There was a lot of backlash over WWE holding Night of Champions in Saudi Arabia despite there being a serious political tension in the Middle East at the time. Its evident there will be criticism whenever WWE does shows in Saudi Arabia and now Cody Rhodes has come to the companys defense.
While speaking to the Boston Herald, Cody Rhodes defended WWEs decision to hold Night of Champions in Saudi Arabia last month, saying they have a duty to their global fans.
Cody Rhodes addressed how politics gets mixed into everything these days. The American Nightmare said theres a gotcha culture around figuring out whos a Democrat, Republican, or moderate, but none of that should matter. According to him, their job is to go wherever WWE takes them and try to bring people together.
Cody Rhodes also stated that WWE is a non-partisan brand meant to entertain everyone, no matter where they are or whats happening politically. He mentioned how moving it is to look out at fans in Saudi Arabia and see the same passion he sees in fans back home or in Europe. Rhodes said he feels honored to perform for people everywhere, especially during uncertain times.
Several WWE staffers were stuck at Doha Airport in Qatar during the conflict in the Middle East last month. Cody Rhodes gives strong reasons for why WWE travels around the world, but people will likely keep arguing about whether its right for WWE to do shows in Saudi Arabia.
WWE is still trying to juggle making lots of money from international deals while dealing with unhappy fans and tricky political issues, so well have to see if fans will change their minds somewhere down the line.
Do you agree with Cody Rhodes that WWEs role is to entertain fans everywhere, or should they avoid countries with political controversies? Sound off in the comments.
