The prospect of WrestleMania 43 heading to Saudi Arabia in 2027 has already been a massive story, but a new report suggests the kingdom’s ambitions for the first-ever international ‘Mania are even bigger than imagined, with a laser focus on securing a specific main event.
According to the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the push is on to book Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson for the show’s headline spot. Dave Meltzer reported that sources close to the deal are confident, stating, “Those in Saudi Arabia close to the General Entertainment Authority, headed by Alalshikh, confirmed this week that the show is official and they claimed negotiations for Dwayne Johnson were advancing and they believed the deal was close to being finalized.”
However, the report makes a crucial distinction, clarifying that this information comes exclusively from the Saudi side of the potential deal. “We have not been able to confirm any of this with those in WWE, which would be involved in the talks,” Meltzer added, highlighting that the company itself has remained silent.
The driving force behind this initiative is apparently a “money is no object” philosophy. The Observer notes, “The impression is that the final payment number for the show will be affected by whether or not they get The Rock in the main event.” The incentive for the TKO board member would be astronomical, as “…the payoff for The Rock to compete in this event would likely be ‘multiple times that of any wrestler for any event in history…'”
This massive financial carrot is being dangled despite Johnson’s recent significant weight loss for his role in the film “The Smashing Machine,” which had led many to believe his in-ring career was finished.
Should he agree, two major storyline paths are readily available: a long-teased family showdown with Roman Reigns to determine the true “Head of the Table,” or a culmination of the “Final Boss” storyline against Cody Rhodes.
With a payday that could shatter every record in wrestling history on the table, the situation presents a compelling question. Is an offer of this magnitude enough to pull a Hollywood megastar out of his apparent in-ring retirement and back for one more history-making main event?