WWE Star Receives DEATH THREATS Over Greatest Royal Rumble! | WrestleTalk News May. 2018

Ariya Daivari Receives Death Threats

Last Friday’s Greatest Royal Rumble show saw WWE run a good old-fashioned foreign nationalistic heel segment. But rather than it being a Bulgarian or Canadian lauding how weak-willed Americans are, WWE catered to the Saudi Arabian crowd’s sensibilities: who really don’t seem to like Iran.

During the show, WWE introduced four local tryout participants in the ring. But their promos were interrupted by 205 Live wrestler Ariya Daivari and his WWE returning older brother Shawn, who are both of Iranian descent, just in case you couldn’t tell by the massive Iranian flag they brought with them to the ring.

Ariya then pointed at the local wrestlers and asked:

"Is this what you call ATHLETES in Saudi Arabia?!" – @AriyaDaivariWWE#WWEGRR pic.twitter.com/XspCnWVnom

— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) April 27, 2018

and then talked about how great Iran is. The crowd predictably booed them heavily and went crazy when the local boys eventually beat them up.

Unfortunately, it seems, some took Daivari’s comments a little too seriously, as Ariya shared on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/AriyaDaivariWWE/status/991177802299961344

You’re exposing the business, Ariya. Which is probably for the best if people are sending you death threats, actually…

https://twitter.com/AriyaDaivariWWE/status/991181198880894976

It wasn’t just Saudi Arabians in the crowd that Ariya riled up in the segment, as the angle has reportedly also received negative mainstream press in Iran about how their flag was used despite the very sensitive relations between the two countries. An Iranian MMA fighter has even publicly challenged both Daivaris to a shoot fight following the segment.

How much were Iranian-American Daivari brothers paid to be beat by Saudis in WWE charade with Iranian flag? https://t.co/k2KdjRla6T

— Kodoom Independent Iran News Hub (@IranNewsHub) April 29, 2018

Mansoor – one of the four Saudi Arabians in the angle – has issued his own statement about the controversy:

https://twitter.com/MannyFaberino/status/991403786974380032

I.e. don’t work yourself into a shoot, brothers.

• daivari
• iran
• 205
• 205 live
• kane
• Ariya Daivari
• glenn jacobs
• greatest royal rumble
• GRR
• saudi arabia
• wwe

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