As odd as this sounds, the best match of the Greatest Royal Rumble event could be between Triple H and John Cena. Two WWE stars facing each other once again.
I’ll let you have a moment to ponder this.
With a way array of matches, the 50-man battle royal and titles being fought over, the two grizzled veterans of WWE could steal the show. It’s a hard sell, I know, but Cena has been on a losing streak for some time now. Triple H still looks like he could run through opponents at a moment’s notice. Sometimes, experience means everything. In this case, the Greatest Royal Rumble event in Saudi Arabia means more than some might think.
For WWE, this is a boon in terms of bringing its product to the Middle East.
While there is much excitement over something like this being shown on the WWE Network in all its glory, it does not come without controversy. No women will be competing in the event, which may have turned a few fans off to a Friday afternoon pay-per-view. There is some logic to the reason why women wrestlers will not engage in combat on Friday, Triple H spoke about it in an interview this week.
“I understand that people are questioning it, but you have to understand that every culture is different and just because you don’t agree with a certain aspect of it, it doesn’t mean it’s not a relevant culture,” Levesque said.
“You can’t dictate to a country or a religion about how they handle things but, having said that, WWE is at the forefront of a women’s evolution in the world and what you can’t do is affect change anywhere by staying away from it. While, right now, women are not competing in the event, we have had discussions about that and we believe and hope that, in the next few years they will be. That is a significant cultural shift in Saudi Arabia.
All it takes is one event or a moment of sorts to change direction. WWE is an international success, much like it has been in India. Having Jinder Mahal as the WWE Champion when the company was on tour did wonders to change views of wrestling.
It also lined the pockets of the business from a broad spectrum. WWE has been a leader in promoting women in sports and the business. This could have the same effect.
WWE is being paid a lot of money to bring its company and show to the Middle East. It’s not a forgotten theme here. But culture dictates what happens in this case.
“The country is in the middle of a shift in how it is dealing with that – the position is changing, and rights are changing, as are the way women are handled and treated in society. We think that’s a great thing and we’re excited to be at the forefront of that change.”
Hopefully when WWE decides to bring its circus back to Jeddah, which is the host city for the Greatest Royal Rumble, times will continue to change. Hopefully this event will help strengthen the need for acceptance of all performers employed in Vince McMahon’s neighborhood.