Tag: crown jewel

VIDEO: ‘Last Week Tonight’ covers WWE-Saudi Arabia relationship

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Ahead of Crown Jewel, WWE’s deal with Saudi Arabia continues to receive more mainstream attention.

An 18-minute segment on the suspected murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi aired on HBO’s “Last Week Tonight” with John Oliver on Sunday night. Oliver covered the United States’ relationship with Saudi Arabia and the relationship U.S. businesses have had with Saudi Arabia during the reign of Mohammad bin Salman.

Brief clips from April’s Greatest Royal Rumble were played, with Oliver saying that audiences from around the world were treated to “wall-to-wall propaganda.” Oliver later brought up WWE returning to Saudi Arabia for Crown Jewel on November 2. He did John Cena’s “You can’t see me” taunt and said “which I guess in this context means you don’t see these human rights abuses right here.”

Dave Meltzer noted on last night’s Wrestling Observer Radio that he was told that Crown Jewel will go on as scheduled unless the State Department or Donald Trump tells the company they can’t go.

The full “Last Week Tonight” segment on Saudi Arabia is available to watch below (WWE is mentioned at 6:55 and 17:00):

UPDATE: WWE Crown Jewel still scheduled

Posted on by Dave Meltzer

Update —

WWE has noted that Crown Jewel should be listed on their schedule.

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Original — 

The Crown Jewel event on November 2 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia has been removed from the WWE website’s calendar of events.

At this point WWE has not made a statement related to the show, but it was known dating back a few days that backup ideas were being talked about in the event such a decision was forced.

The event page for Crown Jewel is still up on WWE.com, though references to Saudi Arabia have been removed.

There are a number of huge ramifications of the show not taking place, if that is even the case, as perhaps it was just removed until a final decision is made. They were likely to have tomorrow as a soft deadline as they would either be promoting the show hard on television Monday or having to go with whatever new plan was in place. The Daily Beast had mentioned an idea of doing a third show in Manchester, England on November 4, since they are already taping shows on November 5 and November 6, and the arena doesn’t have a date on the Sunday. It would give the United Kingdom its first worldwide-airing pay-per-view since 1992.

But there are many key questions, both regarding the show and future of the deal with Saudi Arabia.

Will Cooling and I had a detailed discussion on Friday’s Wrestling Observer Radio regarding issues that the company is facing from a business, public relations, and matches announced standpoint.

Kane still planning on wrestling at WWE Crown Jewel

Posted on by Joseph Currier

A spokesman for Glenn Jacobs (WWE’s Kane and the mayor of Knox County, Tennessee) has noted that Jacobs still plans to wrestle at Crown Jewel in Saudi Arabia.

In an article that was published earlier this afternoon, Jacobs’ spokesman Rob Link told the Knoxville News Sentinel that Jacobs’ plans to wrestle at the event have not changed. “Mayor Jacobs won’t speculate on Mr. [Jamal] Khashoggi’s disappearance,” Link said. “However, he and his family are in the mayor’s thoughts and prayers.”

WWE issued a statement on Thursday noting that they are “currently monitoring the situation” following Khashoggi’s disappearance and suspected murder. Khashoggi, a columnist for the Washington Post who has been a frequent critic of the Saudi government, disappeared after entering Saudi Arabia’s consulate in Istanbul, Turkey on October 2.

The Turkish government reportedly has audio and video evidence showing that a Saudi security team killed Khashoggi inside the consulate.

Saudi officials have denied the allegations that are being made against them and have said that Khashoggi left the consulate shortly after he arrived.

Kane & The Undertaker are scheduled to face Triple H & Shawn Michaels at Crown Jewel in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on November 2. The Independent Journal Review ran an article today that quoted senators urging WWE to rethink the event, and Dave Meltzer reported that “there have been backup plans that are being talked about internally if the show doesn’t take place.”

