UPDATE FROM ANGEL: A source has told Ryan Satin at Pro Wrestling Sheet that it was not Zayn’s decision not to go to the show. Satin was told that, similar to the women, he was not booked on the show out of respect to the local culture in Saudi Arabia.

ORIGINAL: For those of you that have asked about Sami Zayn, WWE issued the following statement on why he was not booked to appear at the Greatest Royal Rumble:

“WWE is committed to embracing individuals from all backgrounds while respecting local customs and cultural differences around the world.”

What we heard was that anyone that had any objections could opt to stay back and not participate on the show. Zayn was allowed to stay home and it’s believed to be because he is from Syrian descent and has been very public about some of the things that have been happening to the people in Syria. Diplomatic ties between Syria and Saudi Arabia have been strained, especially after Saudi Arabia cut off relations with them after Syria decided to close down its embassy in Damascus. The Syrian ambassador was expelled in 2012.

The other name that was not at the show was The Big Show. He was originally advertised for the show but was pulled from online ads earlier this week. We don’t know yet why he was not on the show.











