Tag: Saudi Arabia

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.

Universal title match, World Cup tournament set for WWE Crown Jewel

Posted on by Bryan Rose

A Universal title match, along with a World Cup tournament, have been announced for WWE Crown Jewel.

The Universal title match was set up on tonight’s Raw when Roman Reigns came out to call Brock Lesnar following last night’s attack at Hell in a Cell. Braun Strowman came out instead, wanting to settle things. Acting Raw General Manager Baron Corbin came out and made a triple threat match for the Universal title, with Roman Reigns defending against Brock Lesnar and Braun Strowman in a triple threat match.

WWE’s website also announced that a WWE World Cup tournament would also be taking place on the show. It didn’t give out any details on what kind of tournament it would be other than it would decide the best in the world.

WWE Crown Jewel will take place at the King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on November 2. It will be streaming live on the WWE Network, and will also be on pay-per-view outside of the Middle East.

Figure Four Weekly: WWE’s bet on Saudi Arabia

Posted on by F4W Staff

If WWE was concerned about criticism of their partnership with Saudi Arabia, they certainly didn’t show it at the Greatest Royal Rumble.

The first event in WWE’s 10-year agreement with the Saudi General Sports Authority was a weird mix of special event, house show, and propaganda. It wasn’t just a stadium show with Saudi Arabia as its backdrop. The location wasn’t just spotlighted in the set design or advertising like with WrestleMania host cities. The Greatest Royal Rumble was unique to Saudi Arabia and served to promote the message that the country is evolving.

WWE is, usually justifiably, heavy handed in promoting themselves as a company and brand. And regardless of who stipulated it to be this way, that extended to how they pushed Saudi Arabia and their economic and social reform campaign. A video package highlighted Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the “societal renaissance” that is happening, and women being able to drive in the country soon. 

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Saudi General Sports Authority apologizes for ‘indecent’ WWE ad

Posted on by Joseph Currier

The Saudi General Sports Authority has apologized for an advertisement that aired during the Greatest Royal Rumble, saying that it showed women’s wrestlers in an “indecent” way.

The apology was issued through the Saudi General Sport’s Authority’s Twitter account, and Reddit user “comproimse” posted a rough translation of it:

“The General Sport Authority would like to apologize to the viewers and attendees of last night’s WWE event that took place in Jeddah, over the indecent scene involving women that appeared as an ad before a segment. It would like to confirm it’s total disapproval of this, in the shadow of its commitment to eliminate anything that goes against the communities values.

“The authority has made sure to ban showing of any segment that involves women wrestling or any scenes related to it, and stipulated that to the company (WWE). The authority also disapproved any promotional stuff with pictures or videos showing women in an indecent way, and emphasized on commitment of this rule. And it’s a commitment that the authority would still commit to forever in all of it’s events and programs”

It appears that the advertisement in question was WWE’s commercial about the company’s switch to all dual-brand pay-per-views. It features men and women from Raw and SmackDown lip-syncing about the PPV change while in their wrestling gear.

The Associated Press has also picked up on the apology being issued.

Friday’s Greatest Royal Rumble was the first event in WWE’s 10-year agreement with the Saudi General Sports Authority. Paul “Triple H” Levesque defended that partnership in an interview with The Independent ahead of the show, noting that they’ve had discussions about women not being able to wrestle in Saudi Arabia and WWE believes and hopes they’ll be allowed to within the next few years.

WWE Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, live results (Fri): AJ Styles vs. Dean Ambrose 2/3 falls match

Posted on by F4W Staff

Submitted by reader Abdullah Almahmoud from Green Halls Stadium

– Kane and American Alpha def. Randy Orton & Bray Wyatt & Luke Harper

Kane pinned Harper after hitting a chokeslam.

– Jack Swagger submitted Curt Hawkins

Swagger won by submission with the ankle lock 

– Smackdown Tag Champions Heath Slater & Rhyno def. The Ascension and The Usos in a three way

Pin came when Rhyno hit the spear on Viktor.

– IC Champion Dolph Ziggler def. The Miz (w/Maryse)

Ziggler won via pin after a superkick.

– The Hype Bros def. Breezango

Mojo Rawley pinned Breeze

– Baron Corbin def. Kalisto

Corbin won after hitting End of Days.

– WWE Champion AJ Styles def. Dean Ambrose in a 2/3 falls match

AJ took the first fall by after a pin following a Phenomnal Forearm, while the second pin came when Ambrose rolled Styles up. Styles got the third fall after hitting a Styles Clash.