WWE SmackDown In Trouble Tonight? Wrestlers Unable To Make It
Hurricane Ian's detrimental impact on wrestling may continue with WWE SmackDown tonight.
Several wrestlers previously booked for tonight's episode of WWE SmackDown won't be able to travel to the show as a result of Hurricane Ian.
This is per Dave Meltzer in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Meltzer had reported earlier this week that WWE was "very worried" about the show, specifically with Florida-based talent travelling to Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada given the disruptions Ian has brought to their home state. Now, the Observer confirms that some Orlando-based talent won't make it.
Hurricane Ian made landfall in Florida as a category 4 storm on Wednesday, leaving over two million households and businesses without power. It already had a considerable impact on wrestling, prompting multiple changes on this week's AEW Dynamite, as well as forcing WWE to cancel a couple of NXT house shows.
WWE shuttered the Performance Center in Orlando as a consequence of Hurricane Ian. Meltzer writes, fortunately, that the building wasn't too badly damaged. The PC's relatively high elevation means it was spared from flooding. While there is a "lot to clean up from the hurricane", there was only minimal damage to the building.
Three matches are currently advertised for tonight's SmackDown: Shotzi vs. Bayley, Hit Row vs. Los Lotharios, and Ricochet and Madcap Moss vs. Sami Zayn and Solo Sikoa.