While WWE Crown Jewel 2019 hosted matches featuring Brock Lesnar, Tyson Fury and Bray Wyatt, and appearances from Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair, the show is perhaps best remembered for what took place when the in-ring action was over.
More than 200 WWE personnel were left stranded on an aeroplane for several hours with the delay credited to a mechanical fault. However, the less than clear situation led to a number of conspiracy theories, including claims that then-Chairman Vince McMahon was involved in a dispute over pay.
Drew McIntyre has previously stated that it is was a “bit scary” for everyone involved.
Dave Meltzer Says WWE Stars Were “Held Hostage”
Speaking on the latest episode of Wrestling Observer Radio Dave Meltzer discussed Karl Anderson‘s return to WWE, NJPW dates and the announcement that he will be teaming with Luke Gallows and AJ Styles at Crown Jewel 2022.
This led Meltzer to comment on the situation in 2019 where Anderson was one of the stars left waiting on the runway. Meltzer explained that Anderson was yelled at over comments his wife made on social media about the situation. After this, Anderson reportedly claimed he would never return.
“It is funny how that happens, yeah you finish up your dates and then all of a sudden you’re booked. It is interesting too because Karl Anderson said he’d never go back but he did go back and he already went back before, saying he never would.
Saudi Arabia, they were on that trip where they whatever, got held hostage, and Karl got in trouble because it was – can you imagine, this is total WWE, right? They were held hostage so Karl’s wife is concerned and trying to find word and so she goes on Twitter and she’s going like ‘what’s going on?’ and complaining as you would think that she would do when her husband’s being held hostage in Saudi Arabia and can’t come home and getting no answers or anything. You think she could possibly be a bit upset over this.
Then they come back and everyone’s called into a meeting and Karl gets yelled at because of what his wife did. The gall of these people, It’s just like ‘she shouldn’t have been talking.’ Maybe you shouldn’t have been working with these people who held [you] hostage and getting mad that the stories out.
It wasn’t like one person that the stories out, it was like anyone who had any communication – not everyone – but many, many people who were there that had any communication were saying this. Karl has to get heat because his wife was scared and somehow they think this story wouldn’t have come out if it wasn’t for that.”
WWE is set to return to Saudi Arabia for Crown Jewel on November 5th. The show will be headlined by the Unidisputed WWE Universal Title clash between Roman Reigns and Logan Paul. Elsewhere Bobby Lashley faces Brock Lesnar and AJ Styles, Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows take on Judgment Day.
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