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Is Sami Zayn Unbanned From Saudi Arabia? Visits Mecca Ahead Of Match

Sami Zayn is also competing at Night of Champions in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

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Sami Zayn has entered the boundaries of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the second time since he joined WWE as a full-time professional wrestler.

Currently, he is in Saudi Arabia as part of WWE’s upcoming professional wrestling pay-per-view Night of Champions, which will take place in Jeddah’s Jeddah Superdome on Saturday, May 27, 2023.

At the PPV, Zayn and his tag team partner Kevin Owens will defend their Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships against The Bloodline’s Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns and his tag team partner Solo Sikoa.

But ahead of his much-anticipated match, Zayn took the opportunity to utilize his second-ever visit to Saudi Arabia and visit Mecca, considered the holiest city in Islam and the “fountainhead and cradle of Islam.”

And as Zayn himself is a Muslim, it was one of the greatest moments of his life to cross a name off his bucket list. On Friday, May 26, 2023, he took to his social media handles – Instagram and Twitter – and shared pictures of himself at the location.

The first picture showed him wearing a white outfit as he touched The Kaaba – a stone building at the center of Masjid al-Haram, the important mosque and holiest site of Islam. The Kaaba is also spelled Ka’ba or Kabah, referred to as al-Ka’ba al-Musharrafa.

Similarly, the second picture showed him standing in front of The Kaaba, inside Masjid al-Haram, also called the Great Mosque of Mecca or the Grand Mosque.

In the caption, Zayn wrote, “Being a pro wrestler and being with WWE has taken me to places I never dreamed I’d get to see and do things I never thought I’d get to do. It has provided me a life filled with incredible experiences that I will cherish forever.”

Sami Zayn standing in front of The Kaaba inside Masjid al-Haram

Sami Zayn standing in front of The Kaaba inside Masjid al-Haram (Photo: Instagram)

At the end of his caption, he mentioned that being able to visit Masjid al-Haram and touching The Kaaba was the top thing on his list. He then wrote, “الحمدلله,” which translates to “Thank God.”

Is Sami Zayn unbanned in Saudi Arabia?

As mentioned above, this is Zayn’s second-ever visit to Saudi Arabia, with the first one being in 2014 as a part of WWE’s three-night house show tour in Riyadh. After that, many more shows and PPVs took place in Saudi Arabia, but Zayn wasn’t a part of them.

So, what happened? Was Zayn banned from competing in live shows and PPVs in Saudi Arabia? Well, banned isn’t the exact word that is fit to use in this context, as it’s more of a voluntary choice that Zayn made.

Zayn is a Canadian national, but his parents were Syrian immigrants who left their home country in the 1970s and settled in Canada. And the diplomatic relations between Syria and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia haven’t been on a positive note since 2011, until now.

Sami Zayn donning the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships

Sami Zayn donning the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships (Photo: Instagram)

Syria and Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic ties in November 2011 after Saudi Arabia’s backing of non-government forces during the Syrian Civil War. And while both nations are Sunni Muslim-majority countries, they didn’t see eye-to-eye.

As for Zayn’s refraining from Saudi Arabia-based WWE Shows and PPVs, Ryan Satin reported in 2018 that Zayn was pulled out from competing in The Greatest Royal Rumble as WWE didn’t want to disrespect the local culture in Saudi Arabia.

One year later, the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reported that the Saudi Arabian government had banned WWE from using Zayn at Super ShowDown due to Zayn’s Syrian ethnicity.

That being said, Zayn will now compete in WWE’s Night of Champions. So, what changed now? The answer is the diplomatic relationship between Syria and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which became good, i.e., they resumed diplomatic ties on May 9, 2023.

Due to that, it became clear that Saudi Arabia had no problem letting Zayn compete in Saudi Arabia-based WWE PPVs, and Zayn was also willing to wrestle once again in Saudi Arabia.

Furthermore, Zayn’s longtime best friend, Kevin Owens, will also compete for the first time in Saudi Arabia as Owens had also backed out from contesting in Saudi Arabia-based WWE PPVs as a show of support for Zayn.

Dipesh is an experienced writer who has been covering entertainment news and stories for more than two years. Presently, he writes stories for Glamour Buff and GB Issue.

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‘Ms. Marvel’ Star Matt Lintz Gets Engaged to His Girlfriend Gracie Sapp

“I can’t wait to be your wife,” Gracie wrote.

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‘Ms. Marvel’ Star Matt Lintz Gets Engaged to His Girlfriend Gracie Sapp

Congratulations to Matt Lintz, aka Matthew Lintz, on his engagement to his longtime girlfriend, Gracie Sapp.

On Sunday, May 5, 2024, the Ms. Marvel star took to his Instagram handle to make a joint post with his now-fiancee, announcing that they had gotten engaged in an intimate ceremony with their close family members in attendance.

