Due to the coronavirus pandemic, this week’s episode of Monday Night Raw will be broadcast from the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida. No fans will be permitted to attend.
Like we saw with Friday Night SmackDown last week, it’s really weird.
It was made even weirder by the fact that WWE played the show like there were fans in the building, with some of the performers cutting promos like they were talking to fans in the arena instead of talking into the camera. That’s what they’re used to, but you’d think adjustments would be made, considering the circumstances.
It’s a tough situation for all involved, but enthusiasm is still there. Stone Cold Steve Austin’s big return would have played much better with an arena full of cheering fans, but he seems really excited anyway:
He’s spent the entire week promoting his appearance on social media every chance he’s gotten, often in the form of retweeting WWE. It makes clear that while there will be no audience, and it will feel just as strange and surreal as it did on SmackDown, there is still a television deal in place and viewership to draw in.
See you then!