WWE Stars Vow Never to Return to Saudi Arabia After Claims They Were Held ‘Hostage’ by Regime
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WWE stars were allegedly “held hostage” in Saudi Arabia during the professional wrestling company’s “Crown Jewel” event last week. Now many stars are refusing to return.
Some reports claimed that the flight which was due to take WWE performers and staff back to America was grounded by Saudi Arabia over a financial dispute with the wrestling company, during which WWE pulled a live feed of the show.
As reported by the Daily Mail, “MBS was furious that WWE boss Vince McMahon had pulled the plug on the live feed of Crown Jewel in Saudi Arabia because the company was owed up to $500m (£390m) for two shows in Saudi Arabia last year.”
“Reports also claim that the two sides hastily reached an agreement before the show was eventually broadcast only 40 minutes late – but this did not stop most of the WWE entourage’s 14-hour flight home being delayed,” the Mail declared.
Despite WWE’s claim the flight was delayed due to mechanical problems, the Daily Mail further reported that “Former WWE announcer Hugo Savinovich posted a video on Facebook saying the real reason for the flight delay was Saudi retaliation for the live feed being pulled by WWE.”
Following the Crown Jewel event, WWE star Karl Anderson created further speculation after he posted on Twitter, “Couldn’t pay me enough to go back..well, that’s not true, I need a second pool, so…” which prompted his wife to reply, “Don’t ever go back AGAIN!! We don’t need our daddy/papi/motherlover/absanderson/besttagteam etc being held hostage while we’re at home worried to death.”
Couldn’t pay me enough to go back ..
Well that’s not true, I need a second pool, so…..— Karl Anderson (@KarlAndersonWWE) November 2, 2019
Stars Buddy Murphy, Rusev, and Luke Harper also made comments on social media, with Murphy proclaiming, “Never again.”
Never again…
— Buddy Murphy (@WWE_Murphy) November 1, 2019
At this point and time We need all the prayers… brother.
— Rusev (@RusevBUL) November 1, 2019
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On top of this, big-names Roman Reigns, Kofi Kingston, and Braun Strowman have also reportedly told the company that they will not return to Saudi Arabia.
“The talent felt they were hostages,” explained journalist and sports historian Dave Meltzer. “Nobody was harmed or anything like that. It’s a really tense story.”
Meltzer also claimed WWE “blamed talent speculation for causing a problem.”
“The talent was told the flight issues were all mechanical and nothing more, and Seth Rollins attempted to do a rah-rah speech while telling people to keep things like this off social media in the future,” Meltzer reported.
WWE’s official statement, however, blamed the flight delay on a mechanical problem.
“After the door closed, due to several aircraft problems including mechanical issues, all passengers sat on the tarmac for more than six hours,” WWE claimed. “With SmackDown set to emanate live from Buffalo, N.Y., several Superstars felt so strongly that they arranged for their own separate charter in order to make it back to the US for the show.”
On Monday, it was announced that WWE and Saudi Arabia had extended their deal together “through 2027.”
