John Cena Working In Saudi Arabia “No Longer An Issue”

More insight has been given into John Cena appearing for WWE in Saudi Arabia.

John Cena appeared on WWE television once again when he was part of the 1st of September edition of SmackDown taking out Jimmy Uso in the process. Cena has been advertised for SmackDown appearances straight through until the end of October but he has also appeared as a special referee at Payback for the match between LA Knight and The Miz.

Cena has competed twice now since his return teaming with Seth Rollins at Superstar Spectacle in India to defeat Imperium and after SmackDown in Denver went off the air he teamed with AJ Styles to conquer Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa.

Riyadh Season – a huge entertainment event in Saudi Arabia that encompasses many events – has released a promotional video advertising Cena for the Crown Jewel event in the country in November.

In the Wrestling Observer Daily Update, Dave Meltzer gave more insight into why Cena is working at Crown Jewel after he previously pulled out of a show in Saudi Arabia:

“In Saudi Arabia, they are announcing John Cena for the 11/4 show. Cena had pulled out of the last WWE show in Saudi Arabia he had been booked on, but it’s no longer an issue that could have negative effects on his career since everyone is back doing business with the country now. Basically, there is nobody left on the roster as far as we know that is either refusing to go or banned from going.”

Has John Cena wrestled in Saudi Arabia before?

John Cena has only competed on one of WWE’s major shows since striking a decade-long deal with The Kingdom’s General Authority for Entertainment. That appearance came on the first of those shows, the Greatest Royal Rumble in 2018 when Cena defeated Triple H. That win is incredibly Cena’s last one-on-one victory on a WWE premium live event.

Prior to WWE’s deal with Saudi Arabia, Cena had wrestled in the country on six occasions in 2014 and 2015 as part of lower-profile live events.