WWE Is Preparing For Global Domination And Everyone Is Finally Noticing

Becky Lynch Becomes The First Woman To Top ESPN's WWE Power Rankings, Lynch Reacts

ESPN announced today that SmackDown Women's Champion Becky Lynch is the first woman to ever top their monthly WWE Power Rankings.

The Man of WWE easily topped the list by nearly sweeping the first-place votes, according to ESPN's Tim Fiorvanti. Lynch ranked #4 on the last set of rankings that was released. ESPN notes that "rankings are based upon the perceived value of a superstar to the on-screen product of WWE, which is determined by the voting of a panel of WWE on ESPN contributors. Number in parentheses indicates first-place votes."

ESPN's Matt Wilansky wrote the following on Lynch for this month's #1 spot: "When you step back and think of Becky's ascent, it's astonishing. We all assumed Charlotte Flair and Ronda Rousey would take the women's evolution to the next level, but it's the SmackDown champ who has the most ardent and passion fan base in the WWE today, and that includes the men. Her beeline to the top of the summit is one of the best wrestling stories of 2018."

This month's rankings saw WWE Intercontinental Champion Seth Rollins come in second. Others on the list are WWE Champion Daniel Bryan at #3, Drew McIntyre, RAW Women's Champion Ronda Rousey, Charlotte Flair, AJ Styles, Dean Ambrose, Randy Orton and WWE Universal Champion Brock Lesnar at #10.

Lynch took to Twitter and wrote the following on topping the list:

The first woman ever to top the ESPN Power Rankings? You’re damn right I am, and we’re only getting warmed up. #IamTheMan

Eight Cities Revealed For XFL Relaunch, More Cities Considered For The Future?, XFL League Advisers

A "Contact Us" page on the XFL website has revealed all 8 cities that will host teams for the inaugural season in 2020. It looks like the pages were edited after the leak.

The following 8 cities were revealed:

* Dallas, Texas
* Houston, Texas
* Los Angeles, California
* New York (could be NY/NJ region but phone number was New York City)
* St. Louis, Missouri
* Seattle, Washington
* Tampa Bay, Florida
* Washington, DC

As we've noted, XFL has announced that they will reveal the 8 cities along with venues on Wednesday, December 5 at noon EST. It's been confirmed that the press conference will take place at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ, the site of WrestleMania 35.

In related news, it looks like there could be plans to expand to other major cities once the inaugural season has wrapped. DomainNameWire.com reports that the league registered several domain names for potential host cities and regions earlier this week. The domains use the format of XFLCity.com, CityXFL.com and XFLCityAbbreviation.com. For example, they registered XFLChicago.com, ChicagoXFL.com and XFLCHI.com.

The 21 cities or regions that they registered domains for are: Atlanta, Austin, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas/Arlington, Detroit, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Minnesota, Nashville, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, Seattle, St. Louis, Washington DC, Tampa Bay.

These locations could be a sign of where they plan to expand to with future seasons or places that have been under consideration. All 8 cities revealed for the inaugural season are included in the list of domains registered this week.

On a related note, the XFL website also lists several Advisers that will be working with the league. They are:

* Jim Caldwell - former NFL Head Coach (Detroit Lions, Indianapolis Colts)

* John Fox - former NFL Head Coach (Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Denver Broncos)

* Doug Flutie - former NFL, CFL & USFL Quarterback, NBC/NBCSN Analyst

* Donna Orender - WNBA President from 2005-2010

* John Kosner - President of Kosner Media, 20-Year ESPN veteran

* Kevin Guskiewicz - Dean of Arts & Science at UNC, Member of the NFL Head, Neck & Spine Committee

EVOLVE Reveals What Happened With Impact Pulling LAX From Matches With WWE NXT Team, Future Bookings

The LAX were set to work two EVOLVE events against WWE NXT Superstars Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins, The Street Profits, who also are the current EVOLVE Tag Team Champions.

LAX vs. AR Fox & Leon Ruff vs. The Street Profits in a Triple Threat for the titles was scheduled for the EVOLVE event on December 15 in Queens. LAX & Austin Theory vs. Ford, Dawkins and Darby Allin in a six-man match was scheduled for the next night in Long Island. Shortly after the match was announced a few days ago, EVOLVE's Gabe Sapolsky announced that Impact officials had pulled The LAX from both events.

