Seth Rollins, one of WWE’s most decorated superstars, has found himself at the center of a heated discussion about the company’s ongoing partnership with Saudi Arabia. On December 26, 2025, Rollins appeared on Jay Mohr’s Mohr Stories podcast, where he spoke candidly about the persistent criticism WWE has faced since entering a 10-year agreement with the Saudi General Sports Authority in 2018. The deal, which has seen WWE hold regular live events in Saudi Arabia for over six years, has drawn fire from some fans and critics who accuse the company of accepting "blood money"—a term used to highlight alleged human rights issues associated with the Saudi government.
Rollins, who is currently recovering from a torn rotator cuff surgery performed about nine weeks ago, did not mince words when addressing the controversy. According to FirstSportz, Rollins stated, "Guess what, we get paid by America, too. You think there is no blood money there? Come on. Get out of here. We’ve gone there for six years. When we went in 2019, I was skeptical as well. ‘I don’t know about this.’ When I tell you, we went there for the first time, there were no women on our show. No women backstage. Now, we go there and it’s just like a WWE show. There are a ton of women."
This firm rebuttal is indicative of Rollins’ broader defense of WWE’s evolving relationship with Saudi Arabia. He acknowledged that he, too, was initially wary of the partnership. "We've been going there for six years. We've been taking sh*t for six years. 'It's blood money.' Yeah, well, guess what? We get paid…" Rollins remarked, as reported by Fightful Wrestling. His comments reflect a growing sentiment among some WWE performers that criticism of the deal is often oversimplified and sometimes hypocritical.
Rollins pointed to the significant changes that have occurred since WWE’s first show in Saudi Arabia. Back in 2019, women were neither backstage nor featured in matches. Fast forward to late 2025, and the landscape has shifted dramatically. Women now have prominent roles on the card, and the presence of female wrestlers is no longer an exception but a norm. Liv Morgan, for example, was recently in Riyadh alongside male superstars such as Randy Orton and Grayson Waller, promoting the upcoming Royal Rumble Premium Live Event (PLE).
According to FirstSportz, this progress will reach a new milestone on January 31, 2026, when WWE’s female athletes will compete in their first-ever Royal Rumble match in Saudi Arabia. This follows the men’s Royal Rumble debut in the Kingdom at the 2018 Greatest Royal Rumble Ever event. For Rollins and others, this evolution is not just symbolic but a tangible sign of changing attitudes within both WWE and Saudi society.
Of course, Rollins’ appearance on Mohr Stories wasn’t limited to geopolitics. Fans are eager for updates on his recovery and possible return to the ring. Rollins, a six-time world champion, revealed that while he’s out of his cast and experiencing no apparent upper body discomfort, his return timeline remains uncertain. "I will be working hard to try. I don't know the answer to that, it's really not up to me. They have to clear me," Rollins told Mohr, as cited by WrestleTalk. He estimated that three months could be a realistic timeframe, with hopes of being cleared in time for WrestleMania 42 in April 2026.
The injury itself occurred mid-match against Cody Rhodes at WWE’s Crown Jewel event in 2025. In typical Rollins fashion, he powered through the pain, even donning a sling and relying on painkillers in the immediate aftermath. However, he admitted that the surgery and recovery process have been more taxing than he anticipated.
Rollins’ absence has had a ripple effect on WWE’s creative direction. According to FirstSportz, he was originally slated to face Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 42—a showdown that many fans believed would be a blockbuster, regardless of whether a world title was at stake. With Rollins sidelined, those plans have been upended, leading to speculation about what his eventual return might look like.
Adding fuel to the fire, online rumors suggest that Austin Theory, a rising WWE star, could be working as a "spy" for Rollins within ongoing storylines. This speculation intensified after Theory, who was mentored by Rollins during WWE’s pandemic era, used Rollins’ signature Curb Stomp to secure a win over Rey Mysterio on Raw. Theory’s actions, combined with his recent in-ring performances, have convinced some fans that he might be laying the groundwork for a Rollins comeback angle—though nothing has been confirmed by WWE.
While Rollins’ comments and WWE’s international ambitions have dominated headlines, another wrestling figure has been making waves for a very different reason. On his own podcast, former WWE star Matt Hardy offered a revealing look into the company’s backstage culture, specifically regarding Vince McMahon’s management style. As reported on December 26, 2025, Hardy accused McMahon of deliberately putting performers in uncomfortable situations, sometimes crossing the line into abuse.
Hardy recounted, "I mean, I felt like Vince had a thing. Vince had a thing for putting people in positions that made them feel uncomfortable, and he kind of got off on that, in all honesty. That was like one of his things. And I felt like he did that with JR quite a bit. That became a regular, common thing there. There were certain people I felt like, if you ever showed signs of weakness or said, ‘No, I don’t want to do that,’ or if you were outright uncomfortable with it, then he would push it even harder. I know there are some people that did get that."
Hardy was particularly critical of McMahon’s treatment of legendary commentator Jim Ross, describing a "weird rivalry" between the two men. While Hardy conceded that McMahon believed discomfort could foster personal growth, he also argued that the WWE chairman was sometimes abusive in how he applied this philosophy. "In some ways, that is true. But in some ways too, I think he was abusive with it as well. And JR probably was one of the guys he was more abusive with in many, many ways," Hardy said.
These revelations have reignited discussions among fans and industry insiders about WWE’s internal culture, especially as the company continues to expand its global footprint and evolve its on-screen product. The juxtaposition of Rollins’ defense of WWE’s international partnerships and Hardy’s critique of its backstage practices offers a nuanced portrait of a company at a crossroads—one striving to balance commercial ambitions, cultural change, and the well-being of its performers.
As WWE looks ahead to major events like the Royal Rumble in Riyadh and the much-anticipated WrestleMania 42, the spotlight will remain fixed not just on the action inside the ring, but also on the broader questions of ethics, leadership, and progress that continue to shape the world’s largest wrestling promotion.
