WWE will be making a change to their Saudi schedule this year to accommodate bringing Royal Rumble to the Kingdom next year.
The company has held two PPV events on Saudi soil since the beginning of its 10-year deal with the country in 2018, with the exception of the COVID years in 2020 and 2021.
During the 2024 TKO fourth quarter earnings call this week, however, CFO Andrew Schleimer revealed that the company will only hold one event in the Middle East this year, and make up for it in 2026:
“Our guidance for 2025 includes one PLE in Saudi Arabia, compared to two PLEs in 2024. This results in an unfavorable impact to our 2025 plan of approximately $55 million of total company revenue. We expect to host three PLEs in Saudi Arabia in 2026, including Royal Rumble,”
WWE has already announced the 2026 Royal Rumble event from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as part of Riyadh Season. So far, the company has not confirmed the date for the 2025 Saudi event.
TKO Group Holdings, the parent company of WWE is expanding its partnership with the Saudi government in other ways as well. Their other major promotion UFC held their second big Saudi event in UFC Fight Night 250 earlier this month.
Apart from this, the company is also nearing an agreement to start a brand-new combat sports league with the help of the country’s Public Investment Fund. You can check out more details on the matter here.
Turki Alalshikh, the Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority in Saudi Arabia, has shared his love for Vince McMahon. On X, Alalshikh shared a photo of the former WWE Chairman/CEO with a series of heart emojis.
Alalshikh’s post spawned a variety of comments both supporting and opposing McMahon. Some even called for Alalshikh to bring McMahon in for a reported new boxing league in the country. The league will be overseen by TKO, the parent company of WWE and UFC.
Alalshikh’s support for McMahon demonstrates that there are still some on the 79-year-old’s side, despite the controversies that have been spotlighted in recent years. McMahon began working closely with the General Entertainment Authority in 2018 when WWE began hosting high-profile Premium Live Events in Saudi Arabia. The lucrative decade-long deal has seen WWE host 12 events in the Middle Eastern nation so far.
McMahon has plans to launch his own entertainment production company once his legal issues have been settled, though it’s not believed that a new wrestling promotion is in the billionaire’s future. With Alalshikh’s backing though, fans can’t count out McMahon working with the Saudi Arabian General Entertainment Authority once again, despite the controversies that continue to follow the former WWE leader.
TKO, the parent company of both UFC and WWE is all set to add another sports league to its profile very soon in association with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The American media conglomerate has been in talks with The Kingdom’s Public Investment Fund to launch a new boxing league according to New York Times. Per the site, Sela, a subsidiary of the Saudi PIF will be the major investor behind this league with TKO serving as the management entity.
Current UFC head Dana White is poised to be the managing partner for this new endeavour. TKO has been offered an equity stake and a share of the revenue in return of their services and they’ll earn a management fee of close to $30 million a year.
While an official statement from TKO on the matter claimed that they had ‘nothing to announce,’ the report suggests that this new partnership could be made official ‘within weeks.’ UFC’s US TV media rights deal with ESPN is set to expire this year and the combat sports giant could try to bundle the rights for the new boxing league with UFC to get it off the ground.
The Saudi government has backed some of the biggest boxing fights of history in recent years. This includes the recent faceoff between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury which resulted in Usyk being crowned the first undisputed heavyweight champion in more than a generation.
This new league is part of the continuous efforts from the Saudi government to change the country’s image and draw attention away from human rights violations with various sports programs, generally known as sports washing.
Since its live debut in January 1993, WWE Raw has been broadcast from nearly a dozen countries, including Canada, England, Italy, Mexico, Germany, Iraq, and Afghanistan.
WWE’s return to Saudi Arabia in November for Crown Jewel 2024 which will feature the first-ever WWE Raw taping in the country. WWE Crown Jewel will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday, November 2, 2024. WWE will tape a special episode of Raw on Sunday, the day after Crown Jewel, which will air in its usual time slot.
Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, announced the historic event as part of #RiyadhSeason 2024:
WWE’s website does not have a Monday Night RAW listed for November 4, which will be the first Monday of the month and the first after Crown Jewel 2024. The previous week’s RAW will take place in Hershey, PA, and the following week will see the roster travel to Grand Rapids, MI.
Wrestling fans in Saudi Arabia can watch WWE Raw, WWE SmackDown and other WWE programming through the MBC Shahid streaming platform.
WWE has hosted eleven Premium Live Events since launching its lucrative relationship with Saudi Arabia with 2018’s Greatest Royal Rumble. Earlier this year, WWE hosted its first TV taping, the go-home SmackDown before King and Queen of the Ring, in Jeddah.
