Tonight’s WWE Fiday Night SmackDown on FOX will air live from the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, FL.
Tonight’s WWE SmackDown on FOX will air live from the closed-set WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida.
* Another unique Triple Threat Match will see SmackDown Tag Team Titles on the line
* Sasha Banks and Tamina to clash in a match with championship implications
* Daniel Bryan to face Cesaro in Men’s Money in the Bank Qualifying Match
* Sonya Deville out to clear the air with Mandy Rose
* Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match spot on the line when Naomi meets Dana Brooke
Tonight’s post-WrestleMania 36 edition of WWE SmackDown on FOX will air on tape from the empty WWE Performance Center in Orlando, FL.
Tonight’s WWE SmackDown on FOX will be the WrestleMania 36 go-home show with the final hype for the big events on Saturday and Sunday.
Tonight’s taped WWE SmackDown on FOX and WWE 205 Live on the WWE Network will air from the WWE Performance Center in Orlando as the Road to a taped WrestleMania 36 continues.
* Bray Wyatt opens the door to The Firefly Fun House
* Alexa Bliss and Asuka look to settle the score this Friday
* The New Day & The Usos put WrestleMania fate on the line
* Drew Gulak collides with Shinsuke Nakamura in a match with major WrestleMania implications
205 Live is scheduled to feature Joaquin Wilde vs. Isaiah “Swerve” Scott and Tony Nese vs. Oney Lorcan.
There’s been a lot of speculation on WWE possibly changing the WrestleMania 36 card now that it is airing from the WWE Performance Center and other “multiple locations” with no crowds, instead of Raymond James Stadium as originally planned. The other locations have not been announced yet, but WrestleMania 36 is scheduled to air on Saturday, April 4 and Sunday, April 5 at 7pm ET via pay-per-view and the WWE Network.
At one point WWE had 16 matches planned for the WrestleMania 36 card, but we’re not sure if that is still the plan. Pro Wrestling Sheet reports WWE confirmed to them that the 7th Annual Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal and the 3rd Annual WrestleMania Women’s Battle Royal will not take place this year as a way to help limit the number of Superstars gathering in the ring. This is another change made due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The two battle royals have been pulled from the WrestleMania 36 card as another way to abide by guidelines and recommendations from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and other local governments as much as possible while producing the big event. This is one of the many precautionary measures that WWE officials are taking during WrestleMania 36 to help “flatten the curve” amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
WWE issued a statement to Sports Illustrated confirming that all talent and staff entering their closed sets are required to participate in medical testing. There’s still no word yet on where these other locations will be, but it was reported earlier today that most of the WrestleMania 36 content will shoot from the Performance Center, while some “gimmick matches” will take place elsewhere.
On a related note, WWE officials are currently planning an “ambitious” taping schedule that will get them through WrestleMania 36, according to POST Wrestling. The plan as of today is to tape the remaining episodes of RAW and SmackDown leading up to WrestleMania 36. There’s no word yet on when these tapings will take place. WWE will reportedly go ahead with this week’s SmackDown on FOX, featuring WrestleMania host Rob Gronkowski and the contract signing for Roman Reigns vs. WWE Universal Champion Bill Goldberg, but would then tape the March 23 and March 30 episodes of RAW, plus the March 27 and April 3 editions of SmackDown
One source indicated to POST that they also expect WWE to tape both nights of WrestleMania 36 over the next week as well, meaning The Grandest Stage of Them All will not air live on April 4 and April 5. Another source was unsure if that will happen. If WWE does tape both nights of WrestleMania 36, then the upcoming tapings schedule would include two episodes of RAW, two episodes of SmackDown, and two nights of WrestleMania. There’s no word yet on how the WWE NXT TV shows will factor into this.
Regarding the WrestleMania 36 card, a source indicated to POST that the only changes to the planned card is the elimination of the two battle royals, as noted above. The other planned matches are set to take place over the two night, with some matches that have not been announced on TV yet.
As noted before, the WWE website lists the following matches for Saturday night and Sunday night, but it should be noted that WWE has not officially announced line-ups for each night, at least as of this writing:
SATURDAY, APRIL 4
* Drew McIntyre vs. WWE Champion Brock Lesnar
* Charlotte Flair vs. WWE NXT Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley
* The Undertaker vs. AJ Styles
* Kevin Owens vs. Seth Rollins
SUNDAY, APRIL 5
* Roman Reigns vs. WWE Universal Champion Bill Goldberg
* Shayna Baszler vs. RAW Women’s Champion Becky Lynch
* John Cena vs. “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt
It’s important to note that WWE has not officially announced which matches will air on each night. While the WWE website has these matches listed for Saturday and Sunday, the location is the same for each match – the Performance Center. That should change once they announce these other locations.
Source: Wrestling Inc.
As noted earlier this week, The Wrap reported that former NFL player Rob Gronkowski has signed with WWE. Gronk is reportedly making his SmackDown on FOX debut during the March 20 episode from New Orleans, then will appear at WrestleMania 36 to begin a storyline that will lead to a match.
In an update, the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that Gronk’s WrestleMania 36 role is still being decided, and that an appearance is not a lock at this point.
Gronk is expected to wrestle at least a few matches under his WWE contract. It’s likely that he will wrestle at the SummerSlam pay-per-view in Boston from the TD Garden, which should get him a good pop as he played his entire NFL career with the Patriots.
It will be interesting to see if WWE has Gronk work with his good friend Mojo Rawley. Gronk, a noted pro wrestling fan, made his WWE debut at WrestleMania 33 back in 2017, to help Mojo win the 4th Annual Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal.
Source: Wrestling Inc.
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.
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.
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
Gronk is reportedly headed to WrestleMania 36.
Former NFL player and WWE celebrity friend Rob Gronkowski has signed with WWE and is set to appear at WrestleMania 36 next month, according to The Wrap.
The former New England Patriots tight end has now signed a contract with WWE, and will make his official debut during the March 20 episode of SmackDown on FOX from New Orleans.
Gronk is also scheduled to appear at WrestleMania 36. It was noted that current plans for the WrestleMania 36 appearance will lead to a future match for the three-time Super Bowl champion. Gronk is not scheduled to wrestle on The Grandest Stage of Them All this year, but that appearance will lead to the match they have in mind.
The 30 year old Gronk, who retired from the NFL one year ago, signed with FOX Sports as an analyst back in October. The Wrap reached out to FOX Sports for comments on if the new WWE deal will impact Gronk’s NFL work, but there’s no word yet.
It was reported last night on WWE Backstage by Pro Wrestling Sheet‘s Ryan Satin that Gronk and WWE were close to finalizing a deal. That deal has been officially signed, according to the new report from The Wrap.
Gronk, a noted pro wrestling fan and good friend to Mojo Rawley, made his WWE debut at WrestleMania 33 back in 2017, to help Mojo win the 4th Annual Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal.
There’s no word yet on the terms of Rob’s deal with WWE.
Source: Wrestling Inc.
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