All WWE titles – except the 24/7 one – are on the line tonight with nine matches making up the Clash of Champions pay-per-view card. Today, we will look at all the betting odds for the whole card. Remember, odds might change by the time the show goes live so bet with caution.
The WWE title is on the line in an ambulance match and Randy Orton extended his lead as the favorite to walk out of the Amway Center as the new WWE champion. Orton is 1/2 for the win while Drew McIntyre is 6/4 to retain. In a family affair, the Universal champion Roman Reigns will defend the gold against his cousin Jey Uso. As expected, Reigns is the overwhelming favorite to win and retain, with his odds at 1/33 while Uso is 12/1 for the huge upset.
Smackdown Women’s champion Bayley is also big favorite to keep her title against Nikki Cross, with Bayley having 1/8 odds of keeping the strap while Cross is at 9/2. And speaking of heavy favorites, Asuka is at 1/20 to retain her Raw Women’s title while Zelina Vega is 8/1. In other words, it ain’t happening, folks!
Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura, the Smackdown Tag Team champions, put their titles up for grabs against Lucha House Party. The champs are 2/9 favorites against LHP who are 3/1 to win it. Odds aren’t that good for the current Raw Tag Team title holders though as The Street Profits have 10/11 odds while Andrade and Angel Garza are favorites at 4/5. The WWE Women’s Tag Team titles will also be defended with Shayna Baszler and Nia Jax having odds of 4/11 to retain while The Riott Squad are at 2/1 underdogs.
The Hurt Business, represented by Bobby Lashley, will be in action as Lashley defends the United States title against Apollo Crews. Lashley is 1/10 favorite to retain and Apollo Crews is 11/2 to win. And finally, a triple threat ladder match will take place for the Intercontinental title. Jeff Hardy, the champion, is 1/2 to keep the belt, while Sami Zayn is 9/4 and AJ Styles is 6/1 to win.
Hello everybody! @TheMagnumDA here for tonight’s Clash of Champions pick’em. We hope you are all doing well and staying safe. Since tonight is all about the GOLD RUSH, Wrestling-Online is proud to introduce, for the first time ever…THE WOPC CHAMPIONSHIP!!!
Gotta give credit to Colin Vassallo – this is one SWEET strap. The question is…will he hold onto the gold tonight? Or will there be a NEW WOPC Champion? Let’s find out right now!
ON WITH THE PICKS!
Pre-show: WWE Raw Women’s Championship Asuka (c) vs. Zelina Vega
Magnum: I think this was put on the show as a way for Zelina to be in the conversation for future championship matches. I don’t believe she’ll walk away with the title tonight, though. Asuka continues her run on top.
Colin: If you think Zelina has a chance here…then you must be out of your mind. I like Zelina but she’s not taking the title here. Asuka wins.
WWE Smackdown Women’s Championship Bayley (c) vs. Nikki Cross
Magnum: Bayley’s setting the standard by having one hell of a title reign. Great promos, great matches. Everything with her is must-see. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Bayley get jumped by Sasha after this match, but as for the match itself? Bayley retains.
Colin: My hope is that Bayley keeps her title until WrestleMania when the wrath of Sasha Banks comes to visit. We’ve seen this match multiple times before and always with the same result. It’s not going to change today. #AndStill Bayley.
WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler (c) vs. The Riott Squad (Ruby Riott and Liv Morgan)
Magnum: HERE COMES THE JAX! AND HERE COMES THE BASZLER! Yes, folks, this will be a Demolition. I’m going with the champs to retain. Shayna and Nia win it.
Colin: I kinda like the pairing of Jax and Baszler. Reminds me of Austin/Triple H tag teaming and having to co-exist with the titles. They will eventually explode but they’re keeping it tonight.
WWE Smackdown Tag Team Championship Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura (c) vs. Lucha House Party (Kalisto, Gran Metalik, and/or Lince Dorado)
Magnum: I know this title run was meant for The Forgotten Sons, but Cesaro and Shin are making the best of it. Good on them – they usually produce in the ring. It’s going to be a great battle, and the Luchas have a lot to offer, but I’m rolling with Cesaro and Shinsuke to keep their gold.
