WWE Hall of Famer Kevin Nash has come to the defense of WWE’s controversial decision to hold WrestleMania 43 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in 2027, arguing that it is a logical move for a global company. On his Kliq This podcast, the former world champion dismissed the criticisms from fans who are upset about the event being held outside of North America for the first time, pointing to the “World” in World Wrestling Entertainment.
Nash also made a bold prediction, stating that he believes WrestleMania will eventually become a twice-a-year event, a move he sees as a natural progression for the ever-expanding company. “It’s like, well, when does America get it? Like, you know, but by them saying they’re going to take the WrestleMania to Saudi Arabia, it’s like, and I could see they just changed up the one coming up and went, Oh, by the way, we’re not going to Vegas. We’re going to Saudi [Arabia].
They’re giving you two fucking WrestleManias to prepare for them to go to Saudi… even if there’s 100,000 people that go to WrestleMania and another 100,000 people go to the city… And that’s taken away from the States. It’s still the people that are watching it worldwide, you know. And you’ve got it. You’ve always—it’s a World Wrestling Entertainment for the first fucking W is world. It’s not US, WWE. And I just look at it and I say, going to Saudi Arabia, to me, is huge,” Nash said.
He then made his prediction about the future of the event. “No, because I guarantee you, by the, by the time you get to that Wrestlemania, the WrestleMania be twice a year, right? Come on. They’ve already expanded it to get to two days.”
The announcement of WrestleMania 43 in Saudi Arabia has been a major topic of conversation in the wrestling world, with a vocal segment of the fanbase expressing their displeasure with the decision, citing the country’s human rights record. The announcement was made at a press conference that was closed to both the media and the public, a move that was reportedly made to avoid potential negative reactions.
The decision is the latest development in a long-term, multi-billion-dollar partnership between WWE and Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority. This deal has been both incredibly lucrative and consistently controversial since its inception in 2018. With the Royal Rumble also heading to Saudi Arabia in 2026, the company is clearly focused on a global growth strategy, and the idea of a second, international WrestleMania each year may not be as far-fetched as it once seemed.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article, please credit Kliq This with an h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
