July 6, 2020 Observer Newsletter: Outbreak forces WWE to make changes, more
After a COVID-19 outbreak that has greatly affected the promotion, WWE has made a number of changes.
The biggest change was in the schedule. WWE had planned to tape two weeks worth of Raw, Smackdown, Main Event and 205 Live on 6/26 and 6/27.
However, with the outbreak and a large number of talent unavailable, the decision was only to tape the necessary shows for this week. Smackdown was cut back to about an hour of new content with numerous stars missing, with the show built around a tribute to The Undertaker, which, through airing The Undertaker vs. A.J. Styles boneyard match at WrestleMania, did its best numbers in months.
Advertised segments including an A.J. Styles vs. Drew Gulak IC title match and a Sheamus toast to Jeff Hardy were pulled from the show when Styles, Daniel Bryan and Sheamus weren’t there. The latter was being advertised for the 7/3 Smackdown show that was being taped on 7/2.
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Dave Meltzer is the founder and lead writer on the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the weekly constant when it comes to news and reviews in pro wrestling and mixed martial arts for more than 40 years. Dave also co-hosts Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and had had bylines for The National, Yahoo Sports, MMA Fighting and others.