Colin: I hate that both Cesaro and Nakamura are stuck in a tag team. I wish Nakamura goes back to NXT cause that’s where he was the best. With that said, I don’t see Lucha House Party getting the titles either so Nakamura and Cesaro retain.
WWE Intercontinental Championship – Ladder Match Jeff Hardy (c) vs. AJ Styles vs. Sami Zayn
Magnum: Any championship match where the champion doesn’t have to be pinned has me skeptical. This seems like the appropriate match for Sami to come in and wreak havoc. He never lost the title – it only makes sense that he wins it back. Sami Zayn is your NEW IC champion.
Colin: This, to me, can go two ways. Either Hardy retains, or Zayn wins. The question is, Zayn has been out for what, six months? Is he going to get the title after that long time out when he could have easily worked? Probably not. And it’s a ladder match, so Hardy must have the advantage. Hardy retains.
WWE Raw Tag Team Championship The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford) (c) vs. Andrade and Angel Garza
Magnum: Street Profits have had a pretty good run with the titles. I know that Vince loves Zelina, though, so if she’s not going to win the straps, then her men will. Andrade and Angel win the straps.
Colin:Andrade and Garza are probably going to overcome all their problems between them and finally beat The Street Profits for the gold tonight. Oh wait, it’s not gold, but whatever. Time to switch things up. #AndNew
WWE United States Championship Bobby Lashley (c) vs. Apollo Crews
Magnum: I think the Hurt Business is just getting started. They will continue their momentum tonight with another victory. Lashley retains – don’t be surprised if Crews finally figures it out that if you can’t beat them, join them.
Colin: Loving The Hurt Business. I really am. They need some more momentum going so hopefully Lashley retains. I wouldn’t mind if Crews ends up joining the group one day or another.
WWE Universal Championship Roman Reigns (c) (with Paul Heyman) vs. Jey Uso
Magnum: I’m sickened by this match. A lifetime tag team wrestler put into the Universal Title match because…well, why the hell not? What a waste of a good angle and storyline. Roman‘s heel run starts off with a victory…but this guy needs some real competition.
Colin: If Zelina Vega has no chance of winning the Raw Women’s title against Asuka, then Jey Uso has lower chances than Zelina Vega LOL! I don’t think there’s ever been a main event where I could probably bet my house on it. Now look, I’m enjoying this program between them. Uso has stepped it up, but seriously, no, he’s not winning tonight. The Big Dawg retains.
WWE Championship Drew McIntyre (c) vs. Randy Orton
Magnum: I think tonight’s the night for Orton to finally win the title. There’s not a lot of titles changing hands (I picked only two so far before this match), so it only makes sense that Orton finally ascends back to the top of the mountain. Orton wins the match.
Colin: The ambulance match can protect McIntyre in the fact that he can lose without getting pinned and if there was a time to pull the plug on his run, this would be it. Am I looking forward to another Randy Orton title run? Not necessarily. But Orton has lost enough already and I think we’ll see a new champion tonight.
Well, there you have it folks! Enjoy the show tonight! We’ll see you next month for HELL IN A CELL. @TheMagnumDA signing off.
Live tonight from the Amway Center in Orlando, Florida, WWE presents Clash of Champions 2020 on pay-per-view and WWE Network. The full card is as follows:
Drew McIntyre vs Randy Orton in an ambulance match for the WWE title; Roman Reigns vs Jey Uso for the Universal title; Bayley vs Nikki Cross for the Smackdown Women’s title; Jeff Hardy vs AJ Styles vs Sami Zayn in a triple threat ladder match for the Intercontinental title; The Street Profits vs Andrade and Angel Garza for the Raw Tag Team titles; Bobby Lashley vs Apollo Crews for the United States title; Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler vs The Riott Squad for the WWE Women’s Tag Team titles; Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura vs Lucha House Party for the Smackdown Tag Team titles; and Asuka vs Zelina Vega for the Raw Women’s title in the Kickoff show.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson today publicly endorsed Joe Biden and Kamala Harris for the 2020 presidential election.
