Yesterday (May 7), the Saudi Arabia General Entertainment Authority announced an extension of its partnership with the UFC. Now, its getting ready to do the same with the other brand under the TKO umbrella — WWE.
It doesn’t sound like this will be a simple extension, either. GES Chairman Turki Alalshikh tells ESPN it will be an “enhancement” of the existing deal that’s brought at least one WWE premium live event to Saudi Arabia since 2018.
Alalshikh said an enhancement to Saudi Arabia’s existing agreement with WWE will be announced later this month. Specifically, Alalshikh is looking to bring January’s annual Royal Rumble or WWE’s top event, WrestleMania, to Saudi Arabia.
“We will do big things with the UFC and TKO,” Alalshikh said.
WWE is headed for what is expected to be the first of two shows in Saudi Arabia later this month with King & Queen of the Ring on May 25 in Jeddah. Crown Jewel will likely follow in Riyadh this fall (the only year of the partnership WWE didn’t hold a Crown Jewel event during Riyadh Season was 2020).
Could a flagship show like the Rumble or ‘Mania eventually land in the KSA? Word is TKO will bring any show to the highest bidders, and its hard to imagine the Saudis getting outbid. TKO CEO & Chairman Ari Emanuel once had an issue with the Saudi government’s human rights record after they ordered the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, but as the UFC deal demonstrates, like a lot of other powerful people — he’s gotten over that.
Stay tuned.
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