EVOLVE announced today that they will no longer book Impact contracted talents because of this. They also stated that the two matches were booked "in order to avoid any political issues" and to give fans of both teams what they wanted, "while protecting all parties politically."

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16th Annual WWE Tribute to the Troops Event To Take Place At Fort Hood, Texas

WWE issued the following announcement, confirming details for this year’s WWE Tribute To The Troops event:

The 16th annual WWE Tribute to the Troops will take place on Tuesday, Dec. 4, at Fort Hood, Texas. This is the second time Fort Hood has hosted The Most Patriotic Show of the Year, first serving as host in 2010.

While in Fort Hood, Superstars will spend time giving back to military personnel and their families stationed on base. Activities include a Be a STAR bullying prevention rally, as well as hospital visits and military outreach initiatives at various installations across the base.

WWE Tribute to the Troops began in 2003 to honor our servicemen and women and their families. In the tradition of Bob Hope, WWE brings together the best of sports, entertainment and pop culture with celebrity appearances and performances from music’s most popular acts in what is considered TV’s most patriotic and heartwarming show of the year.

WWE also hosted the event at Fort Hood in 2010.

Rhea Ripley Becomes First-Ever WWE NXT UK Women's Champion

Rhea Ripley was crowned the first-ever WWE NXT UK Women's Champion on today's episode. She defeated Toni Storm in the finals of the tournament.

There was a post-match celebration with Triple H and NXT UK General Manager Johnny Saint presenting the title to Ripley as the locker room looked on.

Ripley, who has defended the title a few times since winning it at the tapings back in the summer, will defend against Storm at the NXT UK "Takeover: Blackpool" event on Saturday, January 12 from the Empress Ballroom in Blackpool, England.

First XFL Host City Revealed, Rumored Date For Full League Announcement

The XFL is reportedly set to field a team in St. Louis, bringing pro football back to the city for the first time since the NFL’s Rams left for Los Angeles.

According to a report from KSDK St Louis / 5 On Your Side Sports Director Frank Cusumano, the XFL will bring a team to St Louis, and they will play 10 games in the 2020 season. Five of those games will be played at the Dome at America’s Center (formerly the Edward Jones Dome) which served as the Rams’ home from 1995 through 2015.

Additionally, according to a Reddit post by user ReadingTeaLeaves, we may be getting a major update on the XFL this coming Wednesday, December 5th. It is believed that this will be an announcement of the eight total host cities for the revival XFL teams. As is known, the XFL is looking to relaunch in 2020 through Vince McMahon‘s newest business endeavor, Alpha Entertainment.

According to this post, the XFL is being purposely secretive because of all of their competition. Not only are they considering the NFL competition, but the new endeavor from Charlie Ebersol, The Alliance of American Football (AAF), and apparently a third new competitor to the National Football League, The American Patriot League:

The XFL is purposely being secretive because of their competition. Mostly the AAF but there is also yet another spring league launching in The American Patriot League. That group is headed by former NFL player Marques Ogden and former XFL announcer Bob Golic. Their league has started try out camps and has announced Daytona Beach and Mobile Alabama as their two first markets. They have already started naming contests and those two playing venues are Daytona Stadium and Ladd Peebles Stadium.

NXT UK to return to Blackpool for NXT UK TakeOver: Blackpool this January

As first announced by Triple H in a video that aired during NXT UK tapings in Liverpool Olympia today, NXT UK TakeOver: Blackpool will take place in the Empress Ballroom on Saturday, Jan. 12, and stream live on the award-winning WWE Network. NXT UK returns to the Empress Ballroom the following night on Sunday, Jan. 13th.

Vince McMahon's Alpha Entertainment Logo Opposed By Adidas

Several of the companies owned by clothing & sneaker brand Adidas have asked the United States Patent & Trademark Office for more time to oppose the logo registered by Vince McMahon's Alpha Entertainment, which was created to relaunch the XFL in 2020. The argument is that the Alpha Entertainment logo could be seen as infringing on the Adidas logo. Adidas has until March 6, 2019 to file an opposition or ask for another extension.

