The World Wrestling Entertainment’s second event in Saudi Arabia on Friday follows the company\u2019s first — held in April — which didn\u2019t feature any female performers, who are excluded from performing in that country.<\/strong><\/p>\nThe Crown Jewel will also have its share of controversy as two of the company\u2019s biggest starts — John Cena and Daniel Bryan — are not taking part in the event, reportedly in response to alleged Saudi involvement in the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.<\/p>\n
Cena did not address why he wouldn\u2019t be involved, but a report by Wrestling Observer <\/em>details Bryan\u2019s reasons.<\/p>\n\n
The report states that Bryan isn\u2019t attending due to a mixture of how he feels about Khashoggi\u2019s murder, the way Saudi Arabia treats homosexuals, and WWE\u2019s exclusion of Sami Zayn — who is of Syrian descent — from last April\u2019s show. Zayn was reportedly kept out of the show due to Saudi Arabia\u2019s tense relations with Syria.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\nCena and Bryan backed out as the company faced immense backlash and pressure to drop out of Saudia Arabia after Khashoggi\u2019s murder. Ultimately, WWE decided to move ahead regardless.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe goal is to make things better everywhere and I think us not going doesn\u2019t help. Going helps,\u201d the WWE\u2019s Randy Orton told TMZ<\/em>.<\/p>\nOrton and his bosses might have other incentives to want to make it work in the country that has suddenly lost favor — as well as several business relationships — following Khashoggi\u2019s murder. The WWE and Saudi Arabia agreed to a 10-year deal that could see the company pocket up to $50 million per event.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Without the help of a bet, Caesars Entertainment is ready to put the \u201cEntertainment\u201d part of its name to the test in Dubai with a beach club, two resorts, and a residential tower all slated to open within the next month on the city\u2019s Meraas\u2019 Bluewaters Island. It will be the operator’s first foray into […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":40,"featured_media":91678,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[62,21,3313,16],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
Caesars Opening Non-Gaming Dubai Properties Amid Controversies<\/title>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n