Speaking to TMZ, Titus O’Neil gave his thoughts on the WWE travelling to Saudi Arabia and doing business there.
“I can say this because I’ve been to Saudi Arabia several times now. I feel safer in Saudi Arabia than I do in most places or a lot of places in the United States of America,” he said.
As WWE’s Global Ambassador, O’Neil discussed the different mindsets around the world.
“People don’t move to the United States because we’re the greatest country. They move because we have the greatest amount of opportunity. The biggest difference between places overseas and the United States are morals and convictions. They actually live by theirs whether you like them or not. They are going to pray five times a day. They are going to stop during the day and do their thing, whether anyone likes it or doesn’t like it. You don’t hear about mass shootings in Saudi Arabia, China, Japan. If people had a chance to go to Saudi Arabia their views would change dramatically. I’m not saying they get it all right but we don’t get it all right, either,” he said.
A father of two sons, O’Neil discussed how he believes children are actually safer over there.
“In my hotel room, it’s one in the morning and I see kids running around on the beach. Kids. I get up the next morning and ask my driver, ‘Are you guys not worried about some of these kids getting sexually assaulted or beaten or brutalized or kidnapped?’. He says: ‘No, because it’s an automatic death sentence.’ Kids are safe over there while kids are not safe in the United States,” he said.
O’Neil also explained that attitudes and the culture are evolving in Saudi Arabia and that shouldn’t be discounted in any way.
“My perspective of us going to Saudi in WWE, it’s business but it’s also changing culture. When we first went over there women were just getting introduced and being able to drive. Things are changing over there. In America if somebody talks about race ‘That was so long ago.’ It actually wasn’t. It’s 2025 now. It was 1960s, ’70s, ’80s and even up to the present. We still have systemic issues with racism. I’d rather go as performer where I’m going to be celebrated, not tolerated and it’s going to be a first-class experience for everybody that chooses to come to the show. WWE is a platform that caters to one audience. That’s the audience of one, no matter what color you are, no matter what religion you practice or don’t practice, no matter where you come from,” he said.
The WWE is returning to Saudi Arabia in 2026 for the Royal Rumble and WrestleMania 43 in 2027.
