Real Reason Why Female WWE Stars Have Distinct Dress Code for Shows in Saudi Arabia

After decades of enthralling the spectators in North America, pro wrestling’s biggest promotion- the WWE- decided to expand its horizon. Keeping with the vision, they looked for countries to market their product and inked a bond with Saudi Arabia towards the latter half of 2010s. Since 2018, WWE programs and premium live events have been a part of the Saudi sporting calendar.

But there’s something different about shows in the Middle East country, especially with women. While they wear all kinds of costume during regular shows and in other countries, when it’s Saudi Arabia, the female wrestlers dress up accordingly, showing very little skin. Here’s why they do so.

Dressing modestly is the key in Saudi Arabia

The Middle Eastern kingdom has a strict dress code in place for women. While rules were even stricter previously, it has been relaxed, but still, dressing modestly is the keyword for women in Saudi Arabia. Not surprisingly, this rule applies to the female WWE wrestlers as well.

As per the Saudi Arabia Immigration and e-Visa Portal, here are a few rules that women- both foreigners and locals- need to follow during their stay in the country.

Previously, it was mandatory for women to wear an abaya (a lengthy dress that covers the whole body except the head) and a headscarf. With a change in rule, the abaya is not needed if one wears a dress that covers the entire body. The headscarf is not mandatory anymore.

Women cannot wear anything tight-fitted or something that is revealing in nature. So, due to this, even WWE female wrestlers have to maintain the dress code. During the Night of Champions PLE, which took place on the 27th of May at the Jeddah Superdome, the WWE Universe saw the likes of Rhea Ripley, Natalya, and others make changes to their usual ring gear. If you were confused, now you have the answer.

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But when did female wrestling start in Saudi Arabia? Moreover, how long did it take WWE to infuse the women into their cards?

A seven-minute action to kick off a historic era

It took the Stamford-based promotion a year to schedule a women’s match in Saudi Arabia. The historic occasion took place inside the King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh, the Saudi capital, on October 31, 2019. The event was the second edition of the annual Crown Jewel PLE.

Natalya defeated Lacey Evans by submission in a contest that lasted seven minutes and 20 seconds. While both the superstars wore their full-sleeved ring gear, they wore a t-shirt on top of it during the match.

Since then, Women’s matches have been a regular feature in Saudi Arabia, albeit with a modification in the costume. Next month, the country will host the 2023 edition of the Crown Jewel on November 4. The WWE has yet to announce the entire card for the show. However, if history is any indication fans can expect multiple women’s matches with title defenses on the line.

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So, were you aware of these rules? Sound off in the comment section.