Brett Lauderdale Confirms He’s Been Contacted By Promoters About GCW In Saudi Arabia For WrestleMania 43 Week

Lauderdale speaks candidly about the idea.

In April 2027, WWE is taking its WrestleMania event to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It’ll be the 43rd installment of WrestleMania.

During the week of WrestleMania, there are a multitude of independent shows that take place in the city from which WrestleMania is emanating from.

Game Changer Wrestling promoter Brett Lauderdale presents The Collective during WrestleMania week, which is a package of different independent shows and events. While appearing on The Business of the Business podcast, Lauderdale confirmed that promoters have reached out to him about WrestleMania week in Saudi Arabia.

He is not sure how realistic it is. Lauderdale said if he’s offered a large sum of money, specifically $50 million, he’ll bring GCW to Saudi Arabia. He said if he got that offer, he’d send millions to former GCW World Champion EFFY and his friends so they would not have to make the trip.

“There’s absolutely been people that have reached out to us. I’ve exchanged pleasantries, but, I’m just not sure how realistic it is and… it’s such a wildcard, you know? Let’s say we did do something in Saudi Arabia. Who would even go? Are there people there that know what GCW is?… If some sheik, oil person came in and said, I’ll give you 50 million dollars to bring your indie show here, I’ll just tell you right here, straight up, I will say yes to that. I will say yes, if one of those guys offers me 50 million dollars. I will absolutely be there. If some guy says, oh, I can help put you in touch with a venue and it’ll cost you this much or whatever, I mean, that’s something that’s not even gonna move the needle because again, it’s not even a matter of, oh, what would it cost? How much to do it? It’s just, first of all, can you even do it? Is it even legal? Can I even go over there and run an event? This seems like there’s so many variables… What is there even to talk about? Is this even realistic or worth our time? So, if somebody wants to offer me 50 million dollars, I will take your private jet to Riyadh and we can discuss it but, I’m really not sure how much is realistic beyond that.

And I would like to have high ground,” Lauderdale responded after the co-host mentioned that some would have said there’s no amount of money that could get them to go to Saudi Arabia. “But for 50 million dollars, I’ll get on my sled and I’ll go to the lower ground, and if I can change my family’s life for generations to come, and I’ll tell you right now, if somebody gives me 50 million dollars, I’ll be happy to make a sizeable donation to EFFY to stay home and I’ll be happy to pay off all of EFFY’s friends with millions of dollars. So, I don’t see it happening but listen, if it happens, let’s go. Let’s redistribute some Saudi wealth.”

Game Changer Wrestling will be presenting The Collective during WrestleMania 42 week in Las Vegas, Nevada, in April 2026.

If the quotes in this article are used, please credit The Business of the Business with an H/T to Fightful for the transcriptions.