Former WWE co-president explains why company continued relationship with Saudi Arabia after Jamal Khashoggi murder
Former WWE co-president George Barrios has opened up and explained the promotion’s decision to continue its relationship with Saudi Arabia after Jamal Khashoggi’s murder.
Barrios released his book “Sometimes Wrong but Never in Doubt: How a Cuban Kid from Queens Transformed WWE” via Skyhorse Publishing, where he opened up about his time in WWE, which included details about the WWE-Saudi Arabia deal.
In January 2018, WWE announced its ten-year deal with the General Sports Authority of Saudi Arabia to run events in the country. The deal marked its start with the Greatest Royal Rumble.
“Our negotiations dragged on because the Saudis are notorious hagglers. By 2018, despite having made great progress, we were struggling to get the deal over the finish line. Complicating matters was the disappearance of Saudi journalist and dissident Jamal Khashoggi,” Barrios wrote in his book.
“As outraged as I was by what happened, I still defy anyone to argue they understand who was truly at fault. All I know is that on our end, Khashoggi’s disappearance called into question our deal with the Saudis.”
On October 2, 2018, Washington Post contributing columnist Jamal Khashoggi was seen entering the Saudi Arabian consulate in Turkey but never exited. The CIA later concluded that Khashoggi had been murdered on orders from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Sanctions were imposed on seventeen Saudis, but not bin Salman. Five individuals received the death penalty, three were imprisoned, and three were acquitted.
“As outraged as I was by what happened, I still defy anyone to argue they understand who was truly at fault. All I know is that on our end, Khashoggi’s disappearance called into question our deal with the Saudis,” Barrios further wrote.
Despite Khashoggi’s murder, WWE decided to run its Crown Jewel event on November 2, 2018, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. While major backlash surfaced and several other companies pulled out of Saudi Arabia, WWE went ahead with its planned event.
“Vince (McMahon), Michelle (Wilson), and I spent a great deal of time debating the pros and cons of moving forward. Vince in particular was deeply uncomfortable with the uncertainty surrounding the events. In my opinion, we couldn’t walk out on the deal. It was too worthwhile for WWE. But Vince kept shaking his head. “This thing with Khashoggi. Doing the deal could be the biggest risk we’ve ever taken with the company. ‘Vince, listen to me”, I said. “I understand how serious this is. But no one really knows what’s going on,” Barrios detailed in his book.
After Khashoggi’s murder, WWE’s stock fell to less than $70 from its previous $93. Unfortunately, the numbers never fully recovered until the promotion signed a new deal with TKO in 2023.
Barrios joined WWE in 2008 and eventually became co-president with Michelle Wilson. However, the two were let go in January 2020. WWE has since then expanded its partnership with Saudi Arabia, with regular two annual events in Saudi Arabia, as well as an upcoming WrestleMania in 2027.
Shounak Chakrabarti is an experienced sports journalist with a lifelong passion for athletics and storytelling. He holds a Master’s Degree in International Journalism from the University of Leeds and joined F4WOnline in 2025.
Shounak takes particular interest in soccer, closely following top clubs like Real Madrid and Arsenal. Beyond sports, he enjoys fiction writing, photography, gaming, and cinema.