WWE Failed To Sell Saudi Officials On A 'WrestleMania-Branded' Event Instead Of The Real Thing

According to Fightful, having a WrestleMania in Saudi Arabia wasn't WWE's plan A. The promotion initially approached Saudi officials with the idea of a "WrestleMania-branded" event. I'm assuming something along the lines of WrestleMania Backlash or another event that would have taken place right before or right after the event itself, which would have emanated from somewhere more traditional.

It seems those who deal with WWE in the Middle East saw right through the company's plan to give them something with the name WrestleMania slapped on it without actually having to give them a proper WrestleMania. According to the report, the opportunity to hold a WrestleMania-branded event was shot down, and officials insisted on the Middle Eastern country getting the real thing.

That's why we have arrived here, 18 months ahead of time, knowing that in 2027, WrestleMania 43 will take place in Saudi Arabia. WWE's apparent reaction to that has been to try and make a different event feel like its proper WrestleMania that year, and the event getting that treatment might well be Wrestlepalooza.

WWE Might Be Trying To Turn Wrestlepalooza Into Its New WrestleMania

Wrestlepalooza was seemingly created for no other reason than to give WWE a show to air on the same night as AEW All Out. However, its stacked card might be an attempt to make it seem like one of the biggest shows of the year to quickly establish it as a new flagship PLE in preparation for 2027, when WrestleMania will be headed to Saudi Arabia.

The first-ever Wrestlepalooza takes place this weekend, and it will probably be too early to tell whether there really are plans to make it the next WrestleMania. If Wrestlepalooza returns in 2026 and is even bigger, perhaps held inside a stadium, then maybe there's something to the rumors that WWE is trying to manufacture a modern-day version of WrestleMania.

Moving away from WrestleMania being the biggest show of the year after occupying that role since 1985 might seem wild, but it might not be the worst idea. WrestleMania was a Vince McMahon creation, and since McMahon is no longer with the company, if there is a shot at creating a new big show, with an opportunity presenting itself via WrestleMania's upcoming trip to Saudi Arabia, maybe now is the time to try and make that happen.