Senators urge WWE to rethink Crown Jewel event

Posted on by Dave Meltzer

Several United States senators, including Chris Murphy of WWE’s home state of Connecticut, have urged WWE to rethink the Crown Jewel show on November 2 in Saudi Arabia.

“I’d hope that they would be rethinking their relationship with the kingdom, especially with respect to events coming up in the next few weeks,” said Murphy in an article by the Independent Journal Review’s William Steakin.

“This is a brazen assault on the freedom of the press and a slap in the face to the United States, if this murder occurred as it seems it did.”

Murphy is a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Lindsey Graham, a senator from South Carolina, said, “There should be a pause,” in regard to the company’s business dealings with Saudi Arabia.

Graham has suggested a complete rethinking of the U.S. relationship with Saudi Arabia based on news reports on the death of Jamal Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist believed to have been violently murdered over being critical of the kingdom.

Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey told IJR that he believes, because of the relationship between Donald Trump and Linda McMahon, that Trump should think about pressuring WWE not to do the show.

“Private enterprise is private enterprise, different than a governmental entity,” said Menendez. “But because (Linda McMahon) is part of the president’s cabinet, it falls into the grey area where the administration really should give it some thought and maybe even prevail upon them not doing it.” 

WWE is currently monitoring the situation. There have been backup plans that are being talked about internally if the show doesn’t take place.

WWE issues statement following suspected murder of Saudi journalist

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Ahead of their scheduled return to Saudi Arabia, WWE has issued a statement concerning the suspected murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

“We are currently monitoring the situation,” WWE said in a statement today.

Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist and columnist for the Washington Post who was a prominent critic of the Saudi government, disappeared and is believed to have been killed after entering Saudi Arabia’s consulate in Istanbul, Turkey on October 2 to obtain paperwork that he needed in order to marry his fiancee. The New York Times reported that Turkish security officials have concluded that Khashoggi was assassinated “on orders from the highest levels of the royal court.” Saudi officials have denied the allegations.

WWE Crown Jewel is set to take place at King Saud University Stadium in Riyadh on Friday, November 2. Following April’s Greatest Royal Rumble, this will be the second event in WWE’s 10-year agreement with the Saudi General Sports Authority.

John Cena and Kurt Angle set for WWE World Cup tournament

Posted on by Joseph Currier

John Cena and Kurt Angle are the first two wrestlers confirmed for WWE’s World Cup tournament.

The tournament will take place at Crown Jewel in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on November 2, and WWE provided more details about it on tonight’s Raw. There will be eight wrestlers in WWE’s World Cup, with four of them coming from Raw and four coming from SmackDown. WWE announced that Cena will be in the tournament on the Raw side.

The story for Cena being announced for the tournament was that he doesn’t have to qualify due to his accomplishments.

Angle returned to Raw tonight for the first time since the storyline where he was sent “on vacation” by Stephanie McMahon and Baron Corbin was named acting general manager. Angle qualified for the World Cup by winning a “Global Battle Royal.” The entrants in the battle royal were Corbin and enhancement wrestlers, with Angle dressed as “The Conquistador.” Angle waited outside the ring until only Corbin was left, then gave him German suplexes and an Angle Slam before eliminating Corbin and revealing his identity.

Angle last wrestled during April’s Greatest Royal Rumble. He was one of the 50 participants in the Royal Rumble match.

Two World Cup qualifiers are set for tomorrow’s SmackDown. Big Show will face Randy Orton on the episode, and Jeff Hardy will take on Samoa Joe.

World Cup qualifying matches set for SmackDown, Big Show to return

Posted on by Joseph Currier

While details about the World Cup tournament that WWE is holding at Crown Jewel remain sparse, two qualifying matches have been announced for this week’s SmackDown.

Big Show vs. Randy Orton and Jeff Hardy vs. Samoa Joe are the qualifying matches set for Tuesday’s episode. This will be the first time Big Show has wrestled since September 2017. He underwent hip resurfacing surgery last year and dealt with a surgical infection after the operation. He was advertised to return at April’s Greatest Royal Rumble at one point before suffering a setback in his training.