Triple H Comments On NXT Being A Third Brand

Triple H thinks NXT is a prime proving ground for upcoming stars and main roster talent to grow and evolve and sees it as a major brand for the company. The Cerebral Assassin had the following to say during a conference call yesterday.

“I think you can be at a place where you can see main level talent stay in NXT. We are also at the point where you can see some talent that have been on Raw and SmackDown for periods of time, who have had some success or haven’t for whatever reason, who aren’t being utilized, go back to NXT. A talent who doesn’t get a lot of exposure on SmackDown and moves to Raw, it could be a game-changer for them, and all of a sudden they can do something different. I do think it (NXT) is a third brand.”

New WWE PC YouTube Channel And Series

The WWE Performance Center has launched an official YouTube channel at youtube.com/wwepc. The premiere episode of their new "Arrival" series features WWE NXT Superstar Matt Riddle.

WWE Announces WrestleMania 34's Major Economic Impact For New Orleans Area

WWE and Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards announced today that WrestleMania 34 generated $175 million in economic impact for the greater New Orleans region this past April, according to a study conducted by the Enigma Research Corporation. This marks a significant increase from the $142 million generated for WrestleMania 30 in New Orleans and the seventh consecutive year that WrestleMania generated more than $100 million in economic impact for its host region.

Over the past 12 years, WrestleMania has generated more than $1.2 billion in cumulative economic impact for the cities that have hosted the event.WrestleMania 34 also generated approximately $23.7 million in federal, state and local taxes.

“Yet again, WWE delivered on its promise to offer a spectacular event in New Orleans and a boost to the local economy,” said Governor John Bel Edwards. “I would like to thank the WWE fans from around the world that descended on New Orleans for WrestleMania Week.

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Stephanie McMahon And Triple H, More WWE Superstars On Carpool Karaoke

A number of WWE Superstars are featured in the latest edition of Carpool Karaoke exclusively on Apple TV.

You’ll see fun things like Triple H and Stephanie McMahon singing Bust A Move, and Metallica’s Enter Sandman. Braun Strowman also busts out a little Shania Twain and The New Day is as New Day as ever.

Stephanie posted the following on Twitter:

Finally…our episode of @CarpoolKaraoke has come to the @AppleTV app! Check out @TripleH singing “Bust A Move”, @BraunStrowman “feeling like a woman”, and find out which female @WWE Superstar is the biggest flirt! (Just please don’t judge my singing!)

Rumor Mill - Linda McMahon Reportedly Top Candidate for Promotion Within Trump Administration

WWE continues to make a strange amount of geopolitical headlines in 2018 as Linda McMahon is rumored for a bigger role in President Trump's cabinet.

We typically deal in wrestling rumors but turns out political rumors read the exact same. In a report from Politico, McMahon — who's currently running the Small Business Administration —may replace current Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross if he leaves the position.

“The leading candidate to replace Ross if that happens is now Small Business Administration chief Linda McMahon, according to two sources familiar with the discussions. McMahon has made clear she is interested in the position and would accept it if it is offered, according to a source familiar with the conversations.”

“Whether Ross stays or goes will depend on the extent to which newly empowered Democrats in the House decide to probe the Commerce secretary’s finances and questions about his divestment of assets, a White House official said. If Democrats decide to press those issues, Ross could have a harder time staying.”

According to Politico's sources, McMahon is said to be interested in the role and would accept the promotion if it came her way.

President Trump and the McMahons have a relationship dating back to the 80's. Trump was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2013 and his connection to the McMahons has become his administration's most innocent subplot. Vince and Linda McMahon were active supporters of Trump's campaign, contributing millions to pro-Trump Super PACs.

Unlike Trump and the rest of his troops, McMahon rarely makes headlines which could make her potential promotion one of the Trump Administrations least controversial decisions.

However, WWE found itself in the thick of political drama ahead of it's latest trip to Saudi Arabia. After the death of Jamal Khashoggi, many American entities froze or severed their relationship with the Saudis. But despite waves of criticism from fans, the media, and even US Senators, WWE pressed forward with Saudi event, Crown Jewel.

McMahon was asked about WWE's tenacity regarding their relationship with Saudi Arabia, but she gracefully passed the buck to her husband and WWE patriarch Vince McMahon.

Vince McMahon didn't have much to say about WWE's choice to press forward with Crown Jewel, but WWE did release this statement during their Q3 earnings report.

