With WWE in Berlin this week, it caused a number of things to be shifted around, and Fightful Select has learned more about the trip.
Friday's Smackdown was taped several hours ahead due to the time difference in Berlin, and numerous members of the staff and crew flew over to Berlin on Wednesday. However, a number of talent went over to Europe early for live events.
We're told that the Smackdown team headed to Europe early and most of them were there for the full week, as they did live events early in the week and stayed through Saturday's show. There were some exception in Ilja Dragunov, Ludwig Kaiser and GUNTHER, who WWE saw as valuable assets to that tours. They, as well as Sheamus missed Raw for the tour.
AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura, who many fans have been asking about, did make the trip overseas to work the live events. Neither has been injured that we've heard of at least. Though Bayley has been off-screen, she's fine and healthy, and also participated in the tour.
For those wondering Gunther was defending the world title against Sheamus, while Kaiser and Dragunov were in a US Title match with Nakamura and LA Knight.
Jacob Fatu made the trip over, which is a great sign for his WWE future, as there had been issues getting him overseas in the past, which was covered on WWE TV.
For those asking, the shorter PLE match cards are expected to continue, and WWE have been happy with how they turn out. Whenever we've asked about the reasoning for doing so, we've been told that the format has worked for them, and that it allows the company to help stack Raw and Smackdown, which they say has been especially useful when they run Smackdown in the same city as the next night's PLE
NXT did a double taping last week as some of the crew would be in Berlin ahead of this weekend, this gave those that weren't making the trip over there an extended break, although they'll be back in the fold this weekend for the PLE.
WWE has primarily only European house show dates scheduled until the Holiday tour.
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