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Multiple WWE stars, including top talent, made it clear to the company that they did not want to be booked for Crown Jewel because of safety concerns in Saudi Arabia, according to Fightful Select.
Fightful Select reported on October 31 that several wrestlers contacted the outlet after an earlier report on Crown Jewel travel, to say they had asked not to be on the show. Fightful Select wrote, “Multiple WWE stars, including top talent, made it clear to the company that they did not want to be booked for Crown Jewel because of safety concerns in Saudi Arabia. Some talent booked for the event also expressed concerns, though WWE officials have assured talent that safety precautions are a priority.”
WWE is also taking a very condensed crew to the event, with few unbooked wrestlers making the trip. Most recent WWE contracts have the Saudi Arabia events built into them, according to the report.
This is a different point from the report covered here on October 31. Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reported that no WWE talent had declined to travel for Crown Jewel, and no one booked for the show had pulled out. The Fightful Select report is about talent who tried to avoid being booked in the first place, not wrestlers who pulled out after being advertised.
The concerns follow attacks on Saudi facilities and a United States travel advisory for Saudi Arabia. Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport has been closed or running limited flights for much of October after attacks by the Houthis in Yemen on October 10.
TKO President Mark Shapiro addressed the Saudi Arabia events on a staff call on Wednesday, saying the company would not hesitate to cancel its Saudi Arabia events if conflicts in the region escalated further. Crown Jewel remains scheduled for Saturday, November 7 in Riyadh, at The Venue, also known as ANB Arena.
What is confirmed is the Fightful Select report, the November 7 date, and the new venue. What is not confirmed is which wrestlers raised concerns, or whether the card will change again in the final week.
