Goldberg, Brock Lesnar, Undertaker announced for June 7 return to Saudi Arabia, event will stream on WWE Network

WWE indeed is returning to Saudi Arabia for another “paid show” featuring top attractions who don’t normally appear on a regular basis on WWE TV or even WrestleManias. Goldberg, Undertaker, and Brock Lesnar are all advertised for the June 7 event at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. WWE.com announced the date today with a colorful photo of a fireworks display in Saudi Arabia at a previous WWE event.

Before last fall’s second Saudi Arabia event, fans began booing the mention of Saudi Arabia and event the graphic for the event at live events, because of the controversial government and their alleged ties to the slaying of U.S. based journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was an outspoken advocate for a more open Saudi society and freedom of the press in Saudi Arabia, his country of origin. An Apr. 5 article in the New York Post notes that the type of activity Khashoggi spoke out against continues:

Saudi Arabia detained eight people, including two dual US-Saudi citizens, in a new round of arrests in the kingdom targeting individuals supportive of women’s rights and those with ties to jailed activists, a person with knowledge of the apprehensions said Friday.

WWE management has said very little in press releases or during financial conference calls each quarter regarding Saudi Arabia, saying last year that the decision to continue running events in Saudi Arabia was difficult to make.

WWE even went so far as to stop saying Saudi Arabia on TV and during the Crown Jewel event itself last fall and then stopped saying “Crown Jewel” after the mere mention of the name of the event became essentially toxic. After the event, happenings at Crown Jewel were referred to on TV as “last Friday” rather than “at Crown Jewel.”