestling spectacular at RAC this weekend – billed as Crown Jewel: Perth – which will feature none other than WWE superstar-turned-Hollywood A-lister John Cena.
Wrestling fans take over a pop-up WWE ‘superstore’ in Perth’s Forrest Place on Thursday.Credit: 9News Perth
A makeshift store set up in the basement of 166 Murray Street was packed on Thursday as Tourism Minister Reece Whitby and Sport and Recreation Minister Rita Saffioti extolled the economic boost of the wrestling roadshow.
“There are people here that just flown in, from the airport, with their suitcases and their first stop is here at the superstore,” Saffioti said.
“As a government, we’re very proud of our partnership with WWE and the entire company, and partnering with them to ensure that we can have these exclusive events.”
Shouting over the boom of music at the pop-up “superstore”, Saffioti said thousands travelled to WA for last year’s Elimination Chamber, and poured money into the state’s economy while here.
“And what you can see today already is just how incredible the level of support that WWE has in this state,” she said.
Bringing arguably the world’s best wrestlers to the west is part of the government’s tourism strategy, which focuses on big events that draw crowds to Perth.
Whitby remained confident the proof was in the pudding.
“Look around you, I arrived here and I saw there’s people waiting, snaking around the road, down the corner, around onto Wellington Street. It was incredible,” he said.
“I spoke to the people waiting in line. They’re from Sydney, from Melbourne, they’re from Adelaide, they’re from overseas.
“I’ve been speaking to a couple from Sydney who’ve rented a car and gone to the pinnacles.
John Cena will make his last-ever WWE appearance in Australia during the Crown Jewel: Perth event on Saturday.Credit: WWE via Getty Images
“They’re spending their money. They’re visiting the state.
“This is undeniable evidence that this big event strategy is working.
“It’s delivering people to Perth to have fun, to spend their money, to support our economy.”
WWE will hold its weekly Friday Night SmackDown at RAC Arena on Friday, before Cena takes to the ring in his final WWE appearance in Australia on Saturday.
The weekend of wrestling will finally tap out with the Monday Night RAW event on October 13.
The enforcement body that fined a driver $500 for flicking a cigarette butt, relying solely on a volunteer’s eyewitness account, has quietly scrapped the case without explanation.
The Department of Water and Environmental Regulation, which oversees the state’s “dob-in-a-litterer” program through the Keep Australia Beautiful Council, withdrew the infringement following an internal review.
Roleystone man Bradley, who asked for his surname not to be published, was fined in June after a witness reported seeing a cigarette butt thrown from a vehicle in Bayswater a month earlier.
Bradley challenged the fine, pointing out discrepancies in the witness’s account – including a mismatch in his hair colour – but the council initially refused to withdraw the penalty, citing the witness’s certainty, and told him to contest it in court.
In a surprise reversal, Bradley received a letter dated September 26 from DWER’s waste crime unit senior investigator, stating that “on this occasion” the department “will not be pursuing the matter further”.
“Please consider the matter closed.”
No reason was provided for the decision.
The case attracted attention after coverage by 6PR, and WAtoday raised concerns about the fairness of the dob-in-a-litterer scheme, which allows members of the public to report alleged offences without any photographic or video evidence.
Expressions of interest have gone out for a $700 million upgrade to Perth’s Kwinana Freeway targeting “pinch points” along the major southern corridor.
The upgrades will involve new lanes between Russell Road and Mortimer Road – increasing the freeway from two lanes to three – as well as a new southbound lane between Roe Highway and Berrigan Drive, and a new northbound lane from Russell Road to Beeliar Drive.
There are also plans for “smart freeway” ramp signals on northbound on-ramps between Safety Bay Road and Roe Highway.
Labor expects construction on the project – jointly funded by the federal and state governments at $350 million each – to begin in early 2027 and be finished by 2029.
WA Premier Roger Cook, whose electorate is in Kwinana, said he understood the frustration of being stuck in congestion along the freeway.
“These upgrades will do more than just ensure everyone in Perth’s south can easily use the roads they rely on to get to work or school, they will also support development of the Western Trade Coast and support my government’s Made in WA plan,” he said.
Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said the upgrade followed the recent opening of the new Thornlie-Cockburn rail line, and would improve road safety and ease congestion for the growing residential, commercial and industrial precincts in Perth and Rockingham.
Residents in the City of Vincent, just north of the Perth CBD, are pretty happy living where they do.
That’s according to a national study of more than 27,000 Australians from over 15,000 locations, with respondents asked to evaluate their hometowns against 50 markers for the 2025 Australian Liveability Census.
The factors they rated included features like the natural environment, safety, nearby shops, cafes and medical services, and visual character.
Lane Cove Council on Sydney’s north shore came in at the top with a “liveability score” if 80, but hot on its heels with a score of 77 was the City of Vincent.
Vincent wasn’t the only WA council to be highlighted in the census, with the City of Joondalup also getting a nod with a liveability score of 74, proving that proximity to the CBD isn’t the be all and end all when it comes to making a great place to live.
You can read the full story here.
WA photographer Samm Blake has scored a booking most wedding snappers could only dream of.
Blake, who hails from Albany but has relocated to New York City, has seen her profile skyrocket this week after the high-profile nuptials of actress and singer Selena Gomez to record producer Benny Blanco last month.
The Edith Cowan University graduate isn’t a newcomer to the scene, however, having previously been regularly named among the world’s best wedding photographers and appeared in magazines including fashion bible Vogue.
Blake’s website says she specialises in destination weddings, with her work having taken her to Iceland, the UK, United Arab Emirates and beyond.
“Her images are intimate and full of emotional depth, drawn to capturing the quiet, unspoken moments that hold the most meaning,” it reads.
Vogue reported Gomez and Blanco wed in Santa Barbara, with the singer wearing Tiffany & Co. earrings and both dressed by Ralph Lauren.
There has been another horror crash on West Australian roads, with a 44-year-old man killed on Wednesday night when the Mercedes sedan he was driving hit a tree on Three Springs-Morawa Road in the Mid West.
The crash happened about 20 kilometres north of Three Springs in Dudawa, about 6.55pm on Wednesday.
A 20-year-old man who was a passenger in the car was taken to Geraldton Hospital, where he remains in a stable condition.
Police are urging drivers to take care on the road as the school holiday period draws to a close.
According to the Road Safety Commission, there have been 144 deaths on WA roads so far this year, with 2025 set to eclipse the previous highest toll in 2016, when there were 145 deaths across the whole year.
A 22-year-old man has died in hospital following a crash in Perth’s coastal north on Wednesday night.
The man was riding a grey BMW motorbike along West Coast Highway about 6.30pm when it was involved in a collision with a silver Renault near the Elliott Road intersection.
A BMW motorbike rider has died and a car burst into flames after a crash in Perth’s north on Wednesday night. Credit: 9News Perth
The station sedan’s driver attempted to help the rider, who was taken to Royal Perth Hospital but later died from his injuries.
Passersby saw the fiery aftermath of the crash as the Renault went up in flames, with the Department of Fire and Emergency Services called out to help extinguish the blaze.
The crash was one of two fatal incidents on WA roads overnight, with a 25-year-old motorbike rider killed following another crash on the Kwinana Freeway near Aubin Grove.
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