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Nick Khan Calls Saudi Arabia WrestleMania a “Natural Next Step†in WWEâ€s Global Evolution

World Wrestling Entertainment is making history by taking its flagship event, WrestleMania, to Saudi Arabia in 2027, marking the first time WrestleMania 43 will be held outside of the United States or Canada. WWE President Nick Khan discussed the landmark decision at the JOY Forum 2025 in Riyadh, emphasizing the companyâ€s commitment to becoming a truly global brand.

A Natural Evolution for WWE

Speaking at the forum, Khan described the Saudi Arabia partnership as an organic progression for the companyâ€s international strategy. “It was a natural next step for us,†Khan stated. “In WWE, we realized a number of years ago that we canâ€t simply pipe American product out globally and hope to be a global product. You actually have to have boots on the ground.â€

This philosophy has already transformed WWEâ€s event calendar. According to Khan, approximately half of the companyâ€s Premium Live Events now take place outside of the United States, reflecting a deliberate shift toward international engagement rather than simply broadcasting American content worldwide.

The move to Saudi Arabia follows another historic milestone: the Royal Rumble in January 2026 will also be held in Saudi Arabia, marking the first time that event has taken place outside North America.

Building on Strong Relationships

Khan emphasized that WWEâ€s decision-making process is fundamentally relationship-driven, particularly highlighting the companyâ€s long-term partnership with Turki Al-Sheikh, Chairman of Saudi Arabiaâ€s General Entertainment Authority.

“WWE had received a number of different offers from entities outside of the US, and to me, as I try to help lead the company, itâ€s all about relationships,†he explained. Khan praised the partnership with Al-Sheikh as one built on mutual trust and direct collaboration.

The negotiations proved remarkably smooth. “When Turki expressed interest in having it here, we got together for a couple of different meetings, worked out the deal in short order, and had the good fortune of announcing it the day before Canelo-Crawford, our first fight together in Las Vegas,†Khan revealed. He described the process as respectful and productive, with both sides quickly finalizing the agreement.

A Star-Studded Spectacle in the Making

WWE is approaching this historic WrestleMania with significant confidence and ambition. “Weâ€re excited. We think viewership is going to be strong. We think people will come to the Kingdom to see our show and weâ€re going to put on a spectacle,†Khan said, emphasizing the companyâ€s commitment to delivering a spectacle-level show that will attract global fans to Saudi Arabia.

The Saudi partners are reportedly pushing for the “most star-studded show ever,†with speculation about potential appearances or matches from legendary figures. Reports suggest that Dwayne “The Rock†Johnson is being heavily pursued for a main event role, potentially facing either Cody Rhodes or Roman Reigns. Other legendary names like “Stone Cold†Steve Austin have also been discussed for the historic event.

Why 2027?

The timing of WrestleMania 43 holds special significance for Saudi Arabia. According to reports, WWE originally wanted to host the event in 2028, but Saudi Arabia pushed for 2027 to celebrate the 300-year anniversary of the founding of the first Saudi state, making the event part of a broader national celebration.

Nick Khanâ€s Leadership Vision

Under Khanâ€s leadership, WWE has experienced unprecedented global expansion and financial success. Since joining the company in 2020, Khan has been instrumental in negotiating major media deals and expanding WWEâ€s international footprint. His philosophy of prioritizing relationships and maintaining “boots on the ground†in key markets has proven successful, with the company regularly breaking attendance and revenue records.

The companyâ€s optimism appears well-founded, given Saudi Arabiaâ€s demonstrated enthusiasm for major sporting and entertainment events. The Kingdom has been actively pursuing high-profile international events as part of its Vision 2030 initiative to diversify its economy and establish itself as a global entertainment destination.

Looking Ahead

WrestleMania 43â€s expansion to Saudi Arabia represents more than just a business deal—it signals WWEâ€s evolution from an American wrestling promotion to a global entertainment powerhouse. By prioritizing on-the-ground presence over simple content distribution, WWE is betting that authentic international engagement will build lasting connections with fans worldwide.

As the 2027 event approaches, all eyes will be on whether this bold move sets a new standard for how major entertainment properties expand their global footprint. With the Royal Rumble 2026 serving as a precursor to this historic WrestleMania, WWE and Saudi Arabia are poised to reshape the landscape of professional wrestlingâ€s biggest stages.????????????????

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Umpire Invitation for WTT Youth Contender Dammam, Saudi Arabia

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Deadline : 25 October 2025 (Saturday)

The Event Organiser invites International Umpires to officiate at the forthcoming WTT Youth Contender Dammam, Saudi Arabia.

The event will commence on 10th and will conclude on 12th December.

