WWE embarked on new territory when the company signed a 10-year agreement with Saudi Arabia to brings its brand of entertainment to the country. The relationship started with The Greatest Royal Rumble and while the show itself was met with mixed reviews, the endeavor was financially rewarding and a huge step in the global outreach of WWE. The company had nearly all of its Superstars in attendance (with the exception of the women) with a few old names making a comeback for the one evening. Camera crews were everywhere and the WWE has aired some of the behind-the-scenes footage of the performers and staff working tirelessly to ensure a great show for the Saudi audience.
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From the talent reaching out the people of Saudi Arabia to the work that went into making a show like this possible, the over-13 minute video covers a lot of ground. John Cena is especially present as an ambassador for WWE and while his schedule is likely hectic with his Hollywood career booming, he said, “I was able to get three hours of sleep just now, but my day before that was 46 hours long. I will immediately go from here to other business. I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”
That tended to be the attitude by most of the WWE roster who labeled this event as huge. The Miz referred to it as “Big, really big. Like, WrestleMania big.”. The travel was long and the weather somewhere around 110 degrees but the WWE Superstars found ways to enjoy the moment by playing soccer in the empty arena or getting some sun in the chairs that would later be filled by the live audience.
At one point, Rusev and Aiden English took a look at the casket they were hoping to put The Undertaker in, but would eventually find themselves in later that evening. Others peaked at the set-up and staging noting how large and elaborate it was. Roman Reigns said, “I feel good. It’s always neat to do something new, something that’s never been done before and kind of be in the center of it, the pillar of it. We’re always tryin’ to heads towards positivity and this is a big step for them. This isn’t just a trailblazing situation, I think we’re opening the gates for so many other forms of entertainment.” He added, “Any time you can be a leader in a situation, that’s one the best feelings you can achieve.”And, to that end, WWE hopes to forge a relationship that one day sees Saudi Arabia allowing women to be part of their brand of entertainment.
Cena finished the video by thanking the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and saying he truly believes WWE is the most exciting form of entertainment. This relationship solidifies WWE as a leader in global entertainment and for him, that’s the most exciting part.