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The scheduled WWE charter flight out of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to tonight's Friday Night Smackdown in Buffalo, NY has been delayed for hours due to what sources indicate is a mechanical issue with the fuel line of the plane, although we have heard there are other issues.
WWE talents and staff have been sitting on the plane for hours (they started boarding seven hours ago, as of this writing) as they have cleared customs leaving Saudi Arabia and cannot leave the plane without going through customs to enter the country again.
One source described the flight as "canceled" but we are told talents are still on the flight waiting to take off.
We are told that WWE has been able to rush out certain talents on another plane, but have not been able to confirm which. The others are waiting to leave - and may still have several hours to wait before being able to depart and head back to the United States, which given the length of the flight, could very well mean they don't make it back to the United States back in time for tonight's live Friday Night Smackdown broadcast on FOX.
With a seven hour (and counting) wait and a 6,621 mile flight from point A to point B ahead of them, it's going to be a long day for WWE talents and staff, whether they make it to Smackdown or not.
If WWE cannot get their talents to the Buffalo taping in time, the company will have quite the conundrum on their hands.
We are told that WWE Champion Brock Lesnar has departed Saudi Arabia on his private plane, so it's possible he could be tapped for Smackdown. Daniel Bryan, Sami Zayn, Drew Gulak, Elias, Matt Hardy, and The Miz, among others, did not travel to Saudi Arabia to perform on Crown Jewel and are in the United States, so the company would have them available, on top of any other talents who were able to make it back.
Obviously, WWE could always rush other members of the Raw roster (if FOX and NBC approve Raw talent appearances) or possibly members of the WWE NXT roster to Buffalo if needed.
Officially announced for Smackdown:
*Roman Reigns vs. King Corbin.
*MizTV with Bray Wyatt.
*WWE Smackdown Tag Team Champions The Revival vs. The New Day.
*WWE Smackdown Women's Champion Bayley & Mandy Rose & Sonya Deville vs. Nikki Cross & Carmella & Dana Brooke.
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