With most of WWE’s stars gearing themselves up for Survivor Series: WarGames on November 30, the company has been taping episodes of “WWE Raw” and “WWE SmackDown,” with the November 18 episode of “Raw” being the latest example. However, the show being taped meant that a number of things that happened live ended up being changed for the televised broadcast.
Matches Filmed Out of Sequence
According to Fightful Select, the November 18 episode wasn’t shown in the same order it was filmed. For example, viewers were greeted with the electrifying return of Rhea Ripley, who was revealed as the final member of the women’s WarGames team. However, this major moment was actually taped at the end of the show, not the beginning as it aired.
Meanwhile, the hard-hitting clash between Bronson Reed and Seth Rollins—which saw Reed secure a massive win, followed by an intense confrontation involving Solo Sikoa—aired as the main event. For those in attendance, though, it was the first match of the evening.
WWE also made post-production tweaks to enhance the televised experience, adding commentary lines and refining audio during certain segments to ensure the show delivered maximum impact.
Why WWE Tapes Multiple Episodes
The November 18 Raw taping is just the beginning of WWE’s holiday season adjustments. By the end of 2024, the company has plans to film three additional episodes of Raw and SmackDown back-to-back with live broadcasts.
- November 22 SmackDown: The November 29 episode will be taped after the live show.
- December 13 SmackDown: The December 20 episode will be taped on the same night.
- December 16 Raw: WWE will record the December 23 episode following the live event.
The reasoning for these tapings? WWE wants to give its roster and crew some much-deserved downtime during the Christmas season. While the motive for taping the November 29 episode of SmackDown hasn’t been disclosed, the December tapings are aimed at ensuring talent and staff have an extended holiday break.
Source: Wrestling Inc.
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