Update on WWE’s Latest COVID-19 Cases, Plans for Live Events and Day 1

News broke earlier this week via PWInsider‘s Mike Johnson that an unknown number of WWE wrestlers and staff had tested positive for COVID-19 following this past weekend’s live event tour. Johnson returned with another update on Tuesday evening, stating that the company intends on continuing its touring schedule but that there’s been “a lot of running around” in an attempt to stay ahead of the situation. 

He also noted that more positive tests have come back since the initial report dropped and that the plan is to change the cards for live events (and even use NXT stars if need be) to keep the shows running. Regarding Day 1, WWE’s next pay-per-view slotted for Jan. 1, Johnson wrote, “The hope is that even if talents are unable to perform on the Holiday Tour events, the WWE Day One PPV is far enough away that anyone that does test positive will be cleared to perform by 1/1/22 as that show is currently ten days away.” The current card for Day 1 features: 

• WWE Universal Championship: Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar
• WWE Championship: Big E vs. Seth Rollins vs. Kevin Owens vs. Bobby Lashley
• SmackDown Tag Team Championships: The Usos vs. The New Day
• Raw Women’s Championship: Becky Lynch vs. Liv Morgan
• Edge vs. The Miz
• Drew McIntyre vs. Madcap Moss

There have also been various reports about the possibility of WWE going back to the WWE ThunderDome, something the company hasn’t done since it returned to touring back in July. Roman Reigns, who has been champion for well over a year on WWE’s flagship show, reflected on his work in the ThunderDome in an interview with CBS Sports in July. 

“The live crowd has always enhanced my presentation,” Reigns said. “My reactions have always been, if not the very best, certainly up there with the very best. I’ve now showcased the layers as a performer to be able to do it without a live audience. I’ve had a strong hold on SmackDown and SmackDown being the very best portion of WWE. It’s shown me as the number one guy.

“That’s my legacy coming out of the ThunderDome,” he continued. “Hands down, without question, it can be debated for great content on social media and WWE.com to put these polls and try to make an argument. But there’s no argument. There’s been nobody to ever carry the WWE product like I have over the past year and I stand on that. You can throw anybody out. We can try and be nice and say, ‘Oh, Bayley! She just got hurt. She was the best.’ Come on, let’s not lie to ourselves. The Tribal Chief has carried the WWE for well over a year now and there’s no denying it.”