Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Saturday, May 31, 2025

WWE hosts Saudi Arabia's first women's wrestling match

WWE hosts Saudi Arabia's first women's wrestling match

"I couldn't stop smiling when this was announced. When I speak about women driving, or even just sharing space with men, these are rights that didn't exist when I was growing up," tweeted WWE's first Saudi Arabian wrestler, Mansoor Al-Shehail.

World Wrestling Entertainment, or WWE, held the first women's wrestling match in Saudi Arabia on Thursday.

The contest featured two WWE superstars: Lacey Evans and Natalya. Evans is a U.S. Marine veteran, while Natalya is a Canadian-American two-time women's champion in WWE. The two athletes battled it out in Saudi Arabia's capital, Riyadh, and Natalya emerged victorious.


 



Evans and Natalya were required to wear bodysuits to cover their arms and legs instead of fighting in the more revealing gear that they would normally wear when competing in the United States.

Saudi Arabia has tried to rebrand its image as one of the world's most oppressive countries for women by introducing reforms in recent years.

But according to Human Rights Watch, "women still face discrimination, as four feminist activists are behind bars, others remain on trial, and torture allegations have not been credibly investigated."

About a month after Saudi Arabia's government lifted a longstanding ban on women driving in 2018, the kingdom announced that women could attend sporting events in stadiums for the first time.

Still, women continue to face obstacles in their everyday lives, and Saudi authorities have detained some of the country's most prominent women's rights activists who have campaigned for these changes.

Thursday's WWE Crown Jewel event took place at the King Fahd International Stadium, one of three stadiums in Saudi Arabia that allow women to attend.

"I never thought I'd have the opportunity to do the things I've done with WWE," Evans tweeted on Wednesday. "Tomorrow I get to show my little girl that hard work can bring you to history-making heights."

Her opponent, Natalya, expressed a similar sentiment on Twitter: "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."

The event also featured WWE champions Roman Reigns, Brock Lesnar and Seth Rollins, along with Mansoor Al-Shehail, WWE's first Saudi wrestler.

"I couldn't stop smiling when this was announced. When I speak about women driving, or even just sharing space with men, these are rights that didn't exist when I was growing up," Mansoor tweeted. "I understand why it doesn't impress a lot of people, but it means the world to me and so many others."

Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
Head of Gaza Aid Group Resigns Amid Humanitarian Concerns
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
Netanyahu Accuses Starmer of Siding with Hamas
Calls Grow to Resume Syrian Asylum Claims in UK
UAE Offers Free ChatGPT Plus Subscriptions to Citizens
Denmark Increases Retirement Age to 70, Setting a European Precedent
Iranian Director Jafar Panahi Wins Palme d'Or at Cannes
Israeli Airstrike Kills Nine Children of Gaza Doctor
Lebanon Initiates Plan to Disarm Palestinian Factions
Iran and U.S. Make Limited Progress in Nuclear Talks
Trump Administration's Tariff Policies and Dollar Strategy Spark Global Economic Debate
OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive’s Startup for $6.5 Billion to Build a Revolutionary “Third Core Device”
Turkey Weighs Citizens in Public as Erdoğan Launches National Slimming Campaign
UK Suspends Trade Talks with Israel Amid Gaza Offensive
Iran and U.S. Set for Fifth Round of Nuclear Talks Amid Rising Tensions
Russia Expands Military Presence Near Finland Amid Rising Tensions
Indian Scholar Arrested in Crackdown Over Pakistan Conflict Commentary
Israel Eases Gaza Blockade Amid Internal Dispute Over Military Strategy
President Biden’s announcement of advanced prostate cancer sparked public sympathy—but behind closed doors, Democrats are in panic
Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki Erupts Again, Spewing Ash Cloud over Flores Island
Indian jet shootdown: the all-robot legion behind China’s PL-15E missiles
The Chinese Dragon: The True Winner in the India-Pakistan Clash
Australia's Venomous Creatures Contribute to Life-Saving Antivenom Programme
The Spanish Were Right: Long Working Hours Harm Brain Function
Did Former FBI Director Call for Violence Against Trump? Instagram Post Sparks Uproar
US and UAE Partner to Develop Massive AI Data Center Complex
Apple's $95 Million Siri Settlement: Eligible Users Have Until July 2 to File Claims
US and UAE Reach Preliminary Agreement on Nvidia AI Chip Imports
President Trump and Elon Musk Welcomed by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim with Cybertruck Convoy
Strong Warning Issued: Do Not Use General Chatbots for Medical, Legal, or Educational Guidance
NVIDIA and Saudi Arabia Launch Strategic Partnership to Establish AI Centers
Trump Meets Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara in Historic Encounter
US and Saudi Arabia Sign Landmark Agreements Across Multiple Sectors
Why Saudi Arabia Rolled Out a Purple Carpet for Donald Trump Instead of Red
Elon Musk Joins Trump Meeting in Saudi Arabia
Trump says it would be 'stupid' not to accept gift of Qatari plane
Quantum Computing Threatens Bitcoin Security
Michael Jordan to Serve as Analyst for NBA Games
Senate Democrats Move to Censure Trump Over Qatar Jet Gift
Hamas Releases Last Living US Hostage from Gaza Amid Ongoing Conflict
×