The first pre-taped, no-audience WrestleMania experienced a dramatic card change last night when, via promotional graphic, the Roman Reigns vs. Goldberg Universal Championship match that Reigns, WWE officials, and a WWE-approved media outlet had confirmed Reigns would not be in days earlier was changed to Goldberg vs. Braun Strowman. Today, three more match changes were made hours before the start of WrestleMania 36 Night One.
The most notable is that the Smackdown Tag Team Championship match has been changed from a triple threat between Miz and Morrison, The Usos, and The New Day to a singles triple threat match between John Morrison, Jimmy Uso, and Kofi Kingston.
The storyline reason WWE gives for this is that Miz was injured during last night’s episode of Smackdown. The reported real-life reason, per the Wrestling Observer Newsletter earlier this week, is that Miz showed up to the WrestleMania tapings sick and was not allowed to perform. Miz’s illness is also, according to WON, what prompted Reigns to pull out of his Mania match.
Two matches were also announced for the WrestleMania kickoff shows: Liv Morgan vs. Natalya and the Chikara throwback special of Drew Gulak vs. Cesaro. It looks like one of these matches will take place on Saturday and one on Sunday, but, like the rest of WrestleMania, WWE has yet to reveal which match will take place on which night.