Reports of Monday Night RAW coming to Saudi Arabia come after the nation’s representatives expressed interest in furthering their ongoing deal. In May, Turki Alalshikh, Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority Chairman spoke of enhancing the current deal and hopes to bring WWE’s biggest events to the Kingdom. Alalshikh mentioned bringing the Royal Rumble and WrestleMania to Saudi Arabia, as well as UFC pay-per-views.
Matt Hardy has opened up about his experience in Saudi Arabia.
The former WWE star visited the country with the rest of the roster for two early PLEs in the Kingdom. He teamed with Bray Wyatt to win the vacated Raw Tag Team Championships at the Greatest Royal Rumble in 2018 and competed in a battle royal at the 2019 Super ShowDown event.
During the latest episode of his Extreme Life with Matt Hardy podcast, the Broken One reflected on his experience in the country. He compared the environment there to Los Angeles where the accommodations were luxuries but they had to deal with hot weather. The former Champion also claimed that everyone he met there was super nice to him:
“All those people that came to the show or that we met, they were all super kind. They’re all super nice. I did like a VIP party at one point and everybody there was just as friendly and as kind as it could have been. That’s one of the things that I think sometimes people forget about. Most of the people that live in Saudi Arabia are just normal human beings like you and I that have red blood whenever their skin gets cut open, that have a heart and lungs and whatever else in there, just trying to make it through every day and trying to live the best life they possibly can.
So my impressions of it were that it was nice, and you could see there was wealth in the country. Some of the spreads we had to eat were like outrageously great and good. We were taken very good care of while we were there. The hotel was very nice. The food was very nice. So no complaints on any of that front. And even the people that we met that we worked with that were like more government-type officials they were all very nice. There was nobody that was weird. There was no one that was off-putting.”
It Made Me Appreciate United States Even More: Matt Hardy
Matt Hardy teamed with Bray Wyatt at the Greatest Royal Rumble (Photo: WWE)
Though despite all the luxuries, all the roster members were still on their toes not wanting to break any laws of Saudi Arabia. Matt Hardy also recalled an incident that made him appreciate the freedoms of US more:
“Probably the strangest thing and this is me being an American, right and growing up in the South. I just grew up [with] my dad, I would get my ass beat if it wasn’t ‘Yes, sir. Yes, ma’am.’ and whatnot. Just the way the women had to wear their outfits in the job whatever you see in majority of the women’s eyes.
Not everyone had to dress fully like that but the majority of the people did. There was one point where I was out on the beach hanging out with a couple guys. A couple guys came in front of us that were wearing shorts and short sleeve shirts, whatever. They say ‘Oh our kids are big fans. they would love to meet you.’ They said ‘If you can wait a second our wives are taking care of them’ Their wives were over there and they’re fully dressed in the outfits the wives have to wear during the day when they’re out on public.
And it was just, that was strange, you know, and I guess everybody that was there was just very much on their toes. They just wanted to act proper because you didn’t want to do anything that would break laws in Saudi Arabia obviously, just because it’s a very different culture from us. It is what it is. We knew what we were going into. It was a very different culture. They live very differently than we do here in America. I feel like even the experience of going over there made me appreciate America and the United States even more just because of all the freedoms we have.”
The latest WWE PPV from Saudi Arabia dubbed King and Queen of The Ring will be airing live from the Jeddah Super Dome on May 25.
WWE’s visits to Saudi Arabia always make headlines and their shows in the country are filled with memorable moments. Not all of these moments however are planned in advance.
Former WWE star Matt Hardy talked about his experiences of being part of some of the early WWE shows in the Kingdom on the latest episode of his podcast.
During the episode, he was asked about one such moment that Hardy got to witness firsthand, which was Titus O’Neil’s hilarious fall during his entrance in the Greatest Royal Rumble in 2018. Hardy branded it as the ‘craziest most insane thing ever’:
“It was just the craziest most insane thing ever. I remember everyone saw him slide underneath the ring and everybody was like ‘he’s dead.’ I mean everybody felt like he slid into a portal and he’s now somewhere in the 15th dimension. It was just so crazy that he ran and slid.”
It Was So Crazy: Matt Hardy
Matt Hardy mentioned that Titus could have hit the steel posts beneath the ring and got seriously injured. The former Prime Time Player however, somehow managed to come out unscathed:
“In the middle of the frame, of the ring there’s like an iron or steel post that’s big and thick that goes to the floor. Everyone’s like ‘Oh my god, if he slid in and hit his neck on that thing, he broke his neck.’ He made it in and he got out unscathed, which was crazy.
It was so crazy. It was just like such a viral moment because if you would have planned that you couldn’t have done it in 1000 takes. It just happened on that one take and he was able to get in and get out unscathed and uninjured. It was crazy.”
Hardy was part of two WWE events in Saudi Arabia. He teamed with Bray Wyatt to win the Raw Tag Team Titles at the Greatest Royal Rumble in 2018 and competed in the 51 Men Battle Royal won by Mansoor at Super ShowDown in 2019.
