In May, the WWE hosted its Night of Champions PLE in Saudi Arabia, a country that has become one of the top pockets for the promotion in recent years. According to reports, the Stamford-based promotion earns a hefty amount from hosting events in the Middle Eastern kingdom. But it also reportedly landed in hot waters in Riyadh in 2019.

While the exact details of the event remain sketchy till date, prominent pro wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer claimed that the company paid $37 million to settle a lawsuit. The veteran reporter had initially made the claims in 2022. Now, he has reiterated it.

What did Dave Meltzer say about WWE’s alleged payments?

Meltzer has been privy to many wrestling secrets by virtue of his prolonged career. He regularly breaks news about pro wrestling and talents and is active on social media. Recently, Meltzer was asked by a Twitter user if he sticks by his previous reporting of WWE talents being detained in Saudi Arabia. The user also said WWE employee “Corey Graves vehemently denied this on his -podcast at the time”.

Meltzer not only reiterated his claim but also added that the promotion paid millions of dollars to settle a lawsuit. “I probably heard from at least a dozen people on that one. WWE called me multiple times denying it but those there said different,” part of his tweet read.

For those looking for context, Meltzer had said during a Wrestling Observer Radio show that WWE stars were “held hostage” back in 2019. This took place after the Crown Jewel PLE in Riyadh.

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Meltzer’s account, however, wasn’t baseless. Even though the WWE hasn’t come clean on what happened, there are reports that corroborate the scribe’s claims.

WWE star felt they were held hostage in Saudi Arabia

As per reports that have come out since the 2019 incident in Saudi Arabia, the charter aircraft that was supposed to fly the talents home didn’t leave as per the schedule. It left four hours late. While this might not be a big deal for a regular flight, this was a rare occurrence for those involved.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a talent who was a part of the group that experienced the issue in the Middle Eastern country, told David Bixenspan of Babyface vs. Heel that they felt like hostages.

Providing an account of how it unfolded, Bixenspan’s report quoted the person as saying, “We’re all pretty certain we’re being held hostage.”

The talent said that the time for departure kept on getting changed and when asked they said the aircraft needed to refuel. “Why should we need to refuel the plane now, when it’s been sitting in the exact same position it was when it dropped us off two days prior?” the person wondered.

The WWE, however, in its SEC filing on November 18, 2020, declared a $39 million settlement. “Plaintiffs in the lawsuit alleged securities law violations by the Company, its current Chief Executive Officer and its former Co-Presidents, related to certain disclosures concerning the Company’s business relationship in and with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” the document said.

Though it is not clear why the WWE paid the amount, that Meltzer quoted a figure close to the actual payment, lends credibility to his claim.

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But whatever it is, it looks like the WWE has straightened its issues with Saudi Arabia. As per reports, the promotion makes $100 million yearly from shows in the country.