The Wrestling Roundup is here to bring you all the news and rumors you need to know in one place.
WWE SmackDown Results
Friday night SmackDown aired live once again from the WWE Performance Center. This may be the last time WWE airs live programming for a while. Reports have emerged about WWE’s taping schedule for future shows (h/t CagesideSeats). The next two episodes of SmackDown will be taped tonight & tomorrow, Raw will tape on Monday for the 23rd and Tuesday for their show on the 30th. Details on the Wrestlemania tapings are still slim.
Before we get to taped content, we still had a live SmackDown to enjoy tonight. Here are the results:
- Daniel Bryan & Drew Gulak def. The Artists (Shinsuke Nakamura & Cesaro)
- WWE replayed John Cena def. Bray Wyatt at Wrestlemania 30
- Miz & Morrison def. Heavy Machinery by disqualification
The show also had some build for Wrestlemania. Rob Gronkowski debuted and got hyped with Mojo Rawley, and apparently Gronk has the ability to make matches. He made Elais versus King Corbin official for Wrestlemania. Thanks, Gronk, I guess.
Paige returned to announce a six-pack challenge for the SmackDown Women’s Championship. Bayley will defend against Sasha Banks, Lacey Evans, Naomi, Tamina, & Dana Brooke.
🚨 BOMBSHELL announcement from @RealPaigeWWE 🚨
At #WrestleMania, @itsBayleyWWE will defend her #SmackDown #WomensTitle against…
🔷 @LaceyEvansWWE
🔷 @DanaBrookeWWE
🔷 @TaminaSnuka
🔷 @NaomiWWE…and @SashaBanksWWE! pic.twitter.com/4JHvg6BVAc
— WWE (@WWE) March 21, 2020
Goldberg & Roman Reigns met face to face in the main event to sign their Wrestlemania contract. These two had an “I’m-tougher-than-you” standoff to end the show, which really doesn’t add to our excitement for their match.
Things just got REAL between #UniversalChampion @Goldberg and @WWERomanReigns on #SmackDown! pic.twitter.com/nWbmnCvFHK
— WWE (@WWE) March 21, 2020
AEW Moves Blood & Guts
Many fans were looking forward to AEW’s War Games style match Blood and Guts on the March 25th edition of Dynamite. In a Twitter threat on Friday night, AEW President & CEO Tony Khan announced that the match would not take place due to “the time and circumstances” not being right. Khan does say in the thread that Matt Hardy and Chris Jericho will be face-to-face on Dynamite this coming week as the company works to continue to provide shows. Check out the whole threat by clicking the tweet below:
The following message is from #AEW President & CEO @TonyKhan
Our goal every week with AEW Dynamite on TNT is to produce great shows for our fans, and I believe we do. We felt especially motivated to serve our audience this past Wednesday night given what the entire
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) March 21, 2020
ESPN Airing Old Wrestlemanias
With the lack of live sports, ESPN is one of many channels that need to find programming to fill the void. In a move first reported by Variety, ESPN will air three Wrestlemanias. The Wrestlemanias will be shown on Sundays starting this Sunday. ESPN will be airing:
- Wrestlemania 30 – Sunday, March 22 @ 7 PM
- Wrestlemania 32 – Sunday, March 29 @ 7 PM
- Wrestlemania 35 – Sunday, April 5 @ 3 PM
XFL Officially Cancels Season
The upstart XFL announced on Twitter on Friday that the remainder of their first season was cancelled. Play had been suspended in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, but now the remainder of the season is canceled outright. The league had played five of their ten weeks, and remains committed to playing again next year. Check out their full statement below:
To: You
From: XFL
Subject: Thank you! https://t.co/Yi82btxLqQ pic.twitter.com/74RaMHLAGm— XFL (@xfl2022) March 20, 2020
One for the Road:
This is one way to respond to losing your largest money making event of the year. Quality T-shirt here:
#WrestleMania 36 will be historic event in #WWE history, and you won't be there! Declare to the world that you did your part and stayed home with a new “I Wasn’t There” tee at #WWEShop. #Smackdownhttps://t.co/8a60F8I5zs pic.twitter.com/jTwRwGVy60
— WWEShop.com (@WWEShop) March 21, 2020
