WWE was set to resume airing live televised matches on Monday after the governor of Florida reversed an earlier decision and declared the wrestling organization an "essential" business. The decision, outlined in anApril 9 memo from Governor Ron DeSantis' office, could open the door for other sports to resume in the state.
Although Governor DeSantis has yet to comment on the controversial move, Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings on Monday said the governor changed his earlier "non-essential" classification after meeting with WWE executives. In addition to Monday's live airing of "Monday Night Raw," the wrestling organization plans to bring back "NXT" on Wednesday and "SmackDown" on Friday, from its Orlando training facility and Full Sail University in Winter Park..
"We believe it is now more important than ever to provide people with a diversion from these hard times," a statement from WWE reads. "We are producing content on a closed set with only essential personnel in attendance following appropriate guidelines while taking additional precautions to ensure the health and wellness of our performers and staff."