It is an open invitation, therefore not all submissions may be accepted.

Only online nominations submitted by bona fide National Associations will be considered.

Each Member Association can nominate up to 2 umpires

AUT – ARE – Evaluations will take place.

Full hospitality will be provided from dinner on the day before the event starts to breakfast on the day after the event ends.

All invited umpires must organize their transport to the region as well as travel and medical insurance. In addition, all invited umpires are responsible for early arrival and late departure. Local transport will be provided from and to King Fahad International Airport (DMM)

Should a nominated umpire require a visa, kindly send relevant details after the selection (full name as in passport, date of birth, place of birth, passport number, expiry date of passport) to logistics@sttf.saÂA letter of invitation will be provided. Please note that all costs associated with the visa application are the responsibility of the applicant and the issuance of a visa is at the sole discretion of the relevant Consulate or Embassy.

Each umpire will receive a daily allowance by LOC, per competition day:

Gold Badge Umpires: 70 USD

Blue Badge Umpires: 70 USD

Blue Badge Umpires in Progress: 65 USD

White Badge Umpires: 65 USD

In case of a day off the LOC shall pay 50% of the daily allowance

The closing date for nominations is 25th October 2025.

You are kindly requested to carefully read the instructions and then complete the details via the online form

Thank you for your kind cooperation.

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Machado & Meyers talk WrestleMania in Saudi Arabia, AI in wrestling and entertainment, childhood movies, more (90 min.)

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SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)…

SHOW SUMMARY:In this episode of PWTorch Dailycast series “Acknowledging WWE,” Javier Machado and Mike Meyers acknowledge:

  • The Saudi Arabia WrestleMania
  • AI in wrestling and entertainment, the ethics of resurrecting dead wrestlers for “dream matches”
  • Javier remembers Peter Cushing’s name this time
  • Perfect Blue
  • Cody vs. Seth – a champion vs. champion match with some actual intriguing build
  • Vaquer vs. Tiffany – a champion vs. champion with much less intriguing build
  • Styles vs. Cena – a match with some build on social media I guess???
  • Cena’s rumored final opponent
  • Peacemaker vs. Green Arrow at WrestleMania 43
  • Ripley & Iyo vs. Asuka & Kairi – the glorious soap opera
  • Reigns vs. Reed, part 2
  • The Jey Uso saga – a true sequel to the Bloodline story
  • LA Knight is doing good for himself
  • Charlotte and Bliss and the Curse of the Women’s Titles
  • “Police Academy” and other (sometimes inappropriate) childhood movies
  • …and more

FREE VERSION:AUDIO LINK

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Top WWE Star Shares Excitement For WrestleMania 43 In Saudi Arabia

Tiffany Stratton is excited for WWE WrestleMania 43 taking place in Saudi Arabia.

WWE announced a few weeks ago that the event will be held outside the U.S. for the first time. To make the announcement, WWE hosted a special event in Las Vegas, where Triple H, Saudi Arabian General Entertainment Authority Chairman Turki Alalshikh and stars like Seth Rollins, Logan Paul, Bianca Belair, Charlotte Flair, Liv Morgan and Stephanie Vaquer attended.

Reports have also revealed that WWE plans to make WrestleMania 43 its most star studded event yet, aiming to feature legends like The Rock, Stone Cold, The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels if the WrestleMania 43 takes place in Saudi Arabia.

Although fans had mixed reactions to the announcement of WrestleMania 43 taking place in Saudi Arabia. Tiffany Stratton is excited about the show, in an interview with Going Ringside, Stratton expressed her excitement for returning to Saudi Arabia.

She said, “Iâ€m excited. The last time we were there I believe, we went on this little safari adventure, and I hope we get to do that again because that was super fun. I think Bianca mentioned women are making history over there, and I canâ€t wait to be a part of that myself. So Iâ€m super excited and I canâ€t wait.†[H/T: WrestlePurists]

Tiffany Stratton addresses rumors that sheâ€s injured

Last week, WWE NXT pulled Tiffany Stratton from her return match, where she was supposed to team with Rhea Ripley and Stephanie Vaquer. The match didnâ€t happen because doctors didnâ€t clear her to compete. NXT GM Ava explained that this was related to her recent title match against Jade Cargill and announced that Lyra Valkyria would replace her.

Stratton has now addressed the rumors, saying she is physically fine. “Physically, Iâ€m OK. Obviously on my moonsault, it was a little bit of a rough landing. However, I was fine. I think it was just more precautionary and kind of just monitoring and seeing if anything was bad about the fall. But for the most part, Iâ€m doing good, Iâ€m great.â€

Read More: Tony Khan Comments On Running An AEW Event Against WrestleMania 43 In 2027

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