Sunday’s The Horror Show at Extreme Rules pay-per-view was supposed to include a match for the WWE United States Championship between current champion Apollo Crews and MVP. However early on in the show, Porter arrived with Bobby Lashley and announced that, due to injury, Crews was unable to compete. Porter then demanded he be declared the winner and awarded himself the new version of the US Title (which he introduced a few weeks back). Crews hasn’t been seen on WWE television since an episode of Raw back in late June when he was attacked from behind by Bobby Lashley, with WWE explaining he had suffered an injury as a result of Lashley’s Full Nelson hold.
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However, Dave Meltzer noted on the latest Wrestling Observer Radio that the real reason for his absence is related to the coronavirus. Meltzer said Crews failed his latest COVID-19 test, stating, “So Apollo Crews was COVID. People have been suspecting it, and it was.” It’s unclear when he’ll be back on WWE television.
Crews hasn’t given any indication he’s been dealing with COVID on Twitter, but WWE reportedly told active wrestlers not to state publicly if they have the virus. A previous report stated at least 30 employees had tested positive for COVID-19 a few weeks back, but only Renee Young, Kayla Braxton, Adam Pearce and Jamie Noble publicly stated they had the virus.
As for the US title, Meltzer said he wasn’t sure what WWE planned on doing with it. As of Monday afternoon, WWE.com still has Crews listed as the official champion. Porter claimed in an interview with Booker T the show that he was officially a three-time US Champion, but Crews disputed it.
@The305MVP is trippin thinking he can claim himself the #USChampion. I was looking forward to shutting you BOTH up once and for all tonight at #ExtremeRules but once Iโm cleared .. #ImComingforwhatsmine
โ Apollo (@WWEApollo) July 20, 2020
Check out the full results from The Horror Show at Extreme Rules below:
- SmackDown Tag Team Championships (Tables Match): Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura def. The New Day
- SmackDown Women’s Championship: Bayley def. Nikki Cross
- United States Championship Match: MVP vs. Apollo Crews (No Contest, MVP crowns himself new champion)
- Eye for an Eye Match: Seth Rollins def. Rey Mysterio
- Raw Women’s Championship: Asuka vs. Sasha Banks (No Contest
- WWE Championship: Drew McIntyre def Dolph Ziggler
- Wyatt Swamp Fight: Bray Wyatt def. Braun Strowman