In August, Big Show told ESPN.com that he hoped to get cleared to return during SummerSlam weekend — though he noted that “just because I’m healthy, doesn’t mean our creative team is healthy for me yet.”

Tuesday’s SmackDown will be the first time Hardy has appeared on WWE television since his Hell in a Cell match against Orton last month.

Crown Jewel will take place at King Saud University Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Friday, November 2 and will air live on the WWE Network.

WWE title match announced for Crown Jewel

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Daniel Bryan will be challenging for AJ Styles’ WWE Championship at Crown Jewel in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Styles defending his title against Bryan was announced for WWE’s return to Saudi Arabia after Bryan defeated The Miz at Super Show-Down this morning. Bryan vs. Miz was a short match, with Bryan reversing a Skull Crushing Finale attempt into a small package to get the win. Miz had attacked Bryan when the bell rang and got a near fall after hitting a running knee at one point.

Styles retained the WWE title at Super Show-Down by submitting Samoa Joe with the Calf Crusher.

This will be Styles and Bryan’s second televised match against each other in WWE. They wrestled on this year’s post-WrestleMania episode of SmackDown, though the match ended without a definitive finish as part of an angle where Shinsuke Nakamura attacked both Styles and Bryan.

Crown Jewel is taking place on Friday, November 2 and will air live on the WWE Network. Roman Reigns will also defend the Universal Championship against Brock Lesnar and Braun Strowman in a triple threat match at the event.

UPDATE: Crown Jewel is now listed as taking place at King Saud University Stadium in Riyadh. It was originally announced for King Fahd International Stadium.

Figure Four Weekly: A look at the connection between Evolution and Crown Jewel

Posted on by F4W Staff

For the PDF click here.

For the Epub click here.

When WWE returns to Saudi Arabia on November 2, they’ll be doing so just five days after their Evolution pay-per-view.

People are always going to link WWE’s 10-year deal with Saudi Arabia with how it contradicts the company’s “women’s evolution” messaging, but Evolution and Crown Jewel taking place on the same week makes them feel even more connected. On the Monday after Evolution, WWE will be hyping the achievement of the women’s division at the same time as they’re holding the go-home show for an event that women can’t participate in.

Cynically, it’s easy to view Evolution as a consolation — or at least a countermeasure — for the women’s division not being able to wrestle at Crown Jewel. WWE’s decision to choose money over what’s morally right is one that can’t be defended or hidden.

Current subscribers click here to continue reading.

WWE officially announces ‘Crown Jewel’ event for Saudi Arabia

Posted on by Joseph Currier

WWE’s next show in Saudi Arabia is finally official.

During the opening segment of tonight’s Raw, it was announced that WWE will be returning to Saudi Arabia on Friday, November 2 for an event called “Crown Jewel.” The show will take place at King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh and will air live on the WWE Network.

Roman Reigns defending the Universal Championship against Brock Lesnar and Braun Strowman in a triple threat match was also confirmed for Crown Jewel.

November 2 had been the expected date for WWE’s return to Saudi Arabia, and it being made official means that the event will be held on the same week as Evolution. The Nassau Coliseum in Long Island, New York will host the all-woman’s PPV on Sunday, October 28 before Crown Jewel takes place on Friday.

Following April’s Greatest Royal Rumble, Crown Jewel will be the second event in WWE’s 10-year deal with The Saudi General Sports Authority.

Here’s what the updated WWE PPV schedule looks like through the end of the year:

  • October 6 — Super Show-Down (Melbourne, Australia)
  • October 28 — Evolution (Long Island, New York)
  • November 2 — Crown Jewel (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia)
  • November 18 — Survivor Series (Los Angeles, California)
  • December 16 — TLC (San Jose, California)