WWE will be running their 11th PPV event from the country called King and Queen of The Ring from the Jeddah Super Dome today on May 25. You can check out the streaming details and full match card for the show here
WWE has been doing incredible business since merging with UFC to form TKO Group Holding. After the official formation on September 12, 2023, WWE has achieved groundbreaking deals, including their $5 billion deal with Netflix. While their flagship show, Monday Night Raw, will stream exclusively on the streaming service in January 2025, it seems Netflix may have more plans for WWE.
TKO Chief Operating Officer and President Mark Shapiro recently spoke about the future of WWE at the annual J.P Morgan Global Technology, Media, and Communications Conference. In his speech, he touched on WWE’s deal with Netflix, and there are discussions of doing documentaries on WWE superstars. He also noted that the popular streaming service may do a behind-the-scenes series with WWE, like Netflix’s Formula 1: Drive to Survive.
Postwrestling’s Andrew Thompson transcribed the following quotes from Shapiro.
“…I think the very first genre you’ll see out of WWE in terms of ancillary programming will be a Drive to Survive show. That’s contemplated for the first season, and we’ll also do some documentaries, probably on a few of our superstars, said Shapiro. He continued, “Our current deal is up at the end of the year for WWE, but I would expect to see a Drive to Survive-type show next year to go along with the first of our live telecasts.”
WWE legend The Undertaker recently floated an idea about WWE legends having roasts on Netflix after the success of NFL great Tom Brady’s live show. Shapiro shared that the streaming service does seem to have more roasting events planned for the future. However, it’s unclear if Netflix wants to do a WWE-style roast when Monday Night Raw joins the service in 2025.
TKO President On WWE’s Next Deal With Saudi Arabia
Along with a promising update on the WWE’s deal with Netflix, Shapiro also commented on the company’s agreement with Saudi Arabia. WWE will host their upcoming King and Queen Of The Ring premium live event on May 25 at the Jeddah Super Dome in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The TKO president shared that an expansion of the WWE deal with the country in the next 6 to 12 months.
“You’ve seen us monetize site fees with the likes of Saudi Arabia for WWE. You can look for us to expand our current deal in the next 6-12 months. Very happy with M.B.S. (Mohammed bin Salman) and the partnership we have there. We have two events a year, but we’re already in discussions,” said Shapiro.
The TKO President also mentioned that WWE President Nick Khan is leading the conversation with Saudi Arabia to host more events in the country. The current deal is expected to end in 2028. It’s unclear how long the company wants to extend its contract with Saudi Arabia, but TKO isn’t slowing down and is continuing to seek lucrative deals for WWE.
The 2026 WWE Royal Rumble and possibly WrestleMania 42 could take place in Saudi Arabia if higher-ups with the Middle Eastern Kingdom have their way.
During an appearance on Ariel Helwani’s MMA Hour podcast, Saudi GEA chairman Turki Alalshikh was asked about plans for the Royal Rumble or WrestleMania to happen in Saudi Arabia. Alalshikh explained that “we are talking around 2026-2027.”
Alalshikh’s hopes for the Royal Rumble and WrestleMania in 2016 are hardly unfounded. A recent report revealed that Saudi authorities are hopeful that both shows will take place in the nation in the future. If so, it’ll be the first time either the Royal Rumble or WrestleMania has taken place outside of North America.
Events In Saudi Arabia
Talk of WrestleMania in Saudi Arabia comes at an interesting time in the event’s history. Both John Cena and Cody Rhodes have advocated for the first non-North American WrestleMania to happen in the UK, an idea that has been supported by recently-reelected London Mayor Sadiq Khan. With that said, WWE President Nick Khan has stated that the ‘Big 4’ events will remain in North America for the time being.
As for the Royal Rumble, WWE held its ‘Greatest Royal Rumble’ in 2018 with the titular 50-man match being won by Braun Strowman. The event sparked controversy given that no women were allowed at the event though Saudi Arabia has since gotten rid of this ban.
Alalshikh at a WWE Crown Jewel press event with Paul Levesque and Stephanie McMahon-Levesque.
At the time, it was reported that Saudi authorities had requested Yokozuna and The Ultimate Warrior for the Rumble match despite both having been dead for years at that point. Though it wasn’t Yokozuna, WWE did involve sumo-wrestler Hiroki Sumi into the match.
WWE’s next event in Saudi Arabia will be King And Queen of the Ring. The May 25, event will see the finals of the two titular tournaments as well as various title matches.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia could soon be hosting more events from WWE, according to Endeavor President Mark Shapiro.
