Author: John Bass

WWE Confirms Tonight’s SmackDown Officially Moved To The Performance Center

Tonight’s WWE Friday Night SmackDown on FOX will air live from the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, FL due to the coronavirus pandemic. The show was originally scheduled for the Little Caesar’s Arena in Detroit, Michigan.

WWE released a statement saying:

“Friday Night SmackDown on March 13 will air live as regularly scheduled and emanate from WWE’s training facility in Orlando, Florida with only essential personnel in attendance. The event was originally scheduled in Detroit, Michigan.”

WWE has confirmed that tonight’s show will air without a crowd. It was noted that only “essential personnel” will be in attendance due to the COVID-19 outbreak. WWE has announced that Jeff Hardy and John Cena will return on tonight’s show. Cena will be there to address “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt ahead of WrestleMania 36. The retired Paige will also return tonight, to confront SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley. It’s believed that Paige will bring someone with her to step up to Bayley.

  • Jeff Hardy set to return on Friday Night SmackDown
  • Paige vows to confront Bayley on SmackDown
  • John Cena returns to SmackDown on The Road to WrestleMania

There’s still no word yet on if WWE 205 Live will air tonight from the Performance Center. Announced for that show is the WWE NXT Cruiserweights vs. 205 Live Originals in the Captain’s Challenge Ten-Man Elimination Match – Isaiah “Swerve” Scott, Tyler Breeze, Danny Burch, Oney Lorcan and a mystery partner vs. Jack Gallagher, The Brian Kendrick, Ariya Daivari, Mike Kanellis and Captain Tony Nese.

Tony Khan Addresses Coronavirus Backstage At AEW Dynamite, Possible AEW Schedule Changes

AEW President and CEO Tony Khan addressed the coronavirus pandemic during a backstage meeting at last night’s AEW Dynamite tapings from West Valley City, Utah.

Khan reportedly told all AEW talent and staff that no one is under any pressure to work next week’s Dynamite episode from Rochester, NY, or any upcoming shows as long as the outbreak is happening, according to Wrestling Observer Radio.

Khan told the AEW crew that anyone who feels illness or stressed about traveling has permission to stay home, and nobody will be judged by the decision they make. It was also said that no one will lose their spots or push over decisions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Regarding next Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite from Rochester, NY at the Blue Cross Arena, there has been some speculation on the event possibly being rescheduled after it was reported that the city has canceled their St. Patrick’s Day parade following the first confirmed case of the virus. The Health Commissioner in Rochester has recommended that they cancel all events with 50 or more people planned to be in attendance. Right now it is a recommendation, but not a mandate.

Currently the Blue Cross Arena still has Dynamite listed for next Wednesday. However, on their Facebook page, the arena has next Wednesday’s AEW date on the calendar, but they also have a July 8 makeup date. However, the link for tickets for the July date redirects you to tickets for next Wednesday’s show.

In other news on AEW and the coronavirus pandemic, @TicketDrew, who often has wrestling-related scoops on scheduling and events, noted this morning that AEW’s next two televised shows have been re-scheduled. This has not been confirmed, but these two dates would be next Wednesday’s show in Rochester, and the March 25 “Blood & Guts” show in Newark, New Jersey. Drew first said that Newark didn’t look to be re-scheduled, but then came back thirty minutes later and reported that Newark had been re-scheduled. He did not provide a makeup date.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

“The British Bulldog” Davey Boy Smith Offcially Announced For The WWE Hall Of Fame Class Of 2020

It was announced earlier this morning on WWE’s “After The Bell” podcast with host Corey Graves, that “The British Bulldog” Davey Boy Smith will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2020 during WrestleMania 36 Weekend in Tampa.

