WWE’s Crown Jewel situation in Saudi Arabia just got another serious development. U.S. intelligence officials are now warning that Iran has stepped up efforts to target Americans overseas, with some alleged plots to kill U.S. citizens reaching advanced stages. That’s a pretty alarming update considering WWE is supposed to bring its roster and production crew to Riyadh for Crown Jewel on November 7.
According to CBS News, Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton issued the warning in an October 23 memo sent to Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The document, first reported by Axios, warned that Iran has increased its efforts to target American personnel in the Middle East and other countries. Clayton didn’t hold back when describing what U.S. intelligence officials have uncovered.
“The lethal plotting efforts by the Iranians against U.S. citizens have reached advanced stages in both the Middle East and certain other countries.”
That’s a serious warning with Crown Jewel now just two weeks away. The memo doesn’t identify specific targets, reveal which countries are involved beyond the Middle East, or say whether an attack is imminent. There’s also no indication that WWE, its wrestlers or Crown Jewel are being specifically targeted.
Still, the warning comes as the U.S. government is already taking precautions across the region. The State Department ordered non-essential embassy personnel and their families to leave Saudi Arabia earlier this week, while several other diplomatic facilities have reduced staffing. U.S. military officials have also been quietly scaling back their presence at certain locations because of ongoing threats. A U.S. official explained to CBS News that the threats from Iran and the Iranian-backed Houthi movement in Yemen are directly influencing those decisions.
“The threat of Houthi attacks and of Iranian terror plots targeting U.S. officials are informing our decisions on staffing adjustments for embassies on RO [Restricted Operations] Status in the region.”
That puts another layer of concern on WWE’s upcoming trip. As Ringside News previously covered, the U.S. government had already ordered diplomatic personnel out of Saudi Arabia ahead of Crown Jewel.
The situation in Riyadh has also been getting worse. Saudi air defenses intercepted a ballistic missile targeting the capital early Friday morning, while additional missiles and drones were intercepted elsewhere in the country. The U.S. Embassy also warned Americans to use extreme caution at Saudi airports, with operations at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh suspended following attacks on airport infrastructure.
WWE isn’t the only organization facing questions about holding a major event in Riyadh. Saudi Arabia has already postponed two international gatherings until 2027, including the United Nations World Data Forum, which had been scheduled for November 9 through November 12. The Future Investment Initiative conference, originally set for October 26 through October 29, was also postponed. Those developments are particularly concerning because Crown Jewel is scheduled for November 7, right between the dates of those two postponed events.
TKO executive Ari Emanuel addressed the security situation earlier this week and said the company’s events were still moving forward. However, he acknowledged that a team was monitoring developments and evaluating potential alternatives.
“Yeah, we have a whole team kind of working on this, and kind of when—and if that doesn’t happen, where we can move it. It’s a daily monitoring.”
The latest U.S. intelligence warning only adds to the uncertainty. President Donald Trump has also raised the possibility of renewed military action against Iran if negotiations fail, creating another concern about what could happen in the region before WWE arrives.
For now, WWE Crown Jewel is still scheduled for November 7 at Riyadh Season Stadium, and the company hasn’t announced any changes. But with U.S. intelligence warning about advanced plots against Americans, diplomatic personnel being pulled out of Saudi Arabia, and major events already being postponed, WWE is facing a security situation that could become even more complicated before showtime.
Do you think WWE should move Crown Jewel out of Saudi Arabia? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.
