The UFC has extended its deal with Saudi Arabia to host another event in the country in 2024 or 2025, and has also formed a strategic partnership with Riyadh Season to sponsor the upcoming UFC 306 card at The Sphere in Las Vegas.
UFC’s Middle Eastern connections just got a lot stronger. Tuesday saw the promotion extend its deal with Saudi Arabia’s Kingdom. Now, another event is set to take place there. Plus, they’ve agreed to sponsor an upcoming card at The Sphere in Las Vegas.
Turki Alalshikh, the big boss of Saudi Arabia’s general entertainment authority, made the announcement. He’s the chairman of the board of directors, after all. Dana White, UFC’s CEO, was pretty stoked about it too. He even shared the good news on his Instagram.
So, what’s the deal? Well, UFC is planning to bring another event to Saudi Arabia. It’s likely to happen in 2024 or 2025. This follows the card scheduled for June 22. It’s a big one, featuring ex-middleweight champion Robert Whittaker and Khamzat Chimaev in the main event.
But that’s not all. Riyadh Season, the country’s annual sports and entertainment festival, is also getting in on the action. They’ve agreed to sponsor the upcoming UFC 306 card at The Sphere in Las Vegas.
Turki Alalshikh tweeted about the strategic agreement between Riyadh Season and UFC. This includes sponsorship of the UFC event in Las Vegas, the UFC event in Riyadh, and Power Slap competitions.
The event is set for Sept. 14. It’s the weekend before Mexican Independence Day. Remember UFC Noche? That was a huge success last September. It celebrated Mexican Independence Day too. Dana White later said he wants to make it an annual thing.
Turki Alashikh said in a press release, “This agreement is a continuation of Riyadh Season’s aims to host and partner with prominent and international events of mass interest.” He added that it enhances their efforts to produce diverse content. They want to engage and attract a wider audience with different interests from around the world. After all, UFC is the most prominent mixed martial arts organization in the world. Their global fan base is unmatched.
But wait, there’s more. WWE, the other half of TKO Group Holdings alongside UFC, also has a longstanding relationship with Saudi Arabia. They’ve got an event scheduled in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on May 25.
The previous deal reportedly paid UFC around a $20 million site fee to bring the promotion to Saudi Arabia. So, it’s almost certain this new deal is even more lucrative. Especially with the additional sponsorship for UFC 306.