WWE’s Saudi Arabia deal brought in massive money, but a former company president says there was serious concern behind the scenes after the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
In 2018, WWE announced a ten-year deal with Saudi Arabia to run major events in the country. The partnership kicked off with the Greatest Royal Rumble in April 2018, and WWE later had Crown Jewel scheduled for November of that same year. Then everything changed.
In October 2018, Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi entered the Saudi Arabian consulate in Turkey and never came out. The CIA later concluded that Khashoggi was murdered on orders of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
WWE paused ticket sales for Crown Jewel after the news broke, but the company ultimately went forward with the event in Saudi Arabia.
Former WWE co-President George Barrios is now giving more context (via POST Wrestling) on what was happening inside the company at the time. In his book, “Sometimes Wrong but Never in Doubt: How a Cuban Kid from Queens Transformed WWE,” Barrios detailed the Saudi negotiations and the internal debate over whether WWE should still move forward. Barrios said the deal had already been difficult to complete before the Khashoggi situation added another major problem.
“Our negotiations dragged on because the Saudis are notorious hagglers. By 2018, despite having made great progress, we were struggling to get the deal over the finish line. Complicating matters was the disappearance of Saudi journalist and dissident Jamal Khashoggi.”
Barrios wrote that he was outraged by what happened, but said the situation also created uncertainty around WWE’s business deal with Saudi Arabia.
“As outraged as I was by what happened, I still defy anyone to argue they understand who was truly at fault. All I know is that on our end, Khashoggi’s disappearance called into question our deal with the Saudis.”
According to Barrios, he, Vince McMahon, and Michelle Wilson spent a lot of time weighing whether WWE should continue with the agreement. Barrios said Vince was especially uneasy because of the uncertainty surrounding Khashoggi’s disappearance.
“Vince, Michelle, and I spent a great deal of time debating the pros and cons of moving forward. Vince in particular was deeply uncomfortable with the uncertainty surrounding the events.”
Barrios said he personally believed WWE could not walk away from the Saudi deal because of how valuable it was for the company. Still, he claimed Vince kept coming back to the risk involved.
“In my opinion, we couldn’t walk out on the deal. It was too worthwhile for WWE. But Vince kept shaking his head. ‘This thing with Khashoggi. Doing the deal could be the biggest risk we’ve ever taken with the company.’”
Barrios said he tried to convince Vince that WWE should continue, arguing that the full picture was still unclear at the time.
“‘Vince, listen to me’, I said. ‘I understand how serious this is. But no one really knows what’s going on.’”
WWE ended up moving forward with Crown Jewel in November 2018, despite heavy criticism over the company’s decision to continue doing business in Saudi Arabia after Khashoggi’s disappearance.
Barrios served as WWE co-President alongside Michelle Wilson. Both were let go by the company in January 2020, but later returned to the board of directors in January 2023.
Barrios is also among the defendants in the ongoing WWE shareholder lawsuit, which is scheduled to begin trial this Monday in the Delaware Court of Chancery.
The Saudi deal remains one of the most controversial business moves in WWE history. Barrios’ comments now offer another look at how much concern existed inside the company at the time, including Vince McMahon allegedly questioning whether moving forward could become the biggest risk WWE had ever taken.
WWE still made the call to run Crown Jewel, and the Saudi partnership continued for years after that. Barrios’ account makes it clear that the decision was not made lightly, even if the company ultimately chose the money and long-term business upside over walking away.
What do you think about George Barrios’ comments on WWE’s Saudi deal after Jamal Khashoggi’s disappearance? Should WWE have walked away from Crown Jewel in 2018, or was the company always going to move forward? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comments section below.