The decade-long deal between the two sides began in 2018 during Vince McMahon’s tenure running WWE. The deal currently sees WWE host two lucrative events a year in Saudi Arabia, often with the company’s biggest stars as well as part-time performers.
When McMahon stepped down in January 2024, there had been speculation as to what this would mean for the often-controversial Saudi deal. While speaking on the TKO Q1 earnings call, Mark Shapiro, president of Endeavor, was quick to shut down the idea that Vince’s exit had changed things in terms of the agreement.
“There was a lot of speculation with Vince being gone, ‘would that impact the relationship in a negative way? Would they be looking to get out of it?’ I would say that Nick Khan, in particular has developed, sustained, cultivated, and nurtured a very strong relationship in a handoff from Vince. They have a lot of trust and faith in each other.”
Shapiro added that WWE could explore the idea of hosting more than two events in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
“We have a strong and healthy relationship with the Kingdom, through WWE, and doing two annual events a year… Potentially, we could look to do more events, but nothing is planned beyond those two events at this time.”
Mark Shapiro believes WWE could host more than two events each year in Saudi Arabia.
WrestleMania In Saudi Arabia?
If WWE does plan to host more annual events in Saudi Arabia, then WrestleMania could be on the list. Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority hopes to bring WrestleMania to the country, as well as the Royal Rumble. They also have their sights set on UFC events that fall under the TKO banner. Nick Khan has however stated that currently, WrestleMania and other major events will stay in North America for the time being.
WWE could soon be hosting the Royal Rumble or even WrestleMania in Saudi Arabia, if the nation’s big plans for TKO Group Holdings come to fruition.
Since 2018, the company has hosted major shows from Saudi Arabia as part of the nation’s ‘Saudi 30’ vision to bring mainstream Western entertainment to the kingdom WWE is paid handsomely for these events In November 2022, a report revealed that the eight events in Saudi Arabia at the time had earned WWE more than the first 38 WrestleManias.
Turki Alalshikh, Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority Chairman, tells ESPN that an ‘enhancement’ of the current deal between WWE and Saudi Arabia will be revealed later this month. He stated their desire to host WrestleMania or the Royal Rumble in Saudi Arabia, but did not specify if hosting either would be part of the forthcoming announcement.
They also want to host major UFC pay-per-views. “We will do big things with the UFC and TKO,” Alalshikh said.
UFC 306 will take place this September in Las Vegas but will feature plenty of promotional material for the annual Riyadh Season of entertainment. Alalshikh explained that Saudi Arabia has plans for WWE and UFC, both of whom fall under TKO Group Holdings.
WrestleMania in Saudi Arabia?
Talk of WrestleMania in Saudi Arabia comes at an interesting time in the event’s history. Both John Cena and Cody Rhodes have advocated for the first non-North American WrestleMania to happen in the UK, an idea that has been supported by recently-reelected London Mayor Sadiq Khan. With that said, WWE President Nick Khan has stated that the ‘Big 4’ events will remain in North America for the time being.
Will Saudi Arabia’s work with TKO bring WrestleMania to the nation?
There’s also the question of how a Saudi Arabian WrestleMania will be received by fans. Initial events as part of this deal faced serious backlash as women were banned from competing. That has since changed though women wear outfits that cover their entire bodies in accordance with the nation’s standards. Ultimately, the money Saudi Arabia is willing to pay could bring WrestleMania to the nation, but this will be a decision that should not be made without careful consideration.
The WWE Experience is part of the latest Riyadh Season, which is an annual state-funded entertainment and sports festival. Riyadh Season starts in October and ends towards March during winter and spring in the Saudi Arabia capital.
Inside the WWE Experience
While the WWE Experience will only exist in Riyadh, fans around the world have been able to get an in-depth look at the center. On Twitter, WWE CCO Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque shared his excitement for the WWE Experience and a video from inside. This video comes from the area celebrating the championship history of WWE, which features several, titles as well as photographs of some of the great champions in the company’s history.
One of my favorite things about @WWE… its rich history. This championship title display is beyond impressive.
The WWE Experience also includes a ‘Become a Superstar’ experience which allows attendees to make their own unique entrance. Fans are encouraged to test their wits in an escape room where they must depart The Undertaker’s graveyard before they join the countless souls the WWE Hall of Famer has claimed. There is also a Hall of Immortals which features some of WWE’s all-time greats.
WWE and Saudi Arabia
In 2018, WWE marked the start of its lengthy deal with the Middle Eastern kingdom with the Greatest Royal Rumble show. At the time, WWE faced heavy criticism for signing a deal with the nation, given the country’s stance against LGBTQ+ people and women’s rights. Many found the deal to be in opposition to WWE’s ‘Women’s Revolution.’
The WWE Universe in Saudi Arabia will soon get to participate in the ‘WWE Experience’ which will open its doors later this week.
