How WWE & AEW Handle Positive Coronavirus Results Differently

WWE NXT and AEW both reportedly experienced positive COVID-19 test results within their organizations. The two handle things very differently behind the scens.

During Wrestling Observer Live, Bryan Alvarez explained the difference between how AEW and NXT handles positive COVID-19 results. AEW doesn’t forbid anyone from going public about their positive test results. Lance Archer proved that as he came forward. The story is very different in NXT.

It was explained that WWE won’t even let people talk about positive coronavirus tests behind the scenes. That means if a member of the roster becomes positive for COVID-19 they can’t tell anyone about it in creative, or anywhere else for that matter.

WWE cites HIPAA laws as the reason why nobody can go public even with their own information.

“All I can say is ‘[infected Superstar] is not available for TakeOver,'” Alvarez said. Creative only gets a list of Superstars who are available. If someone isn’t on the available list then there are no questions asked.

In WWE the reason a Superstar is unavailable for a show looks the same on paper whether they have COVID-19 or they simply asked for the night off for any other reason.

It’s not hard to watch NXT and figure out who wasn’t there, but there is no way to definitively say why anyone is missing from television. The same is true internally as all COVID-19 results must be kept 100% under wraps.