WWE Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton has shared her excitement about the recent announcement that WrestleMania 43 will be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in 2027. Speaking with Scott Johnson for Going Ringside, Stratton discussed being part of the continued evolution of women’s wrestling in the region.
The decision to take WWE’s flagship event outside of North America for the first time has been met with a mixed reaction from fans, with many citing the country’s human rights record as a reason for their disapproval. Recalling a previous WWE trip to the country, Stratton said;
“I’m excited. The last time we were there I believe, we went on this little safari adventure, and I hope we get to do that again because that was super fun.”
Proud to be part of history
She then echoed a sentiment shared by many of her fellow female performers who have competed in Saudi Arabia, highlighting the significance of their presence in the country.
“I think Bianca mentioned women are making history over there, and I can’t wait to be a part of that myself. So I’m super excited and I can’t wait.”
WWE’s partnership with Saudi Arabia began in 2018 as part of the “Saudi Vision 2030” social and economic reform program. The long-term, lucrative deal has seen the company produce two large-scale premium live events in the kingdom almost every year.
The first-ever women’s match in Saudi Arabia took place at the Crown Jewel event in 2019, a bout between Natalya and Lacey Evans. Both women wore full-body suits to comply with the country’s conservative dress policy. Since that match, women’s wrestling has become a regular and featured part of every subsequent WWE event in Saudi Arabia, with multiple women’s championship matches taking place on those shows.