Tag: WWE

Conflicting Reports On Fans Using Masks At The WWE RAW Tapings, What Kevin Dunn Allegedly Said

There are conflicting reports on if WWE prevented fans from wearing masks or not at the WWE Performance Center tapings on Monday.

Local Orlando, Florida reporter Jon Alba noted on Twitter that he was told by multiple fans at Monday’s TV tapings from the WWE Performance Center that they were not told they couldn’t wear protective masks.

There had been reports that WWE officials did not allow fans to wear masks to protect them from COVID-19 on Monday. Alba reports that fans he spoke to hold him they never felt pressured by WWE not to wear the masks for TV purposes or any other reason. They did confirm that they had their temperatures taken, and signed waivers, but they were not tested for COVID-19. One fan noted to Alba that they were in a group that had masks on, and they chose not to wear the masks when the taping began.

The conflicting reports continued this afternoon on Wrestling Observer Live. Bryan Alvarez noted that people are reportedly angry about how there were fans prevented from wearing masks on Monday, or at least encouraged not to wear a mask. Alvarez claims the opposite of Alba’s report, that multiple people have told him they were not allowed to wear masks as the company didn’t want masks on TV.

Alvarez also reported that Kevin Dunn allegedly said that you’re not a fan if you’re wearing a mask, indicating that people in masks wouldn’t be allowed to serve as fans in the crowd. It was previously reported on Wrestling Observer Radio that fans were told to go home if they wanted to wear a mask. It was also reported that people were upset over fans being used in the crowd given the positive COVID-19 test by a talent, but it should be noted that we don’t know when the company found out about the positive test.

Wrestling Inc. originally reported that fans signed waivers at the show, stating that WWE was not liable if they came down with COVID-19, and that there could be inherent risk attending the taping. Fans had their temperatures taken, and had to fill out a questionnaire.

Earlier today, WWE issued a statement on the reports of fans used at the tapings. They did confirm that a select number of friends and family were permitted to attend the tapings, but said fans were not in attendance. They also noted that everyone had to under go medical tests before being involved, and were kept apart from in-ring performers and production workers. WWE also noted that attendance was below 20% and social distancing guidelines were in place. You can see that full statement below:

“Fans have not been in attendance at WWE events since March 13. Yesterday, a select number of friends and family were permitted to attend WWE’s TV production. These individuals were required to participate in medical screenings prior to entering the closed set at our training facility, and were kept apart from in-ring performers and production personnel. Attendance was below 20% capacity and social distancing guidelines were adhered to with at least six feet between parties, thus face masks were not required.”

WWE was scheduled to tape RAW and SmackDown today but tapings were nixed so they could administer COVID-19 tests to everyone involved, the first set of coronavirus testing for the company. Tapings are set to resume on Wednesday. You can see Mojo Rawley receiving his test in the tweet below:

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Another WWE Developmental Talent Test Positive For Covid-19, Finally Compelling WWE To Test Everyone For The Virus.

A developmental wrestler has tested positive for COVID-19, finally compelling WWE to test everyone for the virus.

Below is the full statement from WWE Associate Medical Director Dr. Jeffrey Dugas.

“A developmental talent, who was last on site at WWE’s training facility on Tuesday, June 9, has tested positive for COVID-19. Since that time, no other individuals that attended the facility have reported symptoms. However, out of an abundance of caution and to ensure the health and safety of the company’s performers and staff, all talent, production crew and employees on site at the training and production facilities will be tested for COVID-19 immediately. Following the test results, WWE plans to proceed with its normal television production schedule.”

Some WWE employees reportedly had to wait up to three hours to undergo COVID-19 testing on Tuesday at the WWE Performance Center, according to Gary Cassidy of Sportskeeda.

Cassidy also noted that there have since been “multiple re-writes” to this week’s WWE TV content.

PWInsider is reporting that some talent, staff and even high-level executives have yet to receive their COVID-19 results. No one is currently allowed entry into the WWE Performance Center or Full Sail University unless they return a negative test result.

