Update On WWE Night Of Champions After Airspace Shutdown Reports
There is an update on the status of this weekend’s WWE events in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, following reports of regional tensions and travel disruptions. While a handful of WWE employees are currently stuck in Qatar, the setup for Night of Champions is reportedly continuing as scheduled.
Reports from PWInsider and Fightful Select have clarified the situation after news of temporary airspace shutdowns near Qatar caused concern. According to PWInsider, five WWE staffers are currently stuck at Dohar Airport in Qatar while waiting for a connecting flight into Riyadh. However, the majority of the production crew has been in Saudi Arabia for over a week, with some staff arriving as early as the week of June 9. Setup for the event has been underway and is said to be continuing on schedule.
According to Fightful Select, as of Monday evening, the plan was still for the event to take place, with government meetings reportedly being held in Saudi Arabia. WWE talent scheduled for the trip had not been informed of any changes to their travel plans as of Monday afternoon and are still expected to fly over mid-week on a charter plane. Talent who were spoken to for the report said they expect that WWE is figuring things out like everyone else is.
For those who have asked, the reports also reiterate that talent are no longer given a separate bonus for the Saudi Arabia shows, as that compensation is now included in their main contracts.