Bulldog’s son, Davey Boy Smith Jr., joined Graves, Natalya and Tyson Kidd for the Hall of Fame announcement and revealed that he will be doing the honors for his father that day. It was previously reported that WWE Hall of Famer Bret Hart was expected to induct his late brother-in-law, but that’s not the case. The entire Hart Family was scheduled to travel to Tampa to at one point to be there for the induction, but there’s no word yet on if they still plan to make the trip because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“It’s been long overdue, but I’m really excited and glad to induct my father into the Hall of Fame,” Smith Jr. said on the podcast. “It’s something great not only for my family but for the WWE Universe as well, and I’m so excited and jacked up about it.”

WWE issued the following official announcement on Bulldog’s induction:

British Bulldog to be inducted into WWE Hall of Fame“The British Bulldog” Davey Boy Smith will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2020 during WrestleMania 36 Week in Tampa. The news was first broken by the official WWE podcast, WWE After the Bell with Corey Graves.

British Bulldog joins Batista, nWo members Hulk Hogan, Scott Hall, Kevin Nash & Shawn Waltman, The Bella Twins and JBL in the Class of 2020.

Smith first broke into the squared circle as a teenager in his home country of England, competing alongside his cousin, Dynamite Kid. The two Brits soon caught the eye of The Hart Family, who brought them to Calgary’s Stampede Wrestling. There, Smith and Dynamite grew as competitors, both as rivals and tag team partners.

Known as The British Bulldogs, the two quickly became one of the most impressive tag teams in the world. Smith’s raw power was the perfect complement to Dynamite Kid’s speed and precision. The two debuted in WWE in 1984 and quickly became one of the WWE Universe’s most beloved tandems as they engaged in a rivalry with The Hart Foundation. At WrestleMania 2, with heavy metal legend Ozzy Osbourne in their corner, The Bulldogs defeated The Dream Team to capture the World Tag Team Championship on The Grandest Stage of Them All.

At the tail end of the 1980s, Smith & Dynamite Kid left WWE to compete internationally, but Smith returned in 1990. Competing as The British Bulldog, he once again became immensely popular with the WWE Universe, this time as a singles competitor. Bulldog’s return to WWE was highlighted by two huge victories in his homeland. First, he outlasted 19 other Superstars to win a 1991 Battle Royal in London’s Royal Albert Hall. One year later, in front of more than 80,000 fans at Wembley Stadium, he defeated Bret “Hit Man” Hart to win the Intercontinental Championship at SummerSlam 1992 in what is widely regarded as one of WWE’s finest matches.

The British Bulldog would continue to be a globally renowned Superstar throughout the 1990s with stints in WCW as well as WWE, where he became the first-ever WWE European Champion, Hardcore Champion and held the World Tag Team Championship once again, this time with Owen Hart.

Although British Bulldog passed away in 2002, his impact on WWE cannot be denied, and he is more than deserving of enshrinement in the WWE Hall of Fame!

Don’t miss British Bulldog take his place in sports-entertainment history at the 2020 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Thursday, April 2, at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Fla., and streaming live on WWE Network!

The 2020 WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony is scheduled to take place on Thursday, April 2 from the Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida, during WrestleMania 36 Week. It will air live on the WWE Network.

Japanese pro wrestling legend Jushin Thunder Liger is still rumored for the 2020 WWE Hall of Fame Class, but he has not been confirmed. Below is the updated announced line-up:

* Batista (possibly inducted by Fit Finlay)

* The nWo’s Hulk Hogan, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall and Sean Waltman (inductor TBA)

* The Bella Twins (inductor TBA)

* JBL (possibly inducted by WWE Hall of Famer Ron Simmons)

* “The British Bulldog” Davey Boy Smith (inducted by his son, Davey Boy Smith Jr.)

Stay tuned for updates on the 2020 WWE Hall of Fame Class.

https://twitter.com/DBSmithjr/status/1238111218621124608

Speculation On WrestleMania Being Delayed This Year Due To Coronavirus, WWE HQ Changes Amid Pandemic

Could we see WrestleMania 36 take place in the summer?

