WWE Stars Recall Wrestling For Few People As SmackDown Was Held With No Audiences

KEY POINTS

Sami Zayn started a thread about experiences of attending or performing for a few crowd
Kevin Owens, Seth Rollins, and other stars shared their stories as they are starting to break in the industry
Find out who wrestled with only one audience watching

We are not used to seeing crowd-drawing events with colored seats and benches showing in the background but coronavirus did just that – even WWE was not spared by the pandemic. This time, the wrestlers do not need to worry about the exposure as they will be performing at a place they know very, very well – the WWE Performance Center.

This edition of SmackDown aired with nobody in the crowd and it feels not right for people who’ve been watching pro-wrestling for decades that you will not hear either a chant, a boo, or let alone a reaction from the audience for a promo.

The scene may look weird for people who are watching WWE shows regularly but for some wrestlers in the roster, this isn’t new. Performing in a venue without people watching just made some superstars recall their experiences while they are still starting to break into the professional wrestling industry before getting reaching their current status with the WWE right now.

Sami Zayn started a thread on Twitter to ask fellow wrestlers to share their stories on how they endured a wrestling event that they are in with attendance that most would not believe they were once a part of.

Last night's historic episode of @WWE Smackdown, performed in front of no audience for the first time ever, got me thinking about the many times in my career I performed with low turnouts.

Fellow performers & fans alike - what fun memories do you have of poorly attended shows?
— Sami Zayn (@SamiZayn) March 14, 2020

Kevin Owens talked about wrestling in front of less than two-dozen people and still have the time to take a bite out of an audience’s food.

I wrestled in front of 23 people in my hometown once. You were there. We went to eat after. You probably did something odd like sit at a stranger’s table and take a bite from their plate or ask for “Dr. Peezy” when the waiter asked what you’d like to drink. https://t.co/BXlopJjkbJ
— Kevin (@FightOwensFight) March 15, 2020

The current Intercontinental Champion started sharing about his experience a decade ago where he was on a three-day event that attracted only 15 people at the maximum in Australia.

10 years ago, I was booked for 3 days in Adelaide, Australia.
Night 1 drew only one fan, so the show was canceled. Night 2 drew 8, night 3 drew 15...
But then I drove a ute, hugged a koala bear, and got to see Faith No More live, so pretty much one of the best trips of my life.
— Sami Zayn (@SamiZayn) March 15, 2020

Former world champion Seth Rollins also gave out his input by sharing a story where WWE Producer Jamie Noble did a promo in an hour to sell some DVDs

A Country Boy Can Survive. IWA-MS circa 2015-2016. Jamie Noble did in an hour plus in front of 12 people so Ian could “sell some DVDs”
— Seth “SAN DIEGOIN” Rollins (@WWERollins) March 14, 2020

Other superstars, both active and alumni, never hesitated to talk about their humble beginnings that they can call now as the “good old times.” Some of them are Drake Maverick, Bubba Ray of the Dudley Boyz, Flash Mrgan Webster of NXT UK, former wrestler Armando Estrada, and Road Dogg among others.

One time, during the attitude era, me and @RealBillyGunn had to wrestle in front of only 11k people and it was very difficult. 11k, I know, right? #OUDK
— Brian G. James (@BrianRDJames) March 15, 2020

BJW Show somewhere in North Japan during a hurricane warning
in front of about 20 people👍
— 𝕬𝖝𝖊𝖑 𝕬𝖃𝕰𝕸𝕬𝕹 𝕿𝖎𝖘𝖈𝖍𝖊𝖗 (@axeman3016) March 14, 2020

1993
Polish - American Club
Piscataway, NJ

Worked in front of 7 people. Did the job. Made $10 bucks.

Good times. 👍😃#PayYourDues
— Bully Ray (@bullyray5150) March 14, 2020

2005 for @ovwrestling at St. Theresa elementary. @bbattleready and I worked in front of 13 people and called it in the ring. 1 of the most fun nights in my career.
— Armando Estrada (@RealArmandoHaHa) March 14, 2020

Once wrestled a 12 man elimination tag match consisting of:

Myself, Marcel Barthel, Zack Sabre Jr, Tyler Bate, Pete Dunne, Chris Brookes, Damian Dunne, Kevin Lloyd, Bobby Cash, Damon Leigh, Sam Bailey and Ian Field.

There was more of us in the ring than there was in the crowd.
— Flash Morgan Webster (@Flash_Morgan) March 15, 2020