 

WWE RAW Preview 6/15/20

Tonight’s WWE RAW will take place from the WWE Performance Center in Orlando with fallout from last night’s Backlash pay-per-view.

WWE has not announced any matches or the official preview for tonight’s show, but they are teasing a follow-up to WWE Champion Drew McIntyre’s Backlash win over Bobby Lashley. There will also be an update to the feud between Seth Rollins and Rey Mysterio as Rollins has invited Rey and his son Dominik to the show.

Edge Reportedly Injured During WWE Backlash Re-Takes

WWE Hall of Famer Edge was reportedly injured while filming re-takes for the Backlash loss to Randy Orton.

As noted, Edge reportedly suffered a torn triceps in his right arm. Dave Meltzer noted on Wrestling Observer Radio that WWE filmed parts of the match multiple times, and Edge was hurt during the second tapings. There’s no word yet on exactly which spot caused the injury, but Edge was reportedly hurt during the second taping while they were going over re-takes.

WWE did everything they could to keep the injury, and the match result, quiet. The match was first filmed back on Sunday, June 7.

It’s likely that we will hear more on the injury now that the match has aired. A torn triceps usually requires around 8 months or so of recovery time, plus surgery, but there is no timetable for Edge’s return as of this writing.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE Backlash Results 6/14/20

(Kickoff) United States Championship: Apollo Crews (c) vs. Andrade w/Zelina Vega and Angel Garza

Winner: Apollo Crews

 

WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship: Sasha Banks and Bayley (c) vs. The IIconics vs. Nikki Cross and Alexa Bliss

Winners: Sasha Banks and Bayley

 

Jeff Hardy vs. Sheamus

Winner: Sheamus

 

RAW Women’s Championship: Asuka (c) vs. Nia Jax

Double Count Out

 

Universal Championship – 2-on-1 Handicap Match: Braun Strowman (c) vs. The Miz and John Morrison

Winner: Braun Strowman

 

WWE Championship: Drew McIntyre (c) vs. Bobby Lashley w/MVP

Winner: Drew McIntyre

– After the bell, Drew is face-down on the mat but he gets up after the WWE Title is handed to him. MVP is frustrated. Lashley is down. Lana looks on from ringside and is still down, possibly about to cry. MVP stares her down. Lashley walks over and stands with MVP, then follows him to the back after looking down at his wife. Lana starts to get emotional while still on the ground

 

– The announcers are interrupted as the camera cuts outside to The Viking Raiders and RAW Tag Team Champions The Street Profits brawling. They damage the car of WWE Universal Champion Braun Strowman. Erik, Ivar, Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins all stop in fear and retreat inside.

The brawl continues backstage. Ford and Dawkins pull out golf clubs and get ready to fight but they turn around to Erik and Ivar, with shields and their axes. They stop and agree on fighting like men, in the ring. They all put their weapons down and The Street Profits strike first. They continue fighting through backstage as intense music plays. Dawkins and Erik fight off to another area. Ivar picks up a bowling ball and has flashbacks to the recent bowling competition on RAW. He then bowls the ball to Ford, right between his legs. Ford sells it and Ivar walks off, apologizing, fam.

Ivar finds Erik down outside. Dawkins runs and tackles him through a glass door. They land on the debris. Ivar has a flashback to eating turkey legs. “Anything you can do,” Ivar says. “We can do better,” Dawkins adds. Erik and Ford come over and they comment on how quickly everything has escalated. They limp over to the parking lot to continue the fight but here come a group of people on motorcycles. One man steps off and approaches. He takes his helmet off and it’s Akira Tozawa. “Anything you can do, we can do better,” Tozawa tells the two teams. He tosses his helmet at Ivar. He throws it away. The Profits and The Vikings get in a huddle. It’s time to do this together, take out the ninjas on motorcycles.

