A 10-year partnership between WWE and Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030

History · Published 2 November 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Professional wrestling is often viewed as pure spectacle, but its expansion into Riyadh is a calculated piece of soft power. Crown Jewel serves as a cornerstone for a decade-long strategic multiplatform partnership designed to support Saudi Arabia’s massive social and economic reform program.

Held on November 5, 2022, at Mrsool Park in Riyadh, the fourth Crown Jewel event was part of the city's annual Riyadh Season festivities. It represented the eighth event under a 10-year partnership initiated in early 2018 to support Saudi Vision 2030. This long-term agreement positions WWE as a key cultural partner in the kingdom's broader goals for social and economic transformation. The inaugural event occurred in 2018 at a venue previously known as King Saud University Stadium. This specific stadium was renamed to Mrsool Park in 2020. The annual festivities that host these matches first launched in 2019.

The event also marked significant logistical shifts for the American company. It was the first Crown Jewel branded as a 'premium live event,' a term introduced in early 2022 to unify pay-per-view and livestreaming platforms. Furthermore, it served as a transition point for international distribution, notably being the final event on the WWE Network in the Philippines before moving to Disney+ on November 17. A live broadcast commenced at 19:00. using Arabia Standard Time for an international audience. It also debuted as a livestream on Disney+ Hotstar within Indonesia. This followed the closure of that country's specific WWE Network branch in late January.

The narrative of Crown Jewel is built on scripted storylines developed by writers for Raw and SmackDown brands. For instance, the main event featured social media influencer Logan Paul—making only his third match in the company—facing Roman Reigns. This storyline was fueled by a real-world podcast appearance and subsequent trash-talking, which WWE then integrated into their televised narrative to build hype for the Riyadh stage. The match featured Jake Paul providing support for his brother during the main event. Other highlights included a creative Last Woman Standing bout and a Steel Cage contest. Additionally, Brock Lesnar defeated Bobby Lashley in the opening match of the night.

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