Johnson called this November contest “arguably the most critical election the country has seen in decades” and noted that he has friends in both parties. He also said that he had the opportunity to sit down with Biden and Harris for a “great and extremely productive conversation” where they discussed a variety of things.
“I do feel Vice President Biden and Senator Harris are the best choice to lead our country and I’m endorsing them to become President and Vice President of our United States,” Johnson said.
The chat, which Johnson held virtually with Biden and Harris – who were in the same room – is part of a seven-and-a-half minute video which Johnson just published on his social media to encourage people to vote.
As a political independent & centrist, I’ve voted for both parties in the past. In this critical presidential election, I’m endorsing @JoeBiden & @KamalaHarris.
Three shows will be supporting the Clash of Champions pay-per-view today, starting with The Bump at 4PM ET, followed by the Clash of Champions Kickoff show at 6PM ET, and the Watch Along at 7PM ET during the actual pay-per-view.
On The Bump, Kayla Braxton and the crew will be welcoming WWE champion Drew McIntyre, Jimmy Uso, Sami Zayn, and Zelina Vega to the show.
Watch Along tonight will also feature a group of WWE Superstars including Keith Lee, Xavier Woods, Dominik Mysterio, Rhea Ripley, Natalya, and former Intercontinental champion Santino Marella who will be providing commentary, reactions, and analysis during the broadcast.
All the shows will air for free on WWE’s social media channels.
Wrestling at the Olympic Games and wrestling on TV in the form of the WWE vary greatly. Olympic wrestling focuses on the art of wrestling and the wrestlers’ ability to outmaneuver his or her opponent whereas WWE wrestling is entertainment-based performance theatre.
Wrestling at the Olympics and the WWE is different, one thing both have in common though is the possibility of injury and more specifically facial and dental injuries.
Mouthguards aren’t compulsory for wrestlers unless the wrestler has braces or any other orthodontic application. Braces aside let’s look at why it is a good idea for all wrestlers to wear a mouthguard.
3 reasons why every wrestler should wear a mouthguard
1. Protection against injury
Some might argue that wrestlers are at low risk of getting punched or bumped in the face and others might say that the WWE is acting and therefore mouthguards are not necessary but this outlook can’t be further away from the truth.
Yes, you won’t see a wrestler at the Olympics throw a punch, but due to the high speeds of some wrestling manoeuvres, an elbow or knee to the face at a high speed can happen in the blink of an eye.
For WWE wrestlers the risk of injury is just as real, it might be that their punches are staged but a slight miscalculation could result in a damaging blow to the face or mouth.
Mouthguards can protect wrestlers against injury as a result of blows to the jaw, in addition to protecting your teeth mouthguards also protect your jaw as well as the soft tissue on the inside of your mouth.
The argument for all traditional wrestlers to wear a mouthguard is a simple one, however, it is a different story when it comes to WWE. WWE is based on the principles of drama and blood and mouthguards will get in the way of that.
2. Peace of mind
Wrestlers are skilled individuals but even for the best of the best, the thought of injury isn’t very appealing. Dislocated shoulders and other wrestling-related injuries can’t be avoided but dental and facial injuries can with the help of a good mouthguard.
Wrestling takes exceptional skill and concentration and wrestlers can’t afford to be distracted by random fears of getting an elbow or knee to the jaw. With a good mouthguard, these concerns will be eliminated and once on the mat, the only focus will be on the opponent in the opposite corner.
3. The price of dental and oral care
By now it should be very clear that there are countless reasons as to why wrestlers should wear a mouthguard, but if you aren’t convinced yet the price of dental care or reconstruction of a broken tooth as a result of wrestling should sway your opinion.
Dental and oral care is very expensive and unpleasant, I don’t know many people that enjoy a trip to the dentist. All of this can be avoided by using a good mouthguard.
Billy Kidman, the former WCW and WWE star who turned producer, returned to his job backstage at WWE this weekend after being furloughed several months ago according to PWInsider.com.
