CM Punk and Kevin Owens are scheduled to face each other on the November 6, 2026, edition of WWE SmackDown, but their absence from the Crown Jewel lineup has sparked speculation about whether either Superstar declined to travel to Saudi Arabia.
During a recent edition of Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer of F4WOnline.com addressed those rumours, insisting that neither Punk nor Owens refused to participate in the November 7 premium live event.
Meltzer explained that he had obtained WWE’s original plans for Crown Jewel and that the Punk vs. Owens match was never scheduled for the show. “There are stories around that some guys refused to go, and nobody refused to go. They think because the Punk match with Owens is on SmackDown that those two guys refused to go, and that is absolutely not true.”
According to Meltzer, the Crown Jewel card has remained largely unchanged since it was originally put together, with only one notable adjustment involving the World Tag Team Championship match.
The initial plan reportedly called for Oba Femi, Penta and Je’Von Evans to face Bron Breakker, Austin Theory and Bronson Reed in six-man tag team action. However, WWE subsequently changed the match to a traditional tag team championship contest. “I got the original card. The only change is that the tag team title match was gonna be a six-man with Oba, Penta and Je’Von Evans against Bron Breakker, Austin Theory and Bronson Reed. They decided to make it a tag match.”
Meltzer also speculated that WWE could revisit the original six-man tag team concept at a later date, potentially using interference from Femi and Reed during the championship match to establish a future confrontation. “I wouldn’t be surprised if Oba and Bronson Reed end up interfering in that tag title match to set up the trios match at a point in the future. I’m not saying for sure that’ll happen.”
He reiterated that the adjustment to the tag team match was the only change he was aware of concerning the original Crown Jewel lineup. “But that is the only change to the card from the card that was originally made a long time ago. So this was always the deal.”
Although Meltzer rejected claims that WWE Superstars had refused to travel, he acknowledged that some performers have privately expressed reservations about making the trip amid ongoing concerns surrounding the situation in the Middle East. “Now, if you have read that there’s talent that doesn’t want to go, of course there is, and that’s obviously accurate. I’ve heard from people too, and Sean (Ross) Sapp reported that the people they’ve talked to say they don’t want to go. Of course they don’t.”
The distinction, according to Meltzer, is that expressing concerns about travelling to Saudi Arabia does not necessarily mean a performer has refused an assignment or withdrawn from a scheduled match.
Punk and Owens are currently advertised to compete on Friday Night SmackDown on November 6, one day before Crown Jewel takes place in Riyadh.
WWE Crown Jewel 2026 is scheduled for Saturday, November 7, at The Venue in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
