The international broadcast issues that rocked todays WWE SmackDown taping in Riyadh caused more chaos than fans initially realizedand now new details have surfaced about how it impacted the show.
According to PWInsider, the unexpected power outage that hit the arena earlier today forced several matches to be cut short. While the report didnt name which bouts were affected, multiple sources confirmed that matches had to be trimmed down significantly to keep the show on schedule.
Talent was notified in real time, with producers scrambling to adjust plans as the power issues unfolded. To keep the live crowd engaged, Randy Orton came out and interacted with fans as his entrance music played, buying WWE precious time as they worked behind the scenes.
Roughly 25 minutes into the blackout, Cody Rhodes made his entrance and the video screens finally came back on. Shortly after, Carmelo Hayes appeared in street clothes, only to be dropped by a Cross Rhodes in what appeared to be an improvised segment.
The entire disruption lasted over 30 minutes but forced producers to accelerate the remaining matches and segments. Despite the shortened bouts and technical headaches, WWE confirmed that SmackDown will still air tonight on the USA Network in the United States, though viewers likely wont see the full extent of what happened behind the scenes.
Whats your take on WWE having to cut matches short? Should they have delayed the taping, or did they make the best out of a bad situation? Drop your thoughts in the commentswe want to hear what you think.
