Posted on 10/18/2018 8:57:42 AM PDT by servo1969
The wrestling event was set to be another highlight for Vince McMahon - but has been cancelled after ongoing issues in the Middle East
WWE Crown Jewel was set to be another blockbuster event in Saudi Arabia - following the Greatest Royal Rumble in April.
That show was as part of a new 10-year deal with the Middle Eastern nation, only for their very next event to be cancelled.
Has WWE Crown Jewel been axed? According to reports, the event is set to be cancelled - in Saudi Arabia at least anyway.
The Middle Eastern country has been embroiled in turmoil following the apparent murder of US journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Turkey, leading fans to criticise the upcoming show.
Meanwhile, some of the WWE stars had also threatened to boycott the event due its current political situation.
The wrestling promotion was also linked with moving to another venue, with the United Kingdom a possibility.
While all mention of Saudi Arabia had been removed from the WWE website, it has returned and looks like to go ahead on Friday, November 2 in Riyadh.
What has been said of the Saudi Arabia event? There have been several critics of the WWE event and its current decision to remain in Saudi Arabia, following the events surround Jamal Khashoggi's murder.
The biggest sign of resentment towards the show was when The Undertaker, arguably wrestling's greatest star, merely mentioned 'Crown Jewel' and was booed for it at SmackDown 1000 on Tuesday.
Social media has also been crawling with fans criticising the upcoming show in the Middle East.
(Excerpt) Read more at thesun.co.uk ...
My wife and I were wondering if the situation with Saudi Arabia being accused of an assassination was going to come into play in WWE's foray into the country. Especially when Trump started saying he would act if it became clear it was true. On the one hand, Vince is friends with Donald Trump and his wife reports to him in a professional capacity. On the other, Vince has been trying for some time to make nice with crown prince Mohammed bin Salman and open up the country to more American entertainment.
They probably will go to Dubai. I am shocked WWE even tried to do an event like this in Saudi Arabia that wasn’t on a U.S. military base or some other U.S.-controlled land. The Kingdom is a place where bribes are pretty much necessary to put on any kind of event. You have to understand that it’s a place where the concept of insurance doesn’t even exist. If someone gets into a car accident there, the police - who are easily bribed themselves - decide who is at fault with no input from insurers or redress to the courts if someone disagrees. Trying to put on an event of this magnitude there was, well, ambitious to say the least.
As much as I deplore carrying on business as normal....
Hitler hosted the 1936 Olympics and the world knew what he was.
I know this isn’t the Olympics. WWE athletes haven’t trained their entire lives to have their hopes and dreams ruined by politics (Moscow 1980 and LA 1984 come to mind.).
It’s just as easy to move the show to the UK or, if you want to really stick a fork in their eye, Israel. WWE performers wouldn’t care, they get paid the same.
I am going to show my age here but I hate that WWE is “sports entertainment”. It’s professional wrestling. They’re now in the same category as the Ice Capades and Harlem Globetrotters.
They always were.
To see real wrestling you have to watch collegiate wrestling or Olympic wrestling.
I understand the sentiment and share that to some degree.
However pro wrestling purists despise what the WWE is in its current form. I am right there with them.
Yes, I know it’s always been a work. However you’d have to be a lifelong fan to know what I’m talking about. Any detractor will not know the difference and always thought it was a clown show.
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