Jim Cornette on WWE running Crown Jewel in Saudi Arabia: “Money is more important than morals for these people”
Despite escalating violence in the Middle East, WWE has been moving forward with plans for the 2026 Crown Jewel PLE in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. During his podcast, veteran wrestling personality Jim Cornette and co-host Brian Last discussed the situation. Here was the exchange…
Last: “It seems like nothing but unwise. Now, maybe WWE is waiting for Saudi Arabia to cancel them because, again, WWE is relying on that money. TKO is relying on that money from Saudi Arabia for their bottom line.”
Cornette: “Well, it seems like somebody could call somebody because they’re all buddies. You see Triple H standing next to Sh*tler [Donald Trump] in the Oval Office all the time, taking another picture with some other gddamn lunatic-looking space alien shit from the MAGA movement.”
Last: “Well, Triple H is low on the podium. Ari Emanuel runs the company. Ari Emanuel was Trump’s agent. Ari Emanuel still talks to Trump even though he’s a big Democrat.”
Cornette: “Which proves that money is more important than morals for these people. That’s why they want to get half their roster killed. Well, just being honest, why don’t they call Sh*tler and say, ‘Hey, make us not go?'”
Last: “See, I think maybe for insurance purposes or whatever. Again, it’s all about the money. If they weren’t relying on that Saudi Arabian money and the continued money for future events like WrestleMania, they would have pulled out. They would have just said, ‘All right, we’ll be in Fresno again or something.’ But they need to do that. So, they need to not be the ones to pull out.”
Cornette: “If they can call Prince Muhammad bin Salman over there in Saudi Arabia and say, ‘Hey, Sh*tler, our boss won’t let us go, so our hands are tied.’ Instead of our mouths being gagged and blindfolded when we get over there, now our hands are tied, so we can’t come.”
Last: “You know, how about a compromise? Do the show in Malta?”
Cornette: “What the f*ck? You think they could get FDR to sit in the wheelchair with his blanket, and he’s next to Churchill with the big cigar, and there’s Stalin? He’s like, ‘I’m going to get egged out of this sooner or later.’ They got a big developmental roster in case they need it. So, we’ll find out next week.”