WWE kicks off Amway Center residency tonight as ThunderDome debuts on Smackdown

The WWE ThunderDome experience kicks off tonight with Friday Night Smackdown live on FOX.

WWE is going back to live programming with tonight’s broadcast and all future Raw, Smackdown, and pay-per-view shows will be held at the Amway Center in Orlando. Tonight’s show also starts a two-and-a-half month residency – for now – at the Amway, as the company moves out of the WWE Performance Center for the first time in five months.

Fans will also be part of all broadcasts, albeit virtually, thanks to massive LED boards in conjunction with The Famous Group and its proprietary technology. The company held a test yesterday with hundreds of fans who were invited to check out the technology ahead of the first live show.

Pyro, lasers, and drones will be used as part of the ThunderDome experience to enhance television viewing.