Titus O'Neil: "I feel safer in Saudi Arabia than in many places in the United States"

The relationship between WWE and Saudi Arabia has proven to be extraordinarily beneficial for both parties. The company earns around 100 million dollars a year by holding two annual events in the Asian country. A situation that many fans have criticized for considering that WWE is helping a totalitarian regime to whitewash its international image.

However, there are many voices within the company that not only defend this relationship, but also consider that WWE is contributing to improving things in Saudi Arabia, achieving, among other things, that their female superstars can compete in the country. Titus O'Neil, current ambassador of WWE, is part of this group, as can be seen in his most recent statements on the subject.

"I can say this because I have been to Saudi Arabia several times. I feel safer in Saudi Arabia than in most places, or in many places, in the United States of America. In the United States, there is this mentality of: 'We are the best country in the world', and yes, we are a great country, but people do not move to the United States because we are the best country, but because we have the most opportunities," O'Neil said in an interview with TMZ.

"The biggest difference between foreign places and the United States are the values and convictions. They really live according to theirs, whether you like it or not. They will pray five times a day. They will stop during the day and do their thing, whether people like it or not. You don't hear news about mass shootings in Saudi Arabia, China, or Japan. If people had the chance to go to Saudi Arabia, their view would change drastically. I'm not saying they do everything right, but neither do we."

"When we first went to Saudi Arabia, there were many negative things that people said, many tactics and words to instill fear. But being in my hotel room, at one in the morning, I saw children running on the beach. Children. The next morning I asked my driver: 'Aren't you worried that some of those children might be assaulted, beaten, harmed, or kidnapped?' And he replied: 'No, because it's an automatic death sentence'. The children are safe there, while in the United States the children are not."

"My perspective on us going to Saudi Arabia with WWE is that it's about business, yes, but also about changing the culture. When we first went, women had just been granted permission to drive. Things are changing there, and many people have this mentality that... in the United States, when someone talks about racism, they say: 'That was a long time ago'. It really wasn't that long ago. Now it's 2025. We're talking about the decades of the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and even up to the present."

"We still have systemic problems with racism. I'd rather go as an artist to a place where I'll be celebrated, not just tolerated, and where everyone who chooses to attend the show will have a first-class experience. WWE is a platform that caters to a single audience: the audience of one person, no matter what color you are, what religion you practice or don't practice, or where you come from."

"We have too many people on our roster from different parts of the world to be prejudiced, anti-Semitic, or anything like that. If there was a platform we could use as a company to show what unity looks like, how good business can be done, and how other cultures can embrace what we do —no matter where they are, where they come from, or how they dress—, Saudi Arabia is definitely one of those places, in my opinion".

"If WWE and TKO executives didn't think that way, the decision wouldn't have been made. Most of the people complaining about the show being held there wouldn't even buy a ticket to go. Watch the show on television: it's going to be a real spectacle. Saudi Arabia doesn't do anything on a small scale, and neither does WWE. Get ready for a great show and an experience on a global stage that will show everyone why this business —and WWE and TKO in particular— do it better than anyone else in the world," he concluded.

Saudi Arabia will host Royal Rumble 2026, making this edition the first in history to be held outside of North America. The icing on the cake will come a year later, with the celebration of WrestleMania 43. A decision that caused great unrest among fans, but will continue despite everything.