WWE Reportedly Stops COVID Testing for Talent

WWE has reportedly stopped testing its talent for COVID-19. Fightful Select reports the move came down over the holiday weekend, with developmental talent at the WWE Performance Center being notified that the COVID testing would no longer be mandatory. Those development talents were being tested twice a week. For superstars on the WWE main roster, the company decided to notify them via an email, though it isn't clear if those who are fully vaccinated are no longer being tested, or if it includes unvaccinated individuals as well. In either case, there are reports that some of the people in WWE weren't thrilled with receiving the news.

Professional sports leagues are having a tough time keeping the spread of COVID-19 under control. Each day there's a different player and even some coaches having to enter COVID protocols, forcing them to miss several days of competition. The NBA has recently started canceling games because teams don't have the minimum requirement of players to field a competitive team. Last week the NFL postponed some games because of outbreaks amongst teams. One change the NBA is implementing is allowing teams to sign extra players to short-term contracts to bypass the cancellation of games.

Since WWE went back on the road for live events, news of superstars missing time because of COVID has greatly diminished. When live events were on hold because of the pandemic, WWE created the ThunderDome as an interactive alternative to having live fans in attendance. Monitors were set up around the ring and arena, with fans joining the action via Zoom or other video platforms. 

A clue to WWE's reasoning behind halting COVID testing may have come this weekend, when reports surfaced of WWE superstars being forced to miss live events because of positive cases. Some NXT performers are being considered to replace Raw or SmackDown competitors who can't compete. PWInsider's Mike Johnson dropped details on WWE's moves, including what the company will do to keep Day 1, WWE's next pay-per-view slotted for January 1st, from going forward.

"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," Johnson said.

What do you make of WWE's decision on COVID testing? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!