Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs said he intends to honor his commitment to wrestle in an upcoming WWE event in Saudi Arabia as controversy continues to grow over the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and the Saudi government's ongoing response.
Several prominent WWE wrestlers such as John Cena and Daniel Bryan are rumored to have refused to work the upcoming Crown Jewel event, according to Barstool Sports' Robbie Fox.
Jacobs said he still intends on donning the Kane mask at the event on Nov. 2, saying he made the commitment and intends on following through with it. Jacobs agreed to wrestle both at the Crown Jewel event and in Australia in exchange for a WWE donation of $100,000 to the Knoxville Public Safety Foundation to benefit local first responders.
Jacobs also said he thinks it was the right decision for the WWE to go forward with the event despite the controversy, saying the WWE has an important cultural impact in Saudi Arabia and should continue keeping a positive presence there.
"We have a cultural impact in Saudi Arabia when we go there. Outreach, just all around the world, helps people understand each other better and realize that we're all human beings that want the same thing, and that's a good life," he said.