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In regard to stories that John Cena has pulled out of the event that were originally reported on the Twitter account of Barstool Sports reporter Robbie Fox, the situation was one of the big talks backstage at Evolution last night and there certainly does seem to be something to the story. The company does have some names they could use to replace him, including Bobby Lashley and Drew McIntyre, but as of last night, Cena was still being promoted for the event. WWE has not commented on his status beyond a statement noting, “As always, we maintain an open line of communication with our performers and will address each situation accordingly.”
There's also been talk that Daniel Bryan has also pulled out of the show. If that is the case, WWE will have to figure out a way to handle his match with AJ Styles, either by shooting an angle to get out of it or by taping it in advance. Unlike Cena, who can be replaced and was never locked into any specific match, Bryan vs. Styles has been locked in place and advertised for weeks.
No matter who ends up working the show, the criticism of the event has not subsided. HBO's Last Week Tonight with John Oliver once again roasted the company for going forward with this Friday's event, showing a social media post featuring The Undertaker's urn pushing the DX vs. Kane & Undertaker match and presenting it as tone-deaf due to the murder of Washington Post reporter Jamal Khashoggi. The episode also aired a mock WWE promotional video for the event that really knocked the company. The piece made WWE look really bad for not pulling out of the show.
There's been a pitch over the last week for Drew McIntyre to be added to the Brock Lesnar vs. Braun Strowman match.
Kane confirmed he is still working the show as his Spokesperson told the Knoxville News Sentinel, "Mayor Jacobs is still going to the Crown Jewel event because he made a commitment to not only the WWE, but the Knoxville Public Safety Foundation and the first responders of Knoxville and Knox County."
WWE talents are scheduled to fly Wednesday to Saudi Arabia.
WWE staffers have been flying over since last Thursday with an advance team being there well before that. At no point in the last few weeks did work in the show ever pause, we are told.
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