Why WrestleMania in Saudi Arabia Matters — and Why Fans Need to Rethink Activism

Welcome to the Squared Circle Podcast! I am your host Marie Shadows!In this episode of the Square Circle Podcast, Marie Shadows dives deep into WWE’s WrestleMania 43 announcement for Saudi Arabia. She calls out the hypocrisy of wrestling activists, defends freedom of speech as the bedrock of her platform, and highlights why wrestling needs to be experienced worldwide. From ticket price outrage to the debate over Saudi women wrestling, Marie doesn’t shy away from uncomfortable truths — instead, she offers perspective, solutions, and a challenge: stop the performative activism and start doing the real work.Wrestling belongs to the world, not just the loudest voices online. And if you value honest conversations that don’t shy away from the messy parts of wrestling, politics, or life, I invite you to join me over on Patreon - https://patreon.com/marieshadowsThat’s where I share Discord Notes, Tape Study, and Crossroads interviews and editorials — content that dives deeper than what you’ll find here. Patreon is also where we can build community, exchange ideas, and have conversations that actually matter. Wrestling talk stays free right here, but if you want the full picture — join me on Patreon. The door is always open.Timestamps00:00 – 02:00 Gratitude to listeners + free speech foundation02:00 – 07:00 Wrestling activism & Twitter outrage07:00 – 13:00 WWE’s Saudi Arabia partnership explained13:00 – 19:00 Sports washing, identity politics, and double standards19:00 – 25:00 Women wrestling in Saudi vs. OnlyFans hypocrisy25:00 – 33:00 Positive impacts of WrestleMania in Saudi33:00 – 39:00 Indie promotions’ opportunity during Saudi WrestleMania week39:00 – 47:00 WWE ticket price inflation & TKO’s strategy47:00 – 51:00 Patreon, Discord Notes Vol. 7, and community-building