WWE unveiled a major change on Monday, announcing that all upcoming episodes of Friday Night SmackDown, SummerSlam and all other shows will take place at the WWE ThunderDome instead of the Performance Center in Orlando. This venue, which is actually the Amway Center in Orlando, will not feature fans due to COVID-19 regulations. However, virtual fans will help recreate the “in-arena atmosphere” while serving as the backdrop for the matches.
The first example of the ThunderDome took place on Friday night, and fans reacted in a variety of ways. Some expressed excitement after seeing themselves featured on the screen among other virtual faces. Other fans, however, took the opportunity to make jokes. They had some fun while referencing scenes from the Matrix trilogy, as well as popular Nintendo video games. One person put the ThunderDome footage next to 500 episodes of The Simpsons to show the similarities.
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ThunderDome vs. 500 episodes of The Simpsons at the same time pic.twitter.com/dRuRjmSL4T
โ ToeJam & Earl (@toejamandearl) August 21, 2020
Did you all see my Awesome #Smackdown IDebut inside the #ThunderDome? #OhBearYeah๐ป @HeyImWalter @SoupHeat @Gavinotts I had a great view. pic.twitter.com/qJvnuwqgeZ
โ #OhBearYeah๐ป (@WrestlingBear_) August 22, 2020
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I thought they censored this guy in the ThunderDome but itโs just unfortunate turnbuckle placement pic.twitter.com/3KQYxiYqBR
โ Joe Gagne (@joegagne) August 22, 2020
Nobody:
โ Fiending For Followers โผ๏ธ (@Fiend4Follows) August 22, 2020
Not a soul:
The ThunderDome crowd:#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/u30mOzhOGI
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thunderdome looks sick man pic.twitter.com/RwoGgGs5hd
โ Machine Gun Cass (@CadetCassJr) August 21, 2020
WWE Thunderdome Front Row: A Concept pic.twitter.com/nA0LYoziPj
โ ๐๐ฐ๐ต๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป๐น๐ฒ๐ผ๐ป (@LeonOnWrestling) August 22, 2020
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Is this good?#ThunderDome pic.twitter.com/OecfUxBPZT
โ ๊แธฅรฉ รฉแบแขรฉ๐๐รฉะแขรฉ โ๐ณ ๐ก๐ปโแข๐ป๐ฐเบฎ๊๐ฒะ๐ฐ๊๐ฒโะ (@danspursquins) August 21, 2020
Thoughts of #Thunderdome visually amazing. Few do it better than WWE. Has some tweaks to make but overall good. Creative still sucked. A pig with make up is still a ๐.
โ Ralph Valente (@RalphieV316) August 22, 2020
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At least the WWE tried. We give Vince points for trying. #SmackDownLIVE #Thunderdome pic.twitter.com/VitGQhevH7
โ Dirty Turnbuckle (@DirtyTurnbuckle) August 22, 2020
Going out in 2040 be like…#ThunderDome pic.twitter.com/YxYKhgxZRg
โ Andy Rebel (@Andypendent) August 22, 2020
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Vince McMahon and Bruce Prichard when someone busts out a Chris Benoit sign on the Thunderdome ๐. #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/Q7SYnkmM6q
โ Andrade โCienโ Nalgas (@DXnWoShield) August 22, 2020
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This was pretty cool #Thunderdome pic.twitter.com/Y1ZMODyb6f
โ Larry (@Larrywfrost) August 22, 2020
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This was extremely cool! Highly recommend! Was like sitting ringside at an event!! So awesome!!! #ThunderDome #WWE #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/5EeteqEE1u
โ Joe Michalochick (@MrMayor2569) August 22, 2020
THE STATE OF THE THUNDERDOME pic.twitter.com/k7vKa4fCil
โ Will Mahoney (@HeelWillMahoney) August 20, 2020
THUNDERDOME GONNA BE AWESOME pic.twitter.com/NIwPOU92nz
โ Vinnie Massaro (@snoringelbow) August 21, 2020
