Iran strikes US base in Qatar, Saudi airspace closed — WWE Night of Champions now hanging by a thread

Iran claims to have attacked American forces at Al Udeid Air Base. The tensions in the Middle East have had an unexpected impact on sports entertainment. After Iran launched a missile attack on a US base in Qatar, Saudi Arabia responded by closing its airspace indefinitely.

WWE's Night of Champions, scheduled for Saturday in Riyadh, may be hanging by a thread as staff, equipments and talent deals with a growing logistical nightmare.

Saudi Arabia blocked commercial aviation from using its airspace. Travel and equipment shipments have been disrupted, and while some WWE employees have arrived, many stars remain grounded as tensions rise, as per a report by WWFOld School.


According to Reuters, the escalation started with explosions heard over Doha earlier today, which were Iran's response to American strikes on its nuclear sites.

Will WWE Night of Champions be cancelled?

To set up the arena for Night of Champions, some members of the WWE crew are already in Saudi Arabia. On Wednesday, the WWE Superstars were supposed to visit the Kingdom. However, it’s still uncertain for the time being whether the WWE Night of Champions will be cancelled.

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What matches are still scheduled?

The following is the match-card for Night of Champions, as per a report by WWFOld School.

- Undisputed WWE Championship: John Cena (c) vs. CM Punk.

- King of the Ring Tournament Final: Randy Orton vs. Cody Rhodes or Jey Uso

- Queen of the Ring Tournament Final: Asuka vs. Jade Cargill or Roxanne Perez

- United States Championship: Jacob Fatu (c) vs. Solo Sikoa.

- Intercontinental Championship: Dominik Mysterio (c) vs. AJ Styles.

The SmackDown before the Night of Champions is also scheduled to take place in Riyadh.

- Tiffany Stratton (c) vs. Nia Jax will compete for the WWE Women's Championship as the last woman standing.

- Women's USA Championship: Zelina Vega (c) vs. Giulia

- WWE Tag Team Championship: The Street Profits (c) vs. Wyatt Sicks (Dexter Lumis, Joe Gacy)

FAQs

Why is WWE Night of Champions under threat?
Saudi Arabia closed its airspace following Iran's missile attack on Qatar, which disrupted flights.

Will WWE still host the event?
It's unclear for the time being; some staff have arrived, but many stars have been grounded due to airspace restrictions.