Ari Emanuel confirmed that WWE Crown Jewel is still set for November 7 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, but that TKO is already working on backup plans in case it needs to relocate the event.
In an interview with Fox News’ Special Report on Thursday, Emanuel said there have been no cancellations to TKO’s schedule in the Middle East. He said a team is monitoring the security situation in the region every day.
“Right now, everything’s still set,” Emanuel said. “This weekend coming up in Abu Dhabi we have a UFC fight. We have in the middle of November a Frieze art show. Nothing’s been cancelled… Yeah, we have a whole team kind of working on this. And if that doesn’t happen where we can move it. It’s a daily monitoring.”
Crown Jewel is part of Riyadh Season, which has already had to change its schedule because of attacks carried out by the Iran-backed Houthis. The Six Kings Slam tennis exhibition, originally scheduled for October, has been postponed and is now set for December 27 to 30. Organizers cited logistical difficulties as the reason for the change.
On October 10, an attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh killed 13 people and injured more than 300. The attacks also hit other key facilities in the country.
The security situation has reportedly caused concern within WWE. Dave Meltzer reported on Wrestling Observer Radio that the company was unhappy with employees who voiced reluctance about making the trip. According to Meltzer, management wanted to present a united front in support of holding the event in Saudi Arabia.
On Wednesday, the State Department ordered the departure of non-emergency employees and their family members from U.S. diplomatic posts in Saudi Arabia. The official travel advisory remains at Level 3, which advises U.S. citizens to reconsider travel to the region.
Emanuel’s comments tie in with earlier reporting about a possible Plan B. This site reported on October 15 that WWE already had a backup arena in the United States ready to host the event.
Preparations are still moving forward in Saudi Arabia. On Monday, Turki Alalshikh unveiled the official Riyadh Season guide, which keeps Crown Jewel among the events scheduled for this year’s edition.
Crown Jewel’s official page on WWE.com also still lists Riyadh Season Stadium at KAFD as the venue for the show.