WWE Still Sticking By Saudi Arabia Trip Despite Iran Attacks

WWE is on its way to the Middle East as the world teeters on the brink of war, but will the sports entertainment giant abandon its plans?

WWE is set to hold SmackDown and Night of Champions in Saudi Arabia on the 27th and 28th of June. Night of Champions will see CM Punk challenge John Cena for the WWE Championship, as well as the King and Queen of the Ring tournament finals take place.

But things are rarely that simple.

The United States recently launched an attack on Iran in response to ongoing hostilities between Iran and Israel. As a result, tensions across the world have been raised and nowhere more than in the Middle East itself. Many countries, including the United Kingdom, have now issued official advice against any travel to the area, including to Saudi Arabia.

Iran has warned of “serious, unpredictable consequences” for the US attack as the world holds its breath. However, it seems for WWE, the show will go on.

WWE Still Planning Saudi Arabia Trip

Speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer was asked for the latest update on WWE going to Saudi Arabia and noted that there had been no change to plans:

I presume so. I think that it would take something – it’s a situation, everyone’s looking at it. Everything’s going on right now as planned; it’s all planned. They’e all planning on leaving on Wednesday and things can happen in the world that can change it but right now it’s on. Everyone’s aware that bad things are happening.

They’re going unless there’s something that would strongly prevent them from going. This deal [with Saudi Arabia] is a lot, a lot, a lot of money and even more money to come.

[…] I don’t think WWE wants to break the contract but if they can’t go, they can’t go. They’re all proceeding with the idea that it’s going and I’m sure they will go. It’s gonna take something real, real bad.

This is not the first time WWE’s relationship with Saudi Arabia has courted controversy. The company previously held a show there in the aftermath of the killing of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi, which shocked the world.

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