Michael Cole on the Progress Made in Saudi Arabia With WWE

– During an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show last week, WWE broadcaster Michael Cole discussed WWE’s recent trip to Saudi Arabia for Crown Jewel. Below are some highlights (via WrestlingInc.com):

Michael Cole on if there were any safety concerns following the warning of an imminent attack: “Not at all. There was a threat, but we were in the capital city of Riyadh. We had assurance from a number of different places, including the State Department.”

Ultimately, the event went on as planned without any interruptions, including both women’s matches, a relatively recent development for WWE’s Saudi shows, as Saudi Arabia has, charitably, a complicated relationship with the idea of women as full participants in society — only in recent years have women in the country even been allowed to drive.

Cole on the progression Saudi Arabia has made: “It’s been a progression. 2018 we had the first women’s match ever in Saudi Arabia, which was Natalya and Lacey Evans. We moved on to a championship match a year later, and this year, to your point, we had two matches. They were both for championships. We had the Women’s Tag Team Championship match, and for the first time ever, we had a women’s stipulation match in Saudi Arabia, which is a Last Woman’s Standing match with Bayley and Bianca. So we’re gradually moving on. The country is starting to westernize a bit, and we’re hoping to continue that trend.”