Crown Jewel 2022 In Trouble? WWE "Monitoring" Saudi Arabia Situation
WWE latest as Saudi Arabia warns USA of imminent attack ahead of Crown Jewel 2022.
WWE is currently "monitoring" the situation in Saudi Arabia following news that the nation's regime had warned the United States government of an "imminent" Iranian attack in the nation.
The Wall Street Journal broke the story on Tuesday, doing so five days before WWE holds Crown Jewel 2022 in Riyadh (Saturday 5 November). Saudi Arabia and the United States are now on High Alert as a result of the attack warning.
The Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer noted soon after the story broke that the situation is currently being monitored. Crown Jewel was still set to go ahead at the time of reporting, though the real-world situation could change:-
The best term regarding Saudi Arabia would be monitoring the situation. All plans are for the show at this moment but you can't control the real world.
— Dave Meltzer (@davemeltzerWON) November 1, 2022
PWInsider's Mike Johnson has reported similarly. He states that WWE sources have indicated that the premium live event is still on the schedule, with the promotion implemented "security protocols and emergency contingencies" should any problems arise. WWE is hopeful, however, that everything will be fine.
Crown Jewel 2022 is WWE's latest show as part of a lucrative deal with the Saudi Arabian government that sees the market-leading promotion scoop around $50 million for events held in the nation twice annually. Comprising a core component of the Saudi Vision 2030 scheme, which is designed to rehabilitate the nation's egregious human rights record, WWE's participation in such sportswashing has earned the company understandable flak.
See Amnesty International for more information on the human rights situation in Saudi Arabia.