Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer is reporting that Dolph Ziggler came back due to Kevin Owens refusing to work the Saudi Arabia show next month.
Owens was penned to wrestle WWE champion Kofi Kingston at the show on June 7 but Owens informed WWE management that he is not interested in doing the trip. In the past, WWE Superstars were given the “option” to choose if they want to work in Saudi Arabia. Last year, both John Cena and Daniel Bryan refused to go and this year, Daniel Bryan is also not going, along with Aleister Black and Sami Zayn.
Zayn is of Syrian descent and that’s a no-go for Saudi Arabia and Black is not on the show due to some of the tattoos he has on his body.
Ziggler was scheduled to go to Australia on behalf of WWE for some media appearances on that date and his itinerary was switched. Returning to Smackdown to attack Kingston was a way to start this feud and explain why he is wrestling the WWE champion in Jeddah.
Instead of Ziggler, former Smackdown Women’s champion Carmella will be traveling to Australia to do promotional appearances for the company. Earlier this month, when WWE were supposed to go to Saudi Arabia, most of the female WWE Superstars were sent to Hawaii for a few days to film stuff for Total Divas.
