Fans were already aware that the women’s ring attire would differ for WWE’s Royal Rumble held in Saudi Arabia, but now it’s clear who is footing the bill—it’s not WWE. According to Fightful Select’s WrestleVotes Radio, female wrestlers scheduled to participate in the Women’s Royal Rumble confirmed that the strict dress code seen at previous Saudi events remains in effect for this year’s show.
What came as an even bigger surprise was revealed by Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp, who spoke with WWE talent and discovered that the responsibility for complying with these guidelines—both creatively and financially—falls entirely on the wrestlers themselves.
“We have a responsibility to build and pay for our own equipment to those conditions for our shows,” one anonymous talent explained.
The source added that there is no organized effort to coordinate the outfits, allowing wrestlers to maintain some individuality despite the challenge of standing out in a 30-woman match where many costumes may look quite similar.
“There was no coordinated effort to differentiate anything from the other players during the match,” they said.
This isn’t the first time WWE’s partnership with Saudi Arabia has led to backstage adjustments for its talent, but this update highlights that female superstars are expected to handle their attire needs independently, even when the requirements come from local cultural restrictions. While some WWE performers have debuted iconic full-body outfits at Saudi events before, this new detail clarifies that the onus for designing and funding these looks largely rests on the wrestlers themselves.
Fan Take: This news is significant for WWE fans because it sheds light on the additional burdens female wrestlers face when navigating cultural restrictions abroad, which can impact their performance and presentation. It also raises questions about WWE’s role in supporting talent and could lead to calls for better backing of wrestlers in such international events.
