Some top WWE stars reportedly want to stay off Crown Jewel over security risks in Saudi Arabia, which has faced a series of attacks amid conflict in the Middle East.
Fightful Select’s Sean Ross Sapp reported that some of those stars reached out to him directly on Saturday and said they had made it known that they didn’t want to be booked for the show. One of the sources added that some people who are on the card have also raised their concerns with WWE.
Sapp’s report is different from the one Dave Meltzer released on Friday. Meltzer said he was not aware of any wrestlers who had pulled out of the show.
Meltzer was told by a top star that WWE didn’t want talent turning down the trip. But Sapp’s report is about talent who tried to avoid being booked, not necessarily wrestlers who pulled out after being advertised.
The concerns stem directly from Houthi attacks against Saudi facilities. The U.S. State Department has a Level 3 travel advisory in place for Saudi Arabia and has advised Americans to reconsider travel there.
The advisory lists entertainment venues and large crowds among the potential targets for attacks. On October 23, the U.S. government ordered its non-emergency staff and their family members to leave the country.
Mark Shapiro met with TKO employees on Wednesday and said TKO could cancel its events in the Middle East if things get more dangerous.
Crown Jewel is still scheduled to take place on November 7 in Riyadh.