The newly engaged couple had shared a series of pictures, in which the first photo focused on Sapp’s beautiful diamond engagement ring. Other images from their Instagram post showed moments before and after Lintz’s engagement proposal.

Sapp added a short yet heartfelt caption, saying, “Unforgettable. This night. This man. Matthew Collins Lintz, I can’t wait to be your wife.” Additionally, the location tag revealed that their engagement took place at Botanic LLC, Opelika, Alabama.

Hours later, on the same day, Lintz took to his Instagram handle to share more memorable moments from his special day. Some pictures showed Lintz and Sapp standing alongside their family members, and some showed them walking alongside each other.

“Forever with you,” he wrote alongside a red heart emoji. Similarly, Sapp posted some images of her engagement featuring her and her future husband’s family members. One image in particular showed Sapp hugging her father, both of whom were emotional.

She wrote a lengthy caption this time, writing, “ To everyone involved in the magic that was yesterday – thank you. I gained a new family, a new favorite memory, and most importantly – a new ring (thanks @matt_lintz, you did REAL good). No I will never shut up about this.”

Matt Lintz proposing to his girlfriend Gracie Sapp

Matt Lintz proposing to his girlfriend Gracie Sapp (Photo: Instagram)

Following their announcement, friends and well-wishers took to the comment section to express their excitement and congratulate the couple on taking a new step in their relationship. For instance, one wrote, “Matty, a lifetime of happiness for you both.”

“I’m SO HAPPY for you both!!!!! Sooo beautiful!!! The #GoodnessOfGod,” one Instagram user commented, with one guest who attended the event adding, “Loved celebrating y’all love last night!!! Congrats to the happy couple!!”

Speaking a little of Lintz and Sapp’s relationship, The Walking Dead actor first started interacting with his future wife’s Instagram post on December 31, 2020. However, they officially began dating on December 9, 2021.

Matt Lintz and his fiancee Gracie Sapp after Gracie accepted Matt's engagement proposal

Matt Lintz and his fiancee Gracie Sapp after Gracie accepted Matt’s engagement proposal (Photo: Instagram)

Likewise, they started featuring each other on their respective social media handles on January 1, 2022. On that day, both of them posted similar pictures taken alongside each other. Since then, Lintz has featured his girlfriend multiple times.

On December 9, 2022, the couple celebrated their first dating anniversary by spending a romantic time in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France. By that time, the actor had already introduced his girlfriend to his family members and had even taken her to his older sister’s wedding.

Both Lintz and Sapp had shared some snaps from that special day. Additionally, Sapp has tagged alongside her boyfriend to multiple red-carpet premieres of Marvel shows. The first was Moon Knight, and the second was Ms. Marvel, where Lintz was one of the leads.

The couple has also celebrated different occasions, including birthdays and festivals, alongside each other. Finally, on December 9, 2023, they marked their second dating anniversary, with Sapp sharing an Instagram post captioned, “730,” referring to the days in two years.

To conclude, Sapp has been an understanding and supportive partner to Lintz, and their adorable pictures prove that they are made for each other. Now, the love birds are engaged, and it might only be a matter of time before they walk down the aisle and share their wedding vows.

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Catherine Lowe and Husband Sean Lowe Celebrate Wedding Anniversary with Romantic Trip

A delayed-yet-special anniversary celebration from the couple!

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Catherine Lowe and Husband Sean Lowe Celebrate Wedding Anniversary with Romantic Trip

Catherine Lowe and Sean Lowe marked their 10th wedding anniversary on January 26, 2024. Now, the married couple is finally celebrating their marriage anniversary with a special romantic vacation to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

On Thursday, May 2, 2024, Catherine – whose birth name is Catherine Giudici – took to her Instagram stories to post a picture alongside her husband. The photo showed the love birds on the plane on their way to their vacation destination. “10 years married,” she wrote.

Additionally, the reality TV star revealed some details about their luxurious vacation, saying they were staying at the five-star Esperanza resort in Mexico. On the same day, she shared more pictures from their romantic getaway.

She posted a series of pictures and videos showing off the gorgeous views, delicious food, and sweet date nights that she is soaking up with her husband of over a decade. “So far, so bueno. Our 10-year anniversary trip is off to a great start,” she captioned her post.

Some more pictures and videos of their vacation were shared by Catherine on Sunday, May 5. She captioned her Instagram post, writing, “Are we even old enough to have been married 10 years?! Doesn’t feel like it. Happy anniversary celebration, mi amor.”

After watching all the cute pictures of Sean and Catherine Lowe, one Instagram user commented, “All these birthday/anniversary celebration posts made me watch your season. Again! You both don’t look old enough to be married 10 years. Was this a surprise bday/anniv gift?”

Catherine decided to reply to the fan and answer the last question about whether the vacation was Catherine’s birthday gift — she turned 38 on April 29, 2024 — or if it was their wedding anniversary gift.