They stand together as The Viking Profits now, turkey legs and red cups in hand. And they want the smoke. Tozawa calls for his ninjas and they stand next to him. They take turns attacking The Profits and The Vikings but get taken out. These are mostly comedy takedowns. Tozawa calls for his back up and it’s a very large man. So large that both of the tag teams are stunned. The large man goes to take out his sword but Ivar takes a bite from a turkey leg, which he summons from the bush it was earlier knocked into. But even that’s not enough as Ivar is too shocked to attack. Erik wants to attack but Dawkins holds him back. The two teams climb to the top of an 18 wheeler. Ivar is out of breath and can’t keep up with the other three. He finally catches up and Ford says he wouldn’t be so tired if he wasn’t obsessed with turkey legs. Erik says he’s tired because he beat all the ninjas up. The Profits take credit for beating the most up. The Profits and The Vikings fight on top of the truck now. Dawkins and Erik go over the side. Ford stands with Ivar and says they’re supposed to be together. Ivar shoves him off and he also lands in the dumpster with Dawkins and Erik. Ivar leaps and lands in the trash with them.

Ivar has flashbacks to the other challenges from recent weeks, with the women telling Ivar he’s cute but not Erik. The female referee appears on a ladder next to the dumpster. She asks the two teams what they’re doing because their match is next. She also thinks Ivar is cute but not Erik. There’s something alive under the trash bags now, growling. All four of the Superstars start scrambling to get out of the dumpster. We see some sort of dragon’s tail coming from under the trash bags, maybe Loch Ness? The bizarre and lengthy segment abruptly ends and goes to a break.

 

Randy Orton vs. Edge (Billed as the Greatest Wrestling Match Ever)

– After the match, Orton is slow to get up while Edge is flat on his back in the middle of the ring. Orton crawls over, still down low to the mat, and has more words for Edge in his face. Orton is saying something to Edge about going home to be with his family, and tell them Uncle Randy said hi. Orton gets back to his feet and has his arm raised while the music plays. We go to replays. Orton hits the corner to pose as referees enter the ring to check on Edge. Orton watches from the ramp as Edge apparently refuses help from the referees. Edge looks disappointed and defeated as Orton smirks back at him from the ramp. The 2020 WWE Backlash pay-per-view goes off the air.

 

Transcript from Wrestling Inc.

WWE Backlash 6/14/20

DATE: June 14, 2020 at 7:00 PM ET (Preshow at 6:00 PM ET)
LOCATION: WWE Performance Center, Orlando, Florida
AVAILABLE ON: WWE Network (first month free for new subscribers)

 

Randy Orton vs. Edge (Billed as the Greatest Wrestling Match Ever)

WWE Championship: Drew McIntyre (c) vs. Bobby Lashley w/MVP

Universal Championship – 2-on-1 Handicap Match: Braun Strowman (c) vs. The Miz and John Morrison

RAW Women’s Championship: Asuka (c) vs. Nia Jax

WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship: Sasha Banks and Bayley (c) vs. The IIconics vs. Nikki Cross and Alexa Bliss

United States Championship: Apollo Crews (c) vs. Andrade w/Zelina Vega

Jeff Hardy vs. Sheamus

WWE SmackDown Preview 6/12/20

Tonight’s WWE SmackDown on FOX will air on a tape delay from the WWE Performance Center in Orlando with the final build for Sunday’s WWE Backlash pay-per-view.

WWE Talent Reportedly Concerned With Paul Heyman No Longer Running RAW

A lot of the talent on the WWE RAW brand are reportedly concerned with Paul Heyman being removed as the head of creative for Monday Night RAW, according to Dave Meltzer in the latest issue of The Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

According to The Observer, Heyman had pushed Vince McMahon on the idea that it would take 18 months or longer to create credible new stars, as the company had been failing to push new talent to the top. Heyman took over as the creative head of RAW on June 27, 2019, however his employee contract was terminated less than 12 months later this past Thursday. Heyman still has a WWE performer’s contract.

During the Q1 2020 investors call in late April, McMahon blamed the drop in RAW ratings on the new talent on the brand, saying that they need time to get over. At the time McMahon said that he was convinced that RAW’s ratings would rebound once fans took to the new stars.