“WWE has operated in the Middle East for nearly 20 years and has developed a sizable and dedicated fan base. Considering the heinous crime committed at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, the Company faced a very difficult decision as it relates to its event scheduled for November 2 in Riyadh.

Similar to other U.S.-based companies who plan to continue operations in Saudi Arabia, the Company has decided to uphold its contractual obligations to the General Sports Authority and stage the event. Full-year 2018 guidance is predicated on the staging of the Riyadh event as scheduled.”

Outside of the family business having active ties to a contentious Saudi regime, Linda McMahon's still remains one of Trump's most palatable appointments.

ROH Parent Company CEO On State Of ROH: "Ultimately Should Be Something In The Same Light As WWE"

Earlier today, the Sinclair Broadcast Group (parent company of Ring of Honor) had its third quarter earnings and held a stockholders call. During the call, Ring of Honor was asked about from an investment standpoint and if things are working out based on their initial expectations.

Sinclair Broadcast Group President and CEO, Christopher Ripley, noted how quickly they sold out Madison Square Garden for their April 6 co-promotional event with NJPW during WrestleMania weekend.

He said the brand has potential and wants it seen as something similar to WWE, but they are still dialing things in to grow the promotion. Just for clarification, Ripley also mentioned Beyond Tennis, which is a tennis channel the company previously purchased.

"So, look I think saying that we've invested a lot of money is maybe a slight mischaracterization," Ripley said. "Beyond Tennis, we really haven't spent significant dollars on content and Ring of Honor, I think, we bought for a couple hundred thousand dollars. And it's— we think that's an unpolished gem that ultimately should be something in the same light as WWE. We actually sold out Madison Square Gardens for an event next year in 11 minutes. So, we know that that that brand has potential. It just— it hasn't, we haven't quite found the right dials to turn yet, but we keep increasing the grass roots support on it and it has just a very, very loyal and avid fan base, which is what you really need to explode a brand."

(H/T PWInsider)

Stephanie McMahon On WWE Growth: "There’s No Reason We Can’t Be As Big As Or Bigger Than Disney"

Earlier this week, Stephanie McMahon joined Elizabeth Schulze at Web Summit in Lisbon, Portugal to talk about WWE's ability to build a global brand. During the conversation, McMahon was asked a number of questions about WWE expanding into the global market, the WWE Network, and the overall growth of the company.

The final question asked was where she saw WWE ten years from now, and she had quite the bold goal in mind for the company.

"10-20-30 years from now, there's no reason we can't be as big [as] or bigger than Disney," McMahon said. "Now that's a tall order, especially given recent transactions. However, there's no reason why we can't get there. You have to dream big, have big, bold goals, and go after them."

Currently, WWE's market cap is $5.8 billion compared to Disney's $172.7 billion, according to The Big Lead. It's fair to say WWE has quite a long way to go before getting close to Disney.

While Raw will remain on the USA Network, in June WWE officially announced the move to FOX to air SmackDown, beginning next October. The 5-year deal is reportedly worth over $1 billion.

Triple H Gives An Update Following Surgery

Triple H posted the following on Twitter:

Out of surgery, happy to report all is well. Thanks to excellent medical care of Dr. Dugas and his team and all the well wishes, messages, tweets, and texts I got over the weekend.
Road to recovery starts... NOW. #GameTime

WWE Purchases Large Wrestling Tape Library

WWE officials finalized a deal to acquire the World Wrestling Council video library last month, according to PWInsider. The long-running WWC promotion is owned by WWE Hall of Famer Carlos Colon and Victor Jovia in Puerto Rico. WWC launched in 1983 by Colon, Jovica and the late WWE Hall of Famer Gorilla Monsoon, and has featured many notable stars over the years. This library is believed to be one of the largest & oldest wrestling tape libraries that is still available.

WWE has rumored to be in talks to purchase the library for several years as it was believed to be part of the deal to induct Colon into the Hall of Fame back in 2014. The two sides have talked on & off for years but the deal was closed when WWE officials traveled to Puerto Rico last month.