As we’ve noted, Tampa city officials are scheduled to meet this afternoon to discuss the possible cancellation or postponement of large events due to the coronavirus pandemic, and WWE’s biggest show of the year will likely be discussed. It’s been reported that an announcement on WrestleMania 36 changes could be coming some time today, and that the announcement may be bad news for WWE.

Alex McCarthy of talkSPORT noted on Twitter that we may be looking at a WrestleMania summer this year due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

“Think we’re looking at a summer ‘Mania…,” McCarthy wrote on Twitter. He continued, “June/July is one of WWE’s contingency plans I believe. With the European travel ban, number of events shutting down and even the NBA season outright suspended… I can’t see how WWE can run ‘Mania now.”

McCarthy posted a follow-up and said things have changed drastically in the last 48 hours due to the outbreak. He revealed that Drew McIntyre was forced to fly back to the United States earlier than scheduled after spending a few days overseas doing WrestleMania 36 promotional work. This comes after President Trump announced a 30-day travel ban between Europe and the United States last night, which does not include the United Kingdom, and will run through WrestleMania 36 Week.

“Things have changed drastically in the past 48 hours with the coronavirus,” McCarthy tweeted. “I had an interview with Drew McIntyre today but he’s been flown back to the US following the travel restrictions they’ve just put in place. Sucks, but understandable.”

It should be noted that as of right now, WrestleMania 36 is still scheduled to take place on April 5 from Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. There has been no official announcement on any changes to the schedule.

On a related note, Sheamus has also been overseas doing promotional work this week. He revealed on Twitter that he also was forced to fly back to the United States due to the travel restrictions.

He wrote, “Trip cut short. Flying back Stateside… [UK flag emoji] [airplane departure emoji] [US flag emoji] #TravelBan”

Braun Strowman also took to Twitter today to weigh in on the coronavirus situation, which is changing rapidly.

“It blows my mind with what’s going on in the world is the lack of consideration for others people have. Walking through the airport watching and listening to people cough and sneeze without covering there damn face with out a care in the world for others is beyond unexceptionable,” Strowman wrote.

On a related note, PWInsider reports that as of this week, WWE started a rotation where employees from certain departments at company headquarters in Stamford, CT will be working from home so that the company can plan out logistics if they need to make a decision on having employees work outside of HQ. This process of telecommuting will likely continue over the next week or so, at least.

Stay tuned for more updates on how the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting the world of professional wrestling. We are expecting an announcement on WrestleMania 36 some time this afternoon.

https://twitter.com/BraunStrowman/status/1238103815255179265

https://twitter.com/WWESheamus/status/1238077614515986433

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE Denies Friday’s SmackDown Is Being Moved To Performance Center Due To Coronavirus, The Latest On The Virus, Pro Wrestling

WWE issued a statement denying that Friday’s SmackDown has been moved from the Little Caesar’s Arena in Detroit, Michigan to the WWE Performance Center due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

It was reported on Wednesday night, that Friday’s WWE TV tapings were being nixed due to the coronavirus pandemic. In an update, WWE issued a statement late tonight and denied that SmackDown in Detroit was being cancelled. They did say that they are putting contingency plans in place for upcoming shows.

The following statement was issued to ESPN:

“WWE has not cancelled Friday Night SmackDown in Detroit, however, based on the current situation, we are putting contingency plans in place in the event that upcoming WWE shows are cancelled by government officials, civil authorities and/or local venues.”

Stay tuned for updates on the situation. You can click here for news on President Trump’s 30-day travel ban that will impact WrestleMania 36 visitors, and click here for news on a potential major WrestleMania 36 coronavirus announcement that could come on Thursday afternoon. You can also click here to see what Sheamus and Sasha Banks had to say about the COVID-19 pandemic.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Below is information about the Coronavirus pandemic and the status of pro wrestling and MMA shows across the world from Wrestling Observer Radio

Exalted One To Be Revealed On Next Week’s AEW Dynamite

The Dark Order’s Exalted One will be revealed on next week’s AEW Dynamite, which takes place from the Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, New York.

