Saudi Arabia Passed on Buying WWE and Would’ve Kept Vince McMahon in Charge

Vince McMahon stepping away from WWE changed everything — but a new twist suggests things could’ve gone very differently if another deal went through.

WWE stayed under the McMahon family umbrella for decades until allegations against McMahon forced him out, leading to a major power shift. Triple H took over creative as Chief Content Officer, while Nick Khan stepped into the CEO role as the company entered a new era.

That transition led to WWE merging under TKO Group Holdings in 2023 — but behind the scenes, there was another option on the table that could’ve completely changed the direction of the company.

During a discussion sparked by speculation online about WWE’s long-term plans, Dave Meltzer addressed rumors that WWE could eventually be sold to Saudi Arabia. According to him, that possibility was very real at one point — but it didn’t happen.

"The saudis had an opportunity to buy wwe and they would have kept Vince in charge if they had. They ended up deciding not to make an offer. Emanuel did not make the offer he did to flip it."

Saudi Arabia has already built a strong relationship with WWE since 2018, hosting multiple premium live events and expanding the company’s global footprint. Despite that, the idea of a full acquisition never materialized. Even with continued shows in Saudi Arabia — including recent major events and long-term plans for more — a full sale doesn’t appear to be on the table right now.

WWE’s direction has clearly shifted under TKO, but this revelation shows just how close things may have come to going in a completely different direction — one where Vince McMahon could’ve remained in power.

Do you think WWE would look completely different today if Saudi Arabia had bought the company and kept Vince McMahon in charge? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.