No WWE Stars Have Pulled Out of Crown Jewel 2026, Report Says: CM Punk and Kevin Owens Rumors Addressed
With WWE Crown Jewel 2026 a week away, rumors have been going around online that some of WWE's biggest names, including CM Punk and Kevin Owens, had refused to travel to Saudi Arabia for the show. According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, that is not the case.
Here is what the report says, what WWE has told talent and where things stand for the November 7 show in Riyadh.
What the report says
- Meltzer said he had heard of no one in the company pulling out of Crown Jewel.
- He also said there was no indication that WWE had ever given talent the option to skip the trip.
- One top star told the Observer that choosing not to go to Riyadh is "something very much not being encouraged."
- With about a week to go, the show appears to be going ahead as planned, with only small changes.
Why the rumors started
Crown Jewel has been surrounded by safety questions for more than a week. The US State Department has a Level 3 "reconsider travel" advisory in place for Saudi Arabia, and the regional situation has made many fans and wrestlers nervous about the trip.
On October 28, Riyadh Season announced that the show was moving away from its original outdoor venue. It is now set for The Venue (ANB Arena), a smaller indoor arena in Riyadh. Meltzer reported that the move was made so WWE and the organizers could improve security and have more control over who and what gets in.
Earlier this week, Fightful Select reported that several WWE staff members and wrestlers were unhappy about going to Saudi Arabia right now, and that TKO President Mark Shapiro told employees in a town hall that their safety was "paramount." Being unhappy about a trip is not the same as refusing to go, and so far no names have been reported as staying home.
How other fighters got to Riyadh
The same week, the boxers on the Canelo Alvarez vs. Christian Mbilli card in Riyadh, which takes place at the same building on October 31, flew into Bahrain and then drove for hours to reach the city, as first reported by Ariel Helwani. No travel details for WWE's crew or talent have been made public.
Are CM Punk and Kevin Owens on the Crown Jewel card?
Neither man is booked for Crown Jewel right now. Owens and Punk meet in a No Holds Barred match on the November 6 episode of SmackDown, which is taped in Brooklyn after Raw on November 2, so their feud is not tied to the Saudi show either way.
The confirmed card is headlined by Roman Reigns vs. Sami Zayn, with Cody Rhodes vs. Randy Orton in a Last Man Standing match and Chelsea Green vs. Liv Morgan. Gunther vs. Finn Bálor is expected to be added. See the full card in our Crown Jewel 2026 preview.
What's next
WWE Crown Jewel 2026 takes place on Saturday, November 7, at 11 a.m. ET / 8 a.m. PT. The next big checkpoint is how the Canelo event goes on October 31, since Meltzer said WWE's plans could depend on it. For the latest on the venue and tickets, read our Crown Jewel venue update.