Kidman, along with many other producers, were furloughed in April due to coronavirus cost-cutting measures and hasn’t worked since then. Now, five months later, the former Cruiserweight champion is back behind the scenes, resuming the role he has occupied for the past 10 years.
The 46-year-old was part of the Smackdown crew on Friday.
Whether you have been a fan of the WWE for a looking time now or you are new to the world of fast-paced storylines jam-packed full of action, there is plenty to look forward to as we head into the Clash of Champions pay-per-view event. With several match-ups from both Smackdown and Raw as well as the all-important WWE championship event, this is set to be the biggest event in the WWE calendar that you will not want to miss. To help you figure out what to expect, we have compiled a list of some of the top match-ups for the night.
What Is The WWE Clash Of Champions Event?
The Clash of Champions Pay Per View event is by far one of the biggest in the WWE universe and sees the best of the best going head to head for a series of title championships. This is one of the most-watched events of the year with fans from around the world watching to see who the new champions will be in the upcoming months of programming. With the announcement of the event for the event taking place on the 27th of September on BT Sports and the WWE Network, this is set to be one of the biggest events of the year.
The Championship Matches For You To Look Forward To
With several matches already confirmed ahead of this weekend’s event, there is many for the fans and bettors to look forward too. With several old faces returning to the ring to defend their championship title as well as the WWE favourite Roman Reigns looking to defend the Universal Championship against Jay Uso, this is set to be the biggest event in the WWE calendar this year according to the odds on different sites. To help you get all the information that you need regarding the upcoming event, we have outlined some of the matches that have been confirmed to be taking place on the night and you can bet on.
WWE Championship Match: Drew McIntyre VS Randy Orton
Just a few weeks ago, the WWE universe saw the return of McIntyre in dramatic fashion as the current WWE Champion returned to the ring to deliver not one, not two but three devastating claymores to Orton last week that saw the superstar carried away in the back of an ambulance. However, this past Monday night on Raw saw Orton return to the ring with a warning for the Current WWE champion on how he plans on taking home is 14th World championship this weekend when they both get in the ring together. This is set to be a huge matchup for the pair that has the potential to see a new champion crowned very soon.
Universal Championship: Roman Reigns Vs Jey Uso
Despite being cousins once removed and tag team partners, the matchup between current champion Roman Reigns and Jey Uso is one that has fans very confused. Roman Reigns is by far the front winner to win the match up at this time since his shock return a few months ago. Will the higherups at WWE have a different direction for the match-up, however? No one knows. Fresh of the heels of their smackdown tag team win in a Samoan street fight against Sheamus and King Corbin this past weekend, this is set to be one of the best matchups out there that you will definitely want to watch.
Smackdowns Women’s Championship: Bayley Vs Nikki Cross
Another Huge Matchup that has many fans excited about this upcoming event is the Women’s Championship. Since Gaining the title back in October of 2019, the current Smackdown Women’s Champion Bayley has held the title for a total of 347 days and counting. But with this weekend’s events seeing Bayley and Nikki Cross gong head to head for the championship, could we finally see the title change hands? With a matchup taking place on July 31st, this saw Cross challenge the current champion however, she failed to secure the title then, so what would be different this time around? More training perhaps? Or maybe cross has something up her sleeve. Only time will tell where this match-up will end up.
Other Matches To Expect On The Night
There are also several other matches set to take place on the night with the Raw Women’s Championship up for grabs as well as a triple threat ladder match for the intercontinental championship between Jeff Hardy, Aj Styles and Sami Zayn and matchups such as Raw and Smackdown tag team titles.
With the paper view event available for viewing in the UK at either their new home at BT sport or on the WWE Network, this is set to be a PPV event that you will not want to miss. Will you be tuning in to watch?
It’s pay-per-view weekend once again with WWE just over 24 hours away from Clash of Champions. Today, we’ll take a look at the odds of the top three matches from the show and tomorrow we’ll publish the full odds for all the matches on the card.
The WWE title will be defended in an ambulance match as Drew McIntyre puts up his gold on the line against Randy Orton. Orton is the slight favorite heading in to the match with odds of 4/5 while Drew is at 10/11 to retain.
