“So Far, So Good”: TKO, Ari Emanuel Give Disappointing Update Ahead of WWE Crown Jewel

This week, following reports that the United States has ordered the evacuation of “non-emergency” U.S. government personnel and their families from Saudi Arabia in response to increased and ongoing threats from Iran and the Houthis, Ari Emanuel, TKO executive chairman, gave an update on WWE Crown Jewel, which is scheduled to take place on November 7 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

And perhaps, surprisingly to few, Emanuel offered an affirmative response about the status of the upcoming PLE.

WWE Crown Jewel Scheduled to Proceed as Planned

<

Once an Honorary Uce to the Bloodline, Sami Zayn, is set to face Roman Reigns in the champion vs. champion main event at WWE Crown Jewel. Photo/Dylan Azari / USA TODAY NETWORK

“Right now, everything is still set,” Emanuel said in his interview with Fox News. “This weekend coming up in Abu Dhabi, we have a UFC fight. We have, in the middle of November, a Frieze art show. So far so good. Nothing’s been cancelled.”

Emanuel, when pressed further, added that the WWE is working closely with the U.S. government to determine if the event will be able to happen and if not, where they can move it to. As Emanuel noted, “it’s a daily monitoring.”

Given the ongoing hostilities in the Middle East, continued threats and speculation of further violence, and level three (reconsider travel) travel advisories, it would seem shocking that WWE would opt to still hold this event. However, looking back, WWE opted to go ahead with Night of Champions in 2025 in the midst of a very similar situation of turmoil and unrest in the region.

Now, in the past, WWE has fallen back on the legal ramifications of the 10-year contract they signed with the KSA and GEA, which includes 2027’s WrestleMania 43, as the main reason why these events occur despite uncertain circumstances. However, more context was added to that recently by Dave Meltzer, who seemingly suggested the call on whether or not to hold WWE Crown Jewel could have massive political ramifications for the company and its relationship with the crown prince.

“Hard Times Reveal True Friends”

<

Cody Rhodes, pictured alongside Roman Reigns, will look to end his rivalry with Randy Orton when the two face off in a heated grudge match at WWE Crown Jewel. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports for Reuters Connect

Let’s start with the obvious. TKO owns Zuffa Boxing, an initiative that is in part financially backed by the chairman of the Saudi General Entertainment Authority and someone who just happens to be a key ally of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

As Meltzer put it, if the GEA chairman wants the event to happen, it will happen, as Meltzer doubts anyone in the company would stand up to him. This despite prior claims that WWE was big enough that if they didn’t want to do WWE Night of Champions in June 2026 (under similar circumstances in the Middle East), they would be able to say no. However, it now seems Zuffa Boxing could be playing a role in any decisions TKO makes. The valuation on Zuffa stands to see the company make billions over the next few years, and that only happens if the GEA continues to back it.

In fact, it is a tweet from the GEA chairman that seems to sum up why WWE can’t afford to make a very powerful enemy here. Referencing an upcoming fight featuring Canelo Alvarez, the chairman noted that “hard times reveal true friends.” Should TKO pull Crown Jewel, it would appear they are not being true friends to a man who seemingly holds a large part of their financial fate in his hands.

As Meltzer notes, WWE has a backup plan, but they have distanced themselves from it publicly. They don’t want the perception that they are even considering moving the show, as that could offend or insult the KSA.

The Last Word on WWE Crown Jewel

<

An historic match awaits Liv Morgan at WWE Crown Jewel as she will take on the winner of Chelsea Green/Nikki Bella in a champion vs. champion match. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images. Credit: USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

WWE still has around two weeks to figure out what to do here, and who knows what the situation will look like then. There has seemingly been talk that another round of attacks could occur after the U.S. Midterm Elections on November 3. That’s three days before Crown Jewel. And from the beginning, WWE’s events in Saudi Arabia have been plagued by one thing or another, be it allegations of the murder of a journalist, wrestlers stuck on a tarmac unable to leave the country, or the various wars and hostilities that have plagued the region long before WWE and the KSA struck their billion-dollar deal.

Should another attack happen on the 4th or shortly after, the situation in the Middle East will resemble what things looked like in early June, shortly before the U.S./Israel/Iran ceasefire. A ceasefire that just so happened to precede another WWE event in Saudi Arabia, Night of Champions. And as fans remember, despite all of the reasons not to hold Night of Champions in Riyadh, the show went on. WWE didn’t reverse course then, and if the past is prologue, they seemingly won’t do it now either.