UFC To Make First-Ever Saudi Arabia Visit With Fight Night As Part Of Riyadh Season In 2024

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UFC to make it's first-ever visit to Saudi Arabia with a spectacular Fight Night event in March next year as part of the Riyadh Season, announced the TKO Group on Wednesday (October 11) night.

This announcement comes just a month after the UFC-WWE merger under the TKO Group. WWE has hosted several events in Saudi Arabia since 2014, and now UFC is set to make it's first venture into the middle eastern country.

While the first-ever event is confirmed to take place on 2 March 2024, the card for the event that is likely to be stacked despite being a Fight Night event, will be announced in the coming months by UFC CEO Dana White, as per the release.

"As part of its thrilling activities, Riyadh Season will host a UFC Fight Night in collaboration with UFC, the world's premier mixed martial arts (MMA) organization on Saturday, March 2, 2024," the TKO Group release read.

"The event will feature a variety of UFC's most successful and internationally known fighters. UFC CEO Dana White will announce participating athletes in coming months."

The release further added: "The agreement for this event will be signed in the presence of His Excellency Advisor Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi General Entertainment Authority."

Saudi Arabia has made a lot of investment in sport since the last few years, most notably in football with the arrival of some top players from Europe, including Cristiano Ronaldo. Plus, the country has hosted several WWE events and is also set to host another combat sport soon.

Since the launch of the Riyadh Season in 2019, the festival has welcomed visitors from all over the world to experience thousands of concerts, sporting events, dining experiences and other unique cultural events.

In 2023, Riyadh Season will commence on Saturday, 28 October with a spectacular opening ceremony and an historic boxing match between heavyweight boxer Tyson Fury and former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou.

The Riyadh Season offers a multitude of concerts, exhibitions, dining experiences, and unique entertainment events, with the participation of renowned celebrities and leading brands.