'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
What's the story?
Jim Cornette was recently interviewed by Dave Meltzer and Bryan Alvarez of The Wrestling Observer and he made some interesting points about the way WWE could have handled some of the rules in Saudi Arabia.
In case you didn't know...
WWE recently traveled to Saudi Arabia to present their first ever pay-per-view live from Jeddah, but one of the main issues with The Greatest Royal Rumble was that women were not allowed to perform at the event.
Women weren't even allowed to be seen on screen and since WWE played their advert for Backlash, the Saudi Arabian Government was forced to apologize because of the "Indecent images" that were shown.
Sami Zayn was also a notable absence from the event since the former NXT Champion is of Syrian descent and Saudi Arabia cut ties with Syria back in 2012.
The heart of the matter
The women of WWE and Sami Zayn didn't travel to Saudi Arabia with the rest of the roster and it has been speculated that even though they weren't part of the show, the women would be paid as though they were. Jim Cornette had an interesting opinion when it came to how he would have treated their absence. (transcript via Wrestling Inc)
"If I was the [WWE], for tens of millions of dollars, okay, then I would say, in that case, in Saudi Arabia, I'd say, 'okay, Sami Zayn. They don't want you,'" said Cornette. "And you know I'm not the biggest personal fan of El Generico, but Sami Zayn, they don't want you, so I tell you what. I'm gonna give you 50 grand, go buy you a brand new SUV and you don't have to make that flight.
"And girls: here you go. Here's a brand new sports car for all of y'all and you don't have to make that flight and get beat up. We're gonna take these nut cases over there for their money."
There has been a lot of speculation that the event was all about the money and it appears that Cornette thinks WWE should have shared that out with the members of their roster who had been excluded from the event.
What's next?
It has been reported that WWE is set to return to Saudi Arabia in the fall, but it is unknown if the rules will be the same for the second visit.
Author's take
WWE superstars don't do what they do for the money and paying them off to not appear on a show wouldn't send a very good message to the rest of the roster who are appearing on the show. WWE is a business and they made the business decision to go to Saudi Arabia despite their rules, hopefully in the future WWE will help to change these rules so that the women can be part of the event.
