Should WWE Stop Booking PLEs in Saudi Arabia After WrestleMania 43?
Over the past few years, one of the biggest controversies surrounding WWE has been its partnership with Saudi Arabia. In 2018, under Vince McMahon's leadership, WWE and Saudi Arabia agreed to a 10-year strategic deal to bring multiple PLEs to the Middle East. Although WWE has benefitted financially through this deal, it has come with its fair share of controversies. From questionable booking to real-world situations, WWE has drawn criticism for how it's handled its business with Saudi Arabia. With two upcoming PLEs scheduled, including WrestleMania 43, should WWE temporarily stop having shows in Saudi Arabia or cut the relationship altogether?
The first shows held in Saudi Arabia went through a rough patch, as people questioned why WWE even made a deal with the country despite the numerous criticisms surrounding it. The basic answer is that Saudi Arabia was willing to shell out a fortune to host the shows and promote itself as a tourist destination for years to come. The first controversy surrounding this deal was that a Saudi Prince requested wrestlers such as Yokozuna and Ultimate Warrior appear at the first show, even though they had been dead for years. WWE brought out a sumo look-alike instead, but it was very clear that it was not Yokozuna.
The next controversy surrounded the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Although many speculated that the Saudi Arabian government put out a hit on the journalist, the government denied that they were involved in any way. Still, WWE chose to run their next show just a few weeks later, receiving heavy criticism from multiple U.S. politicians. It should have been a wake-up call for WWE about what they were doing wrong, but it didn't affect them.
While outside situations complicated things between Saudi Arabia and WWE, the show booking didn’t improve. WWE tried to put dream matches on these shows with wrestlers well past their prime. The Undertaker and Goldberg’s match was labeled “a disaster” as Goldberg injured himself mid-match and nearly made Undertaker fall on his neck after a botched Jackhammer. A tag team match between the Brothers of Destruction and DX had multiple botches, from Kane’s mask falling off during the match to Triple H tearing his pectoral muscle. This match also featured a returning Shawn Michaels, wrestling his first match since his retirement eight years earlier. Michaels didn’t look good, leaving fans disappointed that his retirement was ruined for this one-off match. Then came the match between Goldberg and ‘The Fiend’ Bray Wyatt. Everyone expected Wyatt to go over since he had been booked as this powerful entity. Instead, fans had to witness Goldberg put down ‘The Fiend’ quickly to capture the Universal Championship. This decision left many baffled and even caused some to cancel their WWE Network subscriptions.
Although the change in leadership has drastically improved production and booking at some recent PLEs in Saudi Arabia, the problems in the Middle East haven’t ended. The recent war between the United States and Iran has made the Middle East a sort of dangerous place to be in at the moment. WWE has been warned multiple times against holding these shows because of the situation, but it has still hosted them anyway. It used to be a big topic whether Saudi Arabia could ever see a WrestleMania, and now it’s a reality, with many people expected to travel for the big occasion. However, the situation in the Middle East still hasn't concluded, prompting politicians to ask travelers not to head to the country right now. In any case, money still talks, and WWE would love nothing more than to travel and make history despite the recent situation.
Nobody knows what will play out in the future, but it’s very evident that despite the huge financial gain, doing a show in Saudi Arabia always comes with risk. WWE must protect its wrestlers before its wallets, and it’s okay to suspend shows in the Middle East if the timing isn't right. If WWE decides to extend its relationship with Saudi Arabia, it will come with backlash from many fans. Only WWE knows how strong their relationship with Saudi Arabia truly is.