The WWE-themed events center can be found at Blvd City and will open on February 16. The WWE Experience is part of the latest Riyadh Season, which is an annual state-funded entertainment and sports festival. Riyadh Season starts in October and ends towards March during winter and spring in the Saudi Arabia capital.
The WWE Experience
The center features several areas for wrestling fans to explore. Attendees can attempt to escape The Undertaker’s graveyard or walk among the Hall of Immortals which features some of WWE’s all-time greats. For those looking to the future, they can participate in the ‘Become a Superstar’ experience which allows them to make their own unique entrance.
Get ready for thrilling moments with the "WWE" experience 😍 Stay tuned for the grand opening at BlvdCity 🇸🇦❤ February 16 🗓
In 2018, WWE marked the start of its lengthy deal with the Middle Eastern kingdom with the Greatest Royal Rumble show. At the time, WWE faced heavy criticism for signing a deal with the nation, given the country’s stance against LGBTQ+ people and women’s rights. Many found the deal to be in opposition to WWE’s ‘Women’s Revolution.’
WWE Hall of Famer The Undertaker recently surfaced in Saudi Arabia as part of the festivities for the match between Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr.
Before the game kicked off, the Phenom, decked in full Undertaker attire, appeared in front of the crowd at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. After his entrance, which included his WWE theme music, The Undertaker held up the Riyadh Season Cup to the sound of lightning and thunder.
While The Undertaker had his final farewell at Survivor Series 2020, that didn’t mark the end of the Phenom. Undertaker has appeared out of character at several ‘1 deadMAN’ events, in which the legend regales stories from his career and answers questions from the audience. The Undertaker has appeared out of character at multiple WWE events since his retirement, including at WrestleMania 38 and at the Raw is XXX show in January of last year.
Outside of wrestling, The Undertaker appeared (in character) to introduce Pitbull at a concert in Saudi Arabia. The WWE Hall of Famer also appeared in character for Netflix’s interactive special ‘Escape The Undertaker.’ The interactive experience sees the New Day arrive in The Undertaker’s funeral home and need to find a way out before they become trapped forever.
What moment from is career left The Undertaker shaking in his boots…
Vince McMahon is back with WWE, and the company could soon be owned by Saudi Arabia, and that’s just something Jim Ross believes the WWE Superstars have to accept.
McMahon returned to WWE last week, initially as a member of the Board of Directors, but has since powered his way into being appointed ‘Executive Chairman.’
It was reported this week that the company had been sold to the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund, but it was later clarified that this sale isn’t complete just yet.
Don’t Be a Baby
McMahon’s return to WWE has not gone down well with fans or those backstage, with the belief being that morale was much better with him gone.
It has been reported that talent have been left fearful that mass-cuts will resume with McMahon in charge again, and some anonymous Superstars have told sources they want out.
Speaking on his Grilling J.R. podcast, Ross, a former WWE Head of Talent Relations, gave his advice to the roster.
“I’m sure that the guys that work there are wondering what the hell’s going on. My advice to them is just do your job. Come to work on time, don’t be a problem child, don’t be a baby. Be willing to go along with things to see how it’s gonna work out.”
Jim Ross.
Saudi Arabia
McMahon’s return isn’t the only thing that is shaking morale in WWE at this time.
While reports of WWE being sold to Saudi Arabia were premature, many believe that this sale will still happen down the line.
Fightful Select reported this week that while nobody has asked for their release yet, one talent said “they’d be done” if WWE goes through with a Saudi sale.
On a Fightful live-stream, Sean Ross Sapp said that talent have threatened to walk out if this sale happens, and “100%” believes that those Superstars will go ahead with their threat.
Neither WWE nor the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund has confirmed or even commented on the reports of a sale taking place.
The Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund may be the new owners of WWE, but the nation may not have gotten a good deal on their acquisition.
It was reported this week that the fund has purchased WWE, but neither side has confirmed reports of a sale.
The Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund has $620 billion in wealth and is overseen by its Chairman, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman.
Overpaid
With over half-a-trillion dollars to their name, the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund can certainly afford to purchase WWE.
During a Fightful live-stream, Sean Ross Sapp reported that there is a chance the Saudis “grossly overpaid” considering the competition that they faced.
Other names reportedly interested in buying WWE include FOX, Comcast, Apple, Netflix, Disney, and Amazon.
Sapp reiterated multiple times during the stream that nothing has been confirmed to him regarding a sale, and that there is a possibility that this deal has not happened.
Creative
When Vince McMahon returned to WWE last week, there were immediate concerns that he would make a move to return as Head of Creative.
Following McMahon’s retirement in July of last year, Triple H was appointed Head of Creative, and earned critical acclaim from fans.
Sapp noted that if there was any possible buyer that would be open to appointing McMahon as Head of Creative again, it is Saudi Arabia.