It’s a family affair for the Universal title with Roman Reigns taking on his cousin Jey Uso for the first time in a one-on-one match. Much to no surprise, Reigns is the overwhelming favorite with odds of 1/20 to retain while Uso would have the biggest upset with odds of 8/1.
And an undisputed Intercontinental champion will be declared tomorrow as the reigning champion Jeff Hardy takes on the returning Sami Zayn and AJ Styles in a triple threat ladder match. Hardy remains the favorite to walk out of the ThunderDome with the belt with odds of 5/6 while Zayn and Styles have odds of 7/4 and 4/1 respectively.
UK-based Inside The Ropes is reporting that the NXT UK brand has a new head writer after Glen Joseph left the company due to personal reasons.
Joseph, the co-owner of PROGRESS Wrestling, has been the head writer of NXT UK and now the 35-year-old is surrendering his reigns to fellow PROGRESS Wrestling co-owner Jim Smallman. Joseph was one of those who had allegations against him when the #SpeakingOut movement picked up momentum a few months ago.
The “changing of the guard” was announced during a virtual meeting with talent on Thursday and Smallman will be heading up the television tapings in the absence of Triple H, Shawn Michaels, and Matt Bloom, all of whom cannot travel to the United Kingdom. The trio still participate in the tapings virtually and in real-time using remote production methods and Smallman still has to answer to them in the overall hierarchy of the brand.
Friday Night Smackdown drew 2,032,000 viewers in the ratings yesterday off 2,050 viewers in the first hour and 2,014,000 viewers in the second hour. That was 5,000 viewers down from last week’s adjusted number which was bumped to 2,037,000 after originally registering 1,954,000 in the overnights. Smackdown tied first in the 18-34 with 0.3, placed first in 18-49 with 0.55, and second in 25-54 with 0.7. (Ratings credit: Showbuzzdaily.com)
WWE has pushed back NXT UK Takeover: Dublin for the second time, rescheduling the event to June 20, 2021 at the 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland.
The show was originally scheduled to air on April 26 but due to coronavirus, it was then pushed to October 25. NXT UK just restarted television tapings this month and with the pandemic showing signs of a second wave, the brand is doing tapings solely at the BT Sport Studios in London, England.
Another Takeover might be taking place at the BT Sport Studios in the meantime.
Over the years, wrestling has become a much-loved sport worldwide. While not everyone has what it takes to step in the ring and face their opponents, that doesn’t mean that they cannot enjoy watching their favorite sport.
Many wrestling fans have turned online to watch their favorite wrestlers in action. The sport is easily accessible online, and you can stream the matches online, which is affordable for many people. All you need is a stable internet connection, a bowl full of popcorn, and you are ready to enjoy watching all the maneuvers and slams as your favorite wrestlers face their opponents in the ring.
In between the rounds, you might get bored, especially if you are not a fan of advertisements that try to persuade you to buy things you don’t need. What you need is to find something interesting you can do as you wait for the action to resume. Here are some great ideas.
Take Short Surveys
There are tons of websites where you can take short surveys and earn some cash. Register to several such websites and use the free time between the rounds to complete simple surveys. At the end of the night, you will have earned some extra bucks, and who knows, your favorite wrestler might win the match. Talk of a win-win situation.
Do Some Exercises
How about using the few minutes to do some exercise? Maybe try some stretching or yoga? Sitting down for prolonged times can wreak havoc to your health. You are advised to stretch at least once per day if you experience tightness in the back of your leg.
Also, sitting all day can lead to you subjecting your spine to extreme stress, resulting in lower back pain. You can take advantage of the breaks to do some simple back exercises. This will help you enjoy the rest of the match, and your back and spine will thank you for that.
Play Online Slots on Your Phone
One of the best and profitable ways to pass the time is by playing online slots on your smartphone. Visit your favorite online casino and start betting on your preferred slot titles. There are so many online casinos out that have perfected the art of encouraging new and existing players and keep betting on their sites.
