QPW Super Slam III superstars meet-and-greet on February 20, 2025. All pictures by Khalid Elsawi / The Peninsula
Doha, Qatar: Mall of Qatar’s Oasis stage hosted a widely-anticipated meet-and-greet for wrestling fans and the superstars participating in the QPW Super Slam III.
The Oasis stage’s mechanically controlled central platform plunged deep each time a pair of superstars was introduced on the microphone. When the platform then reappeared with the stars on top of it, the crowd’s roar was almost deafening.
Alberto Del Rio, born Jose Alberto Rodriguez Chucuan, a former WWE superstar who had seemingly won it all: the WWE Championship, the World Heavyweight Championship, and the US Championship, said that being back in Qatar felt incredible.
The feeling of being in Qatar, and the energy given off by the warm fan reception was “fantastic,” Chucuan told The Peninsula.
The WWE’s first ever Mexican-born WWE champion is no stranger to Qatar, as this is his third tour of the country. When asked about the possibility of more Mexican lucha libre talents making appearances in the country, he told The Peninsula that he hopes to see more Mexican luchadores featured in future Qatar wrestling events.
Asked about his favourite opponents he faced-off with during his illustrious career, Chucuan pointed to John Cena, Rey Mysterio, and The Big Show as his top three favourite guys to work with.
Del Rio was certainly a fan-favourite during the night, with many people lining up to receive his autographs.
Fans attended the meet-and-greet in droves, coming from all walks of life, all ages, all in awe of their favourite wrestlers.
Jameel, a superfan who hails originally from Pakistan, said the most exciting aspect of the whole affair was how many superstars were fit into the event's ticket.
Shuffling through a few of the signatures he collected, he told The Peninsula that he grew up watching the WWE and has been a big pro-wrestling fan for as long as he remembers.
The Peninsula asked Nick Nemeth, famously known by his ring-moniker Dolph Ziggler, about his previous visits to Qatar, and he, much like Del Rio, noticed the dramatic shift in the landscape and architecture in the country.
“Everything else was just becoming back then, and now after coming here, it has really changed. Beautiful architecture, people everywhere,” he said.
Nemeth revealed to The Peninsula that ticket-mate Del Rio was one of his favourite guys to work with.
He also revealed that it was Adam Copeland, known 'Edge' in the wrestling circles, as his biggest influence and the one who gave him that match that defined his “Dolph Ziggler” persona.
Nemeth and Copeland faced each other in the 2011 WWE Royal Rumble event for the World Heavyweight Championship title.
Reflecting on his impressive 20-year career, Dolph Ziggler recounted how he was told when starting out the average TV career for a pro-wrestler was at the very most three years. Surpassing all expectations, Nemeth did 19 years on television.
He expressed his heartfelt gratitude to all those who helped him along the way and said he hopes to "give back like it was done to me."
