The big story of the past few days is most of the WWE roster being stranded in Saudi Arabia after WWE Crown Jewel. On Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer provided some news about the situation. Below are some highlights.
— Meltzer says that WWE had not been paid for the previous Saudi Arabia show (WWE Super Showdown), as of September 30th. WWE then received a mysterious $60 million dollar payment a couple of hours before Crown Jewel.
— Due to the money issues, Vince McMahon didn’t televise Crown Jewel live in Saudi Arabia. After the two sides made an agreement during the show, it ended up airing on a delay. WWE Talent was apparently aware that money was owed.
— Many people who were stuck in Saudi Arabia don’t believe the story that their plane was having mechanical issues. There is a feeling among many that their plane was held due to the issues between WWE and the country.
— Meltzer says that he has had people in WWE tell him that they are never going back to Saudi Arabia for future shows.
— Meltzer also says that some people in WWE have told him they can’t wait to leave the company after what happened in Saudi Arabia.
— People in WWE are upset that Vince McMahon left on his own private jet and left them behind. Some felt like they were being used as pawns and that Vince “deserted” them.
We will let you know if we hear anything more.
On a related note, check out my predictions for Survivor Series here.