The WWE Crown Jewel 2019 plane story somehow just got even messier. Shortly after George Barrios basically said the whole thing had been blown out of proportion, another former WWE executive reportedly hit up Conrad Thompson and told him there was definitely more going on when WWE tried to leave Riyadh.
Writing in Uncrowned, Thompson revealed that the unnamed former WWE executive contacted him after hearing Barrios discuss the infamous incident. The executive wanted to remain anonymous, but apparently had no problem getting pretty damn specific about the kind of trouble WWE sometimes ran into overseas.
“Then, a day later, another former WWE executive — after asking for anonymity — texted me and went further. He noted that WWE has dealt with several countries that ‘are thrilled to see you arrive but are problematic on departure.’
He specifically confirmed this was what happened in Riyadh in 2019.
He added: ‘They target you when they know you need to perform somewhere else fairly soon. They know we are traveling with cash from merch sales, and then we’d experience all kinds of delays getting out [of the country].’”
That’s a pretty interesting message to get right after Barrios told his side of the story. The former WWE co-president had said he believed the whole Crown Jewel situation was “exaggerated to some degree,” although he also admitted he didn’t actually know exactly what caused the 2019 delay.
Barrios did remember WWE running into another bizarre travel situation in a different country. WWE’s plane was apparently being held up because a new airport fee had to be paid, and by the time the problem reached Barrios’ desk, his response was basically: pay the damn money and get us out of here.
“But in that moment, there was a fee. And so, what did I say? I said, ‘Pay the f***ing fee. We’re coming home,’ right? So I don’t even know why you’re calling me. Yes, it’s a lot of money, but yeah, we’re paying the airport fee.”
Barrios was careful not to claim that’s what happened in Saudi Arabia. When Thompson specifically asked him about Crown Jewel 2019, Barrios admitted he didn’t have the full answer.
“So when you ask, Conrad, about what happened in Saudi Arabia, I think for the most part, I don’t know exactly, and I’m not trying to say there was an analog there. I’m just saying there was a delay, and then we got out, and I’ll leave it at that.”
That doesn’t suddenly answer every question about what happened in 2019, especially since the executive stayed anonymous. But after years of rumors, Barrios saying things were exaggerated and now another former WWE executive saying WWE absolutely dealt with departure problems in Riyadh, this six-year-old story somehow still refuses to die.
What do you make of this former WWE executive’s claims about the company’s problems getting out of Riyadh in 2019? Let us know what you think in the comments.