WWE has already shipped the library back to HQ in Stamford, CT and they are set to start preparing for footage for future use on the WWE Network and home video releases. The footage would need to be cleaned up & digitized, so there's no word yet on when they might start airing it. Some of the footage was reportedly damaged during Hurricane Maria, which knocked out all power on the island for weeks. This could cause a delay in WWE using the footage. There's no word yet on how much damage was caused but WWE officials knew of the damage before they finalized the acquisition.

Triple H Set To Undergo Surgery On Tuesday, Will Likely Miss WrestleMania

Triple H wrote on Twitter that he will be undergoing surgery on Tuesday morning. Triple H had suffered a torn pectoral muscle during his match at WWE Crown Jewel this past Friday, where he teamed with Shawn Michaelsto defeat Kane and The Undertaker.

As noted, the return time for other wrestlers with a torn pec has been anywhere from 5-9 months, although it is usually at least 6 months. If he is out of action for six months then he would miss WrestleMania 35, which takes place on Sunday, April 7, 2019. WWE had teased a match between Batista and Triple H at the event.

Triple H Set To Undergo Surgery After Suffering Injury At WWE Crown Jewel

WWE has announced that Triple H suffered a possible torn pectoral muscle at WWE Crown Jewel in the main event.

The Game teamed with WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels as DX to defeat The Brothers of Destruction, Kane and The Undertaker. The finish saw Triple H pin Kane to win.

WWE noted that Triple H is headed back to the United States from Saudi Arabia to undergo surgery. There's no word yet on if he will be re-joining the crew for the upcoming international tour but we will keep you updated.

WWE did not say when the injury occurred but it was noted on commentary that a ringside doctor was checking on Triple H after Kane chokeslammed him through the announce table towards the end of the match.

Below is WWE's announcement on the injury:

Triple H suffers possible torn pectoral muscle

During the epic showdown between D-Generation X and The Brothers of Destruction at WWE Crown Jewel, Triple H sustained what appears to be a torn pectoral muscle, WWE.com has learned.

As a result, The Game plans to return to the United States this week to undergo surgical repair.

WWE Adds Hulk Hogan To Friday's WWE Crown Jewel Event

WWE is quietly advertising Hulk Hogan for Friday's WWE Crown Jewel event in Saudi Arabia.

On Wednesday, the company added Hulk Hogan to the list of scheduled Superstars set to appear on their official website and mobile app.

Hogan himself has also been telling friends and media that he will be heading to Saudi Arabia with the company, which means if he appears on Friday, it will be the first time appearing on a WWE show since 2015.

Triple H To Host WWE Facebook Watch Party

Triple H will be hosting a Facebook Watch Party on Facebook at 4pm ET on Thursday. The Game relive classic DX moments as he and WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels prepare to face Kane and The Undertaker at Crown Jewel the next day.

Linda McMahon Asked About WWE Crown Jewel In Saudi Arabia, If She Talks WWE With President Trump

Former WWE COO Linda McMahon recently spoke with TMZ Sports and said she's not responsible for WWE business when asked about the decision to move forward with Crown Jewel in Saudi Arabia, despite the recent state-sponsored killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

"If you want to talk WWE, you're talking to the wrong McMahon," Linda said.

TMZ pointed out how WWE is essentially a family-run business but Linda referred them to husband Vince McMahon.

"I don't run it and I'm not responsible for it," Linda said. "You gotta talk to Vince."

Linda, who now works as the Administrator of the Small Business Administration, was also asked if she ever talks WWE with her new boss, President Trump, considering he's in the WWE Hall of Fame.

She said, "I talked to the President last about my trip going down to Panama City, which is where we're going to see what relief we can get for the folks down there."

Renee Young Cleared To Join Announce Team At Crown Jewel

Renee Young will be traveling to Saudi Arabia to don the headset behind the Raw commentary desk during Crown Jewel. It's being said WWE has been pushing in this direction since September. At this point, it is unknown if Young will have restriction in her role given the country's policies against women.

WWE Crown Jewel Reportedly Sold Out

Earlier today, tickets went on sale for WWECrown Jewel on November 2 at the King Saud University Stadium in Saudi Arabia.

According to the Chairman of the General Sport Authority, the show has sold out. On Twitter he wrote, "In less than three hours, WWE tickets were sold in full."

In April, WWE Greatest Royal Rumble was held at King Abdullah Intentional Stadium and had an attendance of around 60,000 fans. The venue for Crown Jewel holds about 25,000 seats.

