For the first time in Saudi history, World Wrestling Entertainment will hold a women’s match in the kingdom. WWE superstars Natalya and Lacey Evans will compete in Riyadh at Crown Jewel on Thursday, October 31.
The event is part of a 10-year partnership signed between the WWE and Saudi General Sports Authority. It is headlined by a double main event featuring WWE Champion Brock Lesner taking on former UFC fighter Cain Velasquez as well as Braun Strowman facing off with British boxer Tyson Fury. However, this match has been added as a last minute announcement.
Both women have taken to social media to express their feelings on competing at Crown Jewel. Natalya posted about how proud she felt:
The world will be watching. I am so incredibly proud to represent our women’s division tomorrow night at #WWECrownJewel. It’s time to bring your best, Lacey. pic.twitter.com/TeglMWzbZM
— Nattie (@NatbyNature) October 30, 2019
While Evans mentioned being an inspiration for her daughter:
I never thought I'd have the opportunity to do the things I've done with @WWE. Tomorrow I get to show my little girl that hard work can bring you to history-making heights. I'm ready for this. ❤💪 #WWECrownJewel pic.twitter.com/myQWjd9i5W
— Lacey Evans ~ WWE Superstar. karaoke champion 🎙 (@LaceyEvansWWE) October 30, 2019
Back in 2017, WWE stars Sasha Banks and Alexa Bliss made history as the first female wrestlers to compete in the UAE.
"It is a huge honour. It is crazy, it is mind-boggling. It is a beautiful moment and I think it is really cool to have an opportunity to do this," she told The National while reflecting back on the match. "Especially for women right now. This is going to be in the history books and little girls are going to see this in newspapers and other media outlets and go 'wow, women are wrestling, just like the guys' and it is so cool."
Female wrestlers in the WWE have had a groundbreaking couple of years. In October 2018, the first all-women wrestling pay-per-view was put on at WWE Evolution. It featured eight matches and a battle royal.
This added to the lead up for Wrestlemania 35 in April, which featured a main event with WWE superstars Becky Lynch, Charlotte and Ronda Rousey – a barrier-breaking moment which saw the women perform in front of more than 80,000 spectators.
Ahead of that moment, WWE’s female talent explained how much it meant to see women were finally getting the spotlight treatment.
“We’re going to get to a point where it’s normal, right?” said Nia Jax. “I feel like once we’re main eventing Wrestlemania, like that’s the peak, but the first-evers are eventually going to stop and it’s just going to be something normal.”
"It's amazing to be a woman in the WWE right now," added NXT's Kacy Catanzaro. "Things have been happening for so long that have shown women are breaking boundaries but I think it's just reached a point where people ask 'what's next?' and it's like everything is next. There is literally no limit.
