Rumor Killer on CM Punk & Kevin Owens Refusing To Travel To Saudi Arabia For Reason Why Match Wasn’t Booked For Crown Jewel 2026

As noted before, the October 23rd episode of WWE SmackDown featured the announcement of a singles match between CM Punk and Kevin Owens taking place on the November 6th taped show. This has led to online speculation of Owens and Punk had refused to travel to Saudi Arabia for WWE’s Crown Jewel 2026 event for why their match was not booked for the event on November 7.

Dave Meltzer reported in a recent episode of the Wrestling Observer Radio that his sources stated that the rumors of Owens and Punk refusing to go to Saudi Arabia are not true.

Meltzer reported that the reason for the lack of Owens vs. Punk taking place at Crown Jewel is due to the match was not planned for the event. Meltzer also reported that the only change made to the event’s original card was WWE officials dropping a Six-Man tag team match of Oba Femi, Je’Von Evans, & Penta vs. The Vision (Austin Theory, Bron Breakker, & “Big” Bronson Reed) to a WWE World Tag Team Championship match instead.

In regards to the reports of talents not wanting to go to Saudi Arabia, Meltzer reported that this is true and there has been people who have spoken about them not wanting to go.

Meltzer had reported in last week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter that no talent who were booked for the event had pulled out nor is it known if that was even an option given to them. Meltzer also reported that those who have spoken out about not wanting to go were not booked on the card and those who have been booked did not decline.