A number of major WWE stars missed the major December 26 Holiday Tour shows, ahead of Saturday’s WWE Day 1 pay-per-view.

Last week, it was reported that a number of WWE talents and staff had tested positive for COVID-19, and that WWE planned for upcoming US tour dates to take place, with different line-ups, due to these positive tests.

WWE returned to Madison Square Garden on December 26, resuming a Holiday Tour tradition that had been paused in 2020 due to the pandemic.

PWInsider has now confirmed that WWE Champion Big E and Seth Rollins were absent from the show. Big E, Rollins and Kevin Owens were originally scheduled for a three-way steel cage bout on the show. Owens ultimately faced Edge in a steel cage match in the main event of the show.

It was also revealed that Raw Women’s Champion Becky Lynch, Bianca Belair, Bobby Lashley and Zelina Vega also missed the MSG event.

WWE also hosted a show in Tampa, Florida on the same night. Despite being advertised, Universal Champion Roman Reigns, Intercontinental Champion Shinsuke Nakamura and Xavier Woods didn’t appear. Natalya appeared during the MSG show, despite being advertised for the Tampa event.

WWE reportedly opened both Holiday Tour shows with an announcement that some talents would be missing the events due to ‘the effects of COVID-19’, however it is worth noting that a star’s absence doesn’t necessarily mean they have tested positive for the virus.

Just a note that not everyone off tonight's WWE shows tested positive. There are people being kept off the shows who haven't tested positive to minimize risk so the PPV headliners are at less risk of having to miss the event on Saturday.

— Dave Meltzer (@davemeltzerWON) December 27, 2021

We will provide additional updates on the situation as they become available.

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• Holiday Tour
• COVID-19
• Madison Square Garden
• wwe

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