Below are a couple of top WWE news stories of the day.
• WWE has announced that the 2026 Royal Rumble will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, but CM Punk’s absence from the promotional material has sparked questions.
According to Sean Ross Sapp, WWE has decided not to ask Punk to participate in any Saudi Arabian events, including the Royal Rumble.
Sapp noted that while it is uncertain if Punk would eventually agree to work these shows, WWE’s decision likely reflects Punk’s personal priorities. He stated, “I was told they won’t be asking him to work Saudi shows. Whether or not he eventually does, I don’t know. But it’d be very easy to write him off for that. And yeah, I would imagine that’s something that’s very important to him.”
Punk’s stance on WWE’s association with Saudi Arabia dates back to 2020 when he made a controversial comment criticizing the company’s involvement with the nation, saying, “Go suck a blood money covered d**k in Saudi Arabia you f**king dork,” during a spat with The Miz.
The decision to hold the annual Royal Rumble in Saudi Arabia has also faced backlash from fans.
WATCH: CM Punk vs. Jessika Carr:
• Becky Lynch is stepping into the acting spotlight with a supporting role in Happy Gilmore 2, set to release on Netflix in 2025.
She will portray a golfer alongside NFL legend Reggie Bush in the sequel, which stars Adam Sandler and features a star-studded cast including Christopher McDonald, Ben Stiller, Bad Bunny, and AEW star MJF, marking his film debut.
Lynch’s involvement aligns with WWE’s growing partnership with Netflix, which begins with RAW’s debut on the platform.
Her last WWE appearance was at a December event promoting the Netflix collaboration.
