WWE moves next SmackDown and Raw to Performance Center
In what was an inevitability given the current situation with the coronavirus, WWE has moved this Friday’s SmackDown and next Monday’s Raw to their Orlando, FL-based Performance Center to continue their recent closed set run.
Friday’s SmackDown was scheduled for the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, LA, but the arena has suspended all events through April 13th due to the state not allowing shows with 50 people or more.
Similarly, Monday’s Raw will also be at the Performance Center, originally scheduled for Fort Worth, Texas, at the Dickies Arena. They posted that the event is postponed to a SmackDown on Friday, July 31st instead.
WWE has yet to formally announce the news the changes as of this writing, but it has been confirmed by our Dave Meltzer.
Starting Wednesday, the company has nine events this week including house shows. It’s expected all the WWE and NXT house shows will be postponed with the biggest one — Madison Square Garden featuring the return of DX — already being announced.
WWE announced Monday that this year’s WrestleMania will also be at the Performance Center with limited personnel in attendance.
Since 2011, Josh has been a contributing editor to Wrestling Observer/F4WOnline.com and also hosts the Punch-Out podcast. He has also written for Fight Magazine, Bloody Elbow, Bleacher Report, and other websites. He's a 2000 graduate of the University of Maine, worked in pro sports, and once was an indie ring announcer.