WWE Talent Reportedly Facing Pressure to Attend Crown Jewel in Riyadh
Reports say WWE is not broadly allowing talent to skip Crown Jewel; no confirmed pullouts, but some performers have expressed reluctance to travel to Saudi Arabia.
Wrestling Observer Newsletter reporter Dave Meltzer wrote that WWE is proceeding with Crown Jewel in Riyadh on November 7 and is not broadly encouraging talent to decline the trip despite security concerns in the region.
Meltzer wrote that there have been no confirmed instances of WWE Superstars pulling out of the Premium Live Event. He added that it is not clear whether WWE gave performers an option to skip the show, and said one of the company’s top stars told him the promotion isn’t pushing talent to sit the event out.
The Crown Jewel card recently listed a venue change on its ticketing page: the event is now shown at "The Venue" (ANB Venue) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, instead of the previously announced Riyadh Season Stadium. The show remains scheduled for November 7.
Separate reporting from Jonathan Coachman said Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn are among those who do not want to travel for Crown Jewel. That report noted Zayn, the Undisputed WWE Champion, is booked to challenge Roman Reigns for the Men’s Crown Jewel Title at the event. Coachman also reported Kevin Owens is set to face CM Punk on the November 6 episode of SmackDown; some fans had speculated Owens was kept off the Crown Jewel trip, but Meltzer said the names cited as having declined were not actually booked on the card.
WrestleZone compiled these details from Meltzer’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter and Coachman’s reporting. At this time, there are no independent confirmations of any WWE talent declining to travel to Saudi Arabia for Crown Jewel.
