Saudi Prince Requested Yokozuna and Ultimate Warrior For Greatest Royal Rumble

Yokozuna and Ultimate Warrior at the Greatest Royal Rumble?

Speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio on Monday, Dave Meltzer made the remarkable revelation that the ‘Saudi Prince’ (presumably Prince Mohammad bin Salman, who is the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia) apparently asked Vince McMahon to bring a host of top wrestling stars for the Greatest Royal Rumble. Meltzer specifically named Yokozuna, Ultimate Warrior, and The Undertaker as those the Prince requested.

The Chairman could not comply with the request, on account of both men being deceased. Warrior passed away in April 2014, just days after being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.

Yokozuna died on October 23, 2000, in Liverpool, England during an independent tour of Europe. At the time, it was widely reported that he died of heart failure or a heart attack, but this was later found to be incorrect due to his lungs showing severe signs of blockage due to fluid. His weight at the time of his death was 580 pounds.

The Undertaker, however, did make an appearance at the Greatest Royal Rumble, beating Rusev in a Casket Match.

It’s Meltzer’s belief that Hiroki Sumi, a name so obscure that WWE.com published an article asking who he is, was included in the 50-Man Greatest Royal Rumble Match as a substitute for Yokozuna. Whether this was an attempt to pull the wool over the Prince’s crown or just an acceptable substitute isn’t clear.

Supposedly, the Saudi Prince also asked McMahon to bring “the guy with the crown” and the “guy in the black hat.” So, this explains why Jerry “The King” Lawler and Jim Ross appeared on the Greatest Royal Rumble Kickoff show.