Report: WWE Resumes Raw, NXT Tapings Following Positive COVID-19 Test

After a developmental wrestler tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday, WWE resumed its filming of Raw and NXT while Smackdown was delayed due to scheduling

WWE resumed tapings of Raw and NXT at the WWE Performance Center on Wednesday, according to ESPN's Andrew Feldman. The company planned to tape next week's episode of SmackDown, but it had to be pushed back to June 26 after production did not run as scheduled.

WWE's tapings were originally paused on Tuesday after a developmental talent tested positive for the coronavirus. The infected wrestler was in the WWE Performance Center on June 9, WWE's Associate Medical Director Dr. Jeffrey Dugas said in a statement Monday night. The individual sat in the audience during a show taping and has not returned to the facility since.

"To ensure the health and safety of the company’s performers and staff, all talent, production crew and employees on site at the training and production facilities will be tested for COVID-19 immediately," Dugas said.

According to ESPN, the coronavirus tests were completed Wednesday and everyone in attendance at the resumed tapings was cleared to participate. It is unclear whether any further precautions have been put in place. 

The tests were the first administered by WWE, according to Wrestling Observer. However, this is the company's second known case of COVID-19, after an employee who worked at Wrestlemania 36 tested positive in April. 

The WWE Performance Center is located in Florida, where Gov. Ron DeSantis designated wrestling as an essential business in April. Since then, the company restructured its filming schedule to reduce travel. Now, two episodes are filmed each week—one each of Raw and SmackDown—to be released the following week. Including Tuesday's delayed shows, WWE has five more filming days on their schedule this year.

WWE operated without a crowd of onlookers between March 13 and May 25, when the company began using nonessential personnel as audience members. On Monday, a "select number of friends and family were permitted to attend WWE’s TV production," according to a statement from the company on Tuesday.

"These individuals were required to participate in medical screenings prior to entering the closed set at our training facility, and were kept apart from in-ring performers and production personnel," WWE's statement continued. "Attendance was below 20 percent capacity and social distancing guidelines were adhered to with at least six feet between parties, thus face masks were not required."

The company says that it plans to proceed with its normal television production schedule.