She revealed that it was their anniversary gift from her husband. She also stated that Sean had surprised her with this trip on their actual wedding anniversary and had managed everything, including asking his parents to watch their children.

Sean and Catherine Lowe on their 10th anniversary special vacation

Sean and Catherine Lowe on their 10th anniversary special vacation (Photo: Instagram)

She wrote, “He surprised me with this trip ON our anniversary – securing the date with his parents to watch the kids and all that.” The same Instagram user then replied, “Good man. Good man. So you knew about his surprise before your movie theatre surprise.”

The Instagram user was referring to Catherine’s marriage anniversary surprise for her husband Sean. On January 27, 2024, a day after their 10th wedding anniversary, Catherine surprised her partner by renting out the whole movie theatre for a private showing of Oppenheimer.

Like Sean managed the whole vacation in Mexico, Catherine did the same, including asking their family member to take care of their three children. Catherine later posted the whole experience, where she mentioned that Sean had been wanting to see Oppenheimer.

“I was so excited to surprise this old man,” she captioned the video shared on Instagram. To conclude, Catherine and Sean have gone to some limits to make their 10th wedding anniversary a moment to remember for a lifetime.

Speaking of Sean and Catherine’s relationship, they first met on The Bachelor season 17 and engaged during the season finale in March 2013. On January 26, 2014, they shared their wedding vows in a live TV wedding at the Four Seasons Resort Biltmore.

Since getting married, they have continued to be together, and the arrival of their children has only strengthened their relationship. Their three kids are sons Samuel Thomas Lowe (b. July 2, 2016) and Isaiah Hendrix Lowe (b. May 18, 2018) and daughter Mia Mejia Lowe (b. December 23, 2019).

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YouTuber Quen Blackwell Announces Tragic News of Her Brother Jairyn Blackwell’s Death

Quen will be taking some time off.

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YouTuber Quen Blackwell Announces Tragic News of Her Brother Jairyn Blackwell's Death

Quen Blackwell, also known as Quenlin Blackwell, is taking some time off the internet to mourn the death of her beloved brother, Jairyn Blackwell.

On Thursday, May 2, 2024, the YouTube star took to her Instagram handle to share the tragic news of her brother’s death. She announced the unfortunate news via her story, keeping most of the details private.

She mentioned that her brother was killed, and she didn’t know how to tell this news to her fans and well-wishers or if she should have kept the entire news off the internet. But as she always expressed herself to her well-wishers, she decided to reveal her brother’s death.

As she continued her statement, she stated that she would be taking some time off the internet to mourn her brother’s death. Additionally, she clarified that anything that would be posted on her social media and YouTube channel had already been filmed before.

Quen wrote, “My brother got killed idk how to tell y’all this or if I should keep it off the internet, but I’ve always shared my life with you guys. So I just want to let y’all know. I’ll be off the internet for a second. Anything that’s posted is pre-filmed. Thank you for the condolences.”

Quen Blackwell announces the death of her brother Jairyn Blackwell

Quen Blackwell announces the death of her brother Jairyn Blackwell (Photo: Instagram)

As of this writing, it has been reported her brother, Jairyn, was shot. As per Cincinnati Enquirer, who got the details from Springfield Township police, Jairyn was shot on Thursday afternoon in the 2000 block of Springdale Road.

At approximately 1:35 p.m., police officials were informed of a person shot inside their vehicle. When officials arrived at the location, they found Jairyn, a 30-year-old Lincoln Heights native, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.

Jairyn was immediately taken to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, where he was ultimately pronounced dead. It has been reported that the Springfield Township Police Department Criminal Investigations Section is currently investigating the incident.

As of this writing, no information regarding a suspect has been released. For now, this incident has been labeled a homicide, and the authorities are reportedly working to find the culprit.

Anyone with any information has been asked to call the Springfield Township Police Department at 513-729-1300 or Crime Stoppers at 513-352-3040.

Returning to Quen, her well-wishers have expressed their condolences in her comment section and Reddit threads. For instance, one wrote, “Rest in peace!! Sending so much love and prayers to her and the rest of her family!!” Another wrote, “Hope he gets justice.”

Likewise, in a Reddit thread, one Redditor commented, “Wtf. I hope her and her family are able to heal from this and get justice. I didn’t even know she had any siblings. Her mental health wasn’t all too great, so I’m really wishing her the best through all this.”

As the Reddit user pointed out, Quen hadn’t talked about her now-late brother, Jairyn Blackwell. Besides, not many even knew she had a brother. So, it’s safe to say that the YouTuber wanted to maintain privacy around her family life.

As Quen and her family deal with the unfortunate passing of their family member, we must also respect their privacy and let them have a moment of peace. Glamour Buff family wishes only the best for the Blackwell family.

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