The 2026 Royal Rumble took place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, marking the first time the event was hosted in the country. Roman Reigns and Liv Morgan emerged victorious in their matches, securing opportunities to challenge for major championships at WrestleMania 43, scheduled for next year in the same location. Despite this milestone, concerns have emerged about the atmosphere and audience engagement following the event’s reception.
Concerns Raised Over Audience Engagement and Event Format
Dave LaGreca and Bully Ray discussed their apprehensions on Busted Open Radio, focusing on the crowd’s subdued reactions during the Royal Rumble. Bully Ray expressed uncertainty regarding WWE’s plans for WrestleMania 43, stating,
“I don’t know if I’m wholeheartedly convinced just yet, until the WWE tells me that WrestleMania is definitively two nights from Saudi,”
and added,
“I’m not convinced that it’s going to be two nights… I think you’re going to get one night in the states.”
This doubt stems from the atmosphere at the Royal Rumble, where the crowd’s reaction did not meet expectations for such a premier event. LaGreca mentioned that the environment felt unusually quiet, with minimal crowd noise throughout much of the event. Bully Ray agreed, emphasizing that the live audience was only audible during the most dramatic moments.
Implications for WrestleMania 43’s Two-Night Schedule
WWE has yet to release official dates for WrestleMania 43, though the company describes the event as a week-long celebration including shows like WWE SmackDown, WWE Raw, WWE NXT, and other community activities. Bully Ray shared his concern that a two-night WrestleMania might suffer if the crowd atmosphere resembles that of the Royal Rumble in Riyadh. He noted,
“If you get two nights of WrestleMania with the kind of crowd that we got [at the Rumble], or the distractions that we got from those lights… No bueno,”
and elaborated,
“I could only hear the crowd when the crowd was really popping. Let’s just take the women’s Rumble. I heard Rhea Ripley’s pop. I heard Brie Bella’s pop. I heard Liv Morgan’s pop, but throughout the match, I didn’t hear that much.”
Potential Impact on WWE’s Future Events in Saudi Arabia
The muted crowd responses and lighting distractions have raised questions about WWE’s approach to staging major events in Saudi Arabia. If audience energy does not improve for WrestleMania 43, the significance of hosting wrestling’s biggest event in this new region may suffer. Both fans and analysts will be watching closely as WWE finalizes plans for next year’s event, as the success of WrestleMania 43 could influence the company’s international strategy going forward.
