WWE RAW: Reason behind female star's absence from Madison Square Garden revealed

WWE announcer Alicia Taylor has been a favourite of many RAW fans. Taylor was present at this week’s RAW match in Brussels, which featured John Cena for the first time since he turned heel.

Amid all the excitement for the game, there were questions about why Alicia Taylor was not present at the brand’s RAW match at Madison Square Garden last week. Mike Rome had replaced her announcer there. Now, it has been revealed why Taylor failed to make it to the WWE match in New York.

WWE Raw: Where was Alicia Taylor?

As per a report in Fightful Select, Alicia Taylor was ill. This forced WWE organisers to bring in Mike Rome as a replacement. As per reports, Rome barely made it to the venue on time as it was a last-minute decision to include him in the match.


Mike Rome had missed the NXT on March 4 and was replaced by Lilian Garcia for the episode. Rome made his return to WWE with the NXT Roadblock last week. Before being moved to NXT, Rome was an announcer for both RAW and SmackDown.

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Alicia Taylor’s return to WWE

The announcer returned to the red brand’s first show in Brussels, delighting her fans. Over the next two weeks, RAW will be held in London and Glasgow. On the other hand, SmackDown will take place in Bologna, Italy, this week, followed by a stint in London.

WWE RAW: Recap

The episode saw John Cena being booed by the crowd in Brussels. Cena slammed the audience for their behaviour with him over the years. Cody Rhodes also made an appearance. The wrestler warned Cena about bringing his new avatar to WrestleMania 41. Rhodes asked the 16-time World Champion to bring back his old self, who did not complain about everything. The American Nightmare said that he wanted to wrestle with the “old” Cena and believed that the new attitude of the wrestler will not do him any favors in WrestleMania 41.

At the WWE Elimination Chamber, John Cena had sided with The Rock to betray Rhodes. The duo, alongside Travis Scott, left Cody Rhodes battered in the ring. The move had shocked many of Cena’s fans.

The wrestler’s recent explanation for his change of heart at the Elimination Chamber found support from some. WWE superstar Kofi Kingston said that John Cena did not do anything wrong.

In a post on X, Kingston shared a clip of John Cena and wrote, “Not. A. Single. Lie. Told. You people have been AWFUL."

It seems like the controversy about John Cena’s recent actions will not die down anytime soon. The WWE wrestler will be on the same place as Rhodes next week too, setting the stage for another potential confrontation.

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FAQ?

1. Where did this week’s WWE RAW take place?

The episode took place in Brussels, Belgium.

2. Why was John Cena’s appearance at WWE RAW a big deal?
It marked the first appearance of the 16-time World Champion after he turned heel at the Elimination Chamber 2025.