Some of the ways they do so are by offering players generous bonuses, including free spins bonuses. Take the chance to grab your rewards and use the free spins to bet on your favorite title. New players can also benefit from welcome bonuses, which differ as per a casino. You may win some cash, which can come in handy if you wish to bet on who will win the wrestling match. A great place to find free spins bonuses is freespinsnz.co.nz.
Check Your Social Media and Emails
You have some free minutes from the match to use as you please. How about checking your social media? Catch up with your friends and be in the know-how of what is trending in the digital world. It could be on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.
This is also the perfect time to check your emails to ensure that there is no important message that you have missed. It might be that important email you have been waiting for from a job you interviewed for, or it might be from your boss. All the same, use this free time to check on your emails.
Make Calls or Send Texts
You can also use this free time to check up on your family and friends. Do you have a friend who also loves watching wrestling matches? Give them a call or send them a message and discuss how the match is likely to end. Use the free time to check on your girl/boyfriend and let them know whether your favorite wrestler is winning.
Don’t Get Bored
No matter what, don’t let boredom kill your excitement about the match. Keep the adrenaline rush high even as you await the match to resume by doing any of the above things.
In life, sometimes, all you gotta do is ask! And that’s what Ken Shamrock did yesterday.
The former NWA champion and WWE Intercontinental champion is getting inducted into the Impact Wrestling Hall of Fame next month and Shamrock asked Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson for a small favor to make his HOF induction that much more memorable for him.
In a tweeted directed at The Rock, Shamrock wrote, “Hey brother I am being Inducted into the Impact Wrestling HOF I would be very grateful if you could send a Induction greeting. After all I believe my time with you was my greatest memories in Wrestling. Thank you.”
The two shared quite a few matches – and nasty chair shots – during their WWE heyday and Johnson replied to the tweet, agreeing to do something for Shamrock.
“Congrats, my brother. Awesome news. I will take care of this and get it to you by this weekend,” The Rock tweeted back.
The Shamrock Hall of Fame video featured several WWE footage, including the one where Shamrock beat The Rock to claim the King of The Ring tournament. This would be the first time that Johnson appeared in another wrestling promotion which is not WWE in any role.
NXT star Chelsea Green confirmed on Facebook that she tested positive for COVID-19 but is now cleared.
In a post on Facebook, Green wrote, “It feels so good to be out and about again after testing positive for COVID. I’m thankful I’m starting to feel like myself. WEAR YOUR MASKS people.”
Green has been absent from WWE television for around four months and was last seen dumping Robert Stone and leaving the Robert Stone Brand. Her last recorded WWE match was on May 27 where she teamed up with Charlotte Flair to take on Io Shirai and Rhea Ripley.
AEW’s newest acquisition, Serena Deeb, has removed herself from an upcoming independent wrestling event for United Wrestling Network after she confirmed she came in contact with somebody who tested positive for coronavirus.
Deeb, who signed with AEW this week, was going to be wrestling Allysin Kay on Tuesday but as a precaution pulled out from the Primetime Live event. She did not say she has coronavirus.
“Earlier this week, I came into contact with an individual who later tested positive for COVID-19. I am taking extra precaution and will be self quarantining for 10 days,” Deeb wrote. “Due to this, I unfortunately have to postpone the match at Primetime Live next week with Allysin Kay. I offer my utmost apologies for this. This is a serious matter, and the health and safety of everyone involved always comes first.”
The wrestling world has experienced a very tough week. Alongside the tragic death of Joe ‘Animal’ Laurinaitis, there have been several troubling news stories about star wrestlers who have been struck with the Covid-19 virus.
One of the most striking stories was the report that detailed how many of the wrestling stars who appeared on the AEW tapings earlier this September had tested positive. We recently covered how Lance Archer tested positive for Covid-19, but it seems as though this virus is wreaking havoc throughout the whole of the wrestling world.
From star sumo wrestlers in Japan to a number of college wrestlers testing positive, it’s clear that the virus is already in the heart of this sporting community. However, wrestling organisations have been determined not to let the virus stop the sporting events taking place.
