WWE is reportedly in the midst of negotiations to bring football star Cristiano Ronaldo to their Crown Jewel event in Saudi Arabia on November 4, as per recent buzz in the industry circles.
The upcoming Crown Jewel marks the fifth installment and the tenth event of its kind following WWE’s prosperous partnership with Saudi Arabia.
In a bid to elevate this year’s spectacle, the organizers are keen on involving the Al-Nassr forward, Cristiano Ronaldo, in the grand event, hoping to inject an additional dose of star power to the proceedings.
The involvement of professional footballers in WWE is not unprecedented. Names like former Norwich striker Grant Holt, German goalkeeper Tim Wiese, and ex-Wycombe Wanderers forward Adebayo Akinfenwa have previously graced the WWE stage. Not to forget, Wayne Rooney also had a cameo appearance where he slapped Wade Barrett during the 2015 WWE Raw event held in Manchester.
AS, a prominent media outlet, reported that WWE is actively pursuing to have Ronaldo as a ‘superstar guest’ for the much-anticipated Crown Jewel event. The football star is expected to command a substantial fee for his appearance, which is presumed to augment the revenue generated from the show.
Sean Ross Sapp, a known wrestling journalist, fueled the speculation further by sharing that his queries to WWE about Ronaldo’s possible participation remained unanswered.
While the conjectures continue to build, NXT star Apollo Crews visualizes a potential future for Ronaldo in wrestling, pointing out his elite athlete mindset as a substantial asset. In a conversation with the Metro, Crews remarked that while transitioning to the physical aspects of wrestling might be challenging, Ronaldo’s standing as a world-class athlete could see him sail through successfully.
With the industry and fans abuzz with talks and speculation, it remains to be seen whether the globally renowned footballer will indeed grace the WWE stage and potentially embark on a new journey post his illustrious football career.