With that said, Sapp added that the relationship between the two sides isn’t perfect, and noted McMahon turning off the broadcast for Crown Jewel 2019 in Saudi Arabia as he hadn’t been paid for previous shows.
After that event, WWE’s roster were prohibited from taking off, with the explanation given that there were mechanical issues with the aircraft.
There are a lot of questions about the future of WWE right now, and Ronda Rousey doesn’t have the answers.
It was reported this week that the promotion has been sold to the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund, though neither WWE nor that fund has confirmed that.
The Public Investment Fund controls $620 billion in assets with Saudi Royal Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman serving as Chairman of the fund.
Rousey
No matter who ends up owning WWE, odds are that Ronda Rousey will continue to be prominently featured on programming.
During a YouTube Gaming stream, Rousey was asked by a fan whether she will be appearing at the February 3, SmackDown in Greenville, South Carolina.
Rousey did not confirm her appearance for the show and instead highlighted just how much is changing at this time in WWE.
“If you haven’t noticed, everything’s a little bit in flux with the WWE right now. I don’t think anybody knows what’s going on with anybody this week, let alone weeks from now.”
Ronda Rousey.
Names advertised for that particular SmackDown include Drew McIntyre, Braun Strowman, the Brawling Brutes, Sami Zayn, Undisputed WWE Tag Champions The Usos, and WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair.
Unhappy
WWE’s roster was far from thrilled with the return of Vince McMahon, as morale had improved significantly following his retirement.
With reports of a purchase from Saudi Arabia, things have only gotten worse, with talent being said to be “p*ssed off” over the potential deal.
One anonymous WWE Superstar is ready to walk if the reports of the company being purchased by Saudi Arabia are indeed accurate.
Last week, Vince McMahon returned to WWE, less than six months after his retirement to oversee a sale of the promotion.
McMahon has since been reappointed to WWE’s Board of Directors and has been appointed as Executive Chairman of the Board, replacing his daughter Stephanie McMahon.
Done
WWE’s relationship with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has always been controversial and the company’s events in the nation often see boycotts by fans.
Fightful Select reports that those in WWE are also wary and concerned about the possibility of the company being owned by the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund.
No talent who spoke to Fightful said they have already requested their release, but at least one talent said “they’d be done” with WWE if the Saudi purchase goes through.
Fightful did not give any indication as to who this anonymous Superstar is.
There has been an incredible amount of concern among staff and talent regardless of the Saudi purchase reports, with Vince McMahon back in control.
Neither WWE nor the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund has confirmed or even commented on the reports of a sale taking place.
WWE’s Roster and Saudi Arabia
While the majority of WWE Superstars appear at the Saudi Arabia events, some are able to boycott the shows due to personal beliefs.
In the case of Sami Zayn, the decision has been made for the Syrian-Canadian wrestler to not work the shows due to Saudi Arabia’s hostile past with Syria.
Kevin Owens has refused to appear at Saudi events in solidarity with his real-life best friend and on-screen rival.
WWE is reportedly now the property of the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund, which isn’t sitting right with those on the roster.
Last week, Vince McMahon returned to WWE to oversee a sale of the company, mere months after his retirement in July of last year.
McMahon has since regained his position as WWE’s Chairman of the Board, replacing his daughter Stephanie, though Nick Khan has remained as the sole CEO.
P*ssed Off
This week, it was reported by multiple verified sources that a WWE sale has taken place and that it has been purchased by the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund.
WWE has not confirmed the reports themselves, nor has the Saudi Public Investment Fund.
Speaking on a Fightful live stream, Sean Ross Sapp reported that the talent is far from happy about what is going on.
“I can tell you one thing. I know talent is pissed off. Real pissed off. Really really mad. Really dejected. Really frustrated. And this is all based on rumors. This is not official, nothing like that.”
Sean Ross Sapp.
WWE has worked with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for years and is part of a decade-long deal with the nation to host major events there.
This relationship was put on hold during the Covid-19 pandemic, with the missing dates being tacked on to the end of the deal.
WWE and Saudi Arabia
The reports that WWE are now owned by the Saudi Public Investment Fund raise a lot of questions about the future of the company.
WWE’s relationship with the kingdom has always been controversial given the country’s restrictive laws on women, LGBTQ+ people, and other groups.
There is also the question of Sami Zayn, arguably WWE’s most popular Superstar today, who given his Syrian heritage, is not allowed to compete at any Saudi shows.
WWE’s relationship with Saudi Arabia may be a highly-controversial one, but the checks are certainly worth it according to Kurt Angle.
The decade-long deal between WWE and the middle-eastern nation began in 2018 and sees WWE be paid a small fortune to host shows.
WWE’s relationship with the country has been a source of controversy given Saudi Arabia’s restrictive views on women and approach to LGBTQ+ people.