Over the past several weeks speculation has led to numerous possible names for the group’s leader: Christopher Daniels, Matt Hardy, Lance Archer, Raven, and Luke Harper/Brodie Lee (also a Rochester native). We’ll find out next week who is the head of the stable.

Lance Archer Arrives In AEW As Client Of Jake “The Snake” Roberts

Lance Archer made his AEW debut Wednesday night as the client of Jake “The Snake” Roberts.

It all went down during the opening match on Dynamite when Archer and Roberts walked out as Cody wrestled against Ortiz.

The duo then sat in the front row and watched on as the two wrestlers went at it in the ring. Archer teased jumping over the railing at one point in the match, but Jake stopped him from doing it and they instead left before the match was over.

The former WWE, Impact and NJPW wrestler’s signing was announced by All Elite Wrestling last month.

Watch his entrance on Dynamite below.

Source: Pro Wrestling Sheet

AEW Dynamite Preview 3/11/20

Tonight’s AEW Dynamite will air live from the Maverik Center in West Valley City, Utah.

* Ortiz (with Santana) vs. Cody (with Arn Anderson)

* Death Triangle (PAC, Pentagon Jr., and Fenix) vs. Private Party and Joey Janela

* Jurassic Express vs. MJF, The Butcher, and The Blade (with Wardlow and The Bunny)

* Blood and Guts Match rules announcement

* AEW Tag Team Champion Hangman Page and a mystery partner vs. Chris Jericho and Sammy Guevara (Non-Title Match)

WWE NXT Preview 3/11/20

Tonight’s WWE NXT will be a special edition, airing on the USA Network from the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida.

Tonight’s show is airing from the Performance Center due to Full Sail University using the Full Sail Live venue (the NXT Arena) for an event that is related to their annual Hall of Fame Week. Triple H recently stated that they knew about the Full Sail event for a long time. There’s no word yet on what the set up will be for tonight’s show inside the Performance Center, but it will be interesting to see. WWE billed tonight’s event as a Fan Appreciation Night and put up a limited number of free tickets after the February 26 episode at Full Sail, but they were gone in less than 10 seconds.

  • Keith Lee defends the NXT North American Championship against Cameron Grimes
  • The BroserWeights defend the NXT Tag Team Titles against Undisputed ERA
  • How will Adam Cole react to The Velveteen Dream’s actions?
  • What does Johnny Gargano have planned for Tommaso Ciampa?

Matt Hardy Says Today Is The Day It Ends & Begins, Matt On Jeff Hardy’s Return To WWE SmackDown

The speculation on Matt Hardy’s post-WWE future continues.

Hardy took to Twitter today and said today is the day, for something.

“Today is the day it ends. Today is the day it begins,” he wrote.

There’s still no word yet on if Matt will end up with AEW or some other promotion now that he’s a free agent from WWE, but we may have a better idea after he releases part 2 of the “Free The Delete” series finale later this afternoon. There’s already speculation on his latest tweet being related to a possible debut on tonight’s AEW Dynamite episode.

https://twitter.com/MATTHARDYBRAND/status/1237733799485677569

 

https://twitter.com/MATTHARDYBRAND/status/1237409952748224513

Below are Matt’s comments on brother Jeff Hardy’s return to SmackDown on FOX this Friday, along with a teaser and outtake from today’s episode, and promotional tweets on some of Matt’s upcoming post-WWE appearances, including his “Broken Tailgate Party” at WrestleCon during WrestleMania 36 Weekend:

https://twitter.com/MATTHARDYBRAND/status/1237248265889943553

https://twitter.com/RebyHardy/status/1237558670679920640

https://twitter.com/wrestlecon/status/1237500286953979905

https://twitter.com/fswvegas/status/1236722854554550272

https://twitter.com/PPSCLV/status/1237176031154278400

 

 

Source: Wrestling Inc.