AEW star weighs in on Bianca Belair’s take on WWE heading to Saudi Arabia for WrestleMania 43

WWE set to bring the ‘show of all shows’ to Riyadh in 2027!

The 43rd edition of WrestleMania in 2027 is set to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The announcement was made during the scheduled press conference this past Friday, where WWE CCO Triple H made the official announcement. The show will be part of the ongoing Riyadh Season initiative.

This marks the first time WrestleMania will cross the Atlantic Ocean and only the third time it’s being held outside the United States, with the previous two being WrestleMania 6 in 1990 and WrestleMania 18 in 2002, both hosted in Toronto.

Bianca Belair offered her thoughts during the announcement

The announcement stream featured multiple WWE superstars, including: The Undertaker, Shawn Michaels, Seth Rollins, Logan Paul, Bianca Belair, Liv Morgan, Stephanie Vaquer, and Charlotte Flair.

During the press conference, Bianca Belair shared her thoughts on what the historic move represents for women in wrestling.

“[Saudi Arabia is] a space specifically for women to make amazing moments.” Belair said.

Thunder Rosa weighs in amid backlash from fans

The decision has already triggered major backlash online, with fans voicing their anger. As of writing this article, WWE’s official YouTube announcement video racked up over 37k dislikes, while the likes counter is at 15k.

In a recent appearance on Busted Open Radio, AEW star Thunder Rosa weighed in on the move and noted how, at the end of the day, it’s about money

“They give them money. We’re gonna give you a show. That’s it. The stakeholders are calling the shots. And you have to go for what they tell you to do.” Rosa commented.

Although the AEW star recognized the strides WWE’s women’s division has taken by performing in Saudi Arabia, she argued that societal views on women in those countries are deeply rooted in history and religion, and unlikely to change through wrestling events.

“You’re not gonna change how society looks at women in these countries. This is part of historical religions and everything else.”

[H/T: SEScopps

The reveal of WrestleMania 43 has sparked online backlash, with many fans sharing Rosa’s view that the decision is financially motivated. WWE now faces the challenge of changing that perception.

Per Nick LoPiccolo, the Saudi Arabian government paid a total of $350 MILLION to WWE for Royal Rumble 2026 and WrestleMania 2027. (Royal Rumble: $100 million & WrestleMania: $250 million).

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