Booker T Admits Talent Unhappy Over Saudi Arabia WrestleMania
Booker T reveals the backstage reaction to WWE holding WrestleMania 43 in Saudi Arabia.
WWE officially announced that WrestleMania 43 will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in 2027, marking the first time the event leaves North America. The announcement was made during a major press conference at the Fontainebleau Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas on Friday, September 12, 2025.
Top stars, including The Undertaker, Shawn Michaels, Logan Paul, and Bianca Belair, joined WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H and Saudi sports advisor Turki Alalshikh at the event. The announcement was met with boos and chants of “You sold out,” reflecting fans’ anger.
Booker T Weighs In on WrestleMania 43 at Saudi Arabia Announcement
The announcement stirred controversy within the wrestling community. Booker T discussed these concerns on his Hall of Fame podcast, saying that talents backstage are unhappy with this decision. One of the major reasons is the displacement of the annual independent wrestling event WrestleCon, which usually takes place around the same time as WrestleMania.
“No WrestleCon, that’s what a lot of guys are really ticked off about. That WrestleCon is going to be pre-empted for two big shows, so there’s a lot of upset people out there right now. I get it. It’s about dollars and cents at the end of the day.”
Despite frustrations, the WWE Hall of Famer Booker T emphasized it would also have financial upside for WWE and the wrestlers.
“It is about the talent and creating a lot of revenue to pay these guys. Hopefully, they’re making the most money they’ve ever made in their lives. It doesn’t last forever; you want to make as much money as you possibly can and be ready to parlay it into something else. For me, I get it. For the people that are upset, I understand their gripe, but for me, as a businessman, this is what I say — what would you do?”