Earlier this week, WWE confirmed Crown Jewel would indeed take place from Saudi Arabia by releasing the following statement during their's Q3 Earnings results.

"WWE has operated in the Middle East for nearly 20 years and has developed a sizable and dedicated fan base. Considering the heinous crime committed at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, the Company faced a very difficult decision as it relates to its event scheduled for November 2 in Riyadh. Similar to other U.S.-based companies who plan to continue operations in Saudi Arabia, the Company has decided to uphold its contractual obligations to the General Sports Authority and stage the event. Full year 2018 guidance is predicated on the staging of the Riyadh event as scheduled."

Vince McMahon Asked During Earnings Call About WWE Continuing With Crown Jewel

WWE Chairman Vince McMahon was quiet on WWE's working relationship with Saudi Arabia and the upcoming Crown Jewel event during today's third quarter earnings call from WWE HQ in Stamford, CT.

Vince noted in his opening statement that the company is looking forward to Evolution and Crown Jewel this weekend, but he did not name Saudi Arabia. WWE Co-President George Barrios later mentioned in his opening statement how it was a difficult decision to continue with Crown Jewel in Saudi Arabia.

The Q&A with investors opened up with a caller asking Vince about the Kingdom being a key market for WWE now. The caller also wanted to know Vince's thought process when deciding to keep Crown Jewel in the Kingdom. Vince responded by saying they were not going to talk a lot about that today. He added that it's naturally a very sensitive subject these days, and their statement in this morning's press release says all they want to say about the situation, for today at least.

Another investor later asked if WWE would hold more events in Saudi Arabia next year. Barrios answered and said they will know more about those plans in the next quarter when they have the plan for that year locked in. Another investor asked about potential outside risks WWE can't control when doing business with Saudi Arabia, such as government economic sanctions. Barrios turned the question down, citing the complexity of the situation and said everything they will say on the topic was in the statement from this morning.

WWE has faced growing criticism over their relationship with the Kingdom due to the disappearance and murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. WWE confirmed in today's Q3 earnings report that the event will go on as scheduled. Crown Jewel will take place on Friday, November 2 in the Saudi capital of Riyadh. For those who missed it, below is their statement:

"WWE has operated in the Middle East for nearly 20 years and has developed a sizable and dedicated fan base. Considering the heinous crime committed at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, the Company faced a very difficult decision as it relates to its event scheduled for November 2 in Riyadh. Similar to other U.S.-based companies who plan to continue operations in Saudi Arabia, the Company has decided to uphold its contractual obligations to the General Sports Authority and stage the event. Full year 2018 guidance is predicated on the staging of the Riyadh event as scheduled."

Happy Anniversary Paul and Stephanie

October 25, 2003

Roman Reigns relinquishes the Universal Title to fight against Leukemia

In the opening moments of Raw, Roman Reigns emerged to announce that he had been living with leukemia for 11 years and the disease's return would force him to relinquish the Universal Championship and take a leave of absence from WWE.

Dressed in street clothes, The Big Dog mingled briefly with fans at ringside before dropping the persona of Roman Reigns to address the WWE Universe as Joe and detail his history of living with leukemia. In an emotional but optimistic address, Reigns recounted his initial diagnosis and remission in late 2008 and thanked the WWE Universe for making his dreams come true. He said he was going to go home to focus on his family and health, but he made one thing clear on the way out: “This is by no means a retirement speech.”

Speaking of the “faith” that had carried him through his life, Reigns promised the WWE Universe that he would return to “swing for the fences” at whatever curveballs life threw at him, with a final signoff before a tearful embrace with The Shield atop the ramp: “I will beat this, and I will be back, so you will see me very, very soon.”

WWE Responds To Reported Dissent Among Talent Roster Over Crown Jewel

Earlier today Sports Illustrated's Justin Barrasso posted an article titled WWE Talent Is Uncomfortable With Saudi Arabia Show—And They Should Be. In his piece Barrasso made his case for why, considering the current political climate, WWE should pull out of their planned Crown Jewel event in Saudi Arabia. Included in his editorial was insight from anonymous sources on the talent roster that have, "expressed discomfort with the idea of performing in Saudi Arabia."