The WWE will make sure that anybody appearing on their shows will have to undergo nasal swab tests while being in a parked car the day before tapings. The participants would then receive a text message later that evening telling them whether they had tested positive or not. If successful, the participant would be allowed to take part in the taping the next day.
However, the AEW has gone further in its effort to get to grips with the virus. The wrestling organisation has created its own off-site facility that gives participants the chance to have a blood prick test. These tests are carried out on the morning of the tapings, and it is thought that the test will be able to give a positive or negative result in just a matter of minutes. If an AEW participant passed the test they would receive a special wristband and they would be allowed to enter the Daily’s Place wrestling amphitheatre.
This has all come a long way since the first outbreak of Covid-19. All wrestling was quickly brought to a halt, and even the bookmakers featured on captaingambling.com and other resources didn’t feature any odds for wrestling events. But as more was known about the virus, there were hesitant steps taken to test the wrestlers more effectively before the bouts.
In June we saw the gradual rollout of simple temperature tests. But this was quickly found to be a relatively ineffective way of monitoring the spread of the virus. As a result, the WWE made efforts to ensure that all wrestlers were able to stay safe through strict quarantine protocols. This saw the rearrangement of locker room facilities, plus even team meeting rooms were reorganised to cater to social distancing guidelines.
While all of these steps have been positive, it still looks like a long way before wrestling returns to normal. The absence of fans from wrestling arenas is still the most telling aspect of how the sport has struggled. Plus the sheer physical nature of wrestling has meant that it has proven to be especially susceptible to the ravages of the virus.
Wrestling was quickly identified as being one the most high risk sports to take part in in regards to Covid-19. This is because the virus is transmitted through respiratory droplets. Any sport that features sustained close proximity between participants is therefore much more likely to see the virus being transmitted. As a result, wrestling has joined the shortlist of high risk sports alongside the likes of rugby and football.
In many ways, it’s remarkable that any wrestling has managed to take place at all. However, there have been a string of postponements and cancellations in the wrestling calendar. The forthcoming WWE NXT match will reportedly have a different main roster as a result of the recent outbreak. With doubts about whether Bobby Fish would be able to attend, it looks like this bout is still up in the air.
All of which has a series of knock-on effects for other planned events on Raw and Smackdown, and it means that wrestling fans will never truly know what’s going to be on the wrestling calendar. However, there is still plenty of determination to ensure that wrestling will be able to carry on through even the toughest of circumstances.
PWInsider.com is reporting that the coronavirus outbreak at NXT and the WWE Performance Center is being attributed to a party that NXT talent threw and some trainees from the WWE PC attended.
Those who attended the party had no symptoms but one of them was asymptomatic and spread it around to the rest. The trainees then went to the WWE PC and unknowingly continued the spread of the coronavirus, leading WWE to shut down the site.
A WWE statement issued regarding the outbreak said, “As part of ongoing testing protocols, WWE completed its second round of weekly COVID-19 testing on Tuesday. Individuals that tested positive will quarantine for 14 days, receive medical care, and then will only be cleared when they are symptom-free and test negative. Additionally, extensive contact tracing has taken place and other individuals have been placed in 14-day quarantine, and will then only be cleared after they test negative.”
NXT for next week has been pre-taped and the next time that NXT will be live will be on October 4 for Takeover 31.
NXT did 696,000 viewers this week, up 7,000 viewers from last week’s show and failed to crack the 700,000 mark even with a loaded show. NXT did 0.18 in the 18-49 demographic and placed #38 on the chart. The difference in viewership from Dynamite was of 139,000, down from the 197,000 difference of last week. (Ratings credit: Showbuzzdaily.com)
This week’s Dynamite on TNT won the battle against NXT with ease again, although the show suffered a drop in viewership. Dynamite did 835,000 viewers, down 51,000 viewers from last week’s show. It had a 0.32 in the 18-49 demographic, placing it #9 for the night on the top 50 cable chart. The late night Dynamite on Tuesday night did an impressive 585,000 viewers and 0.26 in the 18-49 demo. That show started at 12:38AM. (Ratings credit: Showbuzzdaily.com)
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