WWE Talents Gone From Saudi Arabia Before Riyadh Missile Attack
WWE wrestlers were already out of Saudi Arabia by the time Riyadh was hit by more missile attacks
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Nov 9, 2026
WWE talents were "long gone" from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, by the time new missile attacks were launched against the city by the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen.
That is according to PWInsider, who did note, however, that there was likely still some WWE staff in Riyadh to help break down the arena following Crown Jewel. The outlet had not heard of anyone associated with WWE being affected by the latest airstrikes.
The Houthis launched a missile attack against Riyadh on Sunday, November 8, with the Aramco Tower being damaged in the attack. The King Khalid International Airport was also targeted in a separate strike, with Saudi Arabia noting their air defences also intercepted several missiles.
There has been renewed conflict between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis since the summer of 2026 after the Houthis blamed KSA for a missile strike on Sanaa airport which ended a four-year informal ceasefire. The Houthis have carried out almost daily airstrikes against Saudi Arabia since early October.
Due to the conflict in the Gulf region, WWE utilised a smaller crew in Saudi Arabia for Crown Jewel, with several crew members turning down $3,000 in hazard pay for travelling to the Middle East and opting to remain in the United States. Crown Jewel aired with an around 10-minute delay due to much of the production for the show being carried out at WWE HQ in Stamford, Connecticut, including commentary for the event. Promos for the Crown Jewel post-show were also taped while the event was ongoing so talent and staff could leave Riyadh as quickly as possible.
The majority of WWE's roster flew in and out of Bahrain instead of King Khalid International Airport, Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer reported. The journey from Bahrain to Riyadh by road is around five hours.
WWE presented a four-match Crown Jewel card from Riyadh on Saturday, November 7, with the show extending to five matches with the addition of Tiffany Stratton's Money in the Bank cash-in. A number of talents reportedly expressed their concerns and opposition to wrestling at Crown Jewel due to the conflict in the Middle East.
