TKO Has Allegedly Taken Steps To Sell WWE To Saudi Arabia

Ex-WWE star Stevie Richards believes that TKO will sell WWE to Saudi Arabia.

Richards is convinced that all of TKO’s recent business moves line up with dressing the company up for a massive cash-out to the Kingdom’s Public Investment Fund.

On The Stevie Richards Show, he argued that cutting talent, trimming costs, raising ticket and PLE prices, and bragging about record gates and merch while saying less about actual attendance are classic tactics before a sale.

I look at this, and if people have countered us on this, if you don’t think that they’re setting it up to be sold and bought by Saudi Arabia, then you’re foolish. There’s no other way to cut salaries, cut people, raise ticket prices.

Never talk about the amount of people, but talk about the gate, the money you drew, the merch you sold. You’re literally setting it up to be sold.

You’re lowering all your overhead as much as possible, inflating the portfolio so that you maximize the amount of money you sell it for. That’s all they’re trying to do.

He believes TKO is lowering overhead and inflating short‑term profit specifically to maximize the sale price, and the deal could potentially be announced at WrestleMania 42 or 43.

TKO Will Eventually Sell WWE To Saudi Arabia

Speaking on the Cafe de Rene livestream, ex-WWE star Maven completely agreed with Stevie Richards, stating that he also thinks that TKO is planning to sell WWE to Saudi Arabia.

He added that TKO has already set the plans in motion with the Royal Rumble 2026.

I agree. They’re whetting the appetite with the Rumble and then with once I think they’ll follow suit eventually with Mania, and then I agree with you 100%, Stevie. I think that one day TKO will sell to Saudi. (From 40:54)

WWE has a long, extremely lucrative government-level deal with Saudi Arabia, including multiple stadium shows per year. Royal Rumble 2026 will take place in the country.

WrestleMania 43 is also scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia, ending the four‑decade tradition of keeping the show in North America.

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