WWE Referee -- Suffers Gruesome Thumb Accident ... in Saudi Arabia

A WWE referee's thumb was nearly SEVERED from his hand during a bloody incident in Saudi Arabia yesterday ... but it wasn't for stealing a falafel from the market -- he's just a klutz.

Charles Robinson was preparing the ring for a WWE event with other crew members before Friday's show in the Middle East ... when something went terribly wrong and his finger got caught in the turnbuckle.

The result ... a DEEP DEEP GASH that nearly sliced his thumb in half.

Fortunately for the ref, a WWE doc was on standby and managed to quickly stitch him back together again.

But seriously, don't steal falafel in Saudi Arabia ... that hand-cutting thing ain't a myth (proof's on YouTube).