Report: WWE's 'Political Jockeying' With AEW Behind Delay In WrestleMania Reveal

When WWE made its controversial trip to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia for Crown Jewel this past weekend, it was largely thought the promotion would use the event to announce the dates for WrestleMania 43, set to take place in Riyadh next spring. But much like the expected GUNTHER vs. Finn Balor match, the WrestleMania announcement was nowhere to be found on Crown Jewel, and it appears to be related to, of all things, AEW. Reviewing Crown Jewel on "Wrestling Observer Radio," Dave Meltzer stated that WWE was likely looking to hold WrestleMania on April 10 and 11, but was keeping the dates quiet in a bit of political gamesmanship with AEW.

"It's the same reason why we didn't have a Royal Rumble date until a couple of days ago," Meltzer said. "It's all political jockeying. You want to not confirm it until...especially now, because they don't have to sell tickets. So it's like what's the point in confirming it months ahead? Normally you would give the date so you could sell tickets and people could make arrangements to go and all of that. That's not even a deal on the show. 

"So it's just a question of...they don't want it out, and keep people guessing, because obviously everyone expects Tony Khan to do a competitive show head to head. And they want to give him as...they're going to have to announce it a couple months ahead, but maybe they don't want to announce it six months ahead. Who knows?"

With WrestleMania out of North America for the first time ever, many have speculated that AEW could look to fill the void with a major show of their own. WWE had previously announced that watch parties, and events from AAA and "NXT," would take place in New York City next April, which some saw as a a way to locally counteract a potential AEW show if it took place in the New York area. While Khan has never confirmed a show, he has hinted that one could be in the works when asked about it at past AEW press scrums.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Wrestling Observer Radio" and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription