JBL Defends WWE Going to Saudi Arabia on FOX Business This Morning

Former WWE Champion John Bradshaw Layfield appeared on FOX Business this morning, where he addressed the growing concerns over WWE heading to Saudi Arabia this November for their Crown Jewel show, as part of their ten-year contract agreement with the Saudi Arabian government.
Concerns over WWE heading to Saudi Arabia flared up as it came to light that Washington Post reporter Jamal Khashoggi was reportedly killed while visiting the Saudi consolute in Istanbul just two weeks ago. Khashoggi was reportedly there to get marriage documents but is now believed by Turkish officials and much of the general public to have been murdered.
While on FOX Business, Layfield explained the lengths WWE has gone to expand and help bring societal change, noting that WWE’s relationship with Saudi Arabia is a good thing, as it could bring change to the country.
In a clip shared by David Bixenspan on Twitter, you can see Layfield make the following comment:

“From what I understand, yes. The idea is that WWE is gonna go there. Right now their official line is that they’re monitoring the situation. My personal opinion is that they should go. I think the only way you promote change- look what we did with Cuba. You isolate a country, all you do is impoverish that country. You wanna promote change? WWE went to Abu Dhabi and did the first women’s match that had ever happened in the Middle East. The crowd was chanting in English ‘this is change.’ For these senators to come out and bash the WWE on this- I’ve spent seven Christmases in Iraq and Afganistan with the WWE. I was with the WWE- the first group to go down and visit the Twin Towers while they were still burning and bodies [were] being pulled out. We were the first group on 9/13 to have a mass gathering right after 9/11. People didn’t know what was going to happen. For these guys to hide behind their patriotism and their show flag-waving, to me, I think is to try and improve their abysmal approval ratings, to me is wrong. WWE has been at the forefront of change, and you want to change Saudi Arabia? You send something like WWE there.”

You can watch the segment here:

What are your thoughts on Layfield’s response to this? Do you believe this is his personal opinion or that of WWE? Let us know your thoughts, opinions, and reactions in those comments below.
If any quotes are used, please credit Ringside News for the transcription.