After a press release mistakenly went out earlier in the week confirming that WrestleMania 43 would be held in Saudi Arabia, WWE and Saudi officials announced the news during a press conference without media on Friday afternoon in Las Vegas.
Joe Tessitore hosted the press conference event that also included Triple H, Shawn Michaels, The Undertaker, Logan Paul, Seth Rollins, Bianca Belair, Charlotte Flair, and Stephanie Vaquer. Triple H touted the partnership between WWE and Saudi Arabia and then echoed how excited the company was to be going there for what is essentially their Super Bowl.
Ahead of the event, reports and rumor ran rampant that many top legends like Shawn Michaels, The Undertaker, and Stone Cold Steve Austin were requested by Saudi officials to be on the show. It was also reported that The Rock was contacted to do a match against either Roman Reigns or Cody Rhodes.
A new report by Fightful Select indicates that the talent rumors around WrestleMania 43 aren’t true or accurate, however. According to Fightful, neither The Rock or Stone Cold Steve Austin have been approached to do a match at WrestleMania 43.
The source said that it’s likely they will be approached at some point, but that negotiations have not begun and the subject of those two talents specifically have not been broached by WWE officials.
IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire
WWE and Saudi Arabia have had a working partnership since 2017. The 2026 WWE Royal Rumble event will take place in the country and the report indicates that talent are now not compensated in a special way for work on the show.
WWE talent regularly work Saudi Arabia shows, and any bonus compensation is already factored into most of their contracts. At this point, wrestlers that Fightful spoke to have said that they feel going to and performing in Saudi Arabia is safe.
As for Steve Austin and The Rock, neither have been a part of a WWE wrestling match in quite some time. Austin last laced up the boots for an impromptu match against Kevin Owens at WrestleMania 38 in Texas.
The Rock has been around WWE for the last year, but hasn’t wrestled since beating Cody Rhodes in a tag team match next to Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia.
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