WWE feared getting booed

WWE feared getting booed at a major announcement recently, according to reports. Last week, WWE announced that it will make history with Saudi Arabia hosting WrestleMania 43. This marked the first time that the promotion's showpiece event would be held outside North America.

The decision sparked anger from fans online, and at WWE x AAA Worlds Collide, fans chanted "You sold out" when a video of the announcement was aired. The announcement in Las Vegas was made by WWE's Chief Content Officer, Triple H, who was accompanied by a number of WWE stars.

However, no fans or media were allowed during this closed press conference. This decision seemed odd for such a big occasion, but there is an update on why that may have been the case.

According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (WON), TKO made the decision not to have fans in attendance, as they could have possibly booed the announcement, given the controversy around WWE's partnership with Saudi Arabia.

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The report also notes that media, who were in Vegas for the Canelo vs. Crawford match, were also kept away as there was a chance of them "asking real questions."

By keeping fans and media away from the event, WWE ensured it had control over the situation and didn't face any uncomfortable moments during the announcement.

WWE Hall of Famer backed promotion's Saudi WrestleMania move

The move to hold WrestleMania in Saudi Arabia has garnered an angry reaction from fans online.

However, a few WWE legends have backed the move. Speaking on his 1 Of A Kind podcast, Hall of Famer Rob Van Dam said he had no problem with it, as the company and wrestlers will make more money.

“Saudi Arabia, they’re doing it. From what they’re saying online, there’s a lot of money involved and a lot of money to be made for the company and for a lot of the boys. It is about business, you know, so I don’t have a problem with it," he said.

It remains to be seen how things turn out for WWE in the coming months.

If you use quotes from Rob Van Dam from this article, please credit Sportskeeda for the transcription.

About the author

Sherjeel Malik is a writer at Sportskeeda and covers pro wrestling. He was hooked on the product from the moment he saw The Hardy Boyz jumping off ladders during the Attitude Era. While he comes from an engineering background, Sherjeel’s love for pro wrestling and content writing led him to pursue a career in sports journalism. Before assuming his current role at Sportskeeda, Sherjeel worked at other reputable organizations for five years.

While writing articles, he ensures that he only relies on credible sources for information and covers relevant subjects that do not project an agenda against a particular person or association. WWE legend Paul Heyman once shared Sherjeel’s work on his social media handle.

Sherjeel’s earliest memory of pro wrestling is watching Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Undertaker square off for the WWE Title in the main event of a pay-per-view in 1998. His favorite wrestlers are Randy Orton and Jeff Hardy. While he admires Orton for his character work as a heel, he looks up to Jeff because of his unique wrestling style and risk-taking ability.

If he could go back to the Attitude Era, Sherjeel would like to manage Ken Shamrock and be his mouthpiece. He feels Shamrock’s promo skills prevented him from becoming a main event-level act in WWE. Hence, he would like to help the UFC Hall of Famer get over with fans.

When not writing about pro wrestling, he likes to read classics and fiction books.

Know More

First-hand reports of Vince McMahon's birthday party HERE.

Edited by Sherjeel Malik

WWE feared getting booed - Reports

WWE Hall of Famer backed promotion's Saudi WrestleMania move