Report: Friday's SmackDown IS Moving To WWE Performance Centre

PWInsider.com are sticking to their story that Friday night's WWE SmackDown will take place from WWE's Performance Centre due to concerns over the spreading of the coronavirus.

WWE had earlier vinously denied SmackDown would be forced to move from Detroit to WWE's in-house Performance Centre in Orlando but did note that contingency plans were planned "in the event that upcoming WWE shows are cancelled by government officials, civil authorities and/or local venues.”

Well, PWInsider notes that after "a lot of back and forth discussion" this afternoon, the decision to switch venues was eventually made. It's unknown whether any pressure from outside parties led to the decision.

It's said that WWE are still working out the exact logistics for the switch but with the show happening tomorrow night, an official announcement must surely be imminent.

The news of SmackDown's expected switch came right on the heels of Tampa officials declaring that a decision on whether WrestleMania 36 would take place in early April was still too early to be made.

Elsewhere on Thursday, AEW were forced to cancel next week's Dynamite tapings from Rochester after New York State governor Andrew Cuombo banned large gatherings of 500 or more people until further notice. It's not yet known what AEW have planned for next week's Dynamite show but rumours spreading on Thursday suggested it could take place in an empty arena from Jacksonville, Florida.