Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority chairman, Turki Alalshikh, recently announced a significant agreement between Riyadh Season and the UFC, further solidifying their partnership. Plans are underway to host a major UFC event in Riyadh at the end of 2024 or the beginning of 2025. This event is expected to be a monumental occasion, surpassing the UFC’s previous event in Saudi Arabia, which featured a middleweight bout between Robert Whittaker and Khamzat Chimaev. Riyadh Season, an annual sports and entertainment festival supported by some of the region’s leading companies, will sponsor UFC 306 on September 14, marking the MMA promotion’s debut at The Sphere in Las Vegas. Riyadh Season’s involvement will be prominently displayed through branding and merchandise at UFC 306, highlighting the strength of this strategic partnership.
In addition to the UFC partnership, Saudi Arabia has also enhanced its collaboration with WWE, resulting in the formation of TKO, a publicly traded company. WWE has been hosting premium live events in Saudi Arabia since 2018, with plans to continue this tradition. Following the success of the Tyson Fury-Oleksandr Usyk heavyweight championship bout in Riyadh, WWE is set to hold the King and Queen of the Ring event in Jeddah on May 25. Alalshikh revealed that further enhancements to the agreement with WWE will be announced soon, with discussions underway to bring iconic WWE events such as the Royal Rumble and WrestleMania to Saudi Arabia. Emphasizing the country’s commitment to sports entertainment, Alalshikh expressed his ambition to make Riyadh a prominent hub for MMA, boxing, and other combat sports on a global scale.
Looking ahead, Riyadh is poised to host a variety of high-profile sporting events, including Dana White’s Power Slap and a Riyadh Season boxing event featuring the Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov junior middleweight title fight in Los Angeles. These endeavors showcase Saudi Arabia’s determination to establish itself as a key player in the world of sports entertainment. By attracting top-tier organizations like the UFC and WWE, Saudi Arabia is not only creating opportunities for athletes and fans but also positioning itself as a premier destination for international sporting events. The future looks bright for sports entertainment in Saudi Arabia, with a lineup of major events set to captivate audiences and elevate the country’s reputation in the world of combat sports.
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