“RAW has suffered, but not necessarily because of the environment, it’s suffered because we bring in a lot of new talent and to RAW, and it takes a while to get these new talents over,” McMahon said. “We no longer have Brock Lesnar obviously, but we have a new champion and a lot of new performers coming in. So it takes a while. So that’s the reason, and how you use those performers in this story or that story or what have you. So, with new talent it’s just going to take a little while. I’m convinced though, that the RAW’s ratings are going to bounce back considerably.”

Meltzer noted that McMahon’s mentality had changed due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Before the pandemic, McMahon was concerned with building to the future, which included the XFL being a long-term project, as well as expanding NXT into other foreign markets. McMahon now is apparently worried about what is happening today.

It was noted that Heyman’s projects included newer stars like Drew McIntyre, Andrade, Angel Garza, Zelina Vega, Aleister Black, Apollo Crews, Austin Theory, The Street Profits, The Viking Raiders and Murphy, as well as established talent such as Charlotte Flair, Rey Mysterio, Asuka and Nia Jax. Meltzer stated that a lot of the talent are concerned because they’ve never had a big push, with some floundering before Heyman took charge.

Meltzer also reported that the belief is that McIntyre and The Street Profits are the stars that are most likely to be safe as McMahon likes them. However, they might not continue to be protected as well.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Paul Heyman No Longer Executive Director Of Raw, Bruce Prichard To Lead Team For Both Shows

WWE has confirmed their creative teams from Raw and SmackDown have been consolidated into one group which will be led by Bruce Prichard.

According to a statement from WWE:

“In an effort to streamline our creative writing process for television, we have consolidated both teams from Raw and SmackDown into one group, led by Bruce Prichard. Paul Heyman will concentrate on his role as an in-ring performer.”

As you’ll recall, Heyman was made the Executive Director of Raw in June of 2019. Eric Bischoff was hired to be the Executive Director of SmackDown as well, but that didn’t last long and he made his exit from the company months later in October. He was then replaced by Bruce Prichard.

Ratings for all the major wrestling shows have fallen drastically since the Coronavirus pandemic forced the promotions to hold tapings without real crowds. In February, the first full month before the pandemic, RAW averaged 2.29 million viewers (down 14% from an average of 2.67 million viewers in February of 2019). In May, the show averaged 1.77 million viewers, a drop of 23% from February and 24% from the 2.33 million viewers RAW averaged in May of last year. The past six weeks have featured five of the least watched episodes in the show’s history.

PWInsider reported that a source noted to them that Vince McMahon has recently been “very upset” and openly “frustrated” with Raw.

During the Q1 2020 investors call in late April, McMahon was asked why ratings have declined despite the company being the only live sports content on television during the pandemic. Even though SmackDown ratings have also suffered, McMahon claimed that SmackDown ratings had seen virtually no change, while RAW has suffered because of the new talent on the brand, who need time to get over.

“So there’s no audience and it’s a different show, a completely different show,” Vince said. “And I think we’re going to get there. While we may be able to take this negative and already turn it into somewhat of a positive, as far as ratings and what have you are concerned. SmackDown has virtually been no change, very little. RAW has suffered, but not necessarily because of the environment, it’s suffered because we bring in a lot of new talent and to RAW, and it takes a while to get these new talents over.

“We no longer have Brock Lesnar obviously, but we have a new champion and a lot of new performers coming in. So it takes a while. So that’s the reason, and how you use those performers in this story or that story or what have you. So, with new talent it’s just going to take a little while. I’m convinced though, that the RAW’s ratings are going to bounce back considerably.”

Sources: Pro Wrestling Sheet and Wrestling Inc.

WWE NXT Preview 6/10/20

Tonight’s WWE NXT episode will air on the USA Network with fallout from Sunday’s “Takeover: In Your House” event.

* Fallout from “Takeover: In Your House”

* Karrion Kross and Scarlett appear

* The new era of NXT Women’s Champion Io Shirai begins

* Finn Balor vs. Cameron Grimes

* NXT Champion Adam Cole vs. Dexter Lumis in a non-title match