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Backstage Update On WWE Night Of Champions Following U.S. Airstrikes On Iran

Will an escalating conflict in the Middle East have any effect on WWE Night of Champions in Saudi Arabia?
Rick Ucchino|
John Cena
John Cena | WWE.com

A tense situation in the Middle East further escalated Saturday night when President Donald Trump ordered U.S. airstrikes on three nuclear facilities in Iran.

The attack drew a sharp response from Iran's Foreign Minister, who promised that the US will face 'irreparable consequences'.

As to be expected, the growing conflict between Iran, Israel and now the United States has caused a great deal of concern among wrestling fans with WWE heading to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia this week for Night of Champions.

John Cena vs. CM Punk
John Cena vs. CM Punk | WWE.com

WWE talent are set to travel out around mid-week via charter plane, according to Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select. As of this writing, only 10 wrestlers are scheduled for show, which would normally require a relatively small flight. However, this Friday's edition Smackdown is also being held in Riyadh.

Ross Sapp has been told that sets for this weekend are currently under construction, while WWE will apparently be keeping a watchful eye out as the events draw closer.

"Fightful reached out to WWE reps in an official capacity, and haven't heard back. However, one higher up on background said the situation was being monitored accordingly."

One source already working in Saudi Arabia for Night of Champions told SRS that everything was moving "full steam ahead" as of Sunday afternoon.

"That one source-- speaking on a matter of opinion -- didn't believe it would be postponed or canceled, and thought there was too much money at stake with the upcoming Royal Rumble being there," Ross Sapp said in his report. "Beyond that, the source said that 'Saudi is one of the safest places in the world' as it relates to this situation, and another source believed that WWE would be made assurances of said safety."

We'll continue to provide any and all updates surround Night of Champions as they become available.

WWE Night of Champions Match Card (Announced):

John Cena (c) vs. CM Punk for the WWE Championship

King of the Ring Tournament Finals: Randy Orton vs. Cody Rhodes or Jey Uso

Queen of the Ring Tournament Finals: Asuka vs. Jade Cargill or Roxanne Perez

Dominik Mysterio (c) vs. AJ Styles for the Men's Intercontinental Championship

Jacob Fatu (c) vs. Solo Sikoa for the Men's United States Championship

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Rick Ucchino
RICK UCCHINO

Rick Ucchino is the Assistant Editor & Content Coordinator for The Takedown on SI. He also works full-time for 700WLW Radio in Cincinnati, Ohio as a local news and sports anchor, in addition to his time covering the Cincinnati Bengals for Sirius XM. Rick has been on the professional wrestling beat since 2019, having provided coverage for a number of outlets, including Fightful, SB Nation’s Cageside Seats and the Bleav Podcast Network. With an educational background in theater, creative writing and journalism, Rick focuses primarily on the storytelling aspect of pro wrestling, but he’s no stranger to the squared circle himself. He had the privilege of training with former WWE & WCW cruiserweight Jimmy Wang Yang for nearly two years and retired early due to back issues with a perfect 1-0 record in singles competition. Rick is a married father of two incredibly adorable children, who are budding pro wrestling fans themselves. Much to the chagrin of their mother. You can reach Rick at rwucchino@gmail.com

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