John Cena and Daniel Bryan Refuse to Wrestle in Saudi Arabia

It’s official – Daniel Bryan and John Cena were the first two WWE Superstars to refuse to wrestle in Saudi Arabia. Despite heavy resistance from the WWE Universe, United States senators, and even its own superstars, the WWE still plans to hold the Crown Jewel event in the middle east. While contingency plans are in place, the latest statements by the WWE indicate the Saudi Arabia trip will go ahead as planned.

Are Daniel Bryan and John Cena the Only Wrestlers Who Won’t Be Attending?

As we mentioned briefly already, there are a number of superstars who are far from happy. John Cena and Daniel Bryan are certainly wrestlers who can afford to speak out against the event to a certain degree, but there are others who are rumored to abstain from the event. That being said, the WWE could still force Bryan and Cena to work the event despite their own stance on the matter. If not, their contracts could be terminated.

WWE’s Statements Regarding Saudi Trip

Since the news broke about the murder of legendary Washington Post reporter Jamal Khashoggi, the WWE has made few statements about its upcoming trip to Saudi Arabia. Few superstars have spoken out either, although the ones that did support the upcoming pay-per-view which includes Randy Orton and legend Kevin Nash.

When the scandal broke in the international press, the WWE stated it was “monitoring” the situation. Since their initial statement, it has been rather quiet around anything involving Saudi Arabia. However, WWE spokesman Brad Klein stated that the earlier statement made by the WWE still stands – this means the situation is being “monitored” and the event is still going ahead.

Ticket Stations Still Pose Doubt!

While the WWE officially claimed the event is going ahead, local ticket stations selling tickets for the event have stated that the location of the event is not yet confirmed. So, things could still be changing in the next week. However, with each passing day, it seems unlikely the WWE will stop Crown Jewel.

Why Won’t the WWE Cancel Its Contract?

While the WWE might state their trip to Saudi Arabia is about “cultural enrichment,” the truth is a lot less pretty. Cold hard cash is the reason why the WWE will not pull out of its contract. The company is set to make an alleged 450 million dollars over the next 10 years, so unless President Trump forbids them to visit Saudi Arabia, the event will pretty much take place.

Ringside Intel is keeping a close eye on developments involving the Crown Jewel pay-per-view. We have been reporting the latest updates on a daily basis for the past couple of weeks and intend to do so until the WWE provides some clarity. If you want to stay updated, be sure to subscribe to our newsletter.