Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund is emerging as a possible bidder for WWE if the promotion were to be put up for sale, as per the latest reports.
Vince McMahon recently returned to the company after retiring in July last year amid misconduct allegations. Many believe that the former CEO is back in an effort to push forward the sale of the company as they get set to negotiate media rights. WWE and Saudi Arabia have already formed a relationship. The company signed a deal to hold two large-scale events in the country per year.
Saudi's Public Investment Fund already controls $620 billion in assets, and the wrestling promotion could be their next purchase. Speaking with Front Office Sports, Lightshed Partners analyst Brandon Ross noted that the shows in Saudi Arabia are very profitable for the company.
“In the same way they did LIV, there’s an unlimited faucet of dollars there,” LightShed Partners analyst Brandon Ross told Front Office Sports. “The Saudis are already a decent part of the profitability of the company just on those two [Saudi-based WWE] events alone. They’re trying to be relevant in the entertainment world.” [H/T Front Office Sports]
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The report added that Amazon, Comcast, Endeavor, Liberty Media, and talent agency CAA are potential suitors for the company as well.
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Saudi Arabian prince could force Triple H to bring back former WWE Superstar
Wrestling veteran Disco Inferno may have just received a shout-out from AEW World Champion MJF on Dynamite, but he believes Maxwell's former rival CM Punk could make a return to his old stomping grounds.
Speaking on the Keepin' It 100 podcast with Konnan, Disco suggested that the Saudi Arabian prince may demand that Triple H bring Punk back to the company.
"I mean, if the Saudis, you know what, this would be the only way [CM] Punk would go back is if the Saudis were gonna pay WWE and Punk a ton of money to bring him over there. That would be the only one show that, you know, I don't know," Inferno said.
The wrestling veteran went on to add that he doesn't think CM Punk would have any interest in wrestling in Saudi Arabia.
"Punk's a virtue signaler guy too. I doubt he would even go over here. He'd be the type of guy, 'Oh, I'm not gonna take their blood money,'" he added.
It appears wrestling fans are in for another wild year in 2023. It will be interesting to see if Vince McMahon's return leads to the sale of the company in the near future.
Do you think WWE will be sold this year? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.