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It seems that WWE has lost yet another superstar for Friday's Crown Jewel card in Saudi Arabia.
Daniel Bryan, who apparently did not want to perform in the controversial event, was officially removed from the event on Tuesday night.
Samoa Joe attacked A.J. Styles and Bryan after Tuesday's game. Styles then contacted Smackdown Live's general manager, Paige, to ask him to face Joe at the Crown Jewel for the WWE Championship, writing Bryan on Friday's show.
The event faces violent reactions following the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul, Turkey in early October, and has already lost WWE superstar John Cena.
Turkish officials have determined that Saudi agents killed Khashoggi inside the consulate and removed his head and fingers. Khashoggi, who worked for the Washington Post and frequently criticized the Saudi Crown Prince, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, reportedly went to the consulate to obtain papers for his next wedding.
WWE continues to move forward with the event
WWE is not canceling or modifying its plans for the event following Khashoggi's death, the decision said in its report on third-quarter results last week.
WWE has been in the Middle East for almost 20 years and has developed a large and dedicated fan base. Given the heinous crime committed at the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul, the company faced a very difficult decision regarding its event scheduled for Nov. 2 in Riyadh.
Similar to other US companies considering continuing operations in Saudi Arabia, the Company has decided to meet its contractual obligations to the General Sports Authority and to organize the event. Forecasts for the whole of 2018 are based on the organization of the Riyadh event as planned.
"Crown Jewel" will be an à la carte event organized by WWE and the Saudi government. Friday's show is also funded by Saudi government money, raising further concern over the partnership between WWE and the Saudis following the alleged killing of a major journalist.
John Cena apparently would not participate
Cena said earlier this week that he would not participate in the "jewel of the crown" in response to Khashoggi's death, fearing consequences for his career.
After failing to convince him to participate, the WWE officially banned him from the series and replaced him with Bobby Lashley. Cena did not speak publicly about the issue or the event.
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