Over the weekend, we learned that the United States carried out strikes on three of Iran's nuclear sites - Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan. Iran has threatened to retaliate by targeting American bases and citizens in the Middle East, and the UK, for example, has advised its citizens against travelling to several destinations in the area, including Saudi Arabia.
Later this week, WWE will hold SmackDown and the Night of Champions PLE in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Questions have been raised about the show being postponed or moved, but it seems to be moving forward as planned.
According to PWInsider.com, numerous WWE officials have offered a "no comment" response when asked about what's happening, and work continues on set construction in Riyadh. The company's wrestlers also haven't been advised of any changes to the event.
WWE talent and staff begin flying out to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, so if a decision is going to be made, then it needs to happen sooner rather than later. However, all signs point to WWE heading to the country, regardless of any supposed threats.
WWE's relationship with Saudi Arabia has been controversial since it was first announced, and it will be interesting to see whether any mainstream news outlets pick up on the company's decision to move forward as planned (despite some believing the U.S. is on the verge of war with Iran).
For what it's worth, there's been some chatter online about WWE standing to lose as much as $50 million if SmackDown and Night of Champions don't proceed as planned.
It's hard to say how much of a threat is faced by the WWE roster by travelling to Riyadh, but it's an undeniable risk for the company given what's happening in the world right now. Hopefully, the show will proceed as planned and everyone will remain safe.
Here's the current match card for the event:
Undisputed WWE Championship Match
John Cena vs. CM Punk
King of the Ring Tournament Finals
Randy Orton vs. Jey Uso or Cody Rhodes
Queen of the Ring Tournament Finals
Asuka vs. Roxanne Perez or Jade Cargill
WWE Intercontinental Championship Match
Dominik Mysterio vs. A.J. Styles
WWE United States Championship Match
Jacob Fatu vs. Solo Sikoa