Top WWE Stars Not Booked For Crown Jewel, Sami Zayn Not Going To Saudi Arabia With Shinsuke Nakamura
It looks like The Undertaker will not be returning to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for WWE Crown Jewel later this month.
We noted back in late September, when Crown Jewel 2019 was first confirmed, that Taker was featured in promotional material for the event, and was listed with the other Superstars and Legends appearing. Despite those advertisements, the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that Taker is not currently scheduled to be a part of the show.
There's no word yet on why Taker isn't working Crown Jewel, but it was speculated that it would make little sense to bring in other outside attractions, who aren't active Superstars, when they already have boxer Tyson Fury and new WWE Superstar Cain Velasquez on the card.
On a related note, The Observer reports that there are also no current plans for WWE Hall of Famer Bill Goldberg to work Crown Jewel.
Taker worked the first WWE event in Saudi back in April 28, Greatest Royal Rumble, and defeated Rusev in a Casket Match. He returned to the Kingdom in November 2018 to team with Kane for a loss to WWE Hall of Famers Triple H and Shawn Michaels. Taker then defeated Goldberg at WWE Super ShowDown earlier this year, which was the last WWE – Saudi show. Super ShowDown was the first Saudi show for Goldberg.
We've noted before how some WWE Superstars passed on working the shows in Saudi Arabia due to personal reasons, usually having to do with controversies surrounding the Kingdom. Kevin Owens and Daniel Bryan both refused to work Super ShowDown earlier this year, and the Observer reports that neither man is scheduled for Crown Jewel at this point. Part-timer John Cena also refused to work a WWE show in the Kingdom, but there's no word yet on when he will be back in a WWE ring but it doesn't look like he will be working Crown Jewel.
Sami Zayn has not been allowed to work the WWE shows in the Kingdom because he is of Syrian descent, and he also is not scheduled to work Crown Jewel. Sami is currently acting as the mouthpiece for WWE Intercontinental Champion Shinsuke Nakamura, and Nakamura is scheduled to work Crown Jewel as a member of Team Flair for the ten-man match against Team Hogan.
WWE Crown Jewel 2019 will take place on Halloween, Thursday, October 31, from the King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The event will air live on the WWE Network at 1pm ET, with the Kickoff pre-show starting at 12pm ET.
Below is the current announced Crown Jewel card. Stay tuned for updates on the big event.
WWE Title Match
Cain Velasquez vs. Brock Lesnar (c)
Falls Count Anywhere Match for the WWE Universal Title
"The Fiend" Bray Wyatt vs. Seth Rollins (c)
World Cup Tag Team Turmoil Match
RAW Tag Team Champions The Viking Raiders vs. SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Revival vs. The New Day vs. Dolph Ziggler and Robert Roode vs. Heavy Machinery vs. Lucha House Party vs. Zack Ryder and Curt Hawkins vs. The OC vs. The B Team
Winners will be crowned World Cup winners and the Greatest Tag Team In the World
Team Hogan vs. Team Flair: 5-on-5 Match
Rusev, Ricochet and 3 others TBA vs. Randy Orton, King Baron Corbin, Bobby Lashley, WWE Intercontinental Champion Shinsuke Nakamura and 1 other TBA
Ric Flair and Hulk Hogan will be present as the coaches.
Braun Strowman vs. Tyson Fury
Cesaro vs. Mansoor Al-Shehail
Roman Reigns vs. TBA
Source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter
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