In between what the wrestling business wants and all the necessary things authorities need to do to avoid wrestling fans to suffer from a deadly virus, there’s a gap that the companies needed to cross. Today, the situation snowballed. Yesterday, the NBA was cancelling its whole season, today XFL did the same. Soccer games in Europe are cancelled or played without fans. Most of sports events are whether cancelled or taking place in front of a restricted audience, if not no audience at all.
If WrestleMania is not cancelled yet, as well as WrestleCon and the majority of the indie shows scheduled during Mania week, the announcement made about The Grandest Stage of Them All proved earlier today the final decision lies in the companies’ hands. It was a very long day in the wrestling business history, all around the world, let’s try to sum it up…
WWE
- As announced earlier, WrestleMania is not cancelled as of now. Ever since the news has flooded, with announcements and cancellations. WWE since issued a statement that said they will have the back-up plans in place if WrestleMania ends up cancelled by local officials. They also said they are closely monitoring the situation. “While we remain committed to hosting WrestleMania at Raymond James Stadium on Sunday, April 5, we are putting contingency plans in place in the event that it is cancelled by government officials, civil authorities and/or local venues. The health and safety of our fans, performers and employees are our top priorities and we are monitoring the situation closely with our partners and government officials in Tampa Bay.”
- SmackDown Live and 205 Live were supposed to emanate from Detroit, Michigan, this Friday night, they will take place in the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida, without any audience and “only essential personnel in attendance.”
- The WWE Supershow live event scheduled for this Saturday, March 14 at the Coca-Cola Coliseum in Toronto, Ontario, Canada has been cancelled.
- Sunday’s WWE live event scheduled for the Covelli Centre in Youngstown, Ohio has been cancelled.
- Monday’s RAW from the PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA is still on as of now.
- The new New York State ruling should impact WWE’s return to Madison Square Garden in New York City on Sunday, March 22, but that has not been officially announced.
AEW
- AEW Dynamite show from Rochester, NJ, next Wednesday, is relocated to Jacksonville, Florida. It will be managed under a “restricted attendance policy.”
- The March 25 “Blood & Guts” edition of Dynamite from the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey will be moved to a new location due to the COVID-19 outbreak. That new venue will be announced soon. “Blood & Guts” will also air live on TNT but managed under a “restricted attendance policy.”
ROH
- ROH’s 18th Anniversary show from Las Vegas this Friday is cancelled. At first, only the fans’ meet and greet was. Past and Present show this Saturday is cancelled too.
Impact Wrestling
- No weekly shows cancelled as they are taped. No news on a possible Hard To Kill or TNA: There’s No Place Like Home cancellation as of today.
- Sami Callihan tweeted that he won’t be at any wrestling shows until the coronavirus is contained.
https://twitter.com/TheSamiCallihan/status/1238323925576228864
NJPW
- Bullet Club Beach Party on April 4 in Tampa is cancelled. Members of NJPW’s Bullet Club were scheduled to compete against many indie and ROH talents, like The Briscoes, Matt Sydal, with Ken Shamrock as Head of Security.
WrestleCon
- WrestleCon asked fans to vote if they would “Go to Tampa” or “cancel entire Trip” when asked about downsizing but still running.
Just to get feedback that may relate to our decision making. If all WWE events were cancelled, yet it was somehow still possible that smaller groups like Wrestlecon, The Collective, ROH, were permitted to continue with events in Tampa. Would you?
— WrestleCon (@wrestlecon) March 11, 2020
US indie shows
- Wrestling Revolver is postponing its March 14th event, Backdrop to the Future.
- Prestige Wrestling is postponing its Tampa and Portland events.
- EVOLVE 147 and 148, taking place this weekend, are postponed to May 8 and 9.
- Freelance Underground’s Saturday show is cancelled.
- Pro Wrestling Guerilla’s KOBE show on March 29 is postponed.
- Uncanny Attractions’ Mania week show, Drag and Dropkicks Vol. 4, on April 2 is cancelled.
- All Atlanta Wrestling Entertainment events are postponed.
- Premiere Wrestling Xperience’s March 14 and 21 shows are postponed.
UK and Irish indie shows
- OTT Scrappermania 6 events are cancelled. Scrappermania 6 was scheduled to take place this coming weekend at the National Stadium in Dublin, Ireland. The scheduled main event for the event was a non-title match between OTT Champion David Starr and Jon Moxley, who is the current AEW World Champion. WWE NXT UK Superstars Toni Storm, Trent Seven, Tyler Bate, and Aoife Valkyrie were also booked for the event, among other top indie and AEW talents.
- Catch Pro Wrestling’s CATCH2 event on March 21 in Manchester is still scheduled.
- The wXw show in Tampa during Mania week is cancelled, due to US travel bans.
- Nu Riot Pro Wrestling cancelled Disengage The Simulator show on May 3.
Very special thanks to Craig Hermit for his help. All pics courtesy of their owners.