Wrestling Inc reached out to WWE in regards to the rumored discomfort amongst some talents. WWE responded with the following, "As always, we maintain an open line of communication with our performers, as we continue to monitor the situation."

Update On WWE Holding Crown Jewel Event In Saudi Arabia

CNN is reporting on Twitter that Saudi Arabia is preparing to acknowledge the death of the reporter Jamal Khashoggi after previously denying it. As of this writing, WWE is still preparing to hold the Crown Jewel event.

The report which was leaked is said to be still in its 'preliminary stages', and it will say the interrogation 'was carried out without clearance and transparency and that those involved will be held responsible'.

As previously reported, the WWE Crown Jewel pay-per-view is still scheduled to take place on November 2nd, 2018 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia at the King Saud University Stadium and will air on the WWE Network.

WWE has been 'monitoring the situation' but will reportedly not cancel the event unless they are forced to do so by State Department or President Donald Trump.

The company has halted all references to Saudi on the social media and website, but it will be interesting to see how they address the situation on tonight's Raw which is in Philadelphia.

Senators Urge WWE To Hold Off Crown Jewel Event In Saudi Arabia

As a part of Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman's Saudi Vision 2030 plan, WWE agreed to hold multiple events in Saudi Arabia, including the upcoming WWE Crown Jewelevent on November 2. An event that is going to bring Shawn Michaels out of retirement, to team up with Triple H against The Undertakerand Kane. Events that have unfolded over the past week have now thrown those plans into jeopardy.

On October 2, Washington Post journalist and Saudi national Jamal Khashoggi disappeared from the Saudi consulate in Turkey. Intelligencereports have since indicated that Khashoggi was killed, in what was possibly a state-ordered kidnapping gone wrong. With Jamal being a United States resident, the incident has resulted in the Democrats and Republicans calling for investigation into the alleged murder, while the President of the United States himself has alluded to the possibility of the Saudi government being involved in Jamal's reported assassination.

Now, multiple Senators are questioning if WWE should still hold the upcoming November show in light of recent events. "I'd hope that they would be rethinking their relationship with the kingdom, especially with respect to events coming up in the next weeks like [WWE Crown Jewel]." Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) told IJR.com.

Sen. Lindsey Graham responded, "there should be a pause," when asked by IJR about WWE working with the kingdom.

Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) pointed to the connection Linda McMahon has in the president's cabinet (Small Business Administrator) and felt President Donald Trumpshould possibly ask WWE to hold off on Crown Jewel.

"Private enterprise is private enterprise, different than a governmental entity," Menendez said. "But because [Linda McMahon] is part of the president's cabinet, it falls into the grey area where the administration really should give it some thought and maybe even prevail upon them not doing it."

WWE Releases Statement On Crown Jewel Amid Growing Tensions

WWE Crown Jewel has been shaping up to be a mega-event, and considering the fact that the Crown Prince himself wanted to bring the WWEto Saudi Arabia, Shawn Michaels had agreed to come out of retirement for the event, eight years after calling it a day. As a part of Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman's Saudi Vision 2030 plan, WWE has agreed to put on multiple events in Saudi Arabia. However, the events that have unfolded over the past week have now thrown those plans into jeopardy.

On October 2nd, Washington Post journalist and Saudi national Jamal Khashoggi disappeared from the Saudi consulate in Turkey. Intelligence reports have since indicated that Khashoggi was killed, in what was possibly a state-ordered kidnapping gone wrong. With Jamal being a United States resident, the incident has resulted in the Democrats and Republicans calling for investigation into the alleged murder, while the President of the United States himself has alluded to the possibility of the Saudi government being involved in Jamal's reported assassination.

Washington Post reported yesterday that the Senate's top foreign policy lawmakers are now asking President Trump to impose sanctions against those who are found responsible for the journalist's disappearance, even if it includes the top officials from the Saudi government.

While WWE has remained tight-lipped about the situation, the organization released a statement to the media regarding the status of WWE Crown Jewel, saying, "We are currently monitoring the situation."

WWE had earlier visited Riyadh, Saudi Arabia with the Greatest Royal Rumble pay-per-view, and WWE Crown Jewel was scheduled to be WWE's second event in the region. We will update you on the status of WWE Crown Jewel as the story develops.