10 Wrestling Facts We Didn't Know Last Week (May 5)

8. Ariya Daivari Received Death Threats Post-Greatest Royal Rumble

Daivari Brothers Greatest Royal Rumble
WWE

Although it was one of the most unique angles of WWE's year thus far, that Ariya/Shawn Daivari in-ring promo at the Greatest Royal Rumble event did make sense; a perfect way to put over the Saudi Arabian trainees who had been part of the KSA tryouts, the skit also gave Ariya some much-needed screen time.

It also resulted in him receiving death threats.

That's not a joke. In 2018, decades after fans in the US stopped believing pro wrestling was "real", poor Daivari found himself having to explain online that he's only playing a character on TV and doesn't hate either the Saudi people or his own Iranian heritage.

One fan responded to Daivari by (rightly) pointing out that other performers on TV shows and in movies never have to justify their roles. That's when Ariya revealed that, sadly, people had sent him threatening messages following the show.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.