WWE Confirms Crown Jewel Will Be Held in Saudi Arabia Despite Pressure to Cancel

WWE announced Thursday that the Crown Jewel event will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Nov. 2 as originally scheduled.

The company released the following statement in its third-quarter earnings report regarding its decision:

"WWE has operated in the Middle East for nearly 20 years and has developed a sizable and dedicated fan base. Considering the heinous crime committed at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, the Company faced a very difficult decision as it relates to its event scheduled for November 2 in Riyadh. Similar to other U.S.-based companies who plan to continue operations in Saudi Arabia, the Company has decided to uphold its contractual obligations to the General Sports Authority and stage the event. Full year 2018 guidance is predicated on the staging of the Riyadh event as scheduled."

WWE was publicly pressured to cancel or relocate the event in the wake of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi's death at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2.

While Saudi Arabia initially denied responsibility for Khashoggi's death and said he left the consulate, it took responsibility Monday, saying his death was the result of a fight that broke out in the consulate during a "rogue operation."

On Thursday, Saudi Attorney General Shaikh Suood bin Abdullah Al Mo'jab offered a different explanation. Based on information gathered by Saudi and Turkish officials, he determined that Khashoggi's murder was "premeditated," per CNN.

In the earnings report, WWE Chairman Vince McMahon stressed the importance of continuing to grow globally: "During the quarter, we remained keenly focused on deepening engagement with our global fan base by delivering compelling original content across media platforms. We believe that deepening engagement will enable us to take advantage of favorable global industry trends and drive long-term growth."

WWE co-president George Barrios added that the company is on pace for "record revenue, record Adjusted OIBDA and record subscribers for the full year 2018."

The Saudi Arabia deal likely has a lot to do with WWE's financial success.

While WWE hasn't revealed full terms of its deal with Saudi Arabia, Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio (h/t WhatCulture) reported that it is worth $450 million over 10 years.

Robbie Fox of Barstool Sports reported Monday that he was told both John Cena and Daniel Bryan were refusing to work Crown Jewel if it remained in Saudi Arabia.

Cena is scheduled to be part of the eight-man World Cup tournament, while Bryan is set to challenge AJ Styles for the WWE Championship.

Regardless of whether Cena and Bryan compete, Crown Jewel will be a noteworthy card for several reasons.

Shawn Michaels will make his return to the ring for his first match in eight years when he teams with Triple H to face The Undertaker and Kane, while Braun Strowman and Brock Lesnar will battle for the vacant Universal Championship after Roman Reigns relinquished the title Monday to undergo treatment for leukemia.