Angle in Saudi Arabia
After returning to WWE in 2017, Kurt Angle would compete at some of WWE’s earliest shows in Saudi Arabia prior to his WrestleMania 35 retirement.
Speaking on his podcast, Angle was asked for his reaction to learning that WWE were working with Saudi Arabia.
“I loved it! And the main reason is money, money, money. When you go to these places they spend a lot. These were bought shows. Saudi Arabia… You’re talking 200 million dollars for two shows a year. That’s incredible.”
When asked if he ever thought he’d compete at such a unique event, Angle reiterated how well he was paid.
“No, [I didn’t think I would be part of a show like this.] But I was glad I was. I mean, the paychecks are very generous.”
Kurt Angle.
Unhappy
Angle may have been well-paid for his work in Saudi Arabia, but WWE’s use of him did not sit right with the Olympian.
On his show, Angle said he wasn’t a fan of his booking, but understood why WWE didn’t give him more prominent spots.
“What I will say is this. They didn’t put me in great spots as you know. I think I did I did a Royal Rumble [2018’s Greatest Royal Rumble.] I also did a seven-minute match with Dolph Ziggler [WWE Crown Jewel 2018.]
“They didn’t put me in great spots.”
Kurt Angle on his Saudi Arabia booking.
“The match wasn’t [good.] Dolph was great, don’t get me wrong but me at this point in time I wasn’t so great. I had really started to lose a step at this particular time in my career. The match wasn’t where I wanted to be. I was hoping more for the main event status, but still, the money was still really good.”
Tangling with the Dragon
Angle may not have had the prominent spots he was hoping for in Saudi Arabia, but he did get to lock horns with Bryan Danielson.
Danielson (then Daniel Bryan) also competed in the Greatest Royal Rumble, and nearly won the 50-man match.
Speaking about a spot where he locked up with Bryan, Kurt said it was a delight to do something in the ring.
“We wanted to do something special. So Daniel actually came up with it and it was a great little spot. I enjoyed working with him. Man he’s so talented and he’s not just an incredible high flyer he’s a great technician too. Daniel Bryan could be one of the best overall workers in the business today.”
Speaking about the expected Iron Man match between Danielson and AEW World Champion MJF, Kurt had doubts that the holder of the Big Burberry Belt will be able to keep up.
Logan Paul will be attempting to do the impossible at Crown Jewel when he challenges Roman Reigns for the Unified WWE Universal Championship.
One big problem the YouTube star will have to overcome if he wants to win the title is The Bloodline. Now it appears that he might not have to do it alone.
Logan’s brother Jake Paul recently replied to the announcement of this Crown Jewel match, and he noted that he might have to go to Saudi Arabia for this bout:
“Logan is the definition of anything is possible. 2 matches in WWE and he’s challenging for the belt. I might have to come to Saudi Arabia for this.”
Logan is the definition of anything is possible. 2 matches in WWE and he’s challenging for the belt. I might have to come to Saudi Arabia for this. https://t.co/fQkoSWIPTI
Apart from being a celebrity, Jake Paul is also a boxer. He has defeated opponents such as retired MMA star Ben Askren and former UFC champion Tyron Woodley.
There is no doubt that the rest of the Bloodline will accompany Roman Reigns for his match against Logan Paul at the Saudi show.
With Jake’s boxing background, it wouldn’t be a surprise if he ends up joining the action to help even the odds and help his brother win the biggest prize in sports entertainment.
How do you feel about Logan Paul getting a shot at the undisputed title and his brother being at his side? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.
After tonight’s episode of RAW from Sacramento, WWE staff and talent will charter a flight to Saudi Arabia for Thursday’s Crown Jewel event. The flight takes about 20 hours in total when flown commercially.
Everyone traveling will have to pass a COVID-19 PCR test before boarding, according to PWInsider, and it is believed that everyone will need to be vaccinated as well, although that is not confirmed.
Following Crown Jewel, WWE staff and talent will then board a flight to Wichita, Kansas for Smackdown. When flown commercially, that flight time is approximately 18 hours. Provided there are no delays this time around, they should arrive in time for Smackdown on Friday.
2019 Crown Jewel Show Led To Travel Delays
There is a lot of controversy regarding what happened following the 2019 Crown Jewel event in Saudi Arabia. A long delay prevented WWE talent from flying out of the country. As a result, several Superstars did not make it to that week’s Smackdown event on time. Several wrestlers from NXT had to be brought in for the show. Many advertised matches did not happen as a result of wrestlers being stuck in Saudi Arabia.
The chartered flight company Atlas Air would later release a statement regarding the incident.
“A chartered WWE passenger flight operated by Atlas Air is currently delayed in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia due to a mechanical issue. The flight was scheduled to depart at 0300 local time on November 1. Our top priority is always to ensure our passengers arrive safely and on time at their destination. The aircraft is being repaired and will be inspected and certified before returning to service to transport our passengers to their final destination. We regret that operational disruptions delayed the flight and apologize to our passengers who were inconvenienced.”
Looking forward to seeing who the locker room leader is on Monday.. 🍿 ❤️
WWE has announced that Bobby Lashley will be taking on Goldberg in a No Holds Barred match at the upcoming Crown Jewel pay-per-view from Saudi Arabia.
These two heavyweight stars originally collided at the SummerSlam PPV in a WWE championship match in August. The All-Mighty won this match when his opponent was declared unable to compete due to a knee injury.
However, Lashley continued attacking the former WCW star afterward. He attacked Goldberg’s son Gage when he came to check on his father as well. Goldberg had vowed to take revenge over this.
This week’s Raw then saw the former Universal champion challenging Lashley for the bout. Bobby Lashley was the one who suggested the stipulation for the match.
WWE announced a few other matches for the Crown Jewel PPV alongside Lashley vs. Goldberg during the night. You can check out the updated card for the show below:
Universal Championship Match: Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns
WWE Championship Match: Drew McIntyre vs. Big E
Triple Threat SmackDown Women’s Championship Match: Sasha Banks vs. Bianca Belair vs. Becky Lynch
Raw Tag Team Championship Match: AJ Styles and Omos vs. Randy Orton and Riddle
No Holds Barred Match: Bobby Lashley vs. WWE Hall of Famer Bill Goldberg
WWE Crown Jewel will take place on October 21 from the Mohammed Abdu Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
The next WWE event in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia called Crown Jewel 2021 will be held on Thursday, October 21 from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
According to reports from PWinsider, the decision for the schedule was made last week. There was talk of the event being held in the first Thursday of November as well but the officials ultimately settled for October 21.
The last WWE event in Saudi Arabia was the Super ShowDown PPV in February 2020. It took place from the Mohammed Abdu Arena in Riyadh with the Fiend defending his Universal title against Goldberg in the main event.
The company and the Saudi General Sports Authority had announced a 10-year partnership in 2018. Though they had to halt the deal after the Super ShowDown last year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The officials have already started planning the card for the event. Reports suggest that WWE is planning to hold the King Of The Ring and Queen Of The Ring tournaments later this year.
The tournaments are expected to begin on Raw and SmackDown in early October. The finals are being planned for the upcoming event in Saudi Arabia.
There is no word on what other matches are being discussed for the event but we will keep you posted on the plans as more details about the show come to light.
The coronavirus pandemic had forced WWE to put a pause to their relationship with Saudi Arabia but they might be looking to resume it later this year.
PWinsider recently provided some updates on the company’s return to the country. It notes that the expectation is that the promotion will run their next Saudi show in fall.
While a date for WWE’s next PPV in Saudi Arabia has not been locked yet, the officials expect to run one event there before the end of the year.
WWE first started holding live events in Saudi Arabia in 2014. The company held one live event each year from 2014 to 2016 in the Middle Eastern country.
The two parties then began an official partnership in 2018 when the Saudi General Sports Authority started advertising the Greatest Royal Rumble event.
The Greatest Royal Rumble, held in April 2018 was the company’s first televised show produced from the country. It marked the start of a 10-year partnership between WWE and the Kingdom.
WWE has since produced 4 more shows in the country. Their last show was the Super ShowDown event in February 2020 before the coronavirus pandemic halted this partnership.
Now that the world is opening back up, the company is looking to resume its normal business operations and it appears that their expected return to Saudi Arabia is a part of the plans.
The Saudi Arabia shows of WWE have always been controversial and a number of WWE stars have refused to work events in the country in the past.
Though we have also seen some progress in the situation and after the first-ever Women’s match in the country last year, this year’s edition of Super Showdown saw Naomi battling Bayley for the SmackDown Women’s title at the show.
During her recent appearance on Lilian Garcia’s Chasing Glory podcast, the former Women’s Champion talked about the show and revealed why she chose to work the event, despite having reservations about it:
“I was really happy that I got to talk to Natalya about going, because I had my own perceptions and reservations about going, like personal reasons,” Naomi stated. “Like, who I am as a woman and a person, especially with what I stand for and believe in.
I had some reservations about it. I talked to Nattie, and after hearing about her experience, I realized that me going was a way bigger impact than me not going… I knew I needed to go, and I’m so happy that I went.”
Naomi continued by saying that the fan reaction she got in
the country opened her perception and she claimed that it was way bigger than a
wrestling match.
Apart from this, Naomi talked about things like taking time away from WWE, facing a sand storm while entering Saudi Arabia and more. You can check out her full interview below: