Sports | Wednesday 25 April, 2018 4:04 pm |

WWE Superstars are used to being the centre of attention, but it was the children of Al Oula, a not-for-profit organization which aims to lift youngsters out of poverty, who stole the show when they met in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

 

Athletes Mark Henry and Mojo Rawley are both competing in this Friday’s Greatest Royal Rumble but ahead of the showdown they met with 30 children from Al Oula as part of WWE’s Be A Star programme, which carries an anti-bullying message.

 

The boys and girls of Al Oula sat to listen to both wrestlers open up about the adversity in their lives, telling the children how they had each faced bullying when they were young.

 

Mark Henry, a ‘WWE Hall of Famer’, who is a WWE world heavyweight champion, a two-time Olympian weightlifter and a gold medalist at the Pan American Games, told the children: “One of the things that makes us all great is diversity, we need diversity, you need differences, that difference is what makes us better because we all teach each other.

 

“You may think a guy my size may never have trouble with people but there are those who have been mean to me because of how slow I talk, my colour, the fact I’m from another place. At your age I was a big guy and people would pick on me and call me names.

 

“But there is a bright side to battling adversity, rather than fight I decided I would be the biggest, strongest guy on Earth. Every time someone said something mean it was like putting gasoline on the fire, I would train harder and harder. 

 

“I want you to use that negative energy for something good, for something you love.”

 

The two Superstars met with the children at the King Abdullah Stadium where the giant stage is being set for the huge event involving 50 Superstars. 

 

As well as posing for countless ‘selfies’ with the children the pair presented the youngsters with VIP tickets to the show.

 

Mojo said: “We are different in many ways but sometimes you have to focus on the similarities and positive aspects of others.”

 

Dania Al Maeena, CEO of Al Oula, said: “I love the message that it doesn’t where we are from we all go through these things.

 

 I asked the children what they got out of it and one told me about how they were going to take negativity and turn it into something positive. 

 

“They are very excited to be going to the show and we are very grateful to WWE for giving the children this opportunity.”

 

The event, which is now sold out, will air live in the Middle East on MBC Action, KSA Sports 1, Abu Dhabi Sports 1 and Abu Dhabi Sports 6, as well as stream live on Dawri Plus.

 

The Greatest Royal Rumblemarks the start of a 10-year partnership between WWE and the General Sports Authority of Saudi Arabia. Samoa Joe will compete in an Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match against Seth Rollins, Finn Bálor and The Miz in one of an incredible seven Championship matches at the Greatest Royal Rumbleevent. 

 

WWE fans will also see John Cena vs Triple H, The Undertaker vs. Rusev and Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns in a Steel Cage Universal Championship match.