WWE continues to make historical past after saying one in every of its most iconic occasions is headed to Saudi Arabia.
Skilled wrestling’s largest organisation has been on a roll lately, boasting sell-out crowds, report gates and mammoth sponsorship offers aplenty.
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Simply one of many largest landmark moments lately got here on Monday evening as WWE’s flagship Monday Evening Uncooked programme made its debut on Netflix.
The streaming big forked out a reported $5bn for the unique US rights to Uncooked in early 2024 and, after a build-up of virtually a yr, lastly kicked off its new period from California’s Intuit Dome with a primary crimson model present of 2025.
A singular mixture of legends and present stars had been slated to be a part of the epic blockbuster; The Rock, Hulk Hogan, The Undertaker, CM Punk, Seth Rollins, Rhea Ripley and Logan Paul all among the many names to function.
With simply hours to go till the historic Uncooked took to air, nonetheless, it was information of a special present that started to dominate the headlines courtesy of an announcement concerning the standing of one in every of WWE’s largest titles of all time.
For nearly 30 years, the Royal Rumble occasion has been a staple a part of the calendar for wrestling followers, normally sitting as the primary Premium Dwell Occasion of the yr and formally performing as the beginning of the Highway to WrestleMania.
2025’s Rumble would be the first WWE PLE to sit down on Netflix, the epic airing from the Lucas Oil Area in Indianapolis, Indiana on February 1st as stars battle it out for glory and the prospect to headline WrestleMania 41 later within the yr.
Twelve months down the road, the 2026 version of the standard basic can have a really totally different feel and look as WWE takes the present exterior of North America for the primary time because it ventures to Saudi Arabia.
Riyadh has already performed host to quite a few occasions as a part of WWE’s ongoing relationship with the Saudi Normal Leisure Authority, however Royal Rumble marks by far its largest acquisition but.
In an announcement, HE Turki Alalshikh stated: “Saudi Arabia’s internet hosting of the Royal Rumble for the primary time exterior North America displays the Normal Leisure Authority’s ongoing dedication to bringing the world’s largest and most essential leisure occasions to the Kingdom. By this partnership with WWE, we intention to boost the leisure sector and ship a transformative expertise that draws a large viewers.”
He added: “We’re excited to see this historic occasion as a part of Riyadh Season’s actions and look ahead to offering an distinctive expertise for wrestling followers from around the globe, whom we welcome to all occasions hosted in Saudi Arabia.”
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Few particulars concerning the Saudi Royal Rumble have been confirmed, thought WWE President Nick Khan did add that the instalment will see the Rumble revert again to January, its extra conventional spot within the calendar.
Khan stated: “WWE is a world enterprise and it solely made sense to broaden our relationship with the Kingdom by bringing one in every of our largest annual occasions to Riyadh in January of 2026.
Crown Jewel, Elimination Chamber, King & Queen of the Ring, Evening of Champions, and episodes of SmackDown and Uncooked have all aired from Saudi Arabia in earlier years.
The Royal Rumble made its WWE debut again in 1988 and was final held in Florida’s Tropicana Area in 2024.