White says UFC Qatar (Nov. 21) and UFC Saudi Arabia (Dec. 5) will go ahead despite the war, while the US orders non-emergency staff out of Saudi Arabia; the Saudi card is not yet announced.
From 7 reports by 5 outletsLatest US orders non-emergency staff out of Saudi Arabia; TKO's Riyadh dates stand 2 updates 5 outlets
What we know
- UFC Qatar is set for Nov. 21 and UFC Saudi Arabia for Dec. 5; White says both will go ahead.
- The UFC Saudi Arabia card has not been officially announced; no date, venue or fights were confirmed by White.
- WWE Crown Jewel is set for Riyadh on Nov. 7.
Reported, not confirmed
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The US State Department's departure order for non-emergency government employees and their families in Saudi Arabia took effect Oct. 23.
Knockout Daily
- A US Embassy alert said US government staff need special authorization from the Chief of Mission to use any Saudi airport. Fightful
- TKO could face roughly $90 million in losses if its WWE and UFC events in Saudi Arabia are canceled. Sportskeeda
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Israel Adesanya vs. Shara Magomedov is listed as the Riyadh main event.
MMA.pl
Dana White has put the UFC's Middle East schedule on record: the dates stay, war or not. Whether that holds depends on a security picture in Saudi Arabia that is getting worse, not better.
Asked after UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi about security, and whether he had a message for other sports organizations in the region, White said he has never felt unsafe there or felt his staff were unsafe, and praised how events are run. "When we have a deal, we have a contract, we have a date, we'll be there," he said, adding that he can't tell other sporting events what to do.
The commitment spans TKO, which owns both the UFC and WWE. WWE Crown Jewel is set for Riyadh on Nov. 7, UFC Qatar for Nov. 21 and UFC Saudi Arabia for Dec. 5. Saudi Arabia has been hit by Houthi missile and drone attacks, and King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh has been struck more than once, according to MMA Mania.
The pressure is concrete. The US departure order for non-emergency government employees and their families took effect Oct. 23. A US Embassy alert two days later, reported by Fightful, cited Houthi attacks on civilian airports and infrastructure and said US government staff need special authorization to use any Saudi airport. King Khalid International announced a partial reopening on Oct. 25, handling domestic flights and some international routes.
There is a financial side too. Sportskeeda reports TKO could face roughly $90 million in losses if its WWE and UFC events in the Kingdom are canceled. None of the reports say whether TKO has discussed moving or postponing anything with Saudi partners.
At the same press conference, White told a Saudi MMA reporter the Saudi event is "coming" and "happening", gave no details on the rumored Israel Adesanya vs. Shara Magomedov main event, and answered a jab about the last Saudi card with "that's your opinion, sir." The first test comes Oct. 31, when Canelo Alvarez fights Christian Mbilli in Riyadh; Turki Alalshikh has said it will go ahead as planned. Watch that card, Riyadh's airport and any official UFC announcement.
Asked after UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi about security, and whether he had a message for other sports organizations in the region, White said he has never felt unsafe there or felt his staff were unsafe, and praised how events are run. "When we have a deal, we have a contract, we have a date, we'll be there," he said, adding that he can't tell other sporting events what to do.
The commitment spans TKO, which owns both the UFC and WWE. WWE Crown Jewel is set for Riyadh on Nov. 7, UFC Qatar for Nov. 21 and UFC Saudi Arabia for Dec. 5. Saudi Arabia has been hit by Houthi missile and drone attacks, and King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh has been struck more than once, according to MMA Mania.
The pressure is concrete. The US departure order for non-emergency government employees and their families took effect Oct. 23. A US Embassy alert two days later, reported by Fightful, cited Houthi attacks on civilian airports and infrastructure and said US government staff need special authorization to use any Saudi airport. King Khalid International announced a partial reopening on Oct. 25, handling domestic flights and some international routes.
There is a financial side too. Sportskeeda reports TKO could face roughly $90 million in losses if its WWE and UFC events in the Kingdom are canceled. None of the reports say whether TKO has discussed moving or postponing anything with Saudi partners.
At the same press conference, White told a Saudi MMA reporter the Saudi event is "coming" and "happening", gave no details on the rumored Israel Adesanya vs. Shara Magomedov main event, and answered a jab about the last Saudi card with "that's your opinion, sir." The first test comes Oct. 31, when Canelo Alvarez fights Christian Mbilli in Riyadh; Turki Alalshikh has said it will go ahead as planned. Watch that card, Riyadh's airport and any official UFC announcement.
- Summary
- White says UFC Qatar (Nov. 21) and UFC Saudi Arabia (Dec. 5) will go ahead despite the war, while the US orders non-emergency staff out of Saudi Arabia; the Saudi card is not yet announced.
- Key points (one per line)
- White says UFC Qatar on Nov. 21 and UFC Saudi Arabia on Dec. 5 are going ahead despite the war.
The US State Department's departure order for non-emergency staff in Saudi Arabia took effect Oct. 23.
The UFC Saudi Arabia card has not been officially announced; Adesanya vs. Magomedov is rumored.
Sportskeeda reports TKO could lose about $90 million if its Saudi events are canceled.
- Also reported by (Name | URL per line)
- Knockout Daily | https://knockoutdaily.com/news/dana-white-shuts-down-saudi-arabia-doubts-with-three-words
MMA Mania | https://www.mmamania.com/ufc-news/482011/dana-white-says-ufc-events-will-go-ahead-in-middle-east-despite-war-well-be-there
Combat Sports UK | https://combatsportsuk.com/news/8955002e-02f5-4a4b-972c-fb3d84cf3fdb/dana-white-ufc-middle-east-events-go-ahead-despite-war-qatar-saudi-arabia
Knockout Daily | https://knockoutdaily.com/news/tko-stares-down-a-90-million-hole-as-riyadh-fight-dates-hold-despite-u-s-exit-order
X: @FalseFinishHQ | https://x.com/FalseFinishHQ/status/2114199524445184131
MMA.pl | https://mma.pl/czy-ufc-zrezygnuje-z-gal-na-bliskim-wschodzie-dana-white-stawia-sprawe-jasno/
Combat Sports UK | https://combatsportsuk.com/news/3a7e1986-54c1-43ad-b753-47376d79113b/dana-white-thats-your-opinion-reporter-last-saudi-card-ufc-333
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What they're saying
Jed I. Goodman ©@jedigoodmanIn the story
Dana White is asked what he can tell other sports leagues about holding events in the region amid ongoing security concerns.DW: "I can't tell other sporting events what to do. That's their business. We go. We go. When we have deal, we have a contract, we have a date, we'll be…
Oct 24 · View on X
False Finish@FalseFinishHQNews
Dana White was asked about UFC potentially moving their Saudi Arabia event.
“When we have contracts, we’ll be there.”
Oct 25 · View on X
Fighters in this story
Alexander Volkanovski
Islam Makhachev
Khamzat Chimaev
Israel Adesanya
Canelo Alvarez
Christian MbilliMore photos
How the story developed
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US orders non-emergency staff out of Saudi Arabia; TKO's Riyadh dates standKnockout Daily
-
White says UFC Qatar and Saudi Arabia dates are going ahead despite war
MMA Mania
Sources
Combat Sports UKSummarized with AI from